Category Archives: For Makers

Restoring Pride: Sir Terence Conran on Design and Craftsmanship

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Pedro| 2 Comments
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Is there a divide between designing and making? We’ve previously raised the question of a “societal disconnect” with working with your hands and highlighted efforts to restore a sense of pride in building things that can both benefit future generations … Continue reading →

Posted in For Makers, The Pro Shop

Indie Capitalism

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Pedro| Leave a comment
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What do indie music and an emerging form of capitalism have in common? “You won’t learn about it in business school, hear about it from Wall Street, or see it in Palo Alto,” writes noted commentator on economics, social issues, … Continue reading →

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Archaic, Unwritten, Irresistible: The Art of Scagliola

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Pedro| Leave a comment
In the hands of an expert artisan with the right tricks up his sleeve, scagliola can achieve a distressed stone appearance. Scagliola - Faux Marble by CoveStone Sculptural Surrounds at CustomMade.com

What is scagliola?  A composite substance made from selenite, glue, and natural pigments that can simulate marble and other stone.  Known since the days of Ancient Rome, most in vogue in Europe from the 17th to the 19th century, and … Continue reading →

Posted in For Makers, The Pro Shop

Knowledge is the Key to Green Jewelry

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Pedro| Leave a comment
Dave & Lee Bands by Martha Keith Jewelry at CustomMade.com

Browse through the CustomMade galleries and you’re certain to find artisan statements about adhering to eco-friendly practices and descriptions of projects created from responsibly sourced and/or recycled materials.  Although wood may dominate many discussions of environmental sustainability in the galleries, … Continue reading →

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A Simple Tutorial on Using Google Docs to Collaborate & Get Organized

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Marcie| Leave a comment
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An informative  article written by CustomMade guest blogger Doug Turner of Turner Custom Furniture. Doug is a very talented woodworker as-well- as a savvy businessman. Doug likes to share his business and marketing tips with other craftspeople in order to help … Continue reading →

Posted in For Makers, The Pro Shop

The Bespoke Controversy

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Pedro| 1 Comment
The Bespoke Controversy

What’s in a word? Take the term, “bespoke,” (more commonly used in the UK than in the US) and substitute it with the phrase, “made-to-measure.” In 2008, a complaint was filed in the UK with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) … Continue reading →

Posted in For Makers, The Pro Shop

Meditations of a Woodworker – Stewards of the Past, Present and Future

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Marcie| Leave a comment
Old Barn (source of reclaimed wood) taken by Patrick Kennedy of Superior Woodcraft on CustomMade.com

Guest contributor CustomMade woodoworker Patrick Kennedy of Superior Woodcraft, Inc. I often sit in my 1760 farmhouse daydreaming about how craftsmen created the home’s hand-hewn beams, posts, pegs and wide plank floors and doors.  I think about the hard work … Continue reading →

Posted in For Makers, The Pro Shop

Preserving the Architectural Past in the Internet Age

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Pedro| Leave a comment
Rustic Table with White Distressed Legs by Old House Parts Co. at CustomMade.com

The distressed look is a wonderful way for a new piece of custom furniture to gain the appearance and character of an old heirloom piece, but when the item is actually made from salvaged antique elements, the furniture doesn’t just … Continue reading →

Posted in For Makers, The Pro Shop

A Marketing & Business Model Checkup, Part 2: Your Business Model Clean-Up Checklist

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Marcie| Leave a comment
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This is the second part of a two part article written by CustomMade guest blogger Doug Turner of Turner Custom Furniture. Doug brings marketing tips to woodworkers through his own experience of running a successful, profitable custom furniture business in … Continue reading →

Posted in For Makers, The Pro Shop

A Marketing & Business Model Checkup, Part 1: Your Marketing Clean-Up Checklist

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Marcie| Leave a comment
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The following article is written by CustomMade guest blogger Doug Turner of Turner Custom Furniture. Doug shares insightful and useful marketing tools for woodworkers looking to showcase themselves and their work in order to educate consumers about custom and increase … Continue reading →

Posted in For Makers, The Pro Shop