It's no surprise that Martha Stewart, with the help of her hugely successful conglomerate of everything Martha Stewart Living, is one of the biggest advocates of promoting the national maker culture and the entrepreneurial spirit in which it thrives. This year marks the third year of her American Made program which celebrates small businesses with cash awards and media publicity. The awards are organized under four different categories: Crafts, Design, Food and Style - with each of the winners' wares being sold on the American Made Market on eBay.
The American Made web site is a trove of inspiration as hundreds of creatives show their products and tell their stories. Not only are the winners profiled, but so are all the finalists who entered the contest. Trolling through this curated list of makers introduces you to hundreds of small businesses across the country, doing things from distilling small batch whiskeys to fabricating one of a kind light fixtures. Sometimes it cracks me up that there's a market for some stuff, but props to them for finding the right crowd - right!? I'm looking at you, needle-felt miniature animal artist ...
Image credit : Martha Stewart American Made