The American Made Marketplace

According to Advertising Week,  “good design is good business. From dating apps to online shopping, we choose products, services and people based on beauty. Successful business owners know this well.”  Good design aesthetics are just as important as product functionality. But great design is elusive. What makes a great design? This week, hosts Geralyn and Kerri … Continue reading Great American Design →

The United States is full of stories of immigrants who came to the US and did great things in arts, science, and commerce here. Just think about Albert Einstein (Germany), Sergey Brin (Russia), Joseph Pulitzer (Hungary), Liz Claiborne (Belgium), Madeline Albright (Czech Republic), or Mariano Rivera (Panama). According to scholars at the Bushcenter.org, “immigrants played … Continue reading America Meets Argentina →

Did you think that a blacksmith is someone who makes shoes for a horse? Wrong! That’s a farrier. A blacksmith is a person who works with iron and steel. The blacksmith hammers hot iron on an anvil to change its shape. And a  smith is a person who works in metal, but not iron which … Continue reading Americans Forging Ahead →

In 2020 the US jewelry market revenue was $18B. Behemoth Signet Jewelers alone accounted for $6.3B in revenue in fiscal 2019. That’s a lot of jewelry. How is one to find a unique item of jewelry that hasn’t been sold to thousands if not millions of other people? The answer: buy handcrafted jewelry! This week, … Continue reading I Love You to the Moon & Back, America →

Have you ever bought vegan leather in an attempt to be eco-friendlier? Green Matters.com has reported countless times, that experts agree that eliminating or cutting back on one’s consumption of animal products — yes, leather and hides included — is the single best thing an individual could do to help the planet. It is far bigger than cutting … Continue reading Put a Cork in It America →

According to a Harper’s BAZAAR poll, nearly 50 percent of women are already using clean beauty products. This is one hot trend that is actually healthy. Harper’s Beauty experts advise: “if a product is intended to stay on your skin all day (like a moisturizer) and/or it’s covering a large surface area (like body lotion), … Continue reading Splish Splash American Bath →

According to ABC TV News, the facts show that our nation is addicted to imports. In 1960, foreign goods made up just 8 percent of Americans’ purchases. Today, nearly 60 percent of everything we buy is made overseas. In many frequently purchased categories like clothing and shoes, that number drops to well under 5%. Meanwhile, … Continue reading Look for American-made First! →

Did you know that there are not one but TWO official national days registered on nationaldaycalendar.com to honor the humble drinking straw? There are! January 3 is, um, National Drinking Straw Day. And February 28 is National Skip the Straw Day. Why you may ask is there so much attention being paid to straws these … Continue reading Drink Up America →

Happy Valentine’s Day! How are you celebrating? 1 Billion Valentine’s cards will be exchanged today in the USA alone. And some serious bling will also be gifted – – 43% of millennials chose Valentine’s Day as their top choice of day to propose or be proposed to in a recent survey. But if your idea … Continue reading In the American Hoodie →

It’s February 7. Have you taken down your Christmas tree and all of your holiday decorations yet? If it’s taking you a long time, you are not alone. An average 7 ½ foot tree has at least 217 ornaments on it. (Some of us, have many, many more than that!). Consumer spending on holiday decorations … Continue reading Georgia On My Mind →