It has been two fabulous days of creativity and innovation at #americanmade. Thank you for all your follows, comments, and shares. We can’t wait until next year! High-res

It has been two fabulous days of creativity and innovation at #americanmade. Thank you for all your follows, comments, and shares. We can’t wait until next year!

After two days of inspiration, creation, and innovation, there’s only one logical question to sum up the American Made workshop: What’s next? 

That was the topic tackled by a team of five of the top names in the blogging world in the last panel of our event. Editor-in-Chief of Martha Stewart Living Pilar Guzman hosted the roundtable discussion of what’s on the horizon for food, design and lifestyle bloggers. 

“For food trends, I’m seeing a lot more natural styling. When food is heavily styled, it may make a magazine look good and pretty, but it doesn’t make people want to cook.” -Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen

“I’m seeing a return to color in decor. Strong colors like bright pink or fucshia. I think people were depressed and scared a few years ago, and when you’re scared, you don’t take risks. Color is a risk. But now these are risks people are willing to take.” -Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan of Apartment Therapy

“I look a lot at the actual design of blogs, and I’m seeing a lot more joy, more sparkle in blog design. It’s a more definitive step in the blog itself.” -Stacy Morrison of BlogHer

“People putting type on their photos! It’s the thing, and it’s doing really well on Pinterest.” -Gabrielle Blair of Design Mom

“DIY is now its own vertical. And I’m excited to see that the people, the innovators are not a specific demographic — it’s a psychographic. These are all people who want to make their life more beautiful and fun. More people are creating their own worlds.” -Erica Domesek of P.S. - I Made This

Pilar, Erica from P.S I Made This, Deb from Smitten Kitchen, Maxwell from Apartment Therapy, Stacy from BlogHer, and Gabrielle from Design Mom on our “What’s Next?” blogger panel. High-res

Pilar, Erica from P.S I Made This, Deb from Smitten Kitchen, Maxwell from Apartment Therapy, Stacy from BlogHer, and Gabrielle from Design Mom on our “What’s Next?” blogger panel.

Gael Towey discusses the importance of good design in business with honorees Andrew Tarlow and Peter Lawrence of the Whythe Hotel, Carter Cleveland of Art.sy, and Jonah Meyer of Sawkille & Co., sponsored by @toyota. #americanmade #toyota High-res

Gael Towey discusses the importance of good design in business with honorees Andrew Tarlow and Peter Lawrence of the Whythe Hotel, Carter Cleveland of Art.sy, and Jonah Meyer of Sawkille & Co., sponsored by @toyota. #americanmade #toyota

This morning, Martha Stewart gave a presentation of “Five Things Everyone Needs to Know,” her favorite tips and tricks for everything from pumpkin carving to house painting. Here are her five key tips: 1. Use an ice ball maker for perfectly spherical ice for liquor. It’s a neat trick that will keep drinks cool.  2. Cut open the bottom of a pumpkin when carving to preserve the look of the pumpkin and coat the cut parts with petroleum jelly to keep them from rotting. See this tip.  3. Put a whole head of garlic between two metal bowls and shake to remove all the paper for perfectly clean garlic cloves. Wash your hands on the stainless steel metal bowl to get rid of the smell. See this tip.  4. To remove thorns from a rose easily, grab a thick washcloth and run it firmly down the sides to rip off the leaves and thorns.  5. When painting in your house, attach a rubber band across the mouth of a paint bucket to wipe the brush on. The drips will fall back into the can. See this tip.  High-res

This morning, Martha Stewart gave a presentation of “Five Things Everyone Needs to Know,” her favorite tips and tricks for everything from pumpkin carving to house painting. Here are her five key tips:

1. Use an ice ball maker for perfectly spherical ice for liquor. It’s a neat trick that will keep drinks cool. 

2. Cut open the bottom of a pumpkin when carving to preserve the look of the pumpkin and coat the cut parts with petroleum jelly to keep them from rotting. See this tip. 

3. Put a whole head of garlic between two metal bowls and shake to remove all the paper for perfectly clean garlic cloves. Wash your hands on the stainless steel metal bowl to get rid of the smell. See this tip. 

4. To remove thorns from a rose easily, grab a thick washcloth and run it firmly down the sides to rip off the leaves and thorns. 

5. When painting in your house, attach a rubber band across the mouth of a paint bucket to wipe the brush on. The drips will fall back into the can. See this tip.