Here's an interesting article in Wired about the new bespoke micromanufacturing which may put the lie to what you're talking about, Classic:

http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/...03/st_thompson

Thanks.

Probably knot, but you can have your own cnife, unharmed by spouses and other citchen vandals:
http://zen-cooking.com/index.php?mai...products_id=15

There have always been artists/craftspeople making arts & crafts and trying to find a market for them. Now the web has created a way to reach a bigger pool of prospective customers.

But craftsmen still have a limited market for utilitarian items because there's no way they can compete on price or satisfy the 'I need it right now', in a fluctuating market of any size.

The current economic climate will effect the artists & craftspeople hard, as the people that are still working get nervous and flock to walmart, thinking they're saving money buying crap that won't last.

or, hand-made items will see a surge, as those people laid off try their hands at anything to make money.

Long are the days when they could compete with walmart and not lose their ass. Their success depends on a pool of buyers that are willing to spend on things they don't need, and spend more than they have to for necessary items to have them handcrafted.

Granted most people will buy art or knickknacks that appeal to them, if they can afford it. I'm probably cynical from seeing the disposable economy all around me, but I'm skeptical the pool of people that appreciate quality and understand the real economy of buying things that will last, is that large.

The other possibility is, if more people do begin crafting or even micro-manufacturing, we may see a spurt in the ever growing underground barter culture.

we have many lolcraft artisans

http://icanhascheezburger.com/