Inspiration, Community, and Contests
The following websites are a great place to find inspiration and new ideas. These online communities provide spaces to post your projects and also ask for feedback. They also provide step-by-step project plans.
Thingiverse - User created 3D models
Thingiverse is a website dedicated to sharing user-created models/digital design files. Most files are free, open source hardware designs under the GNU General Public License or Creative Commons Licenses.
Instructables is a great site for posting how-to's of you project so others can make it, get feedback, or to follow somebody else's projects and instructions. The topics on the site vary from Minecraft to workshop to play to food, so check it out and start making! The also have a contests page here!
Hackaday - Project Blog and Hosting
Hackaday is a incredibly active hardware development community that highlights cool articles, projects, and advice as well as featuring a strong portfolio/project blogging service. They have large contests here!
Make - Tip Resource and Blog
Make, the producers of Make magazine and the original founders of the Maker Faire (which there is one in both Seattle and in Portland) have an excellent website to highlight tips from high profile makers, cool projects and building advice. The site has something for makers of all skills, so check it out!
Hackster.io - Project Blog and Hosting
Very similar site to Hackaday, but with more of a electronics and coding related. They also have challenges that you can find here!
Github - Code Hosting Platform
A must use if working on a coding project. The go-to for hosting code based projects that you want to share with the community and even get others to help or branch your code to do something different. Students get better package and more free software.