Have you ever wanted to start a new art practice or craft hobby and wished that instead of having to spend a ton of money to stock up on brand-new supplies, you could just find someone else who wants to get rid of those exact supplies and make them a deal? Have you ever wanted to work with an unconventional material, like pill bottles or architectural blueprints or 1980s greeting cards, but you don’t know where to source it? There might be a creative reuse center near you to solve all those problems! Creative reuse centers are basically arts and crafts thrift stores. They’re generally run as non-profits that take donations of art supplies, craft materials, and other items that can be used for arts and crafts. The supplies are sorted, then put out for sale in the organization’s storefront at thrift store prices. Many reuse centers also host makerspaces, classes, children’s programming, and sometimes even a gallery where local artists can sell their upcycled creations. Although the eclectic selection is a big part of its appeal, a creative reuse center/arts and crafts thrift store is usually one of those places that you have to browse through and let it tell you what you want. It helps if you’ve got a few projects in mind! Last month, for instance, while I was in the midst of fighting for my life to sew my kid’s bookshelf quilt, I took a weekend trip to Nashville and swung by Turnip Green Creative Use. And while I was moseying around, deciding whether or not I wanted to buy that giant bag of Crayolas and get back into making upcycled crayons (I did not!), and digging through all the cassettes to see if there were any cool mixtapes (there were!), I came across this section of the store: I hit the jackpot! I found a ton of jelly roll fabrics that I could piece right into my quilt as the fattest books, plenty of vintage fabrics to cut into more book pieces, and even several partially-pieced quilt blocks that I could use as cutter pieces to make super fancy bookshelf pieces. And the scraps were all scrappy enough that I wasn’t actually adding a bunch more fabric to my own stash, which I swear I’m trying to reduce, ahem. Would most people find these scrappy vintage little pieces to be much use to them in their sewing? Not likely! But was it exactly what I didn’t know I really needed? You BET! The key to an exceptional creative reuse center is exceptional organization. Check out all the painstakingly sorted little bins and boxes and shelves at Turnip Green: There was a place for every little bit and bob, and every little bit and bob was in its place. I spent a looong time in that needlework section there in the foreground, admiring the different colors of aida cloth and dithering over whether or not I need one of twenty or so partially-finished cross-stitch projects. I didn’t, but it was close! I got lost for another long time in the media section in the background of the following photo: Once upon a time I made a killing at craft fairs selling record album bowls for $5 a pop, so the record album display was a blast from the past. I’ve currently got some ideas for a few different projects using old VHS tapes, so I’m always on the lookout for favorite movies on VHS. And I love old mixtapes on cassette, so of course I had to sort through those to make sure there weren’t any treasures! I don’t know what one would make with the coozies in the foreground, though. If you’ve got an awesome project that upcycles old can coozies, tell us about it in the Comments! If you’re donating or shopping for something specific, you might want to do a little research first to see what your local creative reuse center stocks. Most stores, for instance, won’t have a lot of plastic or Styrofoam items, or home dishware, glasses, and mugs. But of course, you can find dishes and plastic containers and T-shirts to upcycle, etc. at a regular thrift store. Currently, it can be a little tricky to simply find a creative reuse center or arts and crafts thrift store, especially if you’re not local. They’re often pretty small and rely on a lot of word-of-mouth marketing, so you could have one in your town and not even know it! And good luck if you’re on vacation and looking for some cool thrift stores… actually, does anyone else go thrifting while on vacation, or is it just me? It might be just me–forget I said anything, ahem. There have been a couple of attempts over the past few years to make a definitive map or list of creative reuse centers, but they’re not up to date and anyway, these places do tend to come and go, sadly. At this point, your best bet is probably just Good Old Google, or her first cousin, Good Old Google Maps. But when you find one, tell all your friends, and visit it often, because we all benefit from keeping places like these not just in business, but thriving! P.S. Do you already have a favorite creative reuse center? Tell us about it in the Comments!
