Last Market Preview before Tomorrow

SCRAP DC's first Holiday Market is almost here! And we've got a few more sneaky peeks that we're sure you'll want to know more about. Come see these and our other artists tomorrow, for demos, great gifts, and holiday merriment.

Images from RedRibbonCrow, Nomads and Housewives, Regina Anderson, and Carry-on Bike Boxes.

Our consignment boutique will still be open, as will the retail store. So pick up finished presents AND more supplies for the ones you're making. Or just come to get ideas for, say, next Christmas?

Either way, hang out with other SCRAPpy enthusiasts, see our creative reuse examples throughout the place, and enjoy some warm beverages and our bake sale.

We hope to see you there!

Holiday Market Sneak Peeks (con't)

So we've told you about our Holiday Market (this Sunday, 12-5!) and shared some images from artists who will be there. As advertised, here are a few more:

These "slices" feature the work of: RECREATIONS: Recycling For Art, LGM Studios, and Foraging Fox Studio

Still more to come! We know, these teases don't reveal much. Will you join us and see the stuff in person? Let us know on Facebook and help spread the news.

Holiday Market This Coming Sunday!

In our prior post about our Holiday Market, we promised to share something about the artists we'll have on hand, so here are some photos showing the sneakiest of sneak peeks. For more info on these and other nifty gift items, come visit this Sunday and speak directly with those who created them. Some will have materials on hand to give demos and they'll all welcome your questions (and sales).

We'll have another of these previews later this week.

Work is by the following confirmed artists: Kamishia Lee, Melanie Zuckerman, Q, and Sharon Robinson. 

ScrapDC's first Holiday Market

Join us in supporting and celebrating independent re-use artists at our first SCRAP DC Holiday Market on Sunday, December 8th!

From 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 8th, a curated group of local artists will set up shop at our space in 3101 12th Street Northeast DC in Brookland. What makes these artists unique is that all use more than 50% of repurposed and upcycled materials in their work! While you browse and shop, enjoy warm beverages and baked goods available for purchase, visit our DIY gift wrap station, learn about our crowdfunding campaign and join as as we unveil the SCRAP DC Giving Tree, an interactive way in which friends and allies like you can support SCRAP DC's operations with a meaningful gift.

With the move into our new and larger Brookland space, we are happy to be able to bring to you, in addition to crafty materials and classes, community activities that showcase the skill and creativity of reuse artists. Come celebrate with us, and support our non-profit as well as the local community of artists, while taking home environmentally friendly, one-of-a-kind hand-made products.

In the coming weeks we will be sharing with you more information on the selected artists for the Holiday Market here on the blog and on our Facebook page. Stay tuned for more information!

Robots in all Shapes and Sizes

What a fun group we had yesterday at Whole Foods Market, Bethesda! We assembled together to make robots (or just robot parts. Or whatever else might have emerged from these creative minds upon seeing all of our super cool "scrap"). We may have actually had too many different materials and tools to choose from:

Yup, those are floppy disks -- in TWO sizes! We also used empty containers, plastic thingies of somewhat-unknown-origin, remote control and keyboard guts, bottle lids and caps in every size and color, and plenty more. Surprisingly, the shiny papers and foils weren't even touched!

This guy is based on an existing video game character. Do you recognize him?

A few of our happy customers show off their creatures:

And here are some of the other items our participants thought up. The first shown here has the wheels rigged so that they can spin!:

So cute!

These works in progress have me hoping we'll receive photos of the finished versions:

SCRAP fans never need a reason to craft other than, "I'm feeling crafty," but this was a practice run for the Mini Maker Faire, coming to Silver Spring, MD this September. There, you can talk to Makers of all ages. And be sure to see what the interactive, hands-on booths have going on. You may be able to wire up a SCRAPpy robot so that it moves or does other stuff on its own. Hope to see ya there!

See -- and Make -- Puppets this Sunday

Looking for an activity to do with the whole family this Mother's Day? Join us at Wit's End Puppets' production of The Amazing and Marvelous Cabinets of Kismet. The show itself is getting rave reviews; following the afternoon performance on Sunday 5/12, SCRAP will help run a workshop so that attendees can make their own puppets. Tickets ($15 for the show; $20 for show + workshop) still remain for this collaborative event, 2-4pm at Flashpoint Gallery, 916 G Street NW.

 Photo by C. Stanley Photography

Last September, we held this same SCRAPpy workshop over at Watkins Nature Center. The results were varied and fun, and participants had an opportunity at the end to have their designs' photos taken from behind the puppet stage. Time permitting, we'll do the same on the Kismet set.

Photos by SCRAP DC

Things to do with Samples!

At SCRAP DC we get loads of various samples from interior design and architecture firms such as floor, wood, carpet, and fabric. There's so much potential in these squares of material that people sometimes overlook! Here are some clever examples created by volunteers of SCRAP:

Heather made awesome wall art by hanging wood finish samples and scattering photos between the pieces of wood: 

I made a little table for my router out of three pieces of wood floor samples (with scrap fabric glued to the front hide the wires):

Jessica's cat tree combines both the carpet and wood samples with pvc pipe. Kitty approves!:

       

I put many carpet samples together to make one big rug:

Last month we gave out free fabric samples with purchase. What did you create with them? We've heard ideas like wedding invitations or doll clothes. SCRAP also has a plethora of other material samples like plastic signage, marble floor tiles, and wallpaper trims that are really cool. If you make something with them, send us pictures of your results!

Re:Boutique -- Done for Now!

As we focus on the fun and exciting experiment that has been our Re:Boutique, here now is a look at the artists and goods -- including our fab pegboard -- not yet discussed. This lovely white board came to us, as much of our "scrap" does, thru freecycle. Then, one of our sweet volunteers offered to take it to Jed Dinger Design (14650 Southlawn Lane in Rockville, MD), where the guys in the shop cut down the huge piece and attached it to this frame (another donation to us). Thanks, all!
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Christa McDermott [FreedFromTheTrash (at) gmail (dot) com] is one of SCRAP's devoted Advisory Board members and makes these beautiful coat racks. An environmental psychologist by day, she's also a trash refurbisher by night, using as much salvaged material as possible -- including paint and hardware. When a factory in Brentwood closed, all of the plaster was headed for the dump. Of all that Christa rescued, she still has many different trim styles available. Custom orders welcome!

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KLK Studios [klkstudios (at) mac (dot) com] has made jewelry for over two decades, originally using beads, metals, and -- eventually -- kiln-formed glass. But after owner Karen L. Klein started incorporating recycled materials into her projects, she stumbled upon the existence of SCRAP in Portland, OR, and felt that DC would support its own creative reuse resource, too. More than 2 years later, SCRAP DC is going strong, so you can also reach her at karen (at) scrapdc (dot) org. [For the rest of our "creation" story, including how we came to be TWO co-directors, go on over to this link.]

As seen above, Karen's earrings come on interior design laminate samples, with some made from the same material. It's one of SCRAP's most affordable items, at just 25¢ per inch! [This photo shows how we measure that inch.]

Getting back to the jewelry display cards: when customers return them to SCRAP for another use, they'll get 10% off that visit's purchase. Or they can try making their own project, since the labels are easily removed. Either way, it's less junk going into local waste streams.
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The remaining categories of stuff on the board are by artists we've already presented; the bottle cap earrings and key rings are provided by Judith Capen, while Bahari Deco Crafts folds the small gift bags from pieces of newspaper. There are still more Re:Boutique items to see aside from those photographed for this blog series, so come by this and every Thursday and check them out!

Re:Boutique Re:Visited

Happy 2013, folks! The Re:Boutique will be open again tomorrow -- and every Thursday -- noon to 8. Here's a further look at our artists and some of their excellent work. Whether you come to buy or just marvel at the ingenuity on display, let us know what you think!

 

Like so many of the people we meet, artist Judith Capen [judith (dot) capen (at) architravepc (dot) com] doesn't restrict herself to a single medium. For our September art show, we displayed her quilt and 3-D sculptures. Now she's crocheting these fun clutches out of a mix of VHS tape and yarn. The tape gives them strength, the yarn makes them soft (especially when it's of the eyelash variety, as above), and the aesthetic is somehow chic and elegant.

 

Judith has also done some beautiful paintings of the flowers she grows. These were turned into lovely cards that she puts together with those flowers' seeds -- so you can buy her art and do some planting of your own.

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Rebecca Kallem [rebeccamarion (at) gmail (dot) com] makes jewelry from scrap fabric and leather, paper, and abandoned game remnants like stray dominoes and puzzle pieces. Every now and then, she'll take apart old bracelets and necklaces that are missing some hardware or are just plain outdated. They, too, get incorporated into something new and unique.

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The artists at Bahari Deco Crafts use the scraps generated from the totes and other products they make to create eye-catching note and gift cards. We love the bold graphics and think you will, too. In fact, once you narrow down which one/s to buy, will you really send them along to others or just keep them for yourself?

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One more in this series is on the way!