Another Trip to the Scrap Exchange

Today was another beautiful cloudy day, perfect for heading over to the Scrap Exchange for another perusal. I collected more of their information and took tons of pictures this time. I spent more time noticing and examining things even if I didn't have any plan to take them home with me. Because who doesn't love an interesting time? 

The woven floral mural outside the front entrance is made with pieces of trash, old markers, and ribbon woven into a chicken wire fence for some great three-dimensional art. 

This hexagon bag is really sweet. It's fully lined and pretty thick, so nothing you carry is going to make it look lumpy. It's made from an old quilt. Aren't the colors beautiful?

A welded metal tulip (art for your house or garden, perhaps). 

Reclaimed clay pottery.

There was a set of china from the area that the Scrap Exchange sells products from local artists that focus on creatively reusing materials. The set of floral china had lawnmowers, 18 wheelers, violins, and telescopes drawn onto them (Reinvented Pottery by Rebecca Newman from Granville County). 

A tower of hand knit and crocheted baby caps (presumably from recycled yarn). 

Welded metal fish with keys, washers, and silverware. 

This was one of my favorite pieces in the artist's section: a scrap quilt. 

This was one of many interesting bins. This blue bin is filled with assorted puzzle pieces. 

There are tunnels between the aisles at a child's height made from old film canisters, plastic boxes, and ancient computers.

Their collection of stamps is great. Lots of selection, most of them are brand new. The stamps on the left were some of my favorites that I thought could be cute for card making. 

The fabric section is quite inspiring. So many possibilities! So much to try! Everything from 75 cent fat quarters, to gorgeous rolls of decorating and knit fabric for only $3/yard. I got two pieces of knit fabrics to make some more maxi skirts. Pictures of those will follow. 

The steamer trunk is filled with large fabric scraps. The trunk even has a name and old address written on a tag on the side (the address is in Pennsylvania). 

 

I am pretty convinced you could build a house almost entirely from material found at the Scrap Exchange. There are windows, mirrors, chandeliers, pieces of wood, strange things seeking new purpose in life, and tiles.

Over an archway leading to the room they use for hosting crafting birthday parties is a group of mannequin legs wearing hand knit leg warmers in all these different stitch patterns.

 Being around other artists and artisans who create and craft from recycled materials is always exciting. It encourages me to look beyond what something is now and think what could this become? I would never have looked at a key and thought, I should weld this to a metal fish. Or looked at antique china and thought I should draw a lawnmower on this.

For your own exciting, creative discoveries, you should stop by the Scrap Exchange. They are constantly getting new donations and changing what is on sale, so everything is always rotating. 

Happy Crafting!