You are Invited to our Holiday Party and Iron Crafter 3!

The Scrap Exchange will host its annual holiday party and Iron Crafter 3 competition on Friday, December 16 from 6-9 pm, and the public is invited!

The festivities will feature refreshments, live music by the Resurrection Blues Band, and a Cake Walk. Attendees can also shop for handcrafted gifts by local artists from repurposed materials in the Artist Marketplace and in Craftland, our expanded holiday marketplace set up in the Green Gallery.

But the highlight of the evening is sure to be the 3rd annual Iron Crafter competition!

Iron Crafter is a wild and wacky craft competition where contestants compete against each other in front of a live audience to create works of art from materials found right here at The Scrap Exchange. This year, Iron Crafter will feature three separate challenges: a Collage Challenge, a Sewing Challenge and the ever popular Secret Ingredient Challenge. Judges will be on hand to select Challenge winners as well as an overall Grand Prize winner, who will take home the Iron Crafter Cup trophy. The public will also vote for a People's Choice winner. Anyone who attends the holiday party is eligible to sign up for the chance to be selected to participate in Iron Crafter. A limited number of contestants will be randomly selected from the signup sheets for each challenge. Whether competing as a contestant or cheering on the action, Iron Crafter provides great fun for all!

Vote for The Scrap Exchange in the Triangle Christmas Tree Challenge

Own a cell phone? Then YOU can help the Scrap Exchange win $5000! The Scrap Exchange has an entry in the Triangle Christmas Tree Challenge, currently on display in Diamond View Park at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham. The Triangle Christmas Tree Challenge is a contest open to area nonprofits where you can text in votes for your favorite nonprofit and their tree. Cash prizes are awarded for the trees with the most votes. The top prize is $5000. Voting began on December 2nd and will end on December 18 at 11:59 pm. To vote for The Scrap Exchange (and our festive rocketship tree designed by our fabulous staff), text TREE28 to 46988. You can text one vote per day per cell phone.

More information on the Triangle Christmas Tree Challenge including a photo of all the trees can be found at http://www.triangletreechallenge.com/. You can also vote online on the Triangle Tree Challenge website.

The Scrap Exchange gives a huge THANK YOU to Julio Cordoba and the Cordoba Center for the Arts for sponsoring our entry!

November Newsletter Now Available

Our November newsletter is now available, and you can read it online!  For a sneak peek of what's inside the newsletter, here's the greeting portion written by our Executive Director, Ann May Woodward.  To view the entire newsletter and read more information about the great programming and events that Ann highlighted, go to http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/481039/aee3391b54/ARCHIVE.




"Dear Friends,



Are you ready for some holidays? If you’re still ramping up, I want to let you know about some fun things to see and do both here at The Scrap Exchange and around town ... Where do I start?!
First off ... it’s Third Friday, and not only is it Third Friday, but it’s Art Walk weekend in Durham! This is one of the BEST and MOST FUN weekends to be in Durham ~ you have access to more than 200 artists, music, food, cool spaces, more than 20 storefront art locations and great vibes all around town. Thank you Durham Arts Council for organizing this amazing semi-annual event!
You can kick things off by coming to The Scrap Exchange this Friday night from 6 to 9pm, to get the very FIRST look at our 8th Annual Craftland exhibit in our Green Gallery. (Thank you Owen FitzGerald, our Oakwood Intern, for organizing the show!) The show offers over 20 artists selling handmade-for-the-holidays gifts and products. Be the first to get a glimpse of the offerings and enjoy snacks, refreshments, PBR, and free art-making!
Also this weekend, one of our awesome Board members, Orla Swift has organized a Swing Dance at Duke Gardens with proceeds to benefit The Scrap Exchange. Swing for Scrap will be held on Saturday, November 19, from 8 to 11:30pm at the elegant Doris Duke Center, with a beginner dance lesson at 7pm for all of you newbie swing dancers who want to come but don’t know how to dance. This is a great way to shake it during the holidays and support The Scrap Exchange! You can reserve your spot in advance by buying a ticket at our store or online through Eventbrite at swingforscrap.eventbrite.com. Tickets will also be available at the door.


We’ll be closed on Thursday for Thanksgiving but will be open on Friday for our very own Black Friday celebration -- Smashfest! Come on out for some fun with metal bands, the opening of our Take-Apart Station, a mosaic hands-on, and the main event ... you can buy some breakable items (ceramics, plates, bric-a-brac, etc.) and SMASH them ... in a safe and respectful manner of course! A great way to have fun, get some of your holiday ya ya’s out, and celebrate the season, Scrap Exchange style.


Hope to see you out and about ... many thanks for your support.


With love and gratitude,
Ann May Woodward
Executive Director


P.S. ~ A great big thank you to outreach coordinator Rowan Martell, who after three years of organizing all of our onsite and offsite programming, has moved on to bigger and better things. We wish her all the best, and welcome Jessica Moore as her replacement. Jessica has been working for us since the beginning of the year helping organize Triangle Reuse Alliance activities, including coordinating the Reuse Rodeos. Thank you Rowan and welcome Jessica! "

Now Accepting Applications for Craftland!

Call for Artists!

The holiday season is just around the corner, which means we are now seeking artists for our 8th annual Craftland!

Craftland is our holiday marketplace that we set up for two months each year in The Green Gallery. All items for sale at Craftland are created by local crafters and artists and are made from re-purposed materials. This year the Craftland Market will be open from November 18th through January 14.

Artists who wish to participate in Craftland will be asked to submit an application, 3 to 5 photos of their work and a $10 non-refundable application fee.

Visit the Craftland page of our website for complete details and to download an application form. The deadline for applications is November 4.

For more information, call the store at 919-688-6960 or send an email to Owen at  intern@scrapexchange.org.

Brew Durham Homebrew Festival to Benefit The Scrap Exchange

October is a traditional month around the world to celebrate the art and craft of beer making. The Scrap Exchange in Durham is joining that celebration by hosting Brew Durham on Saturday, October 15!

Brew Durham is a beer festival that will feature home brewers from Durham, NC and surrounding areas. This event is organized by local home brewer Keil Jansen and proceeds will benefit The Scrap Exchange, a nonprofit creative reuse center.

The festival takes place at The Cordoba Center for the Arts at 923 Franklin Street in Durham, the new home of the Scrap Exchange.  Festivities will include food trucks, live music by local bands, and of course, homebrewed beer! The Triangle's finest home brewers are bringing over 50 types of beer for attendees to taste, enjoy and rate!

Brew Durham will include two tasting sessions. Session 1 runs from 1:00pm-4:00pm. Session 2 runs from 5:00pm-8:00pm.

Tickets cost $30 per session and can be purchased online at http://brewdurham.eventbrite.com/.

Want to attend the event with friends or family as a designated driver? Designated driver (no alcohol) tickets

are available for $5.  Proof of age is required for entry to the event.

Live music will be provided throughout the day by Phil Cook and His Feat, Christy Smith, Patrick Dyer Wolf, and Oyster Destroyster. Local food vendors will include KoKyu BBQ,  Chirba Chirba Dumpling, Monuts Donuts, and LOAF.

More information, including a list of the beers that brewers will offer, is available at http://brewdurham.weebly.com/. Or call The Scrap Exchange at 919-688-6960.

Fall Classes at The Scrap Exchange!

Want to learn a new way of reusing or re-purposing materials?  The Scrap Exchange offers creative reuse classes every spring and fall covering a wide variety of topics and techniques.   We are currently accepting registration for the following classes in our Fall 2011 session.

T-shirt Quilts: Tips and Techniques

INSTRUCTOR: Ruth Warren

DATE: Sunday, October 9th

TIME: 1pm-4 PM

COST: $35

REGISTRATION:  online at http://scrapclass01.eventbrite.com/ or call Rowan Martell at 919-682-2751

Want to take your t-shirt collection and turn it into a quilt?  Ruth Warren will show you how to transform t-shirts into quilt blocks that can be incorporated within quilts and wall-hangings.  During the class, students will learn strategies for cutting t-shirts apart, stabilizing the stretchy knit fabric, working through design challenges, and creating quilt blocks that can be used in traditional quilting applications.    Ruth will also give suggestions on what to do with all the scraps that are left over!  Students should bring a variety of their own t-shirts to experiment with.  

(Note: No sewing is required in this class.  This class focuses on preparing the quilt blocks,  not on sewing them together.)

Now accepting online registration for this class!  (New at the Scrap!  We are testing an online registration and payment procedure for a limited number of classes this fall.  You can register for this class, T-shirt Quilts: Tips and Techniques, online at http://scrapclass01.eventbrite.com/.

String Quilting Techniques

INSTRUCTOR: Ruth Warren

DATE: Sunday, November 13th

TIME:1-4pm

COST: $35, Ages 14 and up

REGISTRATION:  online at http://scrapclass02.eventbrite.com/ or call Rowan Martell at 919-682-2751

String piecing (also referred to as strip piecing) is a time-tested quilting method that allows quilters to successfully incorporate a wide variety of fabric scraps into a project, regardless of the size, shape, stretch or even fiber content of the fabric.  During this class, students will learn the “sew and flip” method of piecing irregular fabric scraps onto a foundation fabric.  Students should bring their own sewing machine, and will practice string piecing techniques to create a quilt block that can be finished into a pillow or candle mat.  The instructor, Ruth Warren, will also provide a trunk show of vintage and antique quilt pieces that feature string pieced quilt blocks.

Now accepting online registration for this class!  (New at the Scrap!  We are testing an online registration and payment procedure for a limited number of classes this fall.  You can register for this class, String Quilting Techniques, online at http://scrapclass02.eventbrite.com/.

New Creations from Old Quilts

INSTRUCTOR:  Ruth Warren

DATE: Sunday, December 4th

TIME: 1-4:30 pm

COST: $35, Ages 14 and up

REGISTRATION:  online at http://scrapclass03.eventbrite.com/ or call Rowan Martell at 919-682-2751

This is your chance to experiment with various techniques that will transform old quilt pieces into new creations.  Students will be able to select vintage cutter quilt pieces from the instructor’s own collection to work with.  Learn how to turn a tattered or unfinished  quilt into pillows, table runners, wall quilts and even works of modern wall art on canvas. We will use iron-on fusible interfacings to stabilize old fabrics and delicate seams, and to fuse quilt pieces onto new surfaces like fabric, paper and canvas. You will create a set of iron-on appliqués, a greeting card, a pillow top and a piece of quilt art on canvas board all from old quilt pieces!

A limited number of rotary cutters and cutting mats will be provided, but if students have their own, please bring them!

Now accepting online registration for this class!  (New at the Scrap!  We are testing an online registration and payment procedure for a limited number of classes this fall.  You can register for this class, String Quilting Techniques, online at http://scrapclass03.eventbrite.com/.

Ruth Warren is the owner/operator of ReWorked Creations, a small arts and crafts business that specializes in making quilted creations from vintage and recycled textiles. Ruth began her first quilt project in high school, and with it began a life-long love of scrap quilting, a time-honored method of recycling scrap fabrics that is as old as quilting itself.  Her creations range from functional items including pillows, table covers and bed quilts to more decorative creations of wall art and even holiday creations like greeting cards and ornaments.  

Make and Take Wormbin Workshop

INSTRUCTOR: Muriel Williman

DATE: Wednesday, October 19th

TIME: 7-9:00 PM

COST:  $40 per person (includes all supplies)

REGISTRATION:  contact Rowan Martell at 919-682-2751 or via email at events@scrapexchange.org

Anyone ... anywhere ... can compost with a worm bin!

 In this hands-on workshop, you will make your own tidy and efficient indoor composting bin specifically designed for composting in apartments or tight spaces.  The workshop includes supplies to construct your own bin, instruction from seasoned composting expert, Muriel Williman (Orange County Solid Waste Management), and of course, worms!  Composting creates rich humus, the organic component of healthy soil and a natural fertilizer from your kitchen vegetable and fruit scraps. Learn all you need to know to recycle your food waste, care for your worms, harvest the compost, and feed your plants.  Want pets but can’t afford a puppy? Worms don't bite, bark, or need to be walked, and you can have thousands at a time! And they eat your garbage! What could be better? Worm bins also make great gifts, so each attendee can make and take two worm bins for only $20 more!

Muriel Williman is Education and Outreach specialist for Orange County Solid Waste Management and a long-time indoor composting enthusiast, and a member of the Scrap Exchange Board of Directors.

Funky Mosaic Stepping Stones

INSTRUCTOR: Julia Gartrell

DATE: Saturday, November 12th

TIME: 2-4:30pm

COST: $20 per person, ages 14 and up

REGISTRATION:  contact Rowan Martell at 919-682-2751 or via email at events@scrapexchange.org

In this class, you will make a beautiful mosaic stepping stone for your garden. We will cover the basics of mixing and pouring concrete.  You will also learn how to use found-objects (such as bottle caps and tile pieces) to make a fun mosaic pattern on the surface of your stepping stone.  Come join the messy fun!

Julia Gartrell is a sculpture and installation artist based in Durham, NC. She likes to use string, rusty things, wax and plaster to make weird beautiful art.  You may have met her in The Scrap Exchange--- she's the Store Manager!

Basic Book Structures

INSTRUCTOR:  Emily Dings

DATE: Sunday, November 6th

TIME: 2-4pm

COST: $15, Ages 15 and up

REGISTRATION:  contact Rowan Martell at 919-682-2751 or via email at events@scrapexchange.org

In this class, you will learn basic bookmaking skills that can be applied to both simple and complex book structures. Using minimal supplies, you will see how easy it is to make books using everyday items around your house (or from the Scrap Exchange!) Participants will make four books using adhesive and thread bindings and will come away with a better understanding of gluing, folding, and assembly techniques that lend a polished appearance to any book project.

 

Make a Calendar (Birthday or 2012)

INSTRUCTOR: Emily Dings

DATE: Wednesday, November16th

TIME: 6:30PM-8:30PM

COST: $15, Ages 15 and up

REGISTRATION:  contact Rowan Martell at 919-682-2751 or via email at events@scrapexchange.org

Using a simple thread binding technique, make your choice of a birthday calendar or an annual 2012 calendar using recycled materials. We will leave time for embellishing the individual pages. Feel free to bring photos or ephemera of your own, but we’ll have plenty on hand too. No previous bookmaking experience required. Please indicate your choice of calendar when you register.

Emily Dings is an editor, writer, and paper artist who has lived in Durham for five years. After teaching herself some basics of bookbinding and collage, she took a series of books courses at The Printed Page in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and apprenticed with a book artist in Providence. She is passionate about bookmaking because it merges language and visual arts, invites innovative reuse of materials, and is interactive in nature.

 

Making Your Own Book: Coptic Stitch Out of Unusual Materials!

INSTRUCTOR: Bryant Holsenbeck

DATE: Class meets on both Tuesday 11/8/11 and Thursday 11/10/11

TIME: 6:30-9pm

COST: $70, Ages 12 and up

REGISTRATION:  contact Rowan Martell at 919-682-2751 or via email at events@scrapexchange.org

Using paper and materials from the Scrap Exchange, students will make their own “Journal” out of reclaimed “stuff”. Experimentation and the use of unorthodox materials will be encouraged.  If you have never made a book but want to learn a classic technique, or you make books all the time and want your ideas stirred up a bit—this is the class for you!

Bryant Holsenbeck began her arts career as a basket maker. Since that time she has evolved into an environmental artist who makes large-scale installations that document the waste stream of our society. She has shown her work and taught throughout the United States. She has been the recipient of 2 North Carolina Arts Council Fellowships, a Project Grant and an NEA Arts and Learning Grant that she worked on in collaboration with the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission. She is currently attempting to live one year with out disposable plastic and writing a blog about it entitled “THE LAST STRAW: A RELUCTANT YEAR WITHOUT DISPOSABLE PLASTIC.” Most recent past projects are AGAIN AND NEVER AGAIN: Can We Co-Exist with Ourselves? At Guilford College, Greensboro, NC and a 28 foot recycled mandala for blueshere: earth art expo, sponsored by the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art in Charleston, SC. She is a community artist who likes to work with groups of people to make large-scale installations using the “stuff” of our society. She is also an independent studio artist who makes books, birds, and sculptures out of recycled materials

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We appear to be having some technical difficulties with our main website (www.scrapexchange.org). A generic default page appears in place of our website. Our service provider has been contacted and we hope to have things straightened out soon.

For those of you wishing to make a donation to our Fundraising Challenge, you can access our Network for Good account here or use the Paypal button in the sidebar of this page.

Thanks for your support.

Two Art Exhibits This Month at The Scrap Exchange

Join us on Friday, September 16 from 6-9pm for an opening reception celebrating two new art exhibits at The Scrap Exchange!


Shell We Tie a String to That?


Featuring the art of Willa Brigham, Cyn Mallard, and Sara McCreary
September 16 - October 15
Opening Reception: Friday, September 16 from 6-9 pm

The Scrap Exchange opens a new Green Gallery art exhibit on September 16. Shell We Tie a String to That features the artwork of Willa Brigham, Cyn Mallard and Sara McCreary. The exhibit explores fiber art and mixed media using themes relating to nature and shells.

Emmy award-winning storyteller Willa Brigham, a member of the African American Quilt Circle in Durham, will present portrait art quilts embellished with strings and shells. Cyn Mallard will exhibit beach, sand and shell inspired mixed-media paintings using new and recycled materials. And Sara McCreary explores the use of string as an art medium with her yarn paintings, yarn orbs and ceramic pinch pots filled with pine cones wrapped in yarn.

We are also pleased to welcome back the band Swag for Friday’s opening reception!

For anyone who was around at the end of the day on Saturday for our Grand (Re)Opening, they were the last band who played and they were rockin’ the house. We’re really excited to have them back! You can check them out on MySpace: www.myspace.com/swagrock

The exhibit opens Friday, September 16 with an opening reception from 6 to 9 pm. The reception includes refreshments and free art-making in our Make and Take room.

"Shell We Tie a String to That" will run in The Green Gallery from September 16 to October 15.

    




Art Installation by Leon Grodski de Barrera:

Retrospective Inference: 9/11/01 - 9/11/11

In honor of the recent 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, artist Leon Grodski de Barrera has created a very special art installation at The Scrap Exchange. This installation is not on prominent display in the Green Gallery, but rather tucked away within the retail shelves of the store. Visit the store, shop the shelves and discover for yourself this thought-provoking audio/visual installation that contains film, images and sound relating to the Twin Towers before and after 9/11.

The artist, who lived and worked in New York City during 9/11, explains his vision for this installation on his blog, the-sushi-bar. (A few quotes from that blog follow.)

"The Scrap Exchange (is) a place where value is given to scraps — throwaways gathered, presented, and then given value through the choice of the shopper and their subsequent reuse. The space creates an extraordinary experience in what would might seem the most mundane. People who shop enter a realm of discovery, creation, innovation to use and reuse...to take scraps and find use..."
"In this context I have embedded several audio visual elements on the shelves in different sections of the "store." One may stumble upon them, one may not, as they are embedded with other audio visual items that are actually for sale, the shopper may not know that it is not for sale creating the potential for a kind of unexpected happening. The entire space, including the audio visual elements offers the viewer the chance to become aware that something out of the ordinary is at work...maybe a piece of art on the shelf, maybe an unedited film...maybe a cross reference of song to borrowed film...maybe a line that angers, incites or rings true."


"The audio visual elements themselves offer an experience in their own right. I am presenting two borrowed works (a film and a song), raw footage that I shot on September 12th, 2001 on the streets of Manhattan, and a composed work that has been exhibited as art and documentary. Each has a different feel, like the extreme and contradictory feelings of that day, offering comfort, defiance, anger, the desire to act, sadness."

"Retrospective Inference: 9/11/01 - 9/11/11" will be on display at The Scrap Exchange through September 30.

Swap-O-Rama Rama! Sunday, September 11

This week at The Scrap Exchange, we're busy getting ready to host a Swap-O-Rama-Rama right here in our new home at 923 Franklin St. in Durham! We decided to have this one as part of our Grand (Re)Opening celebration, which is coming up this weekend (September 10 and 11).  The Swap is scheduled on Sunday, 9/11 from noon to 4pm.

What is Swap-O-Rama-Rama?  It's a huge community clothing swap!  This marks the eighth Swap we've worked on, but the first we've had in Durham since spring 2009. Our swaps are based on a model created by artist Wendy Tremayne; you can find out full details at the Swap-O-Rama Rama website.)   For those of you who've never been to one, here are some of the highlights.

First of all, the most important thing is the CLOTHES!



Tons of 'em. We need to get all of those clothes that are languishing in closets back into circulation.
You bring clothes... we sort them and add them to clothes donated by others... and then you search through the huge piles and take whatever you want and as much as you want!

The event is also designed to promote Creativity Over Consumerism, so there are stations set up around the room where you can alter and embellish the clothes you've found.   DIY stations will incude sewing machines, sewing notions and tools, an ironing board, trim and accessory supplies, fabric paint, and much more!






And we have volunteers on hand to help you figure things out.



Most of all,  it's fun, fun, FUN.  As an added bonus, music will be provided throughout the afternoon by Durham's own DJ Piddypat.  And since the Swap is right here at The Scrap Exchange, you can also shop in our retail store for amazing fabric, vintage sewing patterns, notions and other fabulous supplies to take home and continue the creative reuse experience.

What: Swap-O-Rama-Rama, a community clothing swap
When: Sunday, September 11, noon to 4pm
Where: The Scrap Exchange, 923 Franklin Street, Durham, NC 27701
Suggested donation: $10 (general public) or $5 (Friends Club members), along with a bag of clothes to swap.  (If you don't have any clothes you want to part with, don't worry. We'll have plenty.)

Questions?  Call 919-688-6960 for more information.

See you The Scrap!

Grand (Re)Opening Weekend September 10 and 11

The Scrap Exchange creative reuse center is pleased to announce a weekend of festivities on September 10 and 11 to celebrate the official Grand (Re)Opening of our new and permanent home in the Cordoba Center for the Arts at 923 Franklin Street in Durham. Plans for the weekend include live music, free art making, sales specials, food trucks, a Swap-O-Rama Rama community clothing swap and more!

The celebration will begin on Saturday, September 10 when Durham Mayor Bill Bell arrives for a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10am to open the store. The Bulltown Strutters, a popular Durham street band, will be on hand during the ceremony to provide music and lead a parade into the new space.

The retail store will be open from 10am-5pm on Saturday. Shoppers can enjoy refreshments inside, food trucks outside and more live music throughout the day as provided by local bands The Eno Mountain Boys, The Blue Tailed Skinks, and Swag. Scrap Exchange staff will be on hand to lead tours from 10am–12pm on Saturday and talk about the creative reuse center's new home, its future and its benefit to the community.

The retail store will kick off a “Cash From Your Attic” fundraising promotion featuring a special collection of antiques, collectibles and vintage items, all specially priced at $20 each in honor of the nonprofit's 20 year anniversary as a pioneer and leader in the creative reuse industry.

The Scrap Exchange will also set up an Event by the Truckload demonstration on Saturday where everyone can enjoy free art making and experience this popular style of outreach programming that has become a Scrap Exchange hallmark.

On Sunday, September 11, the grand opening events continue when The Scrap Exchange hosts Swap-O-Rama-Rama, a giant community clothing swap that celebrates creativity over consumerism. This event will take place in the Scrap Exchange party room from 12-4 pm. Participants are asked to bring a bag of old clothing and a $10 donation ($5 for Friend's Club Members), and will be able to swap clothes with other participants and take home as much clothing as they want! DIY stations will also be set up during Swap-O-Rama Rama where participants can experiment with altering clothes and redesigning old clothes to create new outfits. Music will be provided by DJ Piddypat.

The Grand (Re)Opening marks a turning point for The Scrap Exchange after a summer filled with uncertainty and many challenges. The nonprofit organization was forced to move suddenly in mid-May from their old location on Foster St when the roof partially collapsed at the historic Liberty Warehouse, and the building was subsequently condemned. The Scrap Exchange quickly found a new home in a building owned by Julio Cordoba behind Golden Belt and opened for business in that facility on June 4.

However, while The Scrap Exchange remained in business, the emergency move and subsequent store setup has been a work in progress that strained both financial and personnel resources. After surviving several chaotic months, Scrap Exchange staff are excited to officially debut the most recent changes in their new, permanent home.

For more information, contact The Scrap Exchange at 919-688-6960.

Call for Home Brewers: Sign Up to Participate in BrewDurham!

Do you home brew your own beer?  Our friend and home brew enthusiast Keil Jansen is organizing a home brew festival in October to benefit The Scrap Exchange!  He needs local home brewers to make this happen, so check out his invitation below to show off your best brew at BrewDurham, happening right here at The Scrap Exchange on October 15!

Dear Friends,

I and some other good people are organizing a homebrew festival this Fall in Durham—Brew
Durham: A Homegrown Homebrew Benefit for The Scrap Exchange.  It’ll be like the big Beer Fest at the ballpark but smaller, local, and homemade. And all the proceeds will go to one of Durham’s finest non-profit organizations, The Scrap Exchange.


We’re recruiting awesome homebrewers, hopefully about 15, to participate in BrewDurham
and would love to have you participate. It’ll be a great chance to show off your beer, meet other brewers and beer fans, and use your talents for good.

Here’s the details:

When: Saturday, October 15. Two sessions, 1-4pm and 5-8pm.
Where: The Scrap Exchange in downtown Durham next to Golden Belt. 923 Franklin Street.
What you have to do: Bring two or three of your best homebrews, totaling 10-15 gallons of beer. Stay for both sessions, pouring your beers to attendees, and generally have fun.

What you get:
● Some compensation: Nate with the Bull City Homebrew store is offering a 35%
discount to anyone who is brewing for BrewDurham to help you with supplies. AND, The
Scrap Exchange will provide you with a stipend, up to $50, to help with supplies.
● Prizes: for those of you with the best beer and who convince the judges you’re the best
brewer.
● Food & Jams: we’ll have some of the Triangle’s best food trucks and local musicians
on hand.
● Glory: You get to talk about your homebrew and drink other peoples’ homebrew for six
hours and participate in the inaugural BrewDurham!
● Tickets: Brewers can earn tickets to the event for fellow beer fans based on home
much beer they bring.

If you’re interested, please let us know by emailing keiljansen@gmail.com And if you’ve got
some other homebrewers in mind, spread the word.

Many thanks,
Keil Jansen

Green Gallery Exhibit Opens August 19: "Know More Nothing"

The Scrap Exchange is pleased to announce the opening of a new Green Gallery art exhibit on August 19. "Know More Nothing" marks the first collaboration between artists Jason E Osborne and Alex Mignolo. The multi-media exhibition includes paintings, sculpture, strange objects and an exciting premiere of the first edition prints of the enigmatic short story Know More Nothing, written by Mignolo and illustrated by Osborne. Expect an incongruent, unintentional and dissonant viewing experience.

The exhibit opens Friday August 19 with an opening reception scheduled from 6-9 pm. The reception includes refreshments and free art-making in our Make and Take room. Music will be provided by two local Durham bands, Freylach Old-Time Jamboree, and Fanghole. Freylach Old-Time Jamboree is a lively mash-up of Jewish folk and down-home southern string band music. Bring your dancing shoes! The band features Lori Baron on drums, Riki Friedman on clarinet, Mike McQuown on accordion, Hal Schnee on bass and Christine Westfall on fiddle. Fanghole is a driving instrumental power-trio that won't let you sit still. Fanghole features Ben Brokenbrough on guitar, Ben Philbric on drums, and Chris Fulton on bass.

“Know More Nothing” will run from August 19 through September 11. Admission to the Green Gallery is free. The gallery is open to view anytime during regular retail store hours. For more information on the Green Gallery or The Scrap Exchange, call 919-688-6960 or send an email to store@scrapexchange.org.

Green Gallery opening receptions are held in conjunction with Third Friday Durham festivities and sponsored by PBR.

August is Teacher Appreciation Month at The Scrap Exchange

Just to show our teachers how much we love and appreciate them, we designate every August as Teacher Appreciation Month at The Scrap Exchange! All teachers receive a 20% discount off their retail purchases throughout this month with a valid ID. (Discounts do not apply to Artist Marketplace or Green Gallery items.) A current teaching ID must be presented to receive a discount. Homeschool teachers may present their orange card to qualify.

Are you a teacher AND a Friend's Club member? Our teaching Friends will receive 30% off the purchase of any retail supplies!

Not yet a Friends Club member? We are also offering a special price to teachers on Friends Club memberships all throughout August! Our Friends Club is an annual membership program designed to save frequent shoppers even more money! Friend's Club benefits include 20% off purchases for an entire year, two Open Studio passes, 10% off birthday parties and classes, and sneak previews to special sales and events. A Friend's Club membership for an individual teacher (our "Professorial Pal" membership level) will be discounted to $20 (regularly $30) during August. Teachers can also join together and apply for a group membership! Our "Academic Amigo" group membership, which allows up to 10 teachers per group, is discounted to $50 during August (regularly $100). That works out to only $5 per teacher for a year's worth of savings for every teacher in the group! (An individual club member card will be issued to each teacher named in the group.)

For more information on our Friends Club program and membership options, please contact Ruth Eckles by email at office AT scrapexchange DOT org (substituting standard email characters for AT and DOT).

What can teachers expect to find at The Scrap Exchange? A lot of unusual and inexpensive supplies and resources! The Scrap Exchange is a nonprofit creative reuse center, whose mission is to promote creativity, environment, and community through reuse. We divert materials from landfills by collecting discarded materials from businesses, industries and the general public, and then make those materials available at low cost to the public. Our supplies include a wide variety of materials including paper products, matboard, folders, binders, craft paint, house paint, fabric, thread, trims, tubes, frames, electronic discards, cutaways, science supplies, labware, and much, much more.

So teachers, get those classroom supply lists together, grab your ID, and head on out to the Scrap. And please pass the word along to your other academic amigos! Teacher Appreciation discounts are available through August 31.

The Scrap Exchange is now located at 923 Franklin St. in Durham, Call 919-688-6960 for more information or visit www.scrapexchange.org.

Join us at Scrap a Go-Go Under the Sea on Saturday, July 30

The Scrap Exchange invites you to party under the sea and help them celebrate 20 years of creative reuse! The Scrap Exchange will host Scrap a Go-Go Under the Sea, a semi-formal dance party on July 30th at the Trotter Building in Durham. The under-the-sea themed party will feature local ’70s cover band sensation The Wusses as well as several DJs spinning vintage tunes. Scrap a Go-Go is an all-ages event lasting from 6:30 pm-1:00 am. There will be activities to delight young and old including a free Make-n-Take area of Scrap Exchange materials, an ocean-themed photo booth, a food truck rodeo, beer, games and outrageous costumes.

Families with young children should plan to arrive early. Children's activities, including a make-and-take table and carnival games, will be scheduled from 6:30-9:00 pm. A silent auction will feature a wide variety of goods and services from local businesses. After 9 pm all attention turns to the dance floor. DJs will spin music throughout the evening leading up to the appearance of The Wusses, a Durham-based 70s cover band, who will take the stage around 10 pm.

Retro and event-themed semi-formal costuming is encouraged! Special prizes will be awarded for the best theme-related costumes and the best examples of creative reuse costuming.

Tickets are available for purchase beginning July 5 at The Scrap Exchange creative reuse center located at 923 Franklin Street in Durham, or online at http://scrapexchange.eventbrite.com/. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for children under 15.

Scrap a Go-Go Under the Sea is sponsored in part by Pabst Blue Ribbon, Burt's Bees and Vaguely Reminiscent. Proceeds from Scrap a Go-Go will benefit The Scrap Exchange to help recover revenue lost and expenses incurred in the aftermath of the roof collapse at Liberty Warehouse.

Current Artist Opportunities at The Scrap Exchange

Call for Artists!
The Scrap Exchange is seeking artists for a variety of opportunities.  See the details below for more information.

Instructors Needed for Fall Art and Creative Reuse Classes

The Scrap Exchange is currently accepting applications for instructors for our fall series of creative reuse classes! The Scrap offers a variety of one day or continuing sessions led by local artists in their field of expertise. All classes are held at our new home at 923 Franklin St. in the Golden Belt district of Durham and should be designed to offer community members the chance to learn skills and techniques to create usable functional or decorative items from reclaimed materials. Classes are led by local artists and artisans interested in sharing their skills, knowledge, and experience. Classes should be built around the use of reused or reclaimed materials, ideally materials that can be found at The Scrap Exchange! Past classes have included instruction for bottle cap jewelry making, home screen-printing, quilting fabric postcards, mosaics, t-shirt quilts, mixed media totems, and more!


If you are interested in teaching a class in our upcoming session please review our guidelines and application for teaching artists at: http://www.scrapexchange.org/pdfs/TeacherGuidelines_2010.pdf
Then fill out the application and turn in a copy to Rowan Martell at The Scrap Exchange Programs Office or email a copy to events@scrapexchange.org. For more information, call Rowan at 919-682-2751.  The deadline for applications is August 1st.


Artists Needed for Our Expanding Artist Marketplace!

One of the benefits of moving to our new location at 923 Franklin Street, is that we now have more room to display and sell local art.  And the public is responding well to our artists and our new space; we are happy to announce that Artist Marketplace sales are increasing!

More space and better sales means we need MORE artists!  The Scrap Exchange is actively looking for artists to sell creative reuse artworks and/or environmentally friendly products through the Artists' Marketplace in our retail store. We are especially seeking out furniture, clothing, jewelry and sculpture. The more creative the use of material, the better! 

By the way, did you notice in that list above that we are looking for... furniture???  The Scrap Exchange is excited to now have space indoors and outdoors to display and sell repurposed furniture from local furniture artists and craftsmen.  Outdoor furniture will be displayed outdoors on the open, elevated patio space next to our main entrance.  (Outdoor furniture will be exposed to the elements and we will be asking artists to sign a release form.)

All sales are made on consignment with a 60/40 commission split and the artwork must be preapproved. Artwork must contain mostly repurposed materials or an environmentally friendly component.  If you are interested, please call Julia at 919-688-6960 email store@scrapexchange.org to set up an appointment.

Green Gallery Exhibit, "Put a Bird On It" Opens Friday, July 15

"Put a Bird On It"
Upcycled birdhouses, bird feeders and bird-focused art
July 15 - August 13
In the Green Gallery at The Scrap Exchange
Opening Reception: Friday, July 15 from 6 to 9 pm

The Scrap Exchange is going to the birds with its next exhibit in The Green Gallery. Put a Bird on It which opens July 15, will feature upcycled birdhouses, bird feeders, and other bird-focused art by Simone Barbe, Mark Burnham, Karen Dillard, Bryant Holsenbeck and other artists.

As with all art featured in The Green Gallery, the birdhouses and other creations incorporate recycled ingredients, to help fulfill Scrap's mission of keeping discards out of landfills. Bryant Holsenbeck's environmental art incorporates everyday items she scavenges. Simone Barbe's Silver Palate Feeders feature old silver and silver-plated tea pots and other utensils. Karen Dillard's Dillardville Birdhouses incorporate lumber rescued from old buildings being demolished, as well as old hardware and other items. And Mark Burnham uses vintage tobacco sticks and other recycled wood in his birdhouses and whirligigs.

Birdhouse aficionados may have seen one of Burnham's latest creations. Now in his mid-80s, the Chatham County artist won first place this spring in the adult/serious category for his “Tobacco Barn Birdhouse” in the annual N&O Birdhouse Contest run by the News & Observer and N.C. State University’s J.C. Raulston Arboretum.

Put a Bird On It will run from July 15 through August 13. Admission to The Green Gallery is free. The gallery is open to view anytime during regular retail store hours.

The opening reception is scheduled for Friday, July 15, from 6 to 9 pm, with free make-and-take activities, refreshments, PBR beer and music by the Blue Tailed Skinks.

Scrap Exchange Announces Green Gallery Opening and 20th Birthday Party

The Scrap Exchange is pleased to announce the opening of a new Green Gallery art exhibit on June 17. "The Friends and Family 20/20 Show" features upcycled art, priced at $20 per piece, created with repurposed materials by artists from all over the community. This show marks the first exhibition installed in the new home of The Scrap Exchange, now located at The Cordoba Center for the Arts, 923 Franklin St. in Durham.

An opening reception is scheduled on Friday, June 17 from 6-9 pm. In addition to the traditional opening reception festivities, the evening will also feature a rousing birthday party to celebrate the organization's 20 years of serving North Carolina and surrounding states as a leader and pioneer in the creative reuse industry. The gallery reception and birthday party will feature refreshments, a birthday cake, live music by The Durham Ukulele Orchestra, free admission to Open Studio to create birthday hats, and much more. To emphasize the 20 year service mark, all artwork included in this gallery exhibit will be priced at $20.

Scrap Exchange staff, board members and volunteers are more than ready for a celebration after surviving a recent crisis situation. The Scrap Exchange was forced to move unexpectedly out of their previous home in the Liberty Warehouse after the roof collapsed on a portion of the building in mid-May. More than 30 tenants in the warehouse, including The Scrap Exchange, were given only a few hours to pack up and move out after the building was condemned. The Scrap Exchange first made an emergency move across the street to an empty space owned by Denny Clark at 539 Foster St. And then the organization scrambled to find a more permanent location, and moved a second time only 10 days later to its current location at 923 Franklin Street in Durham, a historic textile mill building owned by Julio Cordoba behind the Golden Belt complex. The Cordoba building is proving to be an excellent fit for the organization's vision of future growth and expansion. The Scrap Exchange plans to actively fundraise via their ongoing Capital Campaign to raise the funding required to purchase the space they are currently leasing and make it a permanent home.

The Friends and Family 20/20 Show will run from June 17 through July 9. Admission to The Green Gallery is free. The gallery is open to view anytime during regular retail store hours. For more information on The Green Gallery or The Scrap Exchange, call 919-688-6960 or send an email to store@scrapexchange.org.

Green Gallery opening receptions are held in conjunction with Third Friday Durham festivities and sponsored by PBR.

Call for Volunteers: Week of June 13

Want to help The Scrap Exchange this week? Volunteers are needed for the following projects and events.

Move Remaining Items Out of 548 Foster St.

The Scrap Exchange needs help making the final move out of our 548 Foster Street location. (Yes, we still have materials sitting in the old store location...) Come to 548 Foster St. on Monday June 13th or Tuesday June 14th between 9am and 5pm (or any part thereof, even an hour or two) to help out. We'll be packing up boxes, getting things off of the ceiling and walls and preparing the space for TROSA to help with the largest furniture. Thanks in advance, volunteers make this whole amazing transition possible!

Email store manager Julia Gartrell with any questions at store@scrapexchange.org.


Help Out at MonkeyBottom Collaborative Pop Up Art Show Fundraiser


What: Pop Up Art Show/fundraiser in honor of The Scrap Exchange, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote creativity, environmental awareness, and community through reuse.

When: June 18th from 7-10+ pm
Where: Monkey Bottom Arts Collaborative,
More Info Here: http://themonkeybottom.blogspot.com/

Event organizer, Adrian Schlesinger, needs the following for the show:

* 2-3 people to help with hanging the art on June 18th between 4pm and 7 pm
* 1 person to collect consignment forms from artists, number the artwork, and take care of the money.
* 2-3 people to help with clean up

If you would like to help volunteer for this fundraiser, please contact Adrian at (919) 448-5186 , or email at sparklehoof@gmail.com

Call for Artists and Open Hanging Schedule for 20/20 Show

Call for Artists and Open Hanging Schedule
Friends and Family 20/20 Show

Hanging Dates: June 12 - June 16
Exhibit Dates: June 17 – July 9

Our annual Friends and Family open-hanging exhibit is almost here and we need YOU to participate. We are adding a 20th anniversary twist to this popular show. All artwork will be for sale for $20 per item, to help us celebrate 20 years as a leading creative reuse center!

Here’s where you come in. This show is open to anyone in our community! Make something cool out of reclaimed materials that you will be happy to price at $20. In fact, make several pieces! Use any medium and any subject matter(family friendly please). The only requirement is that you use reclaimed, reused or repurposed materials in your work. This show will include our traditional 60/40 split- the artist receives 60% of any sale and the Scrap Exchange receives 40%. Submit as many pieces as you like, we want to completely fill the gallery with art!

You can come in and hang the work yourself June 12th-16th anytime during regular store hours. These hours are as follows:

Sun June 12: 12pm-5pm
Mon June 13: 11am-5pm
Tue June 14: 11am-5pm
Wed June 15: 11am-5pm
Thu June 16: 11am-6pm

The show will open Friday June 17th with a big 20th birthday party for the Scrap Exchange from 6-9 pm. The reception and birthday party will include refreshments, live music by the Durham Ukulele Orchestra, free admission to Open Studio to make party hats, and more!

So, it’s time to get busy, finish up that art and bring it to our new location to hang! The Friends and Family 20/20 Show will run from June 17 through July 9.

The Scrap Exchange has moved and is now located at 923 Franklin St in Durham, behind the Golden Belt complex. The main entrance is located at Bay 2.

The Green Gallery is open daily during regular retail store hours. Green Gallery openings at The Scrap Exchange are sponsored by PBR and held in conjunction with Third Friday Durham festivities. Thank you PBR for your support of the arts!

Saturday June 4th: A Day of Reopening Celebration and Fundraising

It's a big day for the Scrap Exchange today as the store reopens and local community groups host fundraising activities.  Here's what's happening in Durham and across the Triangle.

SCRAP EXCHANGE RETAIL STORE REOPENS
@ 923 Franklin St, Durham
June 4, 10am-5pm

The Scrap Exchange reopens at 10am today in it's new home at 923 Franklin St in Durham.  Stop by and see our new space which will house the retail store, warehouse, party room, Artist Marketplace, Green Gallery, offices and classrooms altogether on the ground floor of an old historic textile mill.  The building is located at 923 Franklin St, Bays 1 and 2, directly behind Golden Belt in Durham.

CRAFTS AND COCKTAILS
@ Nightlight Bar and Club, 405 1/2 W. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill
June 4, 6pm-8pm

Join Nightlight on Saturday, June 4th at the Nightlight Bar & Club from 6-8 PM for the closing art reception for the RE-USE Elements Art Show! There will also be a special Crafts & Cocktails provided by the Scrap Exchange where folks can participate in an open Make N' Take Station.
This current art show was inspired by many materials and ideas by the Scrap Exchange creative re-use center in downtown Durham. The event is free to attend but donations for materials are suggested at $5. There will be arts materials, hot glue guns, tape and scissors provided. Come on down to make art, collages, cards, flyers and more!

At 7pm, the current group of artists will be available for an informal Q & A on their artistic approach, style and vision.   Currently, there are 4 elements inspired installations, quilted tapestries, bike tire installations and sculptures, a giant space suit made out of old cigarette wrappers and more! Artists include: Julia Gartrell, Travis Cohn, Beth Palmer, Hunter Levinsohn, Chance Murray, Nuno Gomes, Bryant Holsenbeck, Jessye McDowell, Lee Delegard, Tracy Spencer- Stonestreet, Ashley Florence and more!


SAVE THE SCRAP BENEFIT CONCERT
@ Casbah, 1007 West Main St, Durham
June 4,  1PM - 1AM

10 Bands, 10 Hours, 10 Bucks
Featuring... Rainbow Nerd, Durham Ukulele Orchestra, The Pnuerotics, Midtown Dickens, Mary Johnson Rockers, Phil Cook & His Feat, LiLa, Hindugrass, Sara Bell and JKuchma and Thee Dirtybeats.

Help the Scrap Exchange finance their new home at 923 Franklin St in Durham!! Help the Foundry find a home!! Bring a tee-shirt to sreen-print w/ Save the Scrap!! Shed Letterpress has printed some beautiful posters... get in on those too!

"Check most any to-do or must-see guide of Durham during the last decade, and you'll find The Scrap Exchange, the Bull City's place to get previously used goods for projects on the cheap. Last month, though, a roof that collapsed after heavy rain sent both The Scrap Exchange and Liberty Arts Foundry scrambling for new homes. To aid the effort, 11 area bands—from the solo project of Megafaun member Phil Cook to the garage rock rescues of Thee Dirtybeats—play this all-day benefit. Be sure to check Midtown Dickens, who have a bevy of their best songs yet ready for their next record, and Sara Bell, the Shark Quest architect playing a rare solo show. —Grayson Currin, Independent Weekly

"...the show will be a family-friendly event that reflects Durham's musical and cultural eclecticism. Among the artists who will perform are Midtown Dickens, the Neurotics, Durham Ukulele Orchestra, Hindugrass and Sara Bell. "What we're trying to do with this event is make it a really positive event and showcase what is really great about Durham, and use that to help The Scrap Exchange," Gardner said." —Cliff Bellamy, The Herald-Sun

"Some places are Raleigh institutions, some are Durham institutions, but some places transcend the reaches of the city limit. One of those rare places is the Scrap Exchange... From all of us at ROTR, we wish you the best of luck and we encourage all our readers to donate and attend fundraising events. Damn the man! Save the Scrap!!" —Raleigh on the Rocks

BEAVER QUEEN PAGEANT
@ Duke Park Meadow, Durham
4pm-7pm

Our friends at Beaver Lodge Local 1504 will be hosting the 7th annual Beaver Queen Pageant at Duke Park Meadow today.  This fundraising beaver drag celebration supports the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association.  This event will feature the latest in beaver fashion including beaver tails auctioned off during a recent Green Gallery exhibit at The Scrap Exchange.  Stop by as you make the rounds in Durham today! 

Call for Volunteers: Help Us Set Up the New Store!

WOW! It's been a wild ride over the past two weeks... Thank you to everyone who has helped us make it through the chaos, starting from the time the roof collapsed on the Liberty Warehouse on Saturday, May 14 to the end of the day Saturday, May 28 when we closed the doors and said goodbye to our temporary space at 539 Foster St.

We are now entering a new and exciting phase for The Scrap Exchange. We have relocated to a permanent home at 923 Franklin St. in Durham (directly behind Golden Belt). We have closed store operations for a week, and will use the time to set up the new store and prepare for a grand reopening on Saturday, June 4.

New home, new store, new beginnings... but same mission. After 20 years, The Scrap Exchange is still dedicated to promoting creativity, environmental awareness and community through reuse. We still collect, so you can create.

We look at this new home as the opportunity to create a huge art installation, and that installation is called our Scrap Exchange retail store. We invite YOU to help us get it installed! This week, we welcome any volunteers who would like to help us prepare the space and get The Scrap Exchange ready for a grand reopening on Saturday June 4. Volunteers can report to 923 Franklin St, Bays 1 and 2, from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm on May 31, June 1 and June 2.

Volunteer tasks will include cleaning, painting, fixture installation, unpacking, preparing store displays, preparing signage, setting up the Artist Marketplace and Gallery, preparing the party room, setting out inventory and much, much more. We are going to have a blast!

We are still working out issues with phone and internet service, so feel free to simply show up this week during the times posted above and dig in. The Scrap Exchange serves the community, and we'd love to have the community join us on installing the fabulous art installation we like to call The Scrap Exchange store and warehouse.


See you at the (new and improved) Scrap!

Music Festival Organized to Help Save the Scrap Exchange

The Durham community is rallying around two Durham nonprofit art institutions; The Scrap Exchange and the Liberty Arts Foundry. The organizations, along with many artists and businesses have been displaced from their Liberty Warehouse location due to the heavy rains that fell May 14, a partial roof collapse, and the subsequent condemning of the building.


In an effort to help the nonprofits secure a new location, offset any costs lost in relocation and help in reopening as soon as possible, the local music community will be putting on a day-long benefit show: Save the Scrap (and the Foundry) at Casbah on Saturday, June 4 from 1pm-1am.

Save the Scrap will feature (at least) 10 hours of music by 10+ bands for 10 bucks. All of the money will go towards the Scrap Exchangeʼs Capital Campaign and Liberty Arts Foundry relocation. Event organizers have received an outpouring of support from local venue owners and area musicians representing all genres of music; the following are just a few of the performers:

Phil Cook &His Feat, LiLa, Rainbow Nerd, Midtown Dickens, Durham Ukelele Orchestra, Pnuerotics, Mary Johnson Rockers, Hindugrass, Sara Bell, JKuchma and Thee Dirtybeats

Additionally, Casbah will be hosting an Artist Market featuring the work of local artists, artisans and friends of the Liberty Warehouse tenants. The Scrap Exchange will be on site with a hands-on make and take, silk screening Save the Scrap on apparel provided by attendees. Attendees are encouraged to bring an extra shirt!

Both The Scrap Exchange and Liberty Arts Inc will be relocating to a permanent location in the mill behind Golden Belt, at 923 Franklin Street. The Scrap Exchange plans to reopen the same day as the event, during itʼs regular store hours 10-4.

Save the Scrap organizers are calling out to all of those who vowed to support “the myriad of places we have all come to love... and to support Durhamʼs nonprofits” in last monthʼs massive show of community engagement, Marry Durham.

Do Right By Durham. Save the Scrap. For more information please contact benefit organizer Dave Rogers by email at dorightbydurham@gmail.com.

Call for volunteers - The Scrap Exchange is on the move again!

Hello to the best and most supportive community in the world. YOU are the reason we married Durham!

We want to let you know about some exciting plans ahead as we fight to secure our future. We are in the process of securing a long-term arrangement to move to a space inside a wonderful historic brick textile mill building located at 923 Franklin St. in Durham, behind Golden Belt. This building provides us the space we need to stabilize and continue current operations and programs, while also giving us the time we need to raise funding to purchase a permanent home.

And so, we are moving again. That’s right, we need to pack up and move the retail store for the second time in less than two weeks. No one ever said crisis management was easy! Here’s what you need to know about what is happening over the next week, and some ways you can help.

• The Scrap Exchange retail store, temporarily located at 539 Foster St., will be closed from Friday May 27 through Friday June 3. We will use this time to move the store and set up in our new long-term space at 923 Franklin St. (We will let you shop from any materials remaining in our old store at 548 Foster St through May 28. The deal is still the same: donate $10, take as much as you like.)

• We will reopen on Saturday, June 4 in our new location at 923 Franklin St, right behind Golden Belt in Durham.

• We need volunteers (again!!!) to help us move. We are asking for volunteers on Friday, May 27 from 11 am to 5 pm, and on Saturday, May 28 from 9 am to 5 pm. Volunteers should report to 539 Foster St, our current temporary address. Volunteers will be boxing up materials, labeling and staging all the different sections of the store, loading materials and fixtures into vans and trucks, and moving everything over to the new store location. Please dress appropriately!

• We can use the following items on Friday and Saturday to help us move: boxes, packing tape, extra-large trash bags, handcarts, trucks and vans. If anyone wants to drop off some snacks and beverages for our hard-working volunteer crew, that would be lovely too!

• And finally, please plan ahead to spend the day in Durham on Saturday, June 4! Start it out by visiting our new store when we reopen at 10 am at 923 Franklin St. Then, swing on by the Beaver Queen Pageant from 4-7 pm at Duke Park Meadow. And don’t miss the Save the Scrap fundraiser hosted by Casbah and Do Right by Durham from 1 pm to 1 am. 10 hours of music, 10 bands, 10 bucks.

Thank you so much for your patience, understanding, donations, volunteer effort and overall awesome support as we work through this crisis. The first move represented a reaction to a crisis. This second move represents a path to the future. We intend to not simply survive what has happened, we intend to THRIVE!

As always, with much love and immense gratitude,
Ann Woodward and the entire Scrap Exchange staff and board

18 Ways That You Can Help The Scrap Exchange

Thanks to all the amazing volunteers who helped move The Scrap Exchange out of our old retail store at 548 Foster St. this past week.  We could not have done this without you.

This is a huge time of transition for The Scrap Exchange and we’re going to need to lean on our wonderful community to continue to keep the doors open. Here’s what you can do as we move forward:


• Donate Money to our Capital Campaign so we can secure a permanent location

• Shop in the store at 539 Foster Street! M-F 11-5, Th 11-6, Sat 10-5 & Sun 12-5

• Be ready to volunteer to move the rest of our inventory out of the old building

• Help us raise money by hosting a fundraising dinner or party in our honor!

• Be patient with us as we work out the details of our new space and plans

• Spread news about our situation on Facebook, blogs, and Twitter

• Hire us to come to your school, festival, carnival or business event

• Donate some really fancy materials to the store for re-sale

• Sponsor our upcoming fundraiser party, Scrap a Go-Go!

• Come party with us on 3rd Friday (May 20!) from 6-9 pm

• Come to our 20th anniversary party on June 17th

• Talk to your friends and get them involved!

• Donate staples and rolls of masking tape

• Submit art to our 20/20 art show in June

• Plan to have your birthday party here!

• Join our Friends’ Club!

• Shop on our Ebay site

• Plan a fieldtrip here!

The Scrap Exchange is a non-profit creative reuse center celebrating 20 years. It is our mission to promote creativity, environmental awareness and community through reuse.

We intend to continue fulfilling this mission regardless of any obstacles.

Update on Moving Out Weekend

Update! Here is the latest information on our moving out weekend.
First, a HUGE thank you to everyone who showed up today to help out. You are simply, the best...

We still need volunteers on Sunday. Lots of volunteers.
Please come as originally scheduled from 11am-3pm. If you have large boxes to help us pack materials into, please bring them - we really need big boxes.

We will not be able to move everything out. There is simply not enough time. Therefore, on Sunday afternoon we are offering a large variety of the materials still remaining in our old retail space to the public in exchange for a $10 donation to our Capital Campaign. People should bring their own boxes to take materials away - we will not be able to provide them. This will be a "bring you own container and take what you want" deal. The public can remove materials from 12pm-3pm on Sunday, May 22. We simply ask for the donation, and to allow our volunteers to do the important work of removing items that we need to keep. Please pass this on ASAP to teachers and artists, friends and family, and anyone else you can think of. This offer only applies to materials in the old retail space (548 Foster) and will not apply to the yard sale items set out at our temp location at 539 Foster. Those items will be priced separately.

In summary, we need volunteers to help move the fixtures and materials we want to keep, and we need the public to take away materials they can use so they don't get wasted. Please pass this updated info on as quickly as possible!!! Thanks to everyone for your help, hard work, good wishes, donations, determination, cooperation and faith in our vision. Your support is what keeps us going!

With love and gratitude from Ann and the entire Scrap Exchange staff and board

A Call for Volunteers

Hello fabulous community we need volunteers please! All are welcome....
The Liberty Warehouse tenants would love your help this weekend moving
out of their spaces. We are all scrambling to get our stuff out by Monday May 23rd, and if you come to the Scrap at 548 Foster St. this weekend, we can also let you know about the others that need assistance.

I know folks are busy and we are grateful for any participation.
Here are the details.

First, thank you to all AMAZING volunteers/staff/
board/committees/neighbors/NC Center for Non profits/ and most
especially DENNY CLARKE for a clean, well lit space! Here's what is happening next:

When:
Saturday May 21   10:00-2:00
Sunday May 22      11:00-3:00

What: We will be cleaning out the space entirely, all contents will be
packed up and moved, All must go! Mostly Mongo room, backstock(bodega),
and all the rest. (8,000 sq. ft- lots lots and lots of stuff- a scary
amount- took out 40% so far- thank you all who made it happen)

We will have:
1. Table of tools to be used to dismantle and use for the job
2. Snacks and refreshments (we will have stuff and if you bring stuff it
is good too)
3. A ribbon making station for being so fabulous/community minded....you
fill in the blank.

Please bring/be prepared:
1. We may have you sign a waiver, this is an at risk situation, although
it seems pretty safe.
2. If you are allergic to mold- you can still come, but I suggest you
volunteer across the street at our right now space unloading.
3. Please dress appropriately- it's a warehouse, and we are moving lots
of stuff, AND you know we also like tiaras, hats, boas, sparkly stuff,
wigs, outfits, you know how we roll. AND gloves, tools, handtrucks,
boxes (would be great)too, we will also have some of that stuff.

Thank you and hope to see you then! We do have some vehicles too- box
truck for Saturday, and two of our Cargo vans on Sunday. We will be
loading, unloading, filling up boxes, etc.

This is great for folks who:
1. Like to organize
3. Like to make things right
4. Like to move lots of stuff from one place to another, and put things
in boxes with labels on them.
5. Like to meet new people and create community.
6. Like to carry heavy stuff, and drive big trucks.

Thank you!

Also on Saturday: We are Co-sponsoring our 8th year of FREE YOGA in the
Park: starts Saturday: 9:00-10:00ish- above the pavilion in Durham
Central Park - Bryan from Pantajalis Place will kick it off...thank you
Jewel for all of your years of organizing, and thank you Ruth Eckles for
organizing it this year. Namaste.

Ann Woodward
Executive Director
The Scrap Exchange

What's Happening Over the Next Few Days!

You can't keep a good organization down. 

As we have been forced to react to events beyond our control, our executive director Ann Woodward has been adamant about one thing. The Scrap Exchange will continue to support all scheduled programming and retail store operations to the best of our ability. Scheduled events have taken top priority, and the show is going on! We are not missing one class, or cancelling any party or event. The party room is installed, outreach programming is on schedule, and the planned gallery show opening on Third Friday will be given a special place in our new location. Here is a list of the events happening in the next week.

Exhibit Opening Friday, May 20 at The Scrap Exchange:
Revamp, Reuse, Recycle Tour

a group exhibit from String Things fiber-art collaborative

Friday, May 20 – Saturday, June 11
Opening Reception: Friday, May 20 from 6 to 9 pm

A local fiber collaborative, String Things, will exhibit a variety of creative reuse items made from repurposed supplies (many purchased at the Scrap Exchange). The exhibit will include baskets and bowls made from surgical tubing, handbags made from chicken wire and crochet rugs made from plastic grocery bags. There will also be ladies’ accessories, along with baby and children’s items made from upcycled supplies. All proceeds from this exhibit will benefit The Scrap Exchange. Thank you String Things for your flexibility in making this show happen and your genorosity in donating all proceeds!

Raleigh Reuse Rodeo
The next Reuse Rodeo is scheduled on May 21 from 10am-2pm at The Habitat ReStore in Raleigh. For complete details, go to http://thescrapexchange.blogspot.com/2011/05/reuse-rodeo-scheduled-for-raleigh.html


Scrap Exchange Collecting Kitchen Items to Assist Green Chair

The Scrap Exchange is helping fellow reuse business the Green Chair Project (www.thegreenchair.org) by collecting kitchen items from May 14th through May 20th.

The Green Chair Project is a Raleigh-based group that helps families in need get back on their feet. Recently, The Green Chair has been very focused on supporting families affected by the recent tornados. You can help us help them provide this support! Simply stop by the store and bring your donation; we are collecting used pots, pans, dishes, utensils, glasses, baking & serving pieces, measuring cups, measuring spoons and small appliances: coffee pots, toasters/toaster ovens, can openers, etc.

A barrel will be available in the front of the store where you can place your donation of kitchen items. We will be collecting through the conclusion of Third Friday festivities on Friday, May 20. All donations will be delivered to The Green Chair at the Raleigh Reuse Rodeo on May 21.

Two Classes Remaining in Our Spring Class Series

Two classes remain in our spring class series. Details are listed below. Space is available in both classes. To register, email Rowan Martell at events@scrapexchange.org.

May 22: Fun and Funky Mosaic Basics

Jeannette Brossart

Create a fun and funky indoor mosaic using ceramic tile, glass, and whatever else we can rustle up! Learn how to use tile nippers to custom shape your design. We’ll be using tile mastic, no grout needed!

Date: Sunday, May 22
Time: 2 – 4pm
Cost: $50
Ages: 12 and up

Jeannette Brossart has been a professional mosaic artist since 2003. Her work has been featured in art and sculpture exhibits, print, and public installations. She has taught mosaics at several venues including the John Campbell Folk School and The Scrap Exchange.


May 26: Alter Ego Open Studio

Ann May Woodward and Allyn Meredith

Do you have an alter ego? Are you interested in creating one? Are you looking to manifest a character that represents another side of you? Is there an internal dialogue that’s ready for an external expression? Need a cape, tiara, or mask? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you should attend this open studio. Instructors Allyn Meredith and Ann Woodward will host the open studio, and provide tools and assistance for projects.

Date: Thursday, May 26
Time: 6:30 – 8pm
Cost: $5
Ages: all ages welcome

Ann Woodward has been making art and unique one of-a-kind designs for over twenty years. Materials are generally the motivating factor for her in the creative process. Currently she is also the director of The Scrap Exchange and is very motivated to help others “be as creative as they can be.”

Allyn Meredith learned about costuming when she lived in New Orleans, where masquerade expands the meaning of ordinary. Allyn panders to this art form in both traditional and peculiar realms. Most recently, she built and donned the Queen Bee of the Sweet Transformation of Disappointment for the Triangle Soundpainting Orchestra at Manbites Dog Theatre and continued the “performance” at a local brewery. She looks forward to helping others create outer manifestations from inner longings.


Remember, you don't have to wait for an event to make a trip out to The Scrap.  Please stop in and SHOP today in our new store at 539 Foster St.  The store is stocked, organized and ready for YOU!

We’re Across the Street

Holy cow, the last two days were so exciting we didn’t even get a post up.

We opened on Monday, as noted in our last post. But on Monday afternoon the city inspectors came around, and when they were done inspecting, they left bright green CONDEMNED stickers all around the building. (We added the frame ourselves. It is a nice touch, no?)

On Tuesday, the building owners told us that when we left for the day, we should take everything we needed with us as the locks had been re-keyed and we would need an escort to get back in to the building.

This does not work so well when you are trying to run a retail operation.

We went across the street and talked to our wonderful, kind, benevolent neighbor Denny Clark. We asked if we could temporarily set up shop in his building while we try to figure out what is going on. He said we could.

Denny Clark is our hero.

We were open for business at 11 o’clock on Wednesday at 539 Foster Street, directly across from Liberty Warehouse.

Here’s a little video about the move.




And WRAL has some footage of it too. Along with aerial photos of the Liberty Warehouse roof.

The biggest snafu we’ve had so far was trying to forward the phones so we could receive calls — the phone numbers somehow ended up disconnected. We’re working with Frontier to straighten that out and restore our voicemail. Hopefully that will be resolved soon.

Come see us!