This is a classic Scrap Exchange Story!

Check out this great blog by one of our customers! Tongue in Cheek If you replace ("wall paper") with (the item of your choice) you know what it can be like to shop here... We do have an ebay shop as well (hint hint.)

December Happenings at The Scrap Exchange

It's holiday time and The Scrap Exchange calendar is jam packed with activities to celebrate the season. What is happening here at The Scrap? Take a look at this list!

• Customer Appreciation Week November 28-December 4
• American Tobacco Christmas Tree Challenge, December 3-16
• Durham Holiday Parade, December 4
• Do It Yourself Screen Printing Class December 5, 5-9 pm
• Monster Doll Class December 8, 6:30-8:30 pm
• Crafts and Cocktails at The Pinhook, December 8, 6-9 pm
• Crafts and Cocktails at Nightlight in Chapel Hill, December 10, 6-9 pm
• Triangle Reuse Alliance Chapter Meeting at The Green Chair in Raleigh, December 15, 6:30-7:30 pm
• Holiday Party and Iron Crafter Competition, December 17, 6-9 pm

Details for these events can be found on our Scrap Exchange calendar at http://www.scrapexchange.org/calendar.html.

It's video time again!

An excellent look in to the world of the plastic bag. This has been around a while but I just had to give it a home here as well.

Our Fall Warehouse Fabric Sale is Almost Here!

What: Semi-Annual Warehouse Fabric Sale
When: Sunday October 24, 12-4 pm for Friends Club Members, 1-4 pm for general public (Friends Club memberships will be sold at the door)
Where: In our warehouse, entrance is on Rigsbee St, one block behind our storefront entrance at 548 Foster St. Look for signs.
For More Info: Call The Scrap Exchange at 919-688-6960


Our fall warehouse fabric sale is this Sunday, October 24, and we are pleased to announce the list of great savings available in our warehouse and in our store. Our warehouse will be open from 12 pm till 4 pm. Friends Club members can begin shopping in the warehouse at 12:00. The general public can begin warehouse shopping at 1:00. Friends Club memberships will be sold at the door.

What kind of savings will you find at our fabric sale? Check out this list!

• Fill a huge 3 ft bag with your choice of loose fabric (samples and yardage) for $10
• All fabric sample books - $1 each regardless of size
• End rolls of upholstery and decorator fabric - From $5 - $10 each depending on size
• End bolts of fabric - $5
• Modern sewing patterns - 10 cents each
• Vintage sewing patterns - $1 each
• Loose ribbons and trims - fill your own bag for one low price

Available fabric includes loose fabric samples, flatfold yardage, upholstery and decorator rolls, bolts, scrap fabric and more. Don't miss this chance to stock up and save!

Happening This Week At The Scrap Exchange

Book Signing: Wednesday, October 20, 7pm
Garth Johnson, author of 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse

Garth Johnson will be doing a book signing for his book 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse (Quarry Publishing) here at The Scrap Exchange on October 20th, from 7 to 9pm. Garth is an artist, writer and educator who lives in Eureka, California and teaches at College of the Redwoods. Additionally, he maintains the blog Extreme Craft and a new blog for ReadyMade magazine about his adventures with his 1905 Victorian home. Garth is also the co-host of Reconstruct: Eco-Friendly Crafts Made Easy, a step-by-step DVD that shows viewers how to make their own projects out of recycled materials.

It’s Almost Here! Our Fall Warehouse Fabric Sale is October 24

It's that time of year again — fabric sale time! Our next semi-annual warehouse sale is scheduled for Sunday, October 24 from 1-4 pm. (Our Friends members can begin shopping at 12 pm; warehouse doors open to the general public at 1 pm. Friends memberships will be sold at the door.) Don't miss out on this amazing sale! Warehouse fabric will include upholstery and decorator rolls, flatfold yardage, loose samples, sample books, sample bundles and more. We will also have sales specials in the store on fabric and sewing-related items. If you love fabric, do not miss this event!

Call for Artists: Craftland

Craftland is the Scrap Exchange’s annual Holiday Artist’s Marketplace, now in its 7th year. All items for sale at Craftland are created by local artists and crafters and are made using reused, reclaimed, or re-purposed materials. This year the Craftland marketplace will be open in the Green Gallery from Friday, November 19th thru the beginning of January 2011.

Artists who wish to participate in Craftland should complete the online application, send us 3 to 5 photos of the work they wish to sell, and provide a $10 nonrefundable application fee. The application deadline is October 24, 2010. Since we may receive more applications than space will allow, we cannot accept every artist who applies. Participating artists will be selected based on how well their work fits into the scope of Craftland, and the quality and originality of their work. Complete details can be found on our Craftland page, or by visiting the Craftland events page on Facebook.

Fall Classes are Here!

Our fall classes have started. Here is a list ~ go to our website for class descriptions and more info...

Mixed Media Printmaking

How to Make Zines

Plastic Bags

Creating New Paper-Craft Supplies from Old Greeting Cards

Dynamic Acrylic Collage

Tiara Making (Self Actualized)

New Creations from Old Quilts

Coptic Stitch Journal

Do-It-Yourself Screen-Printing

Monster Doll Workshop


See You at The Scrap!

Green Gallery Opening Tonite!

A new exhibit opens in the Green Gallery October 15 and you are invited to attend!

An Offering: La Ofrenda

Friday, October 15 – Saturday, November 13

Opening Reception: Friday October 15 from 6pm - 9pm

Our latest exhibit is titled "An Offering: La Ofrenda". Community members have come together to create this open exhibit of altars to honor and celebrate the lives of loved ones who have passed away. This exhibit was planned in conjunction with Dia de Los Meurtos/Day of the Dead festivities in early November. Each shrine, or ofrenda, serves as a memory of a special person or beloved pet in the contributor's life.

The opening reception will be held on Friday October 15 from 6-9 pm. The opening will include festive folk music performed live by Durham's Trainspotters. Food will include savory empanadas from Angel's Nest Farm and Bakery, plus Pan de Meurtos and other fresh-baked sweet pasteries from the Compare Foods Supermarket.

Attendees are encouraged to bring mementos of a loved one who has passed away to the opening reception that can be added to a large communal ofrenda. This ofrenda will evolve throughout the month! Examples of mementos could be a photo, a favorite (packaged) food or candy, a random object, book or even a poem! There will also be an opportunity to create a small shrine in our Make and Take Room during the reception to add to the show!!

See you at The Scrap!

Call for Artists for Our Next Exhibit

An Offering: La Ofrenda
October 15 – November 13
Green Gallery at The Scrap Exchange
Opening Reception on October 15, 6-9 pm

The Scrap Exchange wants you! We are inviting the public to contribute to our next Green Gallery exhibit titled "An Offering: La Ofrenda". In conjunction with Dia de Los Meurtos/Day of the Dead, you can celebrate a loved one, beloved pet, or ancestor who has passed away by creating a small shrine (la ofrenda) in their honor.

Shrines should be no larger than a shoebox (they can even be in a shoebox!) and can contain photos, objects representing favorite activities, favorite colors, or symbols of favorite foods of your beloved. Shrines can also include a written remembrance and the name of the person or beloved pet.

This show is not juried and is open to the public. Shrines are not required to be for sale. All ages and skill levels are welcome.

Shrines should be brought to the gallery and placed or hung between Monday, October 11 and Thursday, October 14, from 3 pm until store closing (5pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday; 6pm Thursday). If you would like to contribute a shrine but these hours are not convenient, please contact Retail Manager Julia Gartrell to see if you can to make alternate arrangements.

The opening reception will be held on Friday, October 15th. Feel free to come in costume! This exhibit will run from October 15 through November 13. For more information, call 919-688-6960.