By Heather Maharry, SCRAP volunteer
Do you need some space to explore your artistic creativity? Or maybe some direction to help you begin? Scrap’s workshop room can help!
The workshop room is a community space intended to encourage creative re-use and inspire people to share ideas and projects. It’s available on a first-come, first-serve basis to artists, families and individuals as long as it isn’t being used for guided workshops or overflow stock. (Call to ask about availability.) Scrap’s workshop contains commonly needed tools for projects (scissors, a paper cutter, glue guns, etc.) to be used on-site. The rules are simple: Ask for assistance if you need it, clean up after you create by returning tools to their places and any unused scrap materials to the shop floor, and children age 10 or under must be supervised by a parent or adult. You pay for the materials used, and Scrap appreciates donations for use of the workshop space.
The workshop is also a good source of resources to inspire creative re-use. There are a variety of books on arts and crafts to provide ideas, as well as some educational and curriculum materials. For step-by-step projects, Scrap has a collection of free project sheets created by volunteers and individuals. Each sheet lists the materials and procedures necessary to create a specific project. Did you know you can create bright, funky bracelets from old toothbrushes? There are instructions to create simple books or origami boxes. Or you can make a chess set from film canisters. There are hundreds of samples and creations in the workshop for inspiration. Come in and soak up the atmosphere -- you’ll discover your artistic side, or add to your creative ideas!
SCRAP, located at 3625B N Mississippi, is open from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 503-294-0769.