SCRAP, Portland

Learn how-to make a lion head magnet, wrapped trim flowers and a yarn wrapped jar with SCRAP in Portland, Oregon.

Check out Magnet Lion Head Tutorial on Cut Out + Keep Check out Wrapped Trim Diy Flowers on Cut Out + Keep Check out Yarn Wrapped Jar Tutorial on Cut Out + Keep

How did you get started?

SCRAP was started by a group of teachers who were tired of throwing away their materials at the end of the school year. They knew there must be a better way to use those materials. First they brought these materials to a teacher’s resource center, but then in 1999, they received a grant from the Department of Environmental Quality to open a create reuse center for the community. Now teachers and artists alike can both donate and purchase art and craft materials from our store at approximately a quarter of the cost of art and craft stores. 2915 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.|Portland, OR 97212

Where are you located?

We are located in the heart of NE Portland just off of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. We’ve made sure that we are close to mass transit so people without a car can have access to our materials.

Which products do you specialise in?

SCRAP is a creative reuse center, or in other words, a type of thrift store for art, craft and office supplies. Local donors bring their unwanted materials and we process it and sell it to the public for a quarter of the original retail price. So we specialize in all things creative reuse! We have fabric, paint, wood, paper, plastics, metal and more. Our tagline is, “What will you make of it?” and the answers to that question are truly unlimited.

Do you have a particular favorite product that you sell?

Everyone in the store has a different favorite item. The fun of shopping at SCRAP is that the materials are ever-changing.

What's on the stereo?

Each day it’s something different. As different as Bowie in the morning and Head and the Heart in the afternoon. Staff takes turns choosing the Pandora station.

Where else should we visit in your area?

Portland is full of amazingly creative shops. Some of our favorites are The ReStore store and Redux.

Do you host any workshops, classes or special events?

Each October we have a big craft celebration called Rebel Craft Rumble. This 21 and over event is like Cake Boss meets Project Runway. Teams audition to participate, and we choose four teams to compete head to head for the title of Northwest Craft Champion. A panel of four celebrity Portland judges and the audience help decide which team advances to the next round after each crafting challenge. The night is filled with amazing raffle prizes and some serious fun.

Beyond Rebel Craft Rumble, we can be found at many community events throughout the year. We always bring a crafty project, and it gives us a chance to talk about creative reuse while doing something fun.

Is there anything else you'd like us to know?

Learn more at our website SCRAPPDX.org or come say hi on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1w3teKx

Do you have a favorite craft, art or supply shop in your town that we should feature? Send us a message!