How Do Your Donations Help WACOSA?

When you donate to any non-profit, you can be sure that you are helping make a difference. With WACOSA, there is no exception to that rule. In 2015 we served over 600 individuals, steadily growing from the year before. With over 50 total community crews we were able to serve the community even more than the previous year. Our success doesn’t stop there. We were able to add an additional four community crews last year, a 33% growth from the year before!

Our mission is to provide individuals with disabilities the opportunity to work and live in their community. None of this would be possible without our generous donors. Here are a few ways your contributions can help to make a difference this year.

$50 Donation:

• One weighted lap pad to meet client’s individual sensory needs

$90 Donation:

• One chair for the WACOSA Senior Program at the Whitney Senior Center in St. Cloud

$125 Donation:

• One washable weighted blanket to meet various individual sensory needs

$600 Donation:

• One iPad for clients to use for activities including researching information on the Internet, playing group interactive games and watching informational videos

It’s more than just our employees that contribute to our success, YOU help us immensely year-after-year. We had almost 150 volunteers last year who clocked approximately 3,639 volunteer hours. Although this is a great start, we dropped 42% for our total number of volunteers from 2014. Our mission for 2016 was to continue to grow our group of volunteers and with your help, we can do just that. Our volunteer positions range from activities assistants all the way to musicians. There is truly a place for everyone at WACOSA! If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering with us, you can find more information on our website here.

You can help make a difference this year by making a donation or volunteering, and there are many different ways to give. Help us grow ever stronger in 2017 by working alongside other community members to break down stereotypes and build up members of the community that are living with a disability.

5 Thanksgiving DIY Trends to Try This Season

Thanksgiving is about gathering with your family and friends and celebrating the things for which we are grateful. While spending time with family is most important, decorating for the holidays is still very enjoyable for people who love DIYs and decorating. There are endless fun DIYs that you can do around Thanksgiving time, but we did the grunt work and found our top five.

1. Colorful Leaves, Leaves and more Leaves!

These types of DIYs are cheap and EASY because there is an abundance of beautiful leaves to find outside for free! Start by gathering leaves of your choice–our favorite type is maple leaves–and dry them out for a day or two. You can spray paint your leaves or let their natural beauty shine through. Find 11 beautiful leaf crafts here.

2. Wreaths for Everyone!

At Thriftworks, repurposing is our FAVORITE word and wreaths have the ability to be reused over and over again, which we love. The first step is to get your hands on a quality wreath– maybe you even own one already. You can spruce it up with some items you find at the thrift store, or continue to repurpose the Thanksgiving decor you already own. It doesn’t stop there, instead of stuffing your wreath away after Thanksgiving, redecorate the same one for Christmas! This will help you save money and space in your home. There are a variety of wreaths to try, the hard part will be picking just one!

3. Neutral Colors are Everything.

If you want to create a warm feeling in your decor, you can’t go wrong with neutral colors. Pops of color can make a bold statements, but neutrals make a room feel soft and welcoming. Look for cool-toned fabrics and plants when planning your Fall DIYs. Some of our favorite colors this Fall are creams, coppers, aubergine and cool-toned browns. Check out this classy pumpkin centerpiece to get inspired.

4. Recycling Jars and Bottles

Speaking of reusing over and over, not only are Mason Jars and wine bottles cute, they are a creative way to reuse your refuse. We are loving the idea of painting and repurposing wine glasses because they are so versatile and can be very festive. For Thanksgiving, use all-purpose paint that you can find at the craft store and paint your old jars and bottles and decorate them with fun sayings. This is a perfect project to do with the kids, or could be an excellent girls night activity after you finish your bottles of wine. Find more Thanksgiving table crafts here.

5. Funky Frames!

The fun doesn’t stop with wine bottles and mason jars, there are also hundreds of brilliant ways to repurpose old frames. Rustic windows and picture frames go well in every home and can be thrifted for just pennies. When looking for the perfect frame, keep an eye out for picture frames with detail–this will make them stand out in your home. You can pick up chalkboard paint at the craft or hardware store to achieve a shabby-chic look. Pair your frames with foliage and you instantly have picture-perfect decor! You can find more DIY Frame Decor ideas at planningitall.com.

You can find more DIYs on our Pinterest Board, where we are always updating more ideas for Fall Thrifts every week. You can also check our calendar for weekly specials and more!

Stop by ThriftWorks! and find plenty of frames, jars, glasses, wreaths, and more to use for your DIY Thanksgiving decor.

Ways to Save Time and Money this Back-to-School Season

Back-to-school shopping can be stressful and overwhelming and the thought of how much money you are going to spend can only add to that stress. To save you time and money this back-to-school season, we have provided you with some tips and tricks for shopping at ThriftWorks:

Tips for Thrift Store Shopping:

1.     Make a list of what you need: To be successful on your thrift store shopping trip, you need to set up a plan of exactly what you need and what you are looking for. That way, you stay on task and know right where you need to go when you enter the store. Thrift stores can be overwhelming, especially if you’ve never been so set yourself up for success by planning ahead.

2.     Shop various racks and sizes: Have you ever gone to a store and something was placed in the wrong section? The same thing could happen at thrift stores. By looking through different size racks, you could end up leaving with a treasure you wouldn’t have found just looking in your size.

3.     Pay attention to coupons and sale days: Many thrift stores have colored tags meaning certain discounts. They also usually have sales calendars available for you. Our ThriftWorks! sales calendar tells you what sales are happening each day. For example, every Wednesday seniors, military personnel, and students receive 25% off.

4.     Make more than one trip: You will often find that shopping at thrift stores might leave you empty handed, but don’t get discouraged. New items are coming in all the time; so being patient and going back often will only increase your chances of finding the good deals and going home with new treasures.

School Supplies to Shop for at Thrift Stores:

1.     Clothing: Kids grow out of their clothes way too fast, especially for the price you are spending on name brand or designer clothes. By shopping at ThriftWorks!, you can find those designer or name brand clothing for just a few dollars. That way you will feel more comfortable with the price tag when your kid grows out of their new clothes in a few months.

2.     Supplies: We all know that kids get an endless list of school supplies every year. By the amount of money you spend, you might be thinking that either the prices have gone up or the list has gotten longer. To save money, check out the thrift store before buying new supplies. At thrift stores, you can often buy supplies such as notebooks, folders, pencils, locker accessories, and more for a reasonable price.

3.     Sporting gear: Kids grow out of sporting gear just like they grow out of clothing.  Before taking the more expensive route of going to a sporting goods store, stop into our thrift store to browse the sporting equipment we have available.

The back-to-school season can be a crazy time of the year. Take care of your health and finances this back-to-school season by shopping for your supplies at ThriftWorks! With these great tips and tricks, anyone can score great deals on back-to-school supplies. There is no better feeling than saving time and money while checking things off your list.

5 Ways to Reinvent a T-Shirt

Ever find an awesome new t-shirt at a thrift store that you really want to get, only it’s a few sizes too big or too small? There is a solution. It’s known by many names and terms: upcycling, DIY, repurposing, reinventing - the list goes on. One of the most trendy, fun, and simple DIY projects you can try is creating a new project out of an old shirt. All you need is a thrift store t-shirt and some imagination. There are hundreds of ways to reuse t-Shirts - we’ll get you started with five:

1. Tote Bag

Tote bags are super versatile for your household. Even better, they are easy to make yourself. Use them for trips to the library, the farmers’ market, a picnic, groceries and more. Personalize them for kids with bright colors, cartoon characters, or fun quotes!

Check out these ideas and tutorials:
No Sew T-Shirt Tote
Cinch Backpack Bag from T-Shirt
Market Produce Bag

2. Crocheted Pieces

Turning fabric scraps into T-Shirt yarn can create durable and useful items for your home. It is super easy and an excellent way to ensure that you get the most use out of your closet. Once you have T-Shirt yarn, you can crochet it together to make small items like coasters, trinket bowls, or a pencil holder, or you can make larger items, like rugs and baskets.

Check out these ideas and tutorials:
Crocheted Rug
T-Shirt Crochet Basket
T-Shirt Coasters

3. Throw Pillows

A well-worn and well-loved T-Shirt is always made of the softest cotton. Reuse this soft fabric to make a pillow for your playroom, couch, or bed. Alternatively, stitch shirts together to make a blanket. This is an excellent way to preserve your favorite shirts from childhood, school, college, or your favorite sports team.

Check out these ideas and tutorials:
DIY T-Shirt Quilt
Buttoned-Up Pillows
T-Shirt Pillows

4. A New Outfit

That’s right. There are tons of ways to transform a T-Shirt, but why not transform your T-Shirt into another T-Shirt, cover-up, or dress? Whether it’s a matter of cutting, braiding, embellishing, tie-dying, or stitching something new together, you can easily transform an old t-shirt into a new summer outfit.

Check out these ideas and tutorials:
41 Summer T-Shirt Ideas
DIY Tie-Dye Swimsuit Cover-up
Colorblock Dress

5. Accessories

Now that you’ve got a brand new outfit, how about adding some accessories? By simply braiding or turning old T-Shirt scraps into T-Shirt yarn, you can create a variety of fun and playful accessories including necklaces, bracelets, headbands, scarves, or belts. You can even use braided T-Shirt fabric scraps to make an exciting toy for your pet.

Check out these ideas and tutorials:
Fabric Flower Hair Clips
Jersey Knit Bracelets
DIY Dog Toy


Use these fun tutorials to get crafty this summer. Stop by Thriftworks! To pick up all the shirts you need to create a fun summer wardrobe, beach accessories, and more. And for all those T-Shirts that didn’t get a crafty treatment, ThriftWorks! offers convenient drop-off locations for gently used donations.

DIY for the Fourth of July

Decorating for any holiday can be difficult and expensive, especially if that holiday is only a weekend celebration. Many people would rather spend most of their time and money on food for a Fourth of July party, but these 5 DIY décor projects are easy, inexpensive and will bring out your patriotic spirit!

1. Patriotic Mason Jars

Some adorable red white and blue mason jars make the perfect centerpiece for your 4th of July party. This DIY project has two easy steps, first painting the jars, second arranged the pieces how you prefer.

2. Patriotic Wreath

Add some spirit to your front door with this Patriotic Wreath! You will first need clothespins, wood cutout stars, and a wire wreath frame. Next, separate the clothespins into 3 piles to paint red, white and blue. Arrange all of the blue clothespins together, followed by a pattern of 5 white then 5 red clothespins. Paint the stars white and glue them onto the set of blue clothespins. Your wreath is ready to hang for the summer!

3. Lollipop Centerpiece for the Kids

If you have kids attending your 4th of July party this Lollipop Centerpiece will be a great addition to the table. This quick and easy project can be made in just 10 minutes. All you need is a bucket, a foam ball and 40 red and blue large lollipops or cake pops. Push the sticks into the foam ball, set the foam ball into the bucket and ta-da!

4. Flag Table Runner

This flag table runner adds the perfect patriotic touch for your 4th of July party! It’s simple, easy, and best of all involves No sewing! This burlap flag runner can be as long or as short as you want to cover all tables or just one. It is affordable and easy to do. Once completed you can fray the edges for a rustic look or fold the edges over for a finished look.

5. Patriotic Shutter

This two-step patriotic shutter is a great addition to your front porch or lawn.  All you need is a shutter and paint - it’s that easy! Tape off the stars and stripes and paint away. When completed, put it up for your Fourth of July party or leave it all summer long!

There is still time to create fun, festive projects for your Fourth of July party. Step up your spirit and try out a few of these fun and simple projects. Be sure to check out ThriftWorks! for all your project supplies, and have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

Breathing New Life Into Printed Artwork: A DIY Success Story

DIY: it’s been a popular abbreviation among thrifty crafters for quite some time. In our past blogs, we’ve given you more than a few different ideas for Do-It-Yourself projects you can create using objects from ThriftWorks!, like picture frames, silverware, even wedding decorations! This time around, let’s focus on a DIY success story.

Meet Meiko. This fuzzy feline belongs to Amy Jo Paul of St. Cloud. Her one-of-a-kind portrait (hanging on the wall) came from an upcycled thrift store print. The story of this unique work of art is just about as interesting as the painting itself.

“It’s something [my boyfriend] Chris came up with,” says Amy. “He saw it and realized it looked similar to my cat. He gave it to me for Christmas with the idea that I could paint the cat in the picture to look like Meiko! I think he secretly believes I’m a crazy cat lady.”

This painting is just one example of how to reinvent mass-produced prints. “Art in your home is so personal,” says Paul. Some may see it as taboo to paint over someone else’s art, but mass-produced art is a common occurrence in many stores and thrift shops. Reinventing them - as in Meiko’s case - is just one way you can take a thrifted object and make it your own.

In this painting, Amy explains, “I approached it by taking colors from another painting I have in my house and incorporated those colors into the painting. I made the wallpaper a mint-green color, brightened up the flowers with tints of red and yellow, and changed elements of the shelf to match my other decor.”

To make the white cat in the painting look more like Meiko, Amy blended shades of gray with the existing white, then changed her eye color. “It only took about an hour to complete,” she says.

“This isn’t the first time I’ve done something like this,” says Amy. “I’ve used lots of different approaches. I’ve used a gel medium to create more texture on some art prints.”

Depending on your goal, this can be a good method to match your decor items and add an element to the print that makes it a personal work of art.

TIP: Amy used acrylic paint on this painting, which can be found nearly anywhere; craft stores,  

big chain stores like Wal-Mart and Target - even the occasional thrift store (hint, hint).

Hopefully, Amy’s (and Meiko’s) one-of-a-kind picture has inspired you to create your own personal portrait. Stop by ThriftWorks! and see what you can find - you’ll never know what will inspire you!

6 Unique DIY Valentine's Day Gifts

Calling all DIY lovers: Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be an expensive holiday where going all out means blowing your budget. These 6 DIY Valentine’s Day gifts are inexpensive and full of unique qualities that are sure to impress your special someone. Thrift shopping is a hobby that many people enjoy and it’s even better when you can have a little extra fun with it.

1.      “I love you because…” chalkboard

The first step to this DIY project is to find an old frame - whichever size you prefer. Paint the border of the frame in your color of choice. Next, you will paint the inside of the frame with chalkboard paint. Finally, write “I love you because…” with chalk and hang someplace in your home where you can take turns writing your reasons.

2.      “You mean the world to me” globe

This one is about as simple and unique as it gets - all you need to do is find yourself a globe. Next, choose your favorite letter stickers or even use a permanent marker (depending on how fancy you want to get.) Spell out “You mean the world to me” and ta-da!

3.      “You are my type” frame

You will first need an old keyboard or typewriter. Next, remove the keys that spell “you are my type.” Then, arrange them on an old frame and glue. You can change this project up by using scrabble tiles or similar game letters and changing the message.

4.      “52 things I love about you”

All you need for this DIY is a deck of cards and a permanent marker. Make a list of 52 things you love about someone and write them directly on the deck of cards.

5.      Permanent marker mugs

For this DIY, find any plain colored mugs. Then, choose a phrase such as: “I love you a whole latte” and write directly on the mugs. If it is a ceramic mug, you can bake it to create a lasting message.

6.      Man bouquet

Not all bouquets are for women! Impress your man with his favorite candy or snack attached to wooden dowels (or something similar) and placed into a Styrofoam shape of your choice.  Once you have the Styrofoam shape full, place it in a vase and present it to your valentine.

Check out ThriftWorks! to find supplies for each project. Whether you always celebrate Valentine’s Day or it is somewhat new to you, these ideas are sure to inspire creativity. It may be time to spice up your regular gifts with these fun projects!