Celebrating Our Fourth Anniversary at Thriftworks!

In case you haven’t heard yet, IT’S OUR BIRTHDAY! ThriftWorks! is turning four years old this month. To celebrate our anniversary, we’re reflecting on how ThriftWorks! contributes to the community.

Employment Opportunities

ThriftWorks! works with our parent company, WACOSA, to fill staffing needs. WACOSA’s mission is to provide adults with disabilities the opportunity to work and live in their community, but they go far beyond this. WACOSA provides employment services, training opportunities for social skills, and resources to encourage an independent lifestyle for people with disabilities. We wholeheartedly believe in this service and incorporate members of the WACOSA program into our staff. They do amazing work and always bring smiles to the workplace.

Promoting Creativity

Thrifting is all about seeing the potential of an item, not it’s current state of being. We believe in promoting the creative spirit of DIYers who take on crafting projects or thrifting fashion. We encourage this creativity by providing the materials at affordable prices, as well as ideas to get you started. From our Pinterest Boards to our Blogs, creativity is always in the works.

Reducing Landfill Waste

We are proud to offer the opportunity for people to recycle gently used clothes or household items. By doing so we hope to reduce the amount of waste that sits in our landfills and provide another individual the chance to reuse an item. This means that when you buy an item from our store, you are shopping green. We continually strive to make a positive impact on our environment!

Volunteering Opportunities

In addition to our employees, we also have many volunteers that make our work possible. Volunteers at ThriftWorks! assist staff members and clients with sorting and pricing merchandise, store stocking, and donation drop-off. They also contribute to pleasant customer experiences. If you would like to become a volunteer, find out more by checking out the volunteer page on our website.

Thank you to our loyal donors and shoppers for supporting ThriftWorks! Our work would not be possible without our community. With your support we have had over 30 individuals with disabilities go through our retail training program at ThriftWorks!

To continue our birthday celebration, we will be having an in-store drawing for a $100.00 Visa gift card. Stop in daily throughout the month of May to enter for your chance to win.

Upcycle Your Wedding to Downsize Your Expenses

For many people, the prospect of getting married is thrilling and adventurous. Spending the rest of your life with the person of your dreams should be a fulfilling occasion. All too often, however, it is also a rather expensive occasion and more and more people have looked to DIY ideas to inspire their wedding decor. Check out a few of our ideas for DIY wedding bliss:

Silverware:

Silverware has become a trend among DIYers; It can be used in a wedding to make a variety of different decorations, including napkin rings or placecard holders, that are sure to be a hit at your wedding. See our silverware upcycle blog for more inspiration

Glassware:

Upcycled glassware is a great way to decorate your wedding on a budget. Try your creativity by assembling different styles and heights of clear glassware, or shades that match your theme. (Hint: with a sharpie and a few minutes in the oven, you can also  personalize your own glassware.) Can’t find the perfect color? You can always paint them to match, add glitter or ribbons, and add candles and other decorations to the mix. Try turning a wine glass or goblet upside down, placing a candle and the top, and a flower under the glass for a unique look.

Mason Jars:

While technically glassware, mason jars have decorating power of their own. There are endless possibilities to decorate with these trendy vessels. Try adding candles, painting a portion of them to match your theme, or adding ribbon or burlap for a rustic feel.  Our favorite mason jar decor idea is adding a flower, filling them with water, and topping off the jar with a floating candle. Have a summer theme? Try adding parts of fishing nets, twine and seashells, sand or rocks to your mason jars for a beautiful centerpiece.

Picture frames:

Empty picture frames make a great backdrop or photo booth on a budget. Instead of looking for a matching set, look for textures and appropriate sizes, and spray paint them to match your wedding theme. You can also build a display of engagement photos with different frames around the cake, or your card box. Having an outdoor wedding? Hang painted frames from trees and add flowers or other decorations in them for a unique look.

Books:

No, they’re not for your guests to read when they get bored, they’re decorative! Strategically folding book pages allows you to make a beautiful decoration that is sure to be memorable. From an elaborate sculpture, to just a simple letter or word, there are many possibilities to decorate with used books. One idea is to make your wedding table numbers from hardcover books.

There are plenty of possibilities for decor in a thrift store. You don’t have to bank on finding a special piece, like an antique bird cage to use for your wedding, just find some inspiration and have your wedding become upcycled and low-budget!

Silverware: It's Not Just for Mealtime

When you think of silverware, you traditionally see it as a tool used to cut, lift, sip and eat your food. Well, think again! As it turns out silverware has many other uses. You can make jewelry, towel holders, yard ornaments and more! Silverware makes for a great crafting project because of its stability and bendability. Here are some fantastic ways on how to turn your old silverware into a awe-inspiring piece of artwork:

Silverware Stamping

Did you know that you could stamp silverware? Stamping silverware is a really great way to engrave little sayings into vintage spoons. When finished stamping, the spoons can be bended and made into custom key chains- just be sure you chose real silver, because stainless steel cutlery is too hard and will not give way to the letter stamps.

Custom Jewelry

Remember back in grade school, when you got to make your own custom jewelry out of plastic beads and rope? With a few cutlery materials, (and perhaps the help of Pinterest) take custom jewelry making to a whole other level. Rings, bangles and other silverware inspired jewelry look cute hanging in the shop window, but why pay inflated prices when you can make your own?

Wind Chimes

Another popular cutlery craft is wind chimes. This craft has nearly endless variations; you can add beading, use an old tea pot or other silver object to hang the silverware from, engrave the silverware before hanging them, or bend and shape your silverware before hanging them- let your imagination run free!

There are many, many more DIY creation options (like a vintage spoon ring) for you to try out.  Be sure to stop into ThriftWorks! and we will help you find the perfect materials for your next DIY adventure.