Park Street Art & Wine Faire

     Alameda is a charming little island nestled between Oakland and the San Francisco Bay, and it has plenty of charming little festivals. Around Mother's Day, Park Street hosts the Spring Festival, complete with live music, a variety of vendors, delicious food booths, activities for kids, and beverages for adults. In June, Webster Street on Alameda's west end hosts a festival honoring the historic Neptune Beach area (see my post on the festival here). In October, Park Street hosts one of the best classic car shows around (see my post on that one here). But in July, Park Street hosts one of my favorite Bay Area festivals, the Park Street Art & Wine Faire.
     I've already written a post on this wonderful festival with tips on how to make the most of your visit. You can read that here. In that post, I highlighted a couple of vendors I enjoyed visiting. However, this year, I'm happy to announce that my sister will have a booth at the fair. She started her own business, Handmade Hill, in January. As her business name suggests, she makes a variety of handmade items--hats, quilts, scarves, jewelry, etc.--and many of these items will be on sale at the faire. She'll also have a variety of local prints and paintings for the art lover. And she'll be selling sticker bundles, including authentic Playland tickets she has turned into stickers. I'll be helping her with the booth, so I'll be able to give those of you who have considered doing booths at festivals feedback on the experience in a later post.
     Besides my sister's booth, the fair will have over 300 vendors and will stretch from Encinal to Buena Vista. For Island natives and those nearby, there will be free bike parking so you can avoid the traffic. For all others, there's a very affordable parking garage around the corner from the Alameda Theater. When that fills up there is plenty of parking in the area, but you'll have a bit of a walk.
     Stay tuned for photos and feedback from this year's event, and learn more here!

And here's your promised FEEDBACK:
     My sister and I had a lot of fun as vendors at this event, but it was definitely a lot of work. Vendors are allowed to start setting up a little after 6 a.m. on the day of the event, and because this was my sister's first craft fair as a vendor, we got there at 6 on the dot. We were able to pull up to our spot, unload, and find free parking very close to the event. However, I did hear other vendors who arrived much later complain about the lack of vendor parking. Our booth space was located across from one of our favorite Alameda cafes, the Blue Danube (they have tea, coffee, Italian sodas, breakfast and lunch items, and more!), which proved very convenient for quiet rest and meal breaks, and we were within sight (but not smell) of the portable toilets.
     In terms of setup, it took us four hours to get everything put together, signed and ready to go. Granted, we had a couple fixtures to build and a lot of signs and tags to make. We also had some struggles with the E-Z Up canopy, as did a neighboring vendor with the same type. However, a nearby vendor, Julie, gave us a hand and some valuable advice for the best shows in the Bay Area in terms of foot traffic and profit.
     We were surprised to learn that many vendors simply leave the booths at night with no take down or wrap them in tarps. Julie recommended lowering our canopy on top of our fixtures, which we did, but we did take our merchandise with us. After manning the booth for eight hours, we were very much ready to call it a day at 6 p.m., when the faire was officially over each day, but there were a number of late shoppers that made it difficult to close up. This was especially annoying on the last day because it made it very difficult to get vehicles next to booths for loading.
     We were also surprised, and we heard many others vendors echoing our concerns, by the amount of foot traffic. My sister and I go to this event every year as shoppers, and it always seemed like a very busy festival. However, this year, the foot traffic seemed light, and a lot of people passing our line of booths walked quickly and didn't even seem interested in looking at the booths. While walking around the faire on Sunday at the busiest hours, I discovered that most foot traffic was concentrated in the middle of the faire in between the rides and the kids' area. People seemed reluctant to push through the crowd gathered around the Water Ballerz in order to see the last line of booths. Indeed, it was hard for me to push through to get back to our booth. However, most of the people who ventured into our booth purchased something.
     On the plus side, the event page for the event featured our booth on Facebook and retweeted a lot of our tweets, which I thought was sweet. The weather was lovely, with the perfect breeze. The music was wonderful (at one point, I could hear the Mario Brothers theme song drifting on the breeze from the stage), and our neighbors were great. I loved our location, even if it meant a decrease in foot traffic. And we did great for our first festival.
     Here's some advice if you want to be a vendor at this faire in the future:
     1) Pack snacks and water
     2) Make sure you have the inventory to cover your booth fee and bring in a profit
     3) Introduce yourself to your neighbors (they have a lot of wisdom!)
     4) Get there early for setup, and have parking scoped out early
     5) Prepare mentally for the long days (around 13 hours a day with setup and takedown)
     6) If coverage allows, take breaks to walk around and have a little fun
     7) Utilize social media
     8) Take advantage of your canopy by hanging items from the front so they are more visible to the casual passerby

A big shout out and thank you to Alameda and everyone who visited our booth! We hope to see you next year! I've provided a link on my right side bar to upcoming festivals other vendors recommended.

Hill's hat and sticker table

 

Hill's painting and rug fixture, made out of a pallet

 

Hill' quilt wall and base

 

 

Hill's flower scarf display

 

Hill's jewelry, print, and keychain table

  

Hill next to her shop banner

The apron Etsy shop owner isewmuchtime made for us. Thanks JoAnn!

Hill, feeling a little overwhelmed during setup. Is it coffee time yet?!

Alameda's Park Street Bridge. Love ya, Alameda!



Jack of All Trades Market at Jack London Square

     Jack London Square is a beautiful area that resembles a ghost town many days of the week, but great fairs and markets are starting to bring the foot traffic it deserves. Besides Patchwork and the Sunday farmer's market, Jack London also hosts the Jack of All Trades Market on the second Saturday of every month. This market is from the same folks who do Treasure Island Flea. My sister and I visited January's market, and we were impressed by the variety of vendors and pleased to see some of our favorites like OodleBaDoodle and hrvst/3D.
     Jack of All Trades is really one of the best markets in the Bay Area to find craftspeople from, you guessed it, all trades, and judging by foot traffic and shopper enthusiasm, I think this market will only keep expanding. There are vendors who work with metal, wood, fabric, plastic, and repurposed items. They sell antiques, art, vintage clothing, jewelry, furniture, food, craft beer, pet toys, olive oil, perfumes, soaps, and more.
     January's market was held indoors, but craftswoman Lisa Inez DeFehr told us that the market is sometimes held outside and stretches all the way down the waterfront. Lisa's shop was one of our favorites. She handcrafts unique pieces of jewelry: necklaces with bottle charms containing tiny bird feathers, dandelion seeds, paper roses, or flash mobs. She also had a necklace with three little pig charms and a wolf. She said many of her pieces have an element of fairytale in them, and one walks away from her booth feeling a bit of the enchantment.
     One of the best parts of Bay Area art and craft festivals is that you get to meet the designer, creator, or artist and talk with them about their creative process. Artist Sean Murphy ushered me to his booth with the Force. Actually, it was his Star Wars-themed art, specifically a picture of the Millenium Falcon flying over the Golden Gate with the Death Star posing as the moon in the background. He also had a picture of storm troopers sitting in a vintage Batmobile and a Darth Vader Buddha. Besides Star Wars, Murphy had pictures of Smurfs engaged in a little illegal gardening, if you know what I mean, and alien ships flying over the Golden Gate.
     All of Murphy's art is funky, surprising, and humorous. He signed the print I purchased and told me about how each is made, what the materials he uses are, and the effort it takes to produce just one. I plan to make my living room wall a tad cooler with the Millenium Falcon print I couldn't pass up.
     I was pleased to see hrvst/3D at the market and to check out the new Bay Bridge charm I hadn't seen before. Hrvst/3D makes earrings, necklace charms, and tiny figurines of beloved Bay Area landmarks and features like shipping cranes, the Transamerica Building, Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, Sutro Tower, and the oak tree (for Oakland). Most of their charms are made of 3D printed nylon, but they also have sterling silver and gold charms. Their pieces are so local and so unique!
     We were able to find items that friends and family will love, such as Giants wine glass bottle cap charms and finger puppets/pen toppers. There were multiple vendors selling a large variety of scarves in beautiful and unexpected shapes and sizes. There was a vendor selling rubber ducky soaps, another selling recycled steel drum sculptures, and still another selling repurposed wood tables of all shapes and sizes. And many of the Bay Area food trucks that have become a favorite at Off the Grid were gathered outside the market to satisfy hungry shoppers.
     One of the best things about this market is that it's dog friendly. Many people usually ignore the posted "No Pets" signs that are common at Bay Area festivals, but the atmosphere is not welcoming. At Jack of All Trades, pets were warmly acknowledged. I was happy to see the many dogs at the market and to do my shopping beside them.
     Overall, this market has one of the friendliest atmospheres of the Bay Area fairs, markets, and festivals. The latest Patchwork Show at Jack London required visitors to sign in at a table and walk down a sort of chute into the show, which made the atmosphere a little less inviting and a tad more chaotic. At Jack of All Trades, there were security guards but the atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming. If you're in the Bay Area, you can't miss this market. Not only will you find items that will surprise and delight you, but you'll be supporting many local and independent craftspeople. And that just feels good.

Giants Wine Glass Bottle Cap Charms

Hand Knit Finger Puppets and Pen Toppers

Bottle Charm Necklace with Dandelion Seed by Lisa Inez DeFehr

Visit her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thelisainez

Shipping Crane Earrings by hrvst/3D

Visit their website: hrvst3d.com

Dog Friendly!

Trendy Furniture Pieces

Handcrafted Tables

Food Trucks!

Golden Gate Bridge Pillow by OodleBaDoodle

Visit her shop on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/OodleBaDoodle

Modern Mouse Crafternoons

     Calling all crafters!  If you like to get together with friends and other fun people who like to do hands-on activities, then you'll love Modern Mouse Crafternoons.  Modern Mouse is an adorable little shop at the Alameda South Shore Center that sells products made by Bay Area artists.  You can find everything from necklaces to shirts, coffee cups to wall clocks, stationary to posters, and more at Modern Mouse.  Many of the items are handmade, most are locally designed and themed, and all come from artists and crafters who live nearby.
     But Modern Mouse isn't satisfied with just supporting local artists and crafters.  They want to get their customers involved in the creative process.  That's why they offer a craft workshop at least one Sunday a month, and you don't have to be an expert crafter to have a blast at this event.  Modern Mouse usually allows customers to vote on the craft for each event and sends out a notice of the upcoming crafternoon via Facebook.  To participate, all you have to do is RSVP on Facebook.  The cost is only $5, which covers all your crafting supplies as well as snacks and drinks.  Occasionally the crafternoon benefits a charity, and crafts made during the workshop are donated afterwards.
     The first crafternoon I attended focused on making bottle cap necklaces, magnets, and pins.  I was amazed by how many materials you get for the price you pay.  I was able to make five necklaces, three pins, and two magnets...for just $5! And it was so simple to do! I am not the crafter in my family.  My sister holds that title.  I am usually the person dropping the bottle of glitter, gluing her shirt to the table, or embedding a needle in her finger.  But the workshop instructor not only gives directions to guide you through the craft, but she also makes rounds to give personal advice and instruction just in case you're struggling.
     This time, we made tomato pincushions.  My sister and I decided to make pumpkin pincushions instead of tomatoes, so we could use them as fall decorations.  The instructor for this craft was Polly Conway, the same person who taught us how to make our fabulous bottle cap items.  Even though sewing is my personal crafting nemesis, I was able to create a fairly cute pincushion, and I only jabbed myself once with the needle!  And my ego was stoked a little by the compliments my frankencushion received from the instructor and other crafters.
     The atmosphere for these events is awesome.  Everyone is relaxed, happy, and ready to have a good time.  You will receive a warm welcome, and everyone wanders around the room while crafting to comment on each other's designs and to share advice and feedback on the craft.  You definitely feel like you're part of a big, happy family in this workshop, and you get to walk away from it with an item to brag about to all your lame, noncrafting friends.
     The crafts you'll learn to make at these events are also so easy and so cheap to make, and give you so many ideas for similar creations, that you'll definitely want to stop by a craft store and pick up supplies to continue the fun on your own.  Lucky for you, there's a wonderful craft store just across from Modern Mouse called Beverly's.  Anything you could ever need is in this craft store.  I was able to pick up more bottle caps, seals, and necklace chains there after the last event.  The prices are a bit steep at Beverly's, but the selection of supplies is worth it.
     Modern Mouse is also in Alameda's biggest shopping center.  This attractive area provides shops, benches, and eateries that will tempt you to hang out a while after your craft is complete.  You can get a coffee, pick up some groceries at Safeway or Trader Joe's, and have some lunch at Chipotle or Panera.  The beach and the bay are just across the street, so you can also go sit by the water and watch the kite surfers do their thing.
     If you want a quiet, relaxing Sunday where you can let your creative juices flow and chat with like-minded people, and you also don't want to break your budget, then you have to try Modern Mouse Crafternoons.  Make sure to bring a five dollar bill to drop in the fishbowl as you enter.  And make sure to like Modern Mouse's Facebook page to get notices of upcoming events, to RSVP, and to see fun pictures of people crafting from previous events.  You can also visit Modern Mouse's website to learn more about local artists, shop for gifts, and learn about the shop.  In the meantime, stay calm and craft on.

Some of the bottle cap necklaces we made last time.

Here come the crafters!

Supplies and written instructions should you need them.

My little gem is the squashed one on left, my sister's expert pincushion is obviously on the right.

Renegade Craft Fair at Fort Mason

     There is such a thing as having too much fun.  The Renegade Craft Fair taught me that today.  If you’ve ever been to Patchwork (or you’ve read my article on it), you’ll have an idea of what Renegade is all about.  Pump Patchwork full of organic and environmentally-friendly steroids and throw in a chicken wearing sunglasses and you have Renegade.  So, if you like Patchwork, the American arts and craft scene, or fresh designs, you can’t miss Renegade.  But be warned.  Visiting this craft fair may lead to bankruptcy.
     According to Renegade’s website, it “is the first, largest, and most well respected event of its kind.”  The first fair took place in Chicago in 2003 and now appears in many cities: Brooklyn, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Austin, and even London.  Renegade calls itself an “indie-craft marketplace” that hosts hundreds of vendors who make their own products and designs.  You can learn more about the event, dates, locations, and vendors by visiting Renegade’s website at www.renegadecraft.com.  While you’re on the site, don’t forget to add yourself to their mailing list, shop for Renegade merchandise, and check out photos of each event.  You can also follow Renegade on Facebook and Twitter.
     The great thing about Renegade is that the fun doesn’t end after you leave the craft fair.  That’s because Renegade has partnered with Square (also known as squareup), a really nifty company that’s made it easy and secure to purchase from small and independent vendors via credit card.  Vendors simply attach a device to their iPhone or iPad (as well as other Android devices) that allows them to swipe your card, and Square processes the transaction.  You sign with the iPhone or iPad, and you can have your receipt emailed to you or texted to your phone.  Once you enter your email or phone number, you don’t have to enter any information again if you use the same card in the future.  You simply confirm where you want your receipt to go, and it arrives in minutes.  It is, in a word, brilliant.  Hello convenience.  Goodbye, ATM hunting.
     But I digress.  Renegade has used their relationship with Square to give shoppers one online marketplace to find vendors they saw at an event.  Visit www.squareup.com/renegade to check it out.  Patchwork also features Square at its event, but you have to find your favorite vendors on their own websites or on Etsy.  While you're on Square's website, do some exploring.  You can shop other vendors outside of the Renegade family at www.squareup.com/market.  This may be exciting for the shopper who likes to browse and ponder a while before purchasing, but it can be plain dangerous for the indie-craft fanatic.  Still, it’s nice to know I don’t have to wait half a year to get my next craft fix.
     And Renegade occurs in a larger selection of cities than Patchwork.  I myself went to the San Francisco Renegade Craft Fair at Fort Mason.  It runs on July 27^th and July 28^th from 11 to 7.  But if you can’t make the July event, don’t worry.  Renegade returns with its winter market on December 21 and 22 at the Concourse Exhibition Center.  I suggest using public transportation to the event at Fort Mason because, if you don’t live in San Francisco, the drive to the show takes you through some hairy and congested tourist hot spots.  Fort Mason is about a thirty to forty-five minute walk from the Pier 41 ferry terminal, or you can BART and bus your way there.  However, if you love the challenge of the drive, there is parking available.  And there were plenty of open spots when I was at the show.
     So, what did I think of the event?  Well, “overwhelming” sums up my entire experience.  There were dozens of vendors, each of which had unique and ooh!-inspiring merchandise.  I had my pick of jewelry, clothing, art, bath soaps and makeups, candy, home décor, stickers, toys, knick knacks…you get the idea.  There wasn’t anything you couldn’t find there.  Not only was I able to find Christmas gifts for multiple people, I was also able to pick up a couple of mugs to add to my collection, some trendy stickers (a flying pug, for example), and some Snapea Crisps to keep up my energy.  The most unique item I saw was a bracelet made out of a book’s spine.  This is a show that definitely makes you believe in the awesomeness of human creativity.
     And the food options were as unique as the crafts.  I was able to sample and enjoy my first Chicken Shawarma as well as a rich potato knish.  You could purchase chocolates, baked pea crisps, vegetarian corn dogs, and gorgeous sandwiches from Lunchpad.  Plus, the location of the event allowed me to enjoy views of the Bay and the Golden Gate while I ate without having to endure the noise and crowding of other tourist locations.
     However, as much as I enjoyed myself, I still prefer Patchwork to Renegade.  And here’s why.  Patchwork is in a roomy building that has enough space for people to browse, socialize with friends, and buy without congestion getting in their way.  It seemed to me that Renegade, on the other hand, tried to fit too many vendors into one building.  The crowd inside the building was awful.  And it was made worse by the fact that the food vendors were inside the building as well, so you didn’t know if you were waiting in line to move down an aisle or if you were waiting in a line to order something to eat. There simply wasn’t enough room to get close to tables, spend a little time looking through merchandise, or move constructively from one end of the building to the other.
     Besides the space being too small for the number of vendors, there wasn’t a clear flow of traffic.  People moved forward and backward on both sides of the aisle, which created hopeless gridlock as everyone tried to decide how best to squeeze past one another.  It took me almost three hours to make a single pass by every vendor, and many of the vendors I just had to give a quick glance because I couldn’t muscle my way closer. I waited for about ten minutes to pay for an item from one vendor because I couldn’t get close enough to him to complete the transaction.
     And the shoppers at Renegade were hopelessly oblivious to manners, etiquette, or common sense.  Again and again, large groups of friends would stop in the middle of the aisle to chat about their weekend plans, their purchases, and any trivial thing they could think of.  Shoppers crowded in front of each other and pushed each other out of the way numerous times, even if a person had merchandise in hand.  And many shoppers would stop in the middle of the aisle to look at a vendor’s booth or change direction without warning and try to go the other way.
     I think if Renegade used more than one building for their event, reduced the amount of vendors to widen the aisles, created chat spots where people could pull off to the side to socialize, or marked the floor to create a flow of traffic, the experience would have been less stressful and more enjoyable. I felt like I missed vendors and merchandise because I simply couldn't see them.
     That being said, don’t let a little crowd phobia keep you from enjoying a very awesome craft fair.  If you want to find unique gifts for friends, unique jewelry and clothes for yourself, or just be impressed by what American crafters are creating, this is a must-see event.   Just make sure to go in with a budget…and a budget enforcer.

Where to begin?

The crowd...

A view of the venue

The unique structure of the booths was as fun to see as the merchandise.

The mugs I found.  A little scare with your coffee?

This was my favorite vendor and the creator of the adorable mugs pictured above.

Patchwork Show at Jack London Square

     If there is one event in the Bay Area where I can really get into trouble, financially speaking, it's the Patchwork Show at Jack London Square in Oakland.  The Patchwork Show is a collection of local vendors who sell handmade products from art and clothing to food. The show was founded by Delilah Snell and Nicole Stevenson who call it a "modern handmade festival" (see their website at www.patchworkshow.com). The show has been going on in various areas, especially California, twice a year.  And just last year the show came to Oakland, a test of the handmade market in the Bay Area.  Needless to say, demand is thriving.
     To give you a better sense of what you'll find at the show (and won't be able to live without), I'll walk you through my own path of destruction.  My first stop was at MisoHandmade where I found tote bags with a silhouette of my favorite dog breed (pug) sewn onto the front.  I also found a set of magnets of funny pug close-ups, a set of magnets with crafting quips, pro-pet pins, and a squeaky donut for the pug himself.  Next was Bottle of Clouds where I found hand cut and hand painted wooden pins by Min.  Her designs are cute, classy, unique, and very Bay Area.  I chose one with a picture of a scooter and a heart.  Then on to OopisNein where I found a few more "plushies" for the pug in my life, two cute little creatures artist Gretchen Lewis calls "Baby Octopods."  I picked up one-of-a-kind scarves from Lazy Lotus and Harlequin Feltworks, handmade stickers from Bird vs Bird and PapaSupply, and a wall hanging of the mounted head of a monster called "Uniworm" from Ghoulie Girls.  I was also tempted by handbags, shirts, art, jewelry, and knick knacks.
     What will impress you the moment you enter the show is the detail each artist has put into their business.  This detail starts with the materials used for the products (antique metals, repurposed maps and wood, handmade paper...) and extend down to things as small as the business cards.  Each card is a work of art in itself, and it is a fun challenge to collect one from every booth for a scrapbook of future shopping.  Each piece from every vendor is of the highest quality.  The designs are fresh, unique, and full of local flavor.  If you want a necklace, a wallet, or a scarf that set you apart and beg for compliments, this is the first place to look.  And almost every vendor has a shop on Etsy so you can continue shopping after the show.  This is an event that proves that the American craft scene is alive and thriving.  You can visit the show's website at www.patchworkshow.com (seriously, this is your second chance to CHECK IT OUT) to get a feel for the designs you'll encounter, pictures of the event, locations and times, and other info.
     The Jack London show is held in the old Barnes and Noble building right down by the water.  And this May's event coincided with the Jack London farmer's market, so shoppers could take a break and pick up a few pieces of fruit, a slice of stone fired pizza, or some freshly baked bread.  Shoppers could also take a break and enjoy the free yoga session on the water's edge.  I personally enjoyed having lunch on a bench watching the ships pass.  And I definitely needed to take a time out.
     Overall, Patchwork is a show that reinvigorates shoppers.  I usually can't help making frequent outbursts about how cute, unique, or new an item is at every single booth I visit.  Much to the joy of the vendors.  The artists' use of their material is brilliant.  There handiwork is exceptional.  And everyone is so happy.  These are people who do what they love, make what they sell, and support their local economy.
      If you missed May's show, you have another chance to redeem yourself.  The next show is on November 24th from 11 to 5pm.  Christmas shopping.  Check it off.  Oh, and you better start saving NOW.

Photos (top to bottom): My sister Hilary wearing one of the felt scarves from Harlequin Feltworks; a view of the farmer's market with the water in the distance; unique finds at this year's event; and the Jack London Pavilion where the event took place.

Scrap

      For crafters, artists, do-it-yourselfers, or anyone who wants to reduce the amount of perfectly good materials being dumped into landfills, Scrap is the place to go to get your materials...and get lost for hours.  Located at 801 Toland Street in San Francisco, Scrap is a warehouse of sorts dedicated to recycling through reuse of materials donated by individuals and businesses.  Buttons, corks, containers, scraps of paper and cloth, pieces of wood...you'll find anything and everything here.  Go with a list of specific items you need or let your creative juices flow as you see what's there.  The selection will vary from trip to trip based on donations so you'll never run out of things to look at, ponder over, or reminisce about.
      Normally I would deduct points from a venue inside San Francisco (unless you live there or have planned a day trip to the city) because transportation, both public and private, can be a headache.  However, Scrap is located just off the freeway from the Bay Bridge, and though traffic can get heavy back and forth to the bridge, it's pretty much a straight shot in and out. 
     Scrap is also nestled among warehouses so there are wide roads, lots of truck traffic, and you park on a dirt run along the building which looks, well, scrappy.  But all this gives the place character.  I never feel like the area is unsafe just...time-worn.  Classic.  Scrap is real in a plastic, corporate world.  It makes you feel like a kid again searching through odds and ends amid people of all creeds and backgrounds.  Sometimes I feel I could build a spaceship in an old tilt-a-whirl from things found here, and I wouldn't have a problem finding willing passengers.   To add to the charm of the place, Scrap has a resident cat you can pet as you shop, and there is a donation jar on the counter for its care.
      And you'll definitely want to leave a donation in the cat jar and at the register because everything is so cheap.  My latest visit was especially successful.  Not only did my sister (the crafter) and I (the artist) find materials to make time-capsule necklaces and a lamp shade made out of old slides, but I also found a phone cover celebrating the Golden Gate's 75th anniversary and office supplies to organize the craft room.  We also picked up a large stack of old calendars from the free pile to use on a variety of future projects.
      Besides providing a place for the American crafter and artist to find materials and network with other crafters and artists, Scrap employees work to increase reuse and recycling awareness in the community by hosting field trips, workshops, and training.   Scrap reminds us all that self sufficiency, creativity, and environmental awareness are still possible and valuable.