Scrap is one of my favorite places to find craft supplies, and to get inspired. It’s a non-profit art supply warehouse that sells used materials of all sorts. But this was actually my first visit to this location. Until last year it was very close to my house in North Portland, and then they moved across the river, to downtown Portland. I was annoyed that it was no longer so convenient for me to visit, but now that I’ve seen the bigger and better space, I’m on board with the move (I’m sure they’re relieved).

If you do any kind of art or craft, Scrap probably has supplies you could use. It has paper, fabric, yarn, thread, paint, jewelry findings, and tons of other random stuff that you won’t know you need until you see it. It’s very well-organized by an army of volunteers, but like the ReBuilding Center, it’s still a treasure hunt. You can be pretty likely to find certain items most of the time, but there’s no guarantee.

Yarn, fabric, and thread, all organized by color.

One of the things that makes me happy when I go to Scrap is seeing people from all walks of life, with totally different projects, shopping for supplies side-by-side. I chatted with a lady who was looking for paper for bookbinding, overheard another lady talk about how she was buying supplies for a Kentucky Derby party, and spotted these artists (I’m assuming) surveying the paint selection.

I bought a piece of this clear acrylic to make a cover to protect my keyboard from cats. One of my cats sleeps on my desk, and while I was writing this post, she was vigorously grooming herself and somehow pressed ctrl+f p, searching for all of the instances of the letter p on the page. So my keyboard needs some protection. It’s an experiment, but I’ll blog about it if it works out.

If you do find what you’re looking for, it’ll cost way less than retail, and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you saved usable materials from the landfill. Scrap is a nonprofit, and the materials are donated, so if you clean out your craft closet and find supplies you don’t need, you may be able to donate them for someone else to use.

I don’t need a slide projector (who does?), but I have a soft spot for machinery and tools from this era. 

I’m sure somebody creative can come up with all kinds of cool things to do with skate wheels, coin rolls, and “round rubbery things.”

According to the other side of this sign, you can buy a box of 10,000 popsicle sticks for $20. That would be more than I’d need for the rest of my life, but I’m sure there are art teachers, summer camp counselors, or artisan popsicle makers who will snap them up.

These might not look promising, but I’ve used marble trophy bases I found at Scrap to make marble and copper candleholders and a photo holder. These would also be perfect for making a vintage trophy coat rack.

 

They don’t sell online, but you can visit Scrap in person at 1736 SW Alder St. Monday through Saturday from 11AM to 7PM, and on Sunday from 11AM to 6PM. You can also follow @scrappdx on Instagram, @scrappdx on Twitter, and on Pinterest to get updates on store merchandise and craft project ideas. There are also Scrap outposts in Washington, DC; Denton, TX; Arcata, CA; Traverse City, MI; New Orleans, LA; Billings, MT, so if you’re near one of those cities, check them out.