The Mirror Newspapers Reflecting Life Along The Maumee River
BY NANCY GAGNET | MIRROR REPORTER — Scrap4Art in Maumee is a unique organization with a mission to keep items out of the landfill while keeping the creative juices and imaginations flowing.
Nestled in historic up-town Maumee, Scrap4Art is brimming with items that can be used for all sorts of DIY projects. There are large assortments of scrapbook supplies, yarn, knitting needles, beads and jewelry-making tools, baskets, corks, doorknobs, nails, screws, shells and much more.
The purpose of the organization is to provide donated materials that can be reused in creative ways. Thus, by merging environmental awareness with creativity, solutions to environmental problems can be addressed, explained Scrap4Art board president, Barb Mauntler.
“The whole motivation in creating this organization is to keep things out of the landfill, and to provide inexpensive materials to artists who like to use repurposed things,” she said.
The nonprofit retail store first opened in downtown Toledo in 2006 and then moved to Maumee in 2013.
“The store is designed to stimulate creativity and people love the store. Children love to come in, sometimes it is a family outing,” Mauntler added.
Because Scrap4Art is a volunteer-driven nonprofit shop, retail hours are limited to Tuesdays and Saturdays, but online programming and virtual shopping options are offered. With items continually being donated, there are also always new things from which to choose, including items with holiday themes, greeting cards, gift bags, tissue paper, wrapping paper and party supplies – all priced at cents on the dollar.
In addition, there is a large supply of sewing fabric, upholstery material, frames, matboard and photo paper, which is ideal to create alcohol ink artwork. There are also paints, brushes, crayons, tiles and all types of glassware, which are perfect for creating decorative center-pieces. In fact, Scrap4Art has collaborated with other nonprofit organizations on projects for fundraising events that include the Arts Commis-sion and Connecting Kids to Meals.
“We provided them with the supplies for centerpieces for their special events, then they brought the centerpieces back and we sold them here,” Mauntler said.
Many teachers shop there, as do Girl Scouts, crafters, artists and others looking for project supplies. Mark Leasor, the experience manager at Imagination Station, frequently shops at the store for special projects. He recently purchased items to create a cardboard pinball game.
“We like to reuse products in unexpected ways, so when we are tinkering, we like to provide things that you wouldn’t necessarily think of as building materials,” he said.
He also uses items from Scrap4Art to make spinning tops and other balancing toys.
“We get all sorts of odd items that I can present to the guests, which they can use to make a toy that either balances or spins,” he said. “We embrace the idea of recycling and reusing, so that is another reason I like to get various items for projects from Scrap4Art. Buying things that we can guarantee have been used before and find a new use for is just great.”
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, classes and birthday parties are no longer offered at the store; however, virtual birthday party craft activities are offered online. In addition, starting this month, the store will offer 30-minute personal shopping appointments and individuals may also purchase items online for curbside or in-store pickup.
Scrap4Art is located at 333 W. Wayne St. in Maumee. Hours of operation are the first and third Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
For information and to see a list of items that can be donated, please call (419) 720-2978 or visit www.scrap4arttoledo.org.
