Sat 8/22 @ 10AM
The thrift store at the Cleveland Furniture Bank was overloaded with old media cabinets. Flat screen TV’s have essentially made these cabinets obsolete so, what to do? Molly McFadden, marketing director at the Cleveland Furniture Bank, was looking for the right partner to promote ways of repurposing these armoires and TV cabinets. She had an idea: to offer a workshop that would teach people how to repurpose this type of furniture, and trying to increase media cabinet sales at the furniture bank. So she called upon sisters Kathy and Karen, owners of the Salvaged Boutique, to teach the workshop.
“Less than two years ago, we started as an online business and blog. We were raised by a single mother who was ill and on a fixed income so she had to be thrifty,” explains Kathy Cruz. “Growing up, our Mom, who we call “Mamita”, taught us how to shop at thrift stores and flea markets, how to refurbish and reuse home goods, and a little bit about the value of vintage goods. Once we became adults, we started to incorporate these practices into decorating our own homes.”
The Cleveland Furniture Bank provided Kathy and Karen with an armoire to repurpose from the thrift store, which they’ll be upcycling into a small office. The workshop will demonstrate how they repurposed the armoire. “We’ll cover some craft projects, light carpentry and tips on where to shop for supplies. We’ll also do a short demonstration on how to use chalk paint,” explains Kathy.
No skills are needed to attend the workshop. It’ll be a demonstration-only event. Attendees just need to bring themselves and a willingness to learn and have fun.
“We hope people learn that anyone can upcycle,” says Cruz. “Molly was excited for the opportunity to work with us because she believes folks will get to know more about the thrift shop being a premier marketplace and supporting the Cleveland Furniture Bank’s. This thrift shop is for the treasure hunter, value seeker and adventurer.”
“We are most excited about meeting other like-minded people and collaborating with others within our community. We’re looking forward to sharing information and tips about what we’ve learned over the years,” concludes Cruz.
Each attendee will receive a gift bag for attending. Refreshments and a light snack will be provided. There is a class limit of 25 attendees, the workshop fee is $15 and you can register for the two-hour workshop here.
The Cleveland Furniture Bank is located in Southland Shopping Center in Middleburg Heights (13360 Smith Rd). There is plenty of free parking available.