The Scrap Exchange

 

 

 

 

The Scrap Exchange in Durham, NC is one of my favorite places to visit.There is no telling what you may see there. It is a place to make art of of an assortment of stuff that varies from visit to visit. There are barrels of things to choose from as well as bolts and pieces of cloth, some magazines and books, and whatever. This visit some of the items in the barrels were keyboard keys, pieces of picture frames (that had been left after framing) computer parts, CD cases,sticky back scraps of plastic,assorted small plastic bottles and tubes, and assorted things that I had no idea what they were for or from. Many of the items appear to be leftovers from manufacturing , or throw away parts such as weird packing materials, etc. At any rate it was great fun to rummage through and think about what these things could be used for. Two room are for themed displays and the pictures above are from what I called the desert landscape room. Zoom in on the different pictures and you will see that the main component is paper.The stems or trunks of the largest trees or cacti are made from brown cardboard, with the leaves made of paper and a few other materials. Toothpicks make the spines.
You can purchase the items and carry away for a nominal cost to make your treasures at home or you can make them at the facility. At the time I was there a group of school children could be heard in the classroom having a great time constructing who knows what.
The mobile made from old CD's was also interesting to me. I think one of these made bigger would make a great room divider for a college space. The CD's are decoupaged with an assortment of interesting pictures and words. I have an oodle of these CD's from AOL and other worthless stuff saved in the attic for just such a project. ... Or maybe I should make a CD Tree for the yard????