Not all of us are gifted with the DIY gene.
Some of us need help.
That’s what Upcycle Tucson can offer.
Upcycle is a ”quirky thrift store for arts and crafters” says Andrea Edmundson, who co-owns the shop with her husband, Victor Quiros.
You’ll find all sorts of materials to create your gifts. And you’ll find classes to help guide you in making them.
Edmundson and her husband opened Upcycle Tucson in October. Before landing in the Old Pueblo, the couple lived in Washington, where their government jobs did not offer creative outlets.
Quiros longed to do metal work, and Edmundson found joy in creating glass mosaics. Her creative juices flowed when she volunteered at the now-closed Scrap DC in Washington, which offered recycled arts and crafts supplies.
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The two had family in Tucson and began to plot a life that offered a warmer climate and more creative outlets.
They liked the Scrap concept and when they didn’t find a similar business in Tucson, they moved here and opened Upcycle Tucson. They take in donations of materials headed for the trash heap and help guide customers in ways to turn those into art.
The concept appeals to more than just the devoted arts and crafters, says Quiros.
Among them are retired engineers looking to step out of the box with their creations. Engineers want “to experiment with different ways of putting materials together or building things and they don’t necessarily want to spend a lot of money doing it,” says Quiros.
Women in the 30 to 50 age group have discovered refinishing furniture; while they can’t get the furniture at Upcycle, they go there for the supplies. They are even finding millennials popping in to buy materials to personalize their clothing. “They are naturally geared towards looking for items that have already been used to repurpose them,” says Quiros, noting recycling is second nature to most of that generation.
If you plan to make your holiday gifts yourself, Upcycle has likely got what you need. And if you are flummoxed about how to go about creating your own, Upcycle may have a class that will help.
Upcycle Tucson has free hands-on demonstrations at 11 a.m. Dec. 11 and 18.
Classes are also offered. Upcoming:
Scrap Fabric Bead Earrings
Cut, roll and shape scraps of fabric into finished beads to create a finished pair of earrings. Ages 16 and up. 1-3 p.m. Dec. 16 $19.
Rustic Wood Wall Hangings
Construct, sand, prepare for hanging, and decorate a “rustic style” art piece from used pallets. Age 16 and up. 1-3 p.m. Dec. 17 $29.
