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We've switched to
Winter Hours
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Carpenter Snowman design
by Sandra Francis |
We have returned to our shorter winter schedule, and will no longer be open late into the evening.
Our winter hours are:
Wed, Thurs, & Fri
10am - 6 pm
Sat. & Sun
9am - 6pm
(Closed on Mon & Tues)
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Green Gift Fair
is in the works
 Please spread the word: we're still seeking crafters and artists to participate in our Green Gift Fair, from now through December. Please contact Ruthie immediately with pictures or a description of your work (she can also be reached at 301-904-7579).
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Join us for
Small Business Saturday!
Black Friday gets a lot of attention, as folks get up early to give their money to the big chain stores. Why not participate in "Small Business Saturday" instead? On Saturday, Nov. 26th, stop by Community Forklift to...
Save 30% off storewide!
(This discount applies to all regularly-priced items. Cannot be combined with other sales or used for items from our consignment partners)
Enjoy cider & cookies!
We'll have some cookies, but other baked goods are welcome.
Learn to think local!
To start, check out Ten Reasons to Shop Local. Did you know that small businesses donate more to local charities, and that they create most new jobs?
The folks at Shift Your Shopping point out, "As customers, we are about to collectively spend a large portion of our annual shopping budget between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31. If you join us in shifting those dollars to locally owned, independent businesses, we'll all generate 2-3 times as much economic activity in our community than if we had spent our money at a national chain. Across North America, that could mean billions of dollars of economic impact!"
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November Sales
 Sinks
 Take 75% off all bathroom & kitchen sinks priced at $45 or less, including cast iron, porcelain, cultured marble and stainless steel. The sale applies to sinks in our courtyard, as well as sinks in the warehouse (Sale does not include bathroom vanity sets, pedestal sets, items without price tags, or items from our consignment partners).
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Photo Credit: Ira Lippke, NYT |
Clawfoot Tubs
Take 50% off all clawfoot tubs priced at $225 or less (Sale does not apply to other styles of tubs, or tubs without price tags).
They are nice and deep, and can't be beat for a relaxing soak. Even clawfoot tubs with missing feet can be gorgeous! We've mentioned this wood-cradle project by Seattle designer Michelle de la Vega in past newsletters, but it's so ingenious that it's worth showing again.
 Salvaged Doors
Take 50% off all salvaged doors priced at $50 or less (Sale does not apply to surplus/new doors, doors in frames, cabinet doors, or doors without price tags).
 Don't need a door? Maybe you need a blanket chest for the foot of your bed, or a sturdy place to hang your tools. With many doors just $5-$15, this is a good time to experiment!
 Roll Carpet
All rolls of carpet are just $10 each unless otherwise marked (Sale does not apply to carpet tiles, vinyl, linoleum, or other roll  materials).
Even if you don't need carpet inside your home, perhaps you could use some outside: a lot of landscapers use carpet to prevent weeds under mulch or gravel when creating flowerbeds and footpaths.
Metal Fireplace Accessories
 Take 50% off the marked price on fireplace tools, grates, and screens (Sale does not apply to mantels, specially-marked items, antique fireplace covers, items from our consignment partner, or items without price tags).
Even an outdated shiny brass fireplace screen can look fresh with heat-safe spray paint, like this one featured in a living room makeover on The Nesting Game blog.
 If you're thinking about selling crafts at our Holiday Gift Fair or elsewhere, check out this great re-use idea for displaying earrings!
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November
Salvage Arts Sales
 As you know, Community Forklift is a nonprofit reuse center for home improvement. We accept donations of new, gently-used, and vintage building materials. Then, we make these supplies available to the public at 30% - 90% below retail, and regularly donate materials to local charities. Our proceeds "lift" up local communities by making repairs affordable, creating green jobs, reducing waste, and educating the public about about reuse.
However, our first few years were financially rocky. So, to improve our long-term stability, we brought in consignment partners to offer higher-end products. Happily, this attracted a wider variety of customers and provided a steady revenue stream to support our nonprofit work.
 One of our partners in the Salvage Arts department is Terry Lewis, who travels to rural areas and antique fairs throughout the East Coast to purchase unusual primitives and vintage decor. This month, he has two specials for you:
Kerosene Lamps
Newly arrived in the Salvage Arts department - several Kerosene lamps ready to light! Pressed glass, some with handles, circa 1875-1920. Take 20% off the white price tags.
Coal Tongs & Ash Shovels
We have recently acquired several sets of blacksmith-forged fireplace coal tongs and ash shovels. Handmade iron, some with brass, circa 1770-1820. These are great examples of fine early American craftsmanship! Take 25% off the white price tags. |
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Calling all Gear Head Geniuses
 Calling all engineers, fabricators, model makers, mechanics, designers, inventors, and general gear head geniuses...
We've been contacted by a company that is casting a television show for Discovery Channel. Are you the person they're searching for? More info here:
Renegade Casting Call
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We will be closed on Thurs, Nov. 24th for the Thanksgiving holiday. |
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Today only: Give to the Max!
Dear Friends,
Give to the Max Day is a massive one-day online fundraiser (today, Nov. 9th!). It was created to help Greater Washington nonprofits raise money and bring in new donors. It is sponsored by The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region and the United Way of the National Capital Area, among other organizations.
Give to the Max Day will give $100,000 in awards to the nonprofits that raise the most money and attract the most individual donors in 24 hours. (Minimum donation = $10) Please visit the Give To The Max website to show your commitment to Sustainable Community Initiatives and the Community Forklift program with a donation designed to leverage more! |
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Volunteer Elves Needed!
Want to help decorate the 'Lift for the holidays and the Green Gift Fair?
If you have any time to spare, especially on Nov. 19th or the week of Thanksgiving, please send your phone number and name to Ruthie, our volunteer director. |
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Artist of the Month:
Brendan L. Smith
It is always so cool to see what folks create using materials from Community Forklift!
Recently, Katherine Nehring (our Donations Coordinator) spoke to artist Brendan L. Smith to learn more about how he uses reclaimed materials in his work.
(Check out our website for projects from other Forklift Fans, and send in your own before-and-after pictures to Bea.)
KN: Tell me a bit about yourself and your background. Where do you live? Where do you work? How long have you been creating art? What got you into art in the first place?
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Slim / Brendan L. Smith |
BLS: I am a freelance journalist and mixed-media artist who lives in Washington, DC. I also take care of my 2-year-old son Soren during the day, so it's a juggling act. I moved to DC in 2005 from Santa Fe, New Mexico, where I lived for seven years.
I started painting in Santa Fe after my TV broke one night, and I decided to do something more creative than sitting on the couch. I experimented with different painting styles before moving into mixed media because I found that unusual materials and everyday objects offer more potential for artistic expression than flat, boring canvas.
 | | Within Grasp / Brendan L. Smith. |
KN: Tell me a bit about your art. What sort of art do you create? What inspires you? What projects are you currently working on?
BLS: I am a self-taught artist, and my work blurs the lines between artistic traditions by combining elements of painting, sculpture and collage.
I have used everything except the kitchen sink in my art, including vintage toys, rusty tools, bamboo cutting boards, wooden boxes, broken mirrors and plaster body casts. In my latest series, I melt and twist old vinyl records into sculptural forms and use layers of spray paint and various found objects to create work that comments on social, religious or political themes.
I am currently working on a Day of the Dead altar for an exhibition at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Va.
I also showed some work at a juried art fair during Adams Morgan Day, and I will be participating in more art fairs and exhibitions in the DC area next year. I have a website where people can see my work and get information about future shows.
KN: How do you see Community Forklift and reuse stores in general in the art community?
BLS: I have bought a treasure trove of unusual art supplies at Community Forklift, including gas stove burners, cabinet doors, strips of nails, and other odds and ends. I still have some old croquet mallets I picked up for some reason. They looked interesting so they might find their way into a piece of art.
Community Forklift is a great resource for unconventional artists who give new life to recycled materials in their artwork. I'm glad I can support Community Forklift's valuable efforts to help improve the local community and the global environment.
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