There are still spaces available in all of our Preschool Tinker Challenge Camp weeks!
Tinker Time is one of UpCycle’s signature programs to inspire playfulness and creative expression. Children have access to an amazing selection of reuse materials and art supplies with an open-ended invitation to create and have fun. These full week camps offer Tinker Time with a twist. Daily challenges using tinker materials add an element of surprise and will get kids problem-solving and thinking creatively as they work both independently and together in team challenges. Each week will bring a whole new host of amazing upcycled projects, from CD case suncatchers to power pinwheels to junk jellyfish and more!
Choose your week(s) and reserve your spot at the link in our bio! #SummerCamp2026 #artcamp #PreschoolCamp #sustainability #underconsumptioncore #creativereuse #visitalx #upcycling #visitalexandria #creativereusecenter
We wrapped up the April run of Pants to Bag Beginner Sewing Series a few weeks ago, and check out these results! All of these incredible crafters came into the series as complete beginners, and left having turned pairs of pants into fully custom tote bags they’ll use again and again. They reattached patch pockets and labels, decided on custom bag dimensions, lengthened welt pockets to accommodate waterbottles, added keychain loops, and more!
This series is such a fun one for us to offer, and we can’t wait to see what the next round of sewers create!
Comment below: when should we offer the next series? What other kinds of upcycled sewing classes would you like to see us offer?
#creativereusecenter #creativereuse #upcycledsewing #alxva #secondhandsewing
Heads up everyone! Maker Break will be on Thursday afternoon this week instead of Friday. Join us this Thursday, 5/14, from 4-6pm!
Walk-ins are welcome, but spots are not guaranteed. Reserve your spot today at the link in our bio! #sustainability #underconsumptioncore #creativereuse #alxva #conservation #visitalexandria #upcycling #creativereusecenter #communityfirst
Parents Night Out is BACK! We had a blast last month hosting an evening of tinkering, pizza and movies for a great group of little UpCyclers, while their parents hit the town for a well deserved night out. A great time was had all around, so we're back to host this event again in May! Join us on Friday, May 29th from 5:30-8:30pm for a fun-filled evening for the whole family!
UpCycle will provide all Tinker materials, movies and Legos, and a pizza dinner. For ages 4-10 (children must be potty trained).
Tickets cost $35 for 1 child, $60 for 2 children, and $85 for 3, and can be purchased at the link in our bio.
Reserve your spot today! Questions? Email us at [email protected]
#sustainability #underconsumptioncore #creativereuse #alxva #conservation #visitalexandria #upcycling #creativereusecenter #communityfirst #parentsnightout
Happy May, everyone! Earth Month may be over, but celebrating sustainability and creative reuse never ends at UpCycle! We have several exciting adult workshops coming up this month and next:
Thursday May 14th, 7-9pm - Rescued Paper, Ready to Send
We'll turn junk mail and all kinds of paper ephemera into a custom set of beautiful, gift-ready cards and envelopes.
EDIT: WEDNESDAY MAY 20TH, 7-9pm - Sewing Machine 101
Sewing machine beginners start here! We'll demystify the basics of machine sewing and help you get ready for your first project.
Sunday May 31, 1-3pm - Torn Paper Blooms
We'll upcycle pre-loved canvases into works of art using paper scraps, paint, and multimedia collage.
Thursday June 11, 7-9pm - From Mailer to Memory Book
Join us to turn discarded cardboard mailers and packaging into custom shaped memory books full of personal touches and beautiful upcycled artwork.
Check out all of these classes and reserve your spot at the link in our bio!
Don't forget to join us for Maker Break every Friday from 4-6pm, a free open studio program where you can come have dedicated time to work on your projects surrounded by other makers! Sign up at the link in our bio! #sustainability #underconsumptioncore #creativereuse #alxva #conservation #visitalexandria #upcyclecrc #creativereusecenter #papercrafts #upcycledpaper
Heads up! Maker Break is cancelled this Friday, 5/1. We will be back next week, 5/8, for more community crafting!
NOTE: Under the signup system we use, we had to add "appointment times" in order to allow multiple people to book Maker Break for the same day. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO COME IN AT THE TIME OF YOUR APPOINTMENT. You can come in anytime during the 4-6pm window, and stay as long as you like. This is just so we can allow multiple people to join us. Please email [email protected] with any questions!
Sign up for your next Maker Break session at the link in our bio! #sustainability #underconsumptioncore #creativereuse #alxva #visitalx #visitalexandria #upcycling #creativereusecenter #communityfirst #alexandriavirginia #makerbreak
Fun Finds From Around the Shop
Vintage patterns (there are lots!)
Buttons
Restocked fabric and by-the-bag yarn
Serger thread
Distressing Kit
Antique Singer sewing machine in table (recently refurbished and in good working condition)
Bottle caps
Funky die cuts and small storage boxes
Egg crates (perfect for starting plants! 🌱)
Envelopes of all shapes and sizes
#sustainability #underconsumptioncore #creativereuse #upcycled #upcyclenotlandfill #alxva #visitalx #conservation #visitalexandria #upcycling #upcyclecrc #creativereusecenter #supportnonprofitsdoinggood #communityfirst #alexandriavirginia
Thank you @actforalexandria for another wonderful Spring2ACTion! To everyone who donated - we couldn't do what we do without you! Thank you for supporting us.
#Spring2ACTion #upcyclecrc #creativereusecenter #supportnonprofitsdoinggood #alexandriavirginia
Do you love sorting and organizing? Do you want to be the first set of eyes on fresh donations as they come in? Come volunteer with us!
UpCycle is always looking for regular volunteers at our materials center. Our donations and materials handlers sort and shelve donations, assess the overall organization of the shop, and ensure that the donations we accept are clean and damage free. Be the first to see new materials as they come in and play a critical role in keeping UpCycle running smoothly and efficiently.
Check out the VOLUNTEER page on our website to learn more and fill out our Volunteer Interest Form! We will hold our next Volunteer Training session at the end of May.
/volunteer.html #sustainability #underconsumptioncore #creativereuse #alxva #conservation #visitalexandria #creativereusecenter #alexandriavirginia #volunteer
Calling all UpCycle supporters who haven't donated yet - it is Spring2ACTion POWER HOUR right now (every donation REALLY counts 7-8PM), and UpCycle is SO close to winning a prize! Let's get to first place and show up for Earth Day 2026!!! Each donor with a new email address counts toward our prize, so share with your friends and fam!
Donate here to move UpCycle into 1st place: /story/kwcylf
We have a NEW Spring2ACTion match! A huge thank you to the Tracey Family for their incredible support of UpCycle! They’ve generously committed $1,200 in matching funds, which means every dollar we receive up to that amount goes twice as far.
PLUS — from 3 PM to 4 PM, your gift can help us win even more during Power Hour! The organization with the most donors or highest donation total earns an additional cash prize.
Double your impact and help us win a prize by supporting our "All in for UpCycle" campaign today! Click here to make a gift: /story/kwcylf
