You, too, could make one of these. Photo courtesy of Perennial.
What does a tangle of old belts look like to you?
What for most people would be a pile destined for the garbage or the innermost recesses of a closet is instead a source of creative sustainability for the staff at Perennial—a local nonprofit company with a mission to teach St. Louis how to recycle junk into gems. Next week, Perennial holds its first “ReMAKE Thursdays” event at Urban Eats Café in Dutchtown, where they’ll teach people how to turn old belts into a vintage water or wine bottle holder for a bike. They’ll also help you prepare for Valentine’s Day by making stationary out of recycled paper and stamps from wine corks, or customize your garden with handmade markers designed out of broken terra cotta pots, leather scraps, and twigs. (All materials are provided.)
The ReMAKE Thursdays series puts a quilting-bee-style twist on happy hour. Indulging yourself after work with an Urban Eats’ “boozie” (alcohol infused smoothie) and recycling to help the environment are not mutually exclusive. Even if your crafting resume is limited to haphazardly glued macaroni cards, you’ll find the inspiration and guidance you need to create your own unique “upcycled” accessories evocative of springtime.
“We are keeping it really simple, so you can do it with a drink in hand,” said Perennial’s executive director Jenny Murphy of the crafts in store for the evening. “It’s a great way to unwind and meet new people.” The program is designed to be as much social event as crafting class. Urban Eats’ loft-style feel and modern art gallery décor yields a relaxed yet creative atmosphere perfect for socializing and DIY art.
The sustainable soiree will commence with complementary appetizers and a 15-minute demo of the projects. Arrive early to enjoy the samples of Urban Eats’ cultural fusion menu with options to satisfy both vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Instructional handouts and assistance will be provided for those who miss the demo, or consider themselves craft-challenged.
ReMAKE Thursdays are free to attend, but Perennial requests that you email your RSVP to classes@perennialstl.org by this coming Monday, Feb. 6 to be sure there is enough room and supplies for everyone who wants to attend the first event. With a 25–30 attendees limit, the event list may fill up quickly. As Perennial is a non-profit organization, $5 donations would be appreciated to ensure ReMAKE Thursdays can be an ongoing monthly series.
“We’re planning on every other month, but if there’s a good turn out then potentially we’ll have an event once a month,” Murphy added. Each event will continue to be hosted at a local business (mostly bars and restaurants) and demo seasonally inspired crafts from repurposed materials. You’ll never look at closet clutter the same way.
ReMAKE Thursdays, Feb. 9, 6–8 p.m., Urban Eats Café, 3301 Meramec, perennialstl.org.
