Celebrate the solstice and the summer sun with a beaded suncatcher. Use vintage crystals and shiny trinkets along with many bead choices. Learn about beads and bead stringing, and a tiny bit about macramé. Finished piece will be 16-18" long and ready to hang in your window to catch the sun!

Susan is an upcycling artist who makes jewelry and décor out of everyday items.

Come join us for a creative and mindful workshop on the basics of beaded embroidery! You’ll learn essential stitching techniques for embellishing your embroidery with beads to create unique textured art or wearable designs. No embroidery experience required (although it definitely doesn’t hurt!). We’ll have everything you need to get started on a simple motif of your choice.

This class is an exercise on understanding form and composition while also letting loose with medium of choice (paint, pencils, pastels, etc.) and a playful still life composition to reference. Students will learn how to draw and/or paint using 3d objects as the subject. This class is beginner friendly, but also a fun exercise for more experienced artists.

Damalis Caraballo is an artist and illustrator with a degree in Fine Art from App State University. She specializes in creating whimsical illustrations in a variety of mediums. This class has a limited number of seats available in order to ensure each student receives high-quality instruction. Don’t wait to sign up!

Momigami is a traditional Japanese craft that transforms basic paper into a unique, soft-yet-durable, textured medium. Learn how to turn magazine pages and other paper goods into a fabric-like material to use in your art creations from papercrafts and collage to journals to pouches. Upcycling meets mindfulness and refinement in this grounding craft.

Heidi Baggott (@madamveuve on instagram) is a multimedia artist who excels in combining textures and colors and finding creative uses for upcycled materials.

Did you know you can sew buttons pretty much anywhere on pretty much anything? Take advantage of our bountiful button collection and decorate your clothes with all shapes and sizes of buttons. If you don’t have anything at home you wish to upcycle, that’s okay! We’ll have some options here for you to embellish, so you can still join in on the fun!

Bookbinding is an old and varied art, often involving complicated stitches and expensive materials. This workshop will teach the basics of making a pamphlet-style book with found materials and zero fancy tools! We will demystify stitching, learn basic concepts of good book construction, and end with a finished product you can use right away.

Everyone knows a handmade card is the way to a mom’s heart, and we have everything you need to make her dreams come true!

All day Saturday May 9th, pay what you want to use our card making supplies and make cards for all the mothers in your life!

Step 1: Pay what you want at the front register.

Step 2: Use our craft table and curated supplies to make as many cards as you want.

Ps. Please limit your time at the table to an hour or less to make sure everyone gets a chance to craft!

This hands-on workshop invites participants to explore the power of creativity through using yarn, cardboard/poster board, and air-dry clay. Participants will create woven baskets that become unique birds’ nests, symbolizing the personal and collective process of growth, release, and nurturing. 

At the end of the workshop, each participant will take home a one-of-a-kind handmade nest, a tangible reminder of the collaborative creative  experience and their personal intentions.

Through this process, participants will:

• Learn practical weaving and sculpting techniques. 

• Explore the metaphor of creating a nest to release what no longer serves them and visualize what they want to nurture in their lives.

• Engage in a reflective creative process that integrates art, imagination, and mindful intention.

Jessica Rodriguez is an artist, educator, and art therapist who believes creativity is for everyone. With over 20 years in education and a background in art therapy and counseling, she helps people use art for self-expression, creative problem solving, and everyday wellbeing. She specializes in creative reuse and upcycling, using the artistic process as a metaphor for taking creative control in life. Her welcoming, hands-on workshops spark imagination, build confidence, and reveal beauty in unexpected places.

Less thinking, more beading! Let your hands and your heart lead the way in this beaded embroidery workshop. Learn basic embroidery techniques while creating beautiful abstract designs. This workshop is beginner friendly and all supplies are included.

Come see us at TreeFest!

TreesCharlotte invites you to this FREE, family-friendly celebration packed with trees, art, music, and hands-on fun. Celebrate Earth Month and National Arbor Day with tree-themed crafts, live music, free tree seedlings, arboriculture activities, and an eco-market featuring local, environmentally focused nonprofits and businesses.

Click here to learn more

You’re invited to our birthday party!! We have all sorts of fun things planned.

Free live art all day!

• 11am-12:30pm bracelet bar by Play More Charlotte

• 1pm-3pm whimsical face painting by Damalis Art

• 3-5pm applique upcycling bar by Sarah Bee Sews

• 5-7pm caricature portrait booth by Eebspresso

All day pay what you want craft:

Pay what you want and use our curated selection of supplies to make your own planter pot out of upcycled tin cans! It’s perfect for planting herbs, or spring flowers!

Other things:

Games! Prizes! 20% off the whole store! Come to our party to find out more!

Something about bunting just screams spring décor, doesn’t it? Join Sarah to learn the basics of machine sewing while creating an adorable pennant banner of your own. This easy project is perfect for anyone just starting their sewing journey, or looking to get back into it.

All supplies included! Sewing machines will be provided, but feel free to bring your own as long as it is in working condition. Please plan to arrive on time as there won’t be an opportunity to repeat instructions once they have begun. Seats have been limited to ensure quality instruction for participants.

Sarah (@Sarahbeesews on instagram) is an avid sewist with 18+ years of experience in both hand and machine sewing. She is excited to introduce this versatile artform to new people!

Come join us for a creative and mindful workshop on the basics of beaded embroidery! You’ll learn essential stitching techniques for embellishing your embroidery with beads to create unique textured art or wearable designs. No embroidery experience required (although it definitely doesn’t hurt!). We’ll have everything you need to get started on a simple motif of your choice. Spots are limited so snag yours while you can!

In this hands-on beginner workshop, participants will learn the basics of needle felting while creating a charming felted project to take home. Heidi will cover tools and safety tips. Then, you’ll be guided step-by-step through shaping and layering wool to bring your design to life. All materials will be provided. No experience Necessary!

This class will be taught by Heidi Furr. As a chronic crafter, Heidi loves sharing her knowledge and creativity. By teaching this class, she hopes to jumpstart your interest in needle felting.

All day on Sunday March 15th we will have a Make Your Own Pet Rock station! 

Here's how it works:

Step 1- Pay what you want at the front register

Step 2- Adopt your favorite rock

Step 3- Use googly eyes, paint, felt, paper, and many more craft supplies to bring your pet rock to life!

Learn fun ways to document your spring break or summer vacations with this Travel Junk Journal workshop. Take junk, scraps, and miscellaneous embellishments and turn them into a precious memento, or a visual map of your dream vacation. All materials will be included, but feel free to bring with you any sentimental scraps from your own adventures.

Turning trash into beautiful artwork is the name of the game here at Upcycle Arts. In this workshop we will be using fabric scraps to create playful collages. Perfect for displaying in frames, fabric collage is just as fun as paper collage, but with added depth and texture! No sewing required for this one!

This workshop is an exercise on understanding form and composition while also letting loose with medium of choice and a playful still life to refer to. Students will pick a medium and colors of their choosing and pick a viewing angle of their choice.

Damalis Caraballo is an artist and illustrator with a degree in Fine Art from App State University. She specializes in creating whimsical illustrations in a variety of mediums. This class has a limited number of seats available in order to ensure each student receives high-quality instruction. Don’t wait to sign up!

Best described as a “Round Robin letter writing party”, SMSC is your speedy way of making a penpal! Participants select an envelope, which contains their number and selected prompts for them to respond to; their responses are then assigned to a number, so everyone should get approx. 6 letters back! The letters are brief, but the fun won’t be!

From Play More Charlotte’s Website:

IT'S A STICKER SLUMBER PARTY, FRIENDS! (Without the slumber, but with the pajamas!)

We're bringing stickers, we're bringing journals, we're bringing beads to make journal charms, we're bringing MASH, we're bringing junk food... Maybe we'll choreograph a BSB dance routine and play Light As A Feather, idk. Come find out.

Click here to buy tickets!!

Make your own Tic-Tac-Toe travel set out of upcycled tile samples! This fun easy craft is great for all ages. All supplies included!

Make fun earrings and necklaces from a variety of upcycled vintage game pieces such as Scrabble, Bingo, Ginasta, and poker with art educator Susan Vandyke. In this workshop you will learn safe drilling methods, simple connections, and use jewelry pliers and several types of drills. Metals will be hypoallergenic. Great for beginners. Age 16 and up.

In this hands-on beginner workshop, participants will learn the basics of needle felting while creating a charming felted project to take home. Heidi will cover tools and safety tips. Then, you’ll be guided step-by-step through shaping and layering wool to bring your design to life. All materials will be provided. No experience Necessary!

This class will be taught by Heidi Furr. As a chronic crafter, Heidi loves sharing her knowledge and creativity. By teaching this class, she hopes to jumpstart your interest in needle felting.

Bring a couple of friends, come hang out and play with junk! You’re always amongst friends while we rip, cut, break, and create the most amazing junk journal.

A junk journal in its simplest form is a handmade journal created using an eclectic mixture of various papers and ephemera. It is the perfect place to write your thoughts, tuck your photos or fill with whatever makes you smile! This workshop is $10, all supplies included.

Snail mail meets (platonic) speed dating, just in time for Valentines Day. Come hang out, make new friends, and write letters to strangers. And because this is Upcycle Arts, there will be plenty of options for funky embellishments and personal touches.

Join us on Sunday February 8th for a valentine making extravaganza. Drop in at any time, make as many as you need, and pay what you want! Make valentines for classmates, friends, lovers, or leave them for other shoppers who visit our store! We'll be busting out all the cute card making supplies you could ever need at our programming table in the back. We can't wait to see you there!

Stephanie Gainer is back to share her wisdom with us! This time the theme is everything sweet and spooky. Learn how to use doll parts, toys, and everyday objects to create a unique (and slightly terrifying) sculpture.

Stephanie is an artist who creates really cool upcycled assemblage art out of objects that would otherwise go to waste. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to learn from her!

Want to impress your furry, feline friend? Make them the best, dangliest, most colorful toy that will be sure to win you some purrs, and maybe even a snuggle! All furry friends deserve some play time, and they’ll be mildly impressed that you made it yourself. This workshop is $10 all supplies included!

In this hands-on beginner workshop, participants will learn the basics of needle felting while creating a charming felted project to take home. We’ll cover essential techniques, tools, and safety tips. Then, you'll be guided step-by-step through shaping and layering wool to bring your design to life. All materials will be provided. No experience necessary.

This class will be taught by Heidi Furr. As a chronic crafter, Heidi loves sharing her knowledge and creativity. By teaching this class, she hopes to jump start your interest in needle felting.

Learn the best way to make basic bows! Whether it's a hair accessory, garland, jewelry, or general flourish, nothing is better than wrapping it in a bow. We will learn to make a basic bow of all sizes with a variety of different materials. All levels welcome, but we will be using hot glue guns.