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June 26, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels April 17, 2004 Furniture gets a new life at sale By Elizabeth Hughes Tidings Correspondent The Southern Oregon Goodwill in Ashland sees all kinds of furniture. They are carted in as castoffs throughout the year, having lost their luster or appeal, and sell in any stores. Maybe they're broken or outdated. Denise Baratta | Ashland Daily Tidings Edna DeLarm cleans a tiled sink made from an antique sewing machine built for Goodwill's recycled arts and crafts fair. Instead of disappearing forever, some will show up at the Recycled Arts & Crafts Fair, which has gone from selling just a few items three years ago to an event with hundreds of pieces and a number of volunteers. The fourth annual sale will be at the Historic Ashland Armory from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 24. In 2001, a group of women, spearheaded by Suzy Lewis, an employee at Goodwill, turned their hobby of refurbishing furniture into a fundraiser. The Annual Recycled Art Fair - a.k.a. "Restoration Fever" - idea stuck, and the event offers all sorts of goodies, including items with a distinct character that tend to be garden-oriented for spring. "You name it," said Russ Levin. "It's sort of a cluster of things, garden furniture, decorative items, desks, bookcases." One woman with a love for cats got the idea of turning old suitcases into travel kits for felines. At a glance it looks like a cat lover's suitcase, but open the top and inside is everything needed to sufficiently pamper a pet while away from home. The lid has been transformed into an organizer, with pockets for toys, brushes and other items that can be easily stashed and accessed. The bottom, where clothes normally would be folded and stacked, is a comfy bed, one that any feline would welcome on its travels. Animal art is a common theme on many of the pieces. "A lot of the [volunteers] really love animals," Levin said. Still there is more. Flowers, antique sewing machines and old watering cans are each refurbished into something attractive and useful. "This thing has taken on a life of its own," Levin says. "We have people calling to volunteer regularly now. It's fun and inspiring to have this kind of enthusiasm. I'm also amazed at how many people have talent in some kind of artistic process." The items produced include decorative pieces such as picture frames, lamps and art objects, and functional items such as chairs, desks, tables, shelves and furniture sets. Many items have a distinctly "shabby chic" feel. By turning items into art, Levin says the event accomplishes multiple goals. "First of all, we receive high value for these pieces, which means we're raising critical support for Goodwill," he said. "Second, we're not having to take the pieces to the dump, so we're reducing the burden on our landfills. Finally, we're creating a really positive outlet for people's creativity and a great way for folks to come together who share some common interests and hobbies." As the days lead up to the event, the warehouse at Goodwill's main office is a bustle of activity. More than 100 volunteers are creating items for this year's event. They expect to produce more than 500 pieces for sale. Each will debut in a free preview from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday. One woman dotes on a small bookshelf, applying another red coat of paint. "I think it's too red," she remarks as Pam Confer, one of the team captains for the fair and an employee at Goodwill points out different items that have been transformed. "Nothing is too bright of red," responds Confer, moving quickly into one of the back rooms of the warehouse, carefully following the path clear of projects. The large warehouse resembles Santa's workshop as Christmas draws near. Scraps of wood lean against walls and counters amid buckets of paint, tiles and discarded fabric - all donated, even down to the paintbrush in her hand. An array of items await their final touches with just days remaining until they are sold and taken to their new homes, to begin a new life. Because at Goodwill's Restoration Fever, the old and unwanted is quickly made new and attractive again. Sanne Specht contributed to this article. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams