Flash Sale on Windows! This Sat & Sun only

Hi Forklift Fans -

Don’t miss our flash sale this weekend!  We’re open from 9am-6pm.

 

30% off Salvaged Windows & Sashes

The porch divider on this Annapolis rowhouse was featured on ApartmentTherapy.com

InMyOwnStyle.com has instructions for building a fireplace screen out of an old sash

This Saturday and Sunday, May 19 & 20, take 30% off the orange price tags on standard used windows and skylights, as well as modern & vintage sashes. 

(Sale does not apply to surplus, specialty, or curved windows; window trim; transoms, sidelights, or bay windows; stained glass pieces; doors with glass; items with white price tags; or windows with missing or damaged price tags).

Even if you don’t need a window, there are a lot of great options for repurposing the old sashes!  Get some inspiration from your fellow Forklift Fans:  Heather Groves created a large picture frame, and our volunteer Ron Ford has a mirrored spice shelf.  Other ideas around the web include a beautiful fireplace screen, a nifty jewelry organizer, and a porch divider.

Don’t forget the Monthly Sales!

Of course, we also have other items on sale for the whole month, including door hardware, radiators, medicine cabinets, furniture, tools, and vintage appliances.   On Saturdays in May from 10am – 1pm, the Neighborhood Farm Initiative will also be at Community Forklift selling vegetable seedlings (including tomato, pepper, & herb varieties). 

See our May Newsletter for details! 

Weekend sale on modern and vintage appliances, plus a good gift for mom

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Select Vintage Stoves just $25

What?  Just 25 bucks?!?  Yes siree – this Saturday, May 12th and Sunday, May 13th, you’ll pay only $25 for most stoves from the 1960’s or earlier.  These are as-is and not covered by warranty.

Great for repurposing – perhaps as a liquor cabinet or other unique storage option.  If you have a small business, try one for a hostess or checkout stand!  

 Sale does NOT include some vintage stoves and specialty items, gas fireplaces, post-1970 appliances, items with missing or damaged price tags, or items from our consignment partners.  Cannot be combined with other sales.  Remember that YOU are responsible for loading.  Our staff is unable to assist, but we can offer free storage for two weeks after purchase so that you can round up strong friends or borrow a truck.

25% off Standard Appliances

This weekend only, take 25% off the orange price tag on appliances marked at $250 or less.  Save on standard fridges, stovetops, ovens, microwaves, range hoods, freezers, and dishwashers  (Note that wash machines & dryers are included in the sale, but we have few in stock right now).

Sale does NOT include select specialty items, consignments items from ALCO Repair Co, items with missing or damaged price tags, or appliance parts & accessories.  Cannot be combined with other sales.  Remember that YOU are responsible for loading.  Our staff is unable to assist, but we can offer free storage for two weeks after purchase so that you can round up strong friends or borrow a truck.

Mother’s Day Sale:  T-shirts for $8

Need a gift for your mom, wife, partner, or friend?  Get her a soft cotton t-shirt so she can show her love for the ‘Lift!

On Saturday May 12th & Sunday May 13th only, our t-shirts will be just $8 each (regularly $10).  Unisex and juniors sizes available.  Not sold online.

And don’t forget…

The Neighborhood Farm Initiative will be selling vegetable seedlings at Community Forklift, on Saturdays from 10am-1pm in May.  We also have discounts this month on tools, door hardware, furniture, and more!  Get all the details in our May Newsletter

Spreading the Word About Reuse

Hi Forklift Fans -

Recently, we’ve been hearing from a lot of ya’ll who would like to tell your friends and neighbors to donate instead of dumping! To make it a little easier for you to spread the word, here are a few paragraphs you can use.

You are welcome to post a link on your facebook page, and send it out to any tradespeople and homeowners you know. We would be especially grateful if you post it on your neighborhood listserve!

(As part of our mission to promote reuse, we also give presentations about local donation & recycling options. Just contact me at Ruthie(at)CommunityForklift.com, and I’ll come talk to your networking or trade group, neighborhood association, environmental club, alumni society, house of worship, or social group).

Thanks so much, and happy reusing!

Ruthie Mundell, Outreach & Education Director

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Dear neighbors – I thought you would like to know about this terrific resource…

Renovation leftovers? Don’t toss them out – fork ‘em over to a good cause!

You know that you can donate old clothing and couches to thrift stores – but did you know that some places accept renovation leftovers, like cabinets, lumber, and doors? Community Forklift is a nonprofit thrift store for home improvement & architectural salvage. Instead of couches or clothing, they accept building materials, tools, and renovation leftovers. Donations are tax deductible, and they have a free pickup service.

The unusual name refers to their mission: Community Forklift is “lifting up communities” in the DC area by reducing waste; creating green jobs; and making repairs affordable for low-income folks, homeowners, nonprofits, and small businesses.

TO DONATE: They accept donations of reusable building materials, appliances, tools, and lawn & garden supplies. If it’s sold at Home Depot or the hardware store, and it’s still in good condition, they are probably interested. (Note that there are a a few limitations; for example, they can’t take older water-wasting toilets, or particleboard doors that have been exposed to moisture). There is a lot of info at www.CommunityForklift.com/donation.cfm – just scroll to the bottom and click on each category for details.

You can drop off donation Tuesday through Sunday, at least 30 minutes before closing time. However, it you have a larger donation, just schedule a pickup at http://communityforklift.com/pickups.cfm

Even if they can’t accept your item, they may be able to help you figure out what to do with it. Lots of reuse and recycling options are listed at www.CommunityForklift.com/links.cfm.

TO SHOP: Want to green your home on a budget? Reclaimed materials are just the ticket! Choosing to reuse saves you money – Community Forklift’s prices are 30-90% below the big box stores. It is also gentler on the environment, because you aren’t using energy to extract, manufacture, and transport virgin materials.

Almost everything in the huge warehouse would have otherwise gone to the landfill, from surplus windows still in the package, to beautiful antique mantelpieces. Instead, the items are put to good use by local homeowners, small businesses, and nonprofits that repair substandard housing. They also offer sustainable products from a variety of partners, including Treeincarnation lumber, Alco Appliances, and Salvage Arts architectural items.

HOURS & DIRECTIONS: Their truck picks up donations throughout the DC metro region. The huge warehouse store is located inside the Beltway in the Hyattsville area, just outside the NE DC line in the Port Towns area. They are open Tuesday – Sunday. For hours and directions, visit www.CommunityForklift.com or call 301-985-5180.

Six Fabulous Ideas for Repurposed Shutters

Shutters are half off this month. You’re not redoing your windows? No problem – these building materials have tons of other creative uses. We’ve rounded up a few for you…

Shutter Console Table

With some 1x4s, table legs, and paint, you can turn a shutter into a unique side table. Everyone knows about turning repurposed doors into desks, but this project is an unusual variation.

Find the full instructions at hgtv.com

Cork Message Board

Find a shutter with space for a curtain? Grab an old cork board (or maybe some chalkboard or whiteboard paint) and make yourself a rustic-chic message board! Get more pictures and instructions at lumberjocks.com

Shutter Magazine Rack

One of the cleverest uses I’ve seen for the louvered design of shutters! Detailed instructions and lots of pictures over on My Repurposed Life (which has lots of other ideas sure to inspire Forklift Fans).

Shutter Side Table

Find four matching shutters? Turn them into a funky side table! Search our stone or countertop sections to find a really unique tabletop to finish it off. Instructions over at Good Housekeeping.

Shutter Ceiling

Got an entire room to work with? Maybe a restaurant, a cabin, a porch? Check out what this Sacramento bar/restaurant did with old shutters! From the Dishfunctional Design blog – you’ll find a whole world of shutter ideas over on their page.

These ideas are just jumping-off points. We know we have an amazingly creative community. What will you do with your shutters? Submit photos of your repurposed shutters or share your favorite ideas in the comments!

Tomorrow at the Green Gift Fair

The Green Gift Fair starts tomorrow, Nov. 19th.

 

Each weekend from now through Dec. 18, we’ll host artisans selling beautiful gifts made out of reclaimed materials. Stop by your favorite reuse store, find unique and sustainable gifts, and support the local economy.

(It’s free to exhibit, and we still have spots left. For more info, visit http://communityforkliftthriftstore.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/crafters-artists-needed-for-community-forklifts-green-gift-fair/

 

On Nov. 19th, the Fair will feature:

 

* Dessert Station (9am – while supplies last): yummy baked goods, great for hostess gifts!

* SCH Fine Arts (11am – 3pm)
www.schfinearts.com
Shani Hernandez is an artist from nearby Brookland. Her paintings are abstract representations of deeply personal personal feelings and experiences. Throughout her body of work she re-purposes used wood as a medium instead of canvas. An admitted geek, she also often incorporates used electronic components within her work, often to convey how human nature is often ‘hardwired.’

* Kosmoceratops – Art Squared (11am – 4pm)
http://kosmoceratops.etsy.com/
Says artist Erika Kissinger: “Kosmoceratops is the name of a newly discovered dinosaur whose claim to fame is quite the decorative head plate. I picked that name for my business not only because my camera (circa 1950) is nicknamed ‘dinocam’ but because the artist rendition of this prehistoric beasty is a total work of art. And it amazed me that inspiration could come from what started as a dusty pile of bones. That’s why I love photography my subjects using TTV – Through the Viewfinder. To get the uniquely square and vintage looking photo, I use my dinocam and a digital SLR to make a new image. All my pieces are mounted on reclaimed wood collected from many sources, including Community Forklift.

Crafters & Artists needed for Community Forklift’s Green Gift Fair!

 

Please spread the word:  we still have spots

for exhibitors in our Green Gift Fair.

It starts this Saturday and continues through December 18th.  Here are the details and the application – please return to Ruthie(at)CommunityForklift.com ASAP if you are interested in exhibiting or consigning!

There are two ways to participate:

 

1)  Sell your gift items yourself for free: 

Every Saturday between now and Christmas, anyone who makes art or gift items out of reclaimed materials can exhibit and sell their work in our “lounge area” – the place inside our door where we serve coffee.  We can provide you with a folding table, and it is free.  There is free hot coffee, and you are protected from the weather, but our warehouse is not climate controlled so it can get chilly.  To sign up, you need to do three things:  

a)  Fill out the attached application and send it back ASAP (and then I’ll send you the exhibition contract)

b)  Sign up for particular days and times, so that I know which artists will be here when, and we won’t run out of room.  You can sell any day that we are open from now through Christmas (see store hours below), but we will be advertising the Gift Fair on Saturdays because that’s when we have the most foot traffic.  In particular, I’m hoping that the weekend after Thanksgiving will be busy, because we’re having a storewide sale to celebrate “Small Business Saturday”. 

c)  Let me know if you want to do a talk, workshop, or hands-on demonstration of how you make your art, and I will publicize it to our mailing list, which reaches about 7,000 people

d)  Keep track of what you sell here so that you can give me a summary at the end of the Gift Fair, and we can announce how much economic impact it had. 

2)  Consign with us for a 20% fee: 

Let me know ASAP if you would like to be considered for this.  We will be choosing up to 4 artists for our consignment area, which will start the week of Thanksgiving and continue through Christmas.  This area is right across from the register (the section with the white columns with the glass cases where we usually keep our crystal doorknobs and such).  

If your work is chosen, I will send you a consignment contract and assign you a department number.  You will need to email me a full inventory in an Excel spreadsheet.  You will need to schedule a day to meet with me (or our display guru Matt) to set up your stuff in the consignment area and make sure that every single item is marked with the price and your department number. 

We will try to keep everything nice, but it would be great if the consigning artisans can stop by a few times throughout Nov. & Dec., to make sure that everything is dust-free and arranged nicely.  We will do our very best to prevent shoplifting – this area will be blocked off so that there is only one entrance across from the register.  However, we will not be able to compensate you for any lost or damaged items…so you need to make sure that it is displayed in a safe way. 

Our sales staff will keep track of everything using your department number, and our bookkeeper will cut you a check for the final proceeds, minus a 20% consignment fee.  You will need to pick up your leftover items by Jan. 8th at the latest.  

Thanks so much!
Ruthie

Ruthie Mundell, Outreach & Education Director
Ruthie@CommunityForklift.com
cell 301-904-7579
www.CommunityForklift.com
The Nonprofit Thrift Store for Home Improvement & Architectural Salvage
Open Wed, Thurs, & Fri (10am – 6pm) and Sat & Sun (9am – 6 pm)
Located in the little green town of Edmonston, MD
(in the Hyattsville area, 5 min. from DC)

Green Gift Fair Application –

Please return ASAP!!! (due by Nov. 18) 

Contact Name:
Email:
Phone Number(s):
Address:
Name of your business:
What dates (and times) would you like to exhibit between now and Dec. 24th?  (We have space for up to 6 artists at a time).  Write down at least one date – you can always let Ruthie know if you want to add more days later.
Would you like to be considered for the consignment area?
Any special needs?  We will provide a card table – do you need wall display space, electricity, anything else?  Let Ruthie know if you want to borrow anything for display use– shutters, etc.  We may be able to loan it to you for the duration of the fair.
A promotional blurb about you and what you will be selling, including information about how you use reclaimed or recycled materials, especially if they are building materials and/or from Community Forklift.  Limit 100 words.  We will use this info in our calendar, newsletter, blog, facebook, twitter, etc.
Have you sent at least two promotional photos to Ruthie@CommunityForklift.com  or sent her a link to your website, flickr page, etc?	Circle One:    Yes   /   No
How did you find out about the gift fair?	CF Newsletter :  __CF Facebook, WordPress blog, Twitter, or Yahoo Group:  __ CF employee (do you know their name?:  _________________________ Other:

Flash Sale at the Forklift!

This weekend only:

From 9am – 6 pm this Saturday & Sunday (Aug. 13th & 14th), take an additional 65% off unframed salvaged doors marked at $65 or less

(Discount cannot be combined with other sales.  Remember that you are responsible for loading purchases into your vehicle)

Nope, there’s nothing wrong with ‘em – it’s just that we have over 1,500 doors right now, and we’re running out of room!

Don’t need a door?  Well, maybe you need a desk, workbench, chalkboard, bookshelf, daybed, or sturdy tool storage!  Check out these blog posts for ideas: 

1)  http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/dc/inspiration/doors-repurposed-a-new-life-for-an-old-door-142946

 

2)  http://www.myrepurposedlife.net/2010/10/door-repurposed-bookshelf.html

 

3)  http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/look/look-repurposed-door–120727

4)  http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/dc/roundup/roundup-new-ideas-for-old-doors–089040