I’m an artist, a thrifter, and I love the art of repurposing, so I was pretty jazzed about my first visit to ReCreate, a new east Wichita storefront that sells gently used art and craft supplies. I immediately consulted my mental list of current projects and stepped into the store ready to scavenge.

Here are a few goodies I found:

A teeny-tiny stamp of a Victorian woman (50 cents)

This would be an adorable addition to letters or scrapbooks, a little flair that might make your letter recipient wonder, “Who is that woman and why is she on my get-well-soon card?” 

A small spool of navy thread (25 cents)

Mending is a great way to start practicing sustainability. Torn shirt? Find a matching spool of thread, watch a short YouTube tutorial, and give your clothes a longer lifespan. Or get a little funky with it and use multicolored thread and decorative embroidery. 

A pack of magnets ($1)

Another simple but useful find and a great way to craft small. For a craft night with friends, you could decorate these magnets with beads, miniatures, or other mixed-media items — all of which can be found at ReCreate.

As the holiday season looms over us like mistletoe at a holiday party with family friends, ReCreate provides an inexpensive option for creating hand-made, thoughtful gifts. I certainly recommend going to the shop yourself and indulging in all the nooks and crannies.

A store with an mission to help the environment – and rescue animals

“At ReCreate, we believe second chances are beautiful — whether it’s a jar of buttons, a bin of yarn, or a rescued pet,” reads the store's mission statement.

Rescued pets are a large part of the mission. Ivin-Patton donates 10% of sales to Always and Furever Midwest Animal Sanctuary, as Carrie Rengers first reported in the Wichita Eagle. She hopes to increase that percentage once the store begins turning a profit.

“Wichita has an animal problem more than I’ve seen in a lot of places,” said Ivin-Patton, who has lived all over the U.S. “That was something that I really wanted to contribute to (help with).”

She is also passionate about environmental sustainability. ReCreate puts items to use that might otherwise end up in the landfill.

“It makes me sick when you see these videos where people throw away their stuff. Why? … There’s a ton of organizations that would take that kind of stuff,” Ivin-Patton said.

In her view, younger people have a more sustainable approach.

“They’re not about accumulating all this stuff and they’re about simplistic living … I love that.” 

Ivin-Patton believes people shouldn’t have to spend a small fortune to create art. She wants to offer opportunities for people who want to explore a new creative practice.

“This way, if you want to try to paint, for maybe five dollars you could get a little canvas, paint, and brushes and try it,” she said. “If you don’t like it, bring it back and we can re-sell it.”

Despite its community-minded mission, ReCreate is a for-profit business. Ivin-Patton invested her own money in the store, and she is currently the only employee.

ReCreate won’t have volunteers because Ivin-Patton is firm in her belief that people should be paid for their labor. However, she is interested in providing a low-cost space to artists and crafters to host classes and gatherings.

“I think it’s time for businesses to start giving back to the communities that they live in,” she said. 

“People just have to present their ideas and I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

The Details

ReCreate, 5422 E. Central Ave. in Wichita

Store hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sundays. To see a list of accepted donation items, visit their website. If you’re interested in donating, call 316-530-7675. 

Taylor Waller is a mixed-media artist, an art historian, a journalist, and an editorial assistant for The SHOUT.

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