Cue AWARDS...and we - are - rolling!

What a great evening as our favorite creative reuse store, The I.D.E.A. Store in Champaign, IL, was celebrated with an ACE Business Award!  As the store celebrates the end of its 3rd year of business - it opened in October 2010 - this is just THE best recognition!  The 40 North Arts Council gives these awards to celebrate the arts in Champaign County - a place where the arts are rich and welcomed.

If you aren't too familiar with The I.D.E.A. Store, you need to learn more about it!  At the-idea-store.org, their website is pretty good - especially if you are trying to find the store.  Check out the "where" section.  They have a good map and pix of their doorways.  Their Facebook page is lively, too!  They post highlights of product from the store, other re-purposers post their ideas and creations, and sales as well as upcoming events are posted pretty regularly.  And, you can follow their Twitter feed @the_idea_store or sign up for "The Green Flash Newsletter" on their website.  This store is a social enterprise for the local education foundation, CUSF, and all the profits go to support K - 12 education.  Everything that is sold is donated to the store and most of the work is done by volunteers.  It is just a great opportunity to make a difference.

And, the big news coming up is that their semi-annual Jewelry Blowout sale is next week, Friday and Saturday the 25th and 26th.  More on that to come and it's a Facebook event, too.  If you are in the area, make plans to come.  Usually there is quite a variety of jewelry, findings, books, doodads - that kind of stuff.  And, prices range from 25 cents to $200 per piece.

So, are you a Reuse Shopper? You betcha!