Repurposing Cashmere Sweaters into Touques

Growing up in a very small town in northern Canada, a majority of our clothes came from the Sears catalogue. If you wanted something other than Sears couture, you had to make it yourself or drive four hours to the closest city. Fortunately, I came from long line of extremely talented knitters, sewers, and crafters. […]

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DIY your denim!

We’ve all been there, sifting through our closets thinking “what in the world am I going to wear?!” You pick up the latest fashion magazines to browse the spring styles, it happens to be the denim issue. Before you know it, you’re contemplating going to the mall, thinking about all of the new styles and […]

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DIY: How to reupholster a chair in 5 minutes!

Are your dining room chairs stained, dirty and outdated? Do your chairs look like they were attacked by a 3 year old with Koolaid and finger paint? Well here is the perfect DIY solution that is both fast and easy. This 5-minute life hack will not only upgrade your dining experience, but will help make […]

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Behind the Curtain – What’s it really like to run a thrift shop?

Kathie Olson, Arc’s Value Village Thrift & Donation Center Richfield. I never intended to manage a thrift store. That really wasn’t what I was shooting for. I mean, I always loved working in fine retail as a hobby for something fun to do when I needed some extra cash or was between “real” jobs, but […]

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Thriftable Fall Fashions

    By Michelle Raven   Crisper, cooler temps are settling in, the leaves on the trees are beginning to turn stunning hues of orange and yellow.  We’re stashing away our tanks, shorts and sundresses we loved all summer long and making room in our closets for the cozy layers of fall. today football predictions from […]

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10 reasons Arc’s Value Village Bloomington’s grand opening should go on your calendar NOW

If you go: Location: Valley West Shopping Center, 10546 France Ave. South in Bloomington (France Ave & Old Shakopee Rd, by Cub Foods) Time: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. December 6 with scheduled events throughout the day Event website We’ve been working hard to prepare our fifth store location for our grand opening celebration happening […]

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Winter Thrifting Tips

Winter can feel like a crummy time to thrift. We’re sluggish and uninspired, so the prospect of digging through the racks may be overwhelming. But in my opinion, thrifting is a four-season sport and there are many great bargains to be had even during the dark, cold months. Here are a few things to keep […]

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Halloween Jar Redux

It’d be difficult to find a craft/DIY/home decorating blog that doesn’t have at least one post on how to reuse the ever-so-humble Mason jar. Here is yet another version: decorating a table for a Halloween party. These jars were found at Arc’s Value Village Thrift Stores. By changing the colors shown here, this idea can […]

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Mason Jars – as Useful Today as They Were 100 Years Ago!

2013 Marks the 100th Anniversary of the first series of Ball Jars designed by the Ball Brothers.  The first Mason jar was patented in 1858 by John Landis Mason.  Mason jars – of all sizes, brands and styles are still as useful now as they were back in the day.  Since jars are so readily available […]

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Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers

Crafty as we are sometimes known to be, we assembled some ideas for those who might be giving a baby shower.  With the exception of the shadow box, most items are super-simple and take practically no time at all.  Charming and inexpensive baby block and bootie planters help fill out the table.   You might even fill […]

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