Let’s Play Name Those Herbs!

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Impact Thrift

Mid-May has arrived and any threat of frost has passed (finally!) Time to plant your garden outdoors! Nothing better than fresh herbs and vegetables all summer but the question always comes up (in my house at least)… what is the name of that herb again?

Here’s a great way to use some old silverware for a new purpose. You may have some worn looking yet still beautiful silver plate flatware around your house or shop thrift for a great piece or two. Turn them into name markers for your outdoor plants or add fun little sayings to liven up your garden!

Materials Needed:

old knives and/or spoons… silver plate works well for an aged look and stainless steel will give you a cleaner look
alphabetical metal stamp set available at your local craft store in the jewelry supply department for around $20
hammer
black sharpie marker
paper towel or rag
metal dapping block, a block of wood or something hard to protect your work surface

Here’s how:

1) Decide what to stamp – We chose herb names: Basil, Parsley, Thyme, etc., but you might stamp sayings or messages. Keep in mind word length and the size of your stamping surface.

2) A knife will give you a large flat surface on it’s blade to stamp. If you want to use a spoon, you’ll have to flatten the bowl first. Hit the bowl of the spoon on the wrong side repeatedly with a hammer until it is flat. Be sure to protect your work surface with the dapping or wooden block.

3) Plan your word spacing. Hold each letter right side up and double check the letter direction before proceeding. Place the letter stamp on the stamping surface (your knife or spoon) and give it a couple good whacks with the hammer. Watch your fingers!

4) After you have stamped the whole word, color in the letters with the sharpie and immediately wipe away the excess. The ink will stay in the depression of each letter and make it stand out.

Voila! Your garden will feel so special!

Click here for a printable version of this repurposing project.

From Runway to Real Life – May ’12

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Impact Thrift

Want to breathe a little Spring into your wardrobe? Try this easy solution without breaking the bank!

Add a vibrant scarf!

Instead of a necklace, tie a soft loop of bright fabric to perk up an otherwise mundane outfit instantly. It’s a fun way to bring prints and colors to your everyday outfits. Consider a polka dot… all the rage this spring. Maybe a scarf with sequins or beads… or an animal print!

A solid color that blends in will give your outfit some subtle depth and texture.

A scarf with lots of color could be just the right touch to help you stand out from the crowd!

Play with a variety of ways to knot your scarf. Double over and slip the ends through the loop… Tie a big retro bow on one shoulder… A large scarf could double as a halter top in the summer!

You might go to a regular department store and pay a small fortune for a scarf OR stop in at any one of our 4 locations and get a steal on gorgeous scarves priced from $.50 to $3.99. Happy Shopping!

We’d love to see your Impact Fashion Finds so that we can feature them on Facebook and our blog! E-mail a picture or more of your outfit or awesome find and we might feature it on our blog!

Are you on Pinterest? Follow us as we discover repurposing ideas, fashion forward finds, seasonal inspirations and more!

Repurpose Pretty Baubles for Mom!

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Impact Thrift

Every mom deserves something pretty for Mother’s Day!

But how to provide pretty on a thrifter’s budget? Try our fun and easy bead and ribbon necklace! A great idea for kids because no sewing or special skills are needed. Just a little knot tying and love!

Here’s how:

Gather your supplies:
• A string of beads or an old necklace tied in a circle with either a knot or a clasp. Perhaps you have a necklace that has been in the family but is too short to wear comfortably.

• 2 18” lengths of ribbon or lace

• a brooch, clip-on earring or decorative pin – again, something you might have in the family or find at a thrift store

Instructions:
1) Lay your strand of beads on a table in a “smile” shape.

2) Tie one length of lace or ribbon to each end of the necklace.

3) Clip the brooch or pin around both strands of beads about 1/3 of the way down from one end for an asymmetrical
look or in the center of the bead strand for a more symmetrical look.

4) Twist the strands of bead for a different look or let them hang loose. Tie the two ends of lace or ribbon together behind your neck at any length that is comfortable to you!

Voila! A Mother’s Day gift that you or your loved one will cherish forever!

Click here for a printable directions.

A Mega Thrift Store Grand Opening!

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Impact Thrift

Line stretched past Staples on opening day of Impact Thrift Feasterville

We knew we'd have some shoppers but didn't expect such a wonderful turnout! Photo by Jackie Jardine

The look on your faces said it all!

Stunned… Overwhelmed… Awestruck…

Or maybe that was the look on our faces as we watched the crowds assemble early Saturday morning of Feasterville Grand Opening Day, April 21, 2012. ”How many people do you think are out there?” “The line goes all the way past the Acme!” “Where did they all come from?”

The day started with a quiet morning meeting, a prayer… and then the store opened with a ribbon cutting and a bang!

The first line of the day started forming around 9am at our front door… with these two lovely ladies who were determined to be first in the door – and they may have also been last to leave!

From there the line just grew until it stretched all the way past Staples, PETCO and stretched almost past Acme!

At 10 am Paul Baur, CEO, and various Impact Thrift Store Board Members, executives, store management and staff, Lower Bucks Chamber of Commerce representatives and community leaders including the Police and Fire personnel from Feasterville cut the ribbon and Impact Thrift Store Feasterville was officially open to the public!

Paul Baur, CEO handled the big scissors while company execs, store management, community leaders, fire and police chiefs look on...

Last person in line opening day Impact Thrift Store Feasterville

The last person in line!

As the crowds entered the store, they were stunned by its sheer size, brightness and spaciousness. The merchandise selection was fabulous, all due to your generous donations of gently-used items over the course of the last year.

Let the thrifting begin!

greeting shoppers at Impact Thrift Feasterville Grand Opening

Jo Greenawalt, Director of Business Development greets shoppers. Photo by Tom Sofield

Esther Fox, Super Thrift Shopper, waits patiently in line at checkout.

Amanda Kelley, balloon animal sculptress, entertains the children while their parents wait in very long lines at checkout. Photo by Tom Sofield.

The view from the back of the checkout line!

Impact Thrift Store supported charities representatives

Kristyn DiDominick, Development Associate with Manna on Main Street and Bob Kreamer, CEO of North Penn Valley Boys and Girls Club are on hand to greet shoppers.

Shoppers wait patiently in line at checkout.

One of our youngest shoppers, Mya from Phila...

mini cupcakes baked by Jessica Rath, photo by Jackie Jardine.

And for those with a sweet tooth... 2000 Impact Thrift mini cupcakes baked by our own Jessica Rath. Yummy! Photo by Jackie Jardine.

Bucking the National Trend

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Impact Thrift

You may have noticed the trend in recent years… one big box store after the next closing their doors. Others are shrinking their footprint and coming up with smaller versions of themselves. This way they can open more store fronts situated closer to each other and appear more community focused.

At Impact Thrift Stores, we’re bucking that trend! Bigger is better, baby!

panoramic photo of the new Impact Thrift Store in Feasterville from the office area

Photo taken for the store manager's office, Impact Thrift Store Feasterville, PA

Sales have been brisk, and we thank you for that!

But we have also been blessed <and overwhelmed> by your generous donations. We have filled warehouse after warehouse with your gently-used, unwanted stuff which has been waiting patiently for space on our store shelves.

In order to accommodate you, our generous donors and dedicated shoppers, our stores are getting bigger and bigger with each incarnation! Our new Feasterville location, which opens officially on April 21, 2012, will include over 40,000 square feet of retail space!

Bigger than your average supermarket! Holy guacamole Batman!

In addition to the 42,000 square feet of retail space, the new store has over 20,000 square feet behind the scenes. What do we need all of that space for????

The retail space is huge but only a small part of the Impact Thrift Stores story!

Montgomeryville Impact Thrift Bric-a-brac employee Abby cleans a donation before pricing.

Donation Processing: At least 3 sets of hands and eyes handle each item that is donated to Impact Thrift. The folks at our back doors who accept your donation with a smile, hand the items off to either the clothing, bric-a-brac or electronics departments. Each of these processing areas are staffed by 3 or 4 individuals who look over each item carefully, cleaning when necessary, testing items for functionality and pricing the items before placing on our store shelves. Books are sorted by genre and shelved by category.

Gerald demonstrating dirty metal wire vs clean for recycling

Impact Thrift Recycling staff member, Gerald, shows an example of "dirty" metal.

Recycling: As often as we ask for items to be donated in perfect working order, invariably, items are donated that do not work or may work but are too far gone for us to offer for sale. Soft goods items such as clothing, linens and towels that we deem not up to snuff are responsibly recycled. Those items are stored in large “shark cages” until picked up by a local recycler. Metal items go through our Bric-a-brac processors to determine if they are magnetic or not – placing those items in the appropriate metal sorting bins. Cables and cords from non-working lamps and electronics are also place in bins set aside for “dirty” metals… those surrounded by plastic or cable. We are paid pennies on the pound for the recycled goods, another way to raise funds for our supported charities! Click here to learn more about how and what we can recycle.

Furniture: All wooden furniture is cleaned and polished before sale. Please do not donate furniture that is broken, ripped, obviously stained or needs repair as we don’t have the manpower to repair broken furniture. But if an item is a little scratched or could use a new coat of paint, we just clean it up, price it and out it goes on the selling floor. Upholstered furniture goes through a cleaning and disinfecting process so you can be assured it is clean and in the best of shape we can offer. Click here to view a video which demonstrates our furniture cleaning process.

Read more about the big box retail trend on retailtrafficmag.com.

From Reading, ‘Riting, ‘Rithmetic to…Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Impact Thrift

Springfield Township Middle School Stars Shine Their Light
on the Impact LIVE Program. Thanks!!!

Dressed in their vibrant, red “STAR” T-shirts, 7^th grade student leaders from Springfield Township Middle School cheerfully filed into the Montgomeryville Impact Thrift Store bright and early on a Tuesday morning. The STAR leaders (which is an acronym that stands for Students Accepting Responsibility) visited the store as a part of their Impact LIVE Student Leadership experience. The Impact LIVE program was specifically designed by Impact Thrift Stores, to promote community service, leadership and entrepreneurship to Elementary, Middle, and High School students; whereby the students partner with Impact Thrift Stores to host an in-school collection drive event to ultimately benefit families and children in need.

Each school that participates in the Impact LIVE program has an opportunity to visit one of three Impact Thrift Store locations, where they receive an orientation from members of the Marketing team, a grand tour of the store, donations processing department, and metal recycling, as well as take part in a service project.

The field trip is a vital component of the Impact LIVE program because Impact Thrift feels that the first step in teaching children about donating, reducing waste, and recycling is to explain to them why they should donate and recycle. What is most important is that the children get a sense that the earth is their home, and therefore it deserves their care and respect. Donating and recycling to help others in need teaches students that there is a strong interconnectedness between each other, their community, and the environment, and that their daily actions can affect the earth in either a positive or negative way.

The Marketing Team customized Springfield’s field trip to focus specifically on the three R’s: Reducing, Reusing and Recycling. As each student was led through the store they were able to identify the types of items to inspire their friends, school mates, families and neighbors to donate and recycle. They were also challenged to think of creative ways to use some of the more popularly donated items; perhaps re-designing a dress into a charming apron… transforming an entertainment center into an armoire… …turning an old television into a fish tank…creating retro hip spiral notebooks by recovering them with funky 70’s album covers.

The theme of the day was to re-imagine and think outside of the box. A repurposing demonstration was led by Impact Thrift’s Feasterville assistant store manager, George Sturges. George showed the students how to transform silverware into rings, bracelets, key chains, and even beautiful wind chimes. Once the students started thinking outside of the box they realized that the possibilities were endless.

The students concluded the morning by creating their very own repurposed craft projects from donated items found within the store. By doing this, Impact Thrift was able to share with the students a few fun recycling projects, and as a result they were inspired to reduce their ecological footprint, that is, their impact on the environment.

For more information about the Impact LIVE program, click here!

You are Cordially Invited to our Grand Opening Celebration!

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Impact Thrift

Please join us on Saturday, April 21, 2012, Impact Thrift Stores for the Grand Opening Celebration of our long awaited 4th and by far largest thrift store in Feasterville, PA! Starting with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 10 am, the day will be filled with music, refreshments, appearances by local media personalities, exciting give-aways, activities for the kids and SHOPPING of course!

Located on Street Road and Bustleton Pike in the Bucks Crossing Shopping Plaza, Impact Thrift is moving into the very large space that once housed Value City, next to the new Staples. This new location will offer shoppers 40,000 square feet of high-quality retail space – making this Impact Thrift’s largest store to date… and perhaps the largest thrift store on the east coast!

When: Saturday, April 21, 2012 from 10 am to 6 pm

Where: Impact Thrift Store, Street Road and Bustleton Pike, Feasterville, PA in the Bucks Crossing Shopping Plaza. Click here for driving directions.

What: Grand Opening Celebration!

All Day… Shopping (of course!) Receive special discounts, enter to win fabulous door prizes, meet representatives of our various supported charities.
10 am – Ribbon Cutting with our Executive Team, Lower Bucks Chamber of Commerce Representatives and other local dignitaries.
10 am – 1st 100 customers (one per family) receive a free gift!
11 am - 1 pm Balloon Sculptures and activities for the children
11 am – while supplies last… Snacks
1 pm – The highlight of the day will be a spectacular Runway Fashion Show of Impact Thrift fashions including men, women and children and a spectacular finale! After all… what would a fashion show be without a spectacular finale!

Our fashion show hostess and emcee will be local media personality, Sheila Fortson-Williams. Recognized by Glamour Magazine Online, The Philadelphia Daily News, Lehigh Valley Magazine, and additional blogs and publications, Sheila Fortson-Williams is an accomplished media professional known to many as “The Glam Thrifter”, thanks to her ability to find looks that fashion lovers adore at rock bottom prices. One of her favorite ways to save is by finding awesome deals at Impact Thrift Stores. Sheila is a Radio & TV host, author, and the owner of Hidden Glam Boutique, in Ambler PA. She is excited to bring over 10 years of combined retail and media experience as Impact Thrift Store’s first fashion ambassador! Be on the lookout for The Glam Thrifter as she shares tips and ideas on our website, hosts workshops, supports Impact Thrift events, all while honoring our organization’s mission of supporting charities in need. Join Sheila online at www.hiddenglam.com.

Hope you can join us for this fun-filled event and exciting day!

St. Patrick’s Day Shenanigans

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Impact Thrift

Besides the traditional wearin’ o’ the green…

A man dressed as a leprechaun grins for the camera in New Orleans. Photograph by Taylor S. Kennedy, National Geographic

and making corned beef and cabbage for dinner, try these fun and entertaining ideas and activities with your friends, family & co-workers this weekend.

Leprechauns are believed to be little old men who make shoes for fairies. Legend says that if you catch a leprechaun, you can force them to tell you where they hid their pot of gold.

a devise to catch those pesky Leprechauns

Leprechaun Catcher

You and your wee ones may want to try your hand at building a trap to catch a leprechaun using household items and arts & crafts supplies. You can use anything shiny and gold as bait. Here at Impact Thrift Stores we have lots of unusual trap-making paraphernalia. Our Leprechaun trap was constructed using a vintage cake keeper ($3.00), a ruler (.50), a bit o’ green yarn (.50), a small metal pot (2.00) and a wad gold holiday trim (.50) stuffed inside. We would love to see your Leprechaun traps! Send us pictures and we’ll post them online!

Leprechauns are masters of trickery and love to play jokes on us humans! They have also been known to turn things green and everything from the milk in your fridge to the water in the toilet bowl is fair game. They may also try to hide your car keys in a strange place or tie your shoelaces together, so watch out! Sometimes they leave funny notes on paper shamrocks for those that they play their tricks on.

Did you know that another St. Patrick’s Day tradition started by school children is pinching classmates who don’t wear green on St. Patrick’s Day. This tradition has grown with the times, and even if you aren’t a school child, beware on St. Patrick’s Day if you aren’t wearing green!

Click here for a great National Geographic article about the history of St. Patrick’s Day.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Transition your Wardrobe from Winter into Spring

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Impact Thrift

Early weather can be warm one day and cool the next! How do you satisfy your urge to come out of fashion hibernation without freezing to death in a sundress and flip flops??? The key is to translate what’s in for Spring 2012 into layers and a pops of color. Here are some style tips that will make getting dressed a whole lot easier while Mother Nature makes up her mind about the temperatures!

Add a hot pink scarf to an otherwise dark outfit for a look that says “I’m ready for spring!”

Put a pop of color in your outfit with a pretty pair of shoes or a colorful necklace!

Color blocking is a big trend for this spring. The most versatile way to do this is to layer different colored pieces together. Just keep the bright colors to 3 or less to keep from looking like a bag of skittles.

While the tan trench is a wardrobe classic, if you’re looking for a pick-me-up to beat the winter blues, try a colorful coat to cheer up your whole look.

Thick sweaters, wool pants and heavy coats can move to the back of your closet as soon as spring arrives. However, there are several ”in between” pieces that will still work in your spring wardrobe. Lightweight cardigan sweaters, particularly those in spring colors, are perfect transitional items. Layer your outfit with a cardigan and then take it off during the daytime as the weather warms up.

a pop of color in a bright, lightweight jacket You can change the look of any outfit by adding a bold print. The same gray business suit can have a whole different look when paired with a pastel polka dot top. This season, floral, or graphic prints in colorful patterns and polka dots are a big hits.

And the easiest of all is always to add a chunky statement necklace and bracelet in pretty spring colors to any otherwise neutral cool weather outfit. Bright and fun handbags work well for this also.

All items found at Impact Thrift Stores: Gray Suit $12.00, Pastel Polka Dot Top $3.99, Red Shoes $4.00, Black Pinstripe Suit $29.99, Pink Top $3.99, Pink Scarf $2.99, Green Top $3.49, Green Necklace $1.00, Coral Jacket $17.99, Lime Green Coat $18.99, Black & White Polka Dot Dress $19.99, Assorted Jewelry $1.00 to $10.00

Post by: Heather Hamilton

Chore Wars: A Spring Cleaning Challenge!

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Impact Thrift

It’s that time again… time for the dreaded Spring Cleaning Weekend! On an average weekend, maybe your kids are whining… “I have nothing to do!” ”I’m bored!”

But mention spring cleaning and it’s amazing how many activities they can find for themselves!

This year, why not turn Spring Cleaning into a Field Day-type challenge!

Let the games begin: Start by choosing team names and colors! Each team or individual will need a team name and color of course… brainstorm with each for the name and color that fits their personality.

Set an attainable goal for the day whether that be for each child to clean their own room or for the whole family to clean the common living spaces – or both! Determine prizes so the kids know what they are playing for…maybe a favorite meal, trip to a favorite playground or attraction or their choice of game for family game night or movie for family movie night! Have enough prizes so that everyone wins!

Next, plan some cleaning/organizing activities and turn them into a challenge of epic proportions… here are our suggestions:

Supportive: Set up a spot in each area for placing items for donation…. Which family member’s pile is largest? Which includes the most variety? Which includes the most treasured items?
Organizational: Who can sort and organize their own stuff in the shortest amount of time. Encourage everyone to touch it once and make a decision. Invest in some large baskets, decorative boxes, or under the bed containers. Have each family member sort their own collection of whatever they collect whether that be books, crafts, matchbox cars, stuffed animals… only keeping out the items that they use often or really enjoy seeing. Everything else can either be stored in a container or added to the donate pile.
Athletic: Dust Bunny Races - What better way to shine a floor than letting the kids in slide up and down the hallway in white socks! Dust Bunny Roundup – Who can find the most dust bunnies under their bed?
Exploration: Turn your kitchen cabinets or pantry into an archaeological dig or CSI-style investigation… who can find the most expired items in your panty? Organize items by least enjoyed (canned peas maybe?) to most loved (chocolate pudding?) Challenge them to create a dinner menu with what they find.
Creativity: Challenge each member of the family to find something in their room or area that they haven’t seen for a really long time while sorting and organizing their piles of stuff. Have each family member create a story about the item… where has it been? What adventures has it experienced?
For the Fashionista: Organize a Fashion Show! Have each family member try on the clothing in their closet that they haven’t worn in the past 3 months… does it fit? Can it be handed down to a younger sibling or little cousin? If not, add it to the donate pile!

And… nothing worse than cleaning in silence! Play music that’s upbeat… and loud! Get them moving, get them dancing, get them singing along. Everything is more fun with music! Give each child a chance to play his/her favorite. Or have each play their favorite in their own room – loudly! How often do they get to do that?