For nearly 4 years we have offered a warm cup of coffee in a real mug to thousands of people who have walked through our doors at SCOUT vintage collective. We offered eclectic goods & inspiration. We offered workshops and classes, parties and fundraisers. We stitched, painted, crafted, and sold artisan goods for hard working local people. We took an empty building and breathed laughter and creativity into it.

What we got back was a community that embraced us. You showed up, donated, supported and rallied. It was a partnership of people. We couldn’t have done it without you.

I have made the difficult decision to close SCOUT, not because it’s over, but because it was time. My circumstances over the course of the last year have changed my life story and it’s time to make room for what’s next. It’s been the most amazing thing I’ve ever been a part of.  I am grateful and humbled by what it became, the goodwill it fostered, and the camaraderie shared with so many good people.

While this isn’t the end of our story, it’s important to remember that remarkable things can happen when we take risks. Never be afraid to fail. Do something you love. Be kind to one another.

We couldn’t be prouder of who we’ve met, what we built, and what we’re leaving behind.

Thank you for being a part of our story.

Sara & the rest of the SCOUT crew

If you visit Scout Vintage Collective in New Hope, chances are you’ll leave with at least one good idea for your home.

“It’s amazing what you can do with an idea,” says Sara Garcia, who started Scout three years ago. “We consider ourselves an idea store. A lot of people come in here for an idea.”

Scout is full of inspiration. If you don’t want to purchase a finished product, you can see how to spruce up old furniture or give another item another purpose. If you don’t consider yourself creative, you can even take a class and learn a few crafts yourself. At the store, Garcia has been on the front lines of the DIY movement and says it continues to be fueled by creativity and affordability.

“We’ve become such a throw away society and people have gravitated toward things that are still functional and could use a coat of paint or  new wiring,” says Garcia. “You find that you end up with a product that is as good or better and you can also end up with a product that is in a better price range for people.”

The hunt for the perfect item

Finding the perfect item to repurpose or fit your space often is the hardest part of the process. You have to scout out items at garage sales or thrift stores.

Arc’s Value Village has catered to the DIY crowd by showcasing finished products and supplies in a special section of the store.

“For me, I start walking through stores and ideas come flooding in my head,” says Micah Schultz, a DIYer who works at Arc’s Value Village in New Hope. ” There’s unique stuff here that you don’t see in a big box store.”

Save money by ‘upcycling’

To save money when you shop, look for discounts offered on special tag days. Every day there’s a certain color tagged item for sale. Also, Schultz says you look for the materials more so than the actual product. Once when he needed a scrap of leather to complete a project, he didn’t pick up leather at a craft store, but instead looked for a leather item.

“Leather can be very expensive, but I got all the leather I needed in a purse that was only two dollars,” says Schultz.

Sara Garcia has a soft spot in her heart for picking up items at thrift stores like Arc’s Value Village, which uses profits to fund a cause.

“Scour the thrift stores, go to some of the area places, see what you find and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the projects they can find there at a price point that is reasonable, and you are supporting a great cause,” says Garcia.

Scout Vintage Collective is open to the public on Thursdays through Sundays. Once a month, they host an outdoor sale with local food and vendors.

Shannon Slatton
sslatton@twelve.tv
On Twitter: @sslatton

July 13, 2016

Source: Channel 12

from Betty Crocker’s Dinner Parties, 1974

Ham Wellington with Chutney

1 can (3 pounds) ham

1 stick or 1/2 packet pie crust mix

1 egg yolk

1 jar chutney

Heat oven to 425.  Remove gelatin from ham; place ham in greased shallow baking pan.

Prepare pastry for one-crust pie as directed on package except- roll into rectangle about 11×10 inches.  Place rectangle around but not under ham.  trim bottom edges of pastry even with ham; press to seal.

Beat egg yolk and brush over pastry.  Roll left-over pastry 1/8 to 1/16 inch thick; cut into petal or geometric shapes.  Arrange shapes in design on top; brush with remaining yolk.  Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Heat chutney; server with ham.