This Idaho Creative Reuse Shop Sells Donated Craft Supplies, Stamps And Glitter At Thrift-Store Prices

Googly eyes, rubber stamps, retro fabric, and jars of glitter all get a second chance at one small Idaho shop. Every bit of it was donated by someone clearing out a craft closet.

The owner sorts, labels, and shelves it so neatly that browsing feels more like a treasure hunt than a thrift run. Paints, yarn, scrapbook paper, feathers, and marbles share space with a vintage shelf for the rarer finds.

I like how the whole idea works. Supplies stay out of the landfill, and artists, teachers, and parents pay thrift-store prices instead of big-box prices.

I believe that’s a deal worth knowing about.

There’s also a rotating art gallery, a lineup of affordable workshops, and a coffee shop right next door. So how much creative inspiration can one little storefront actually hold?

An Art Supply Thrift Store That Keeps Glitter Out Of The Landfill

Cats Eye Creative Reuse sits on Broadway Avenue in Boise, and its whole inventory arrives secondhand. It’s a donation-based thrift store built entirely around arts, crafts, and materials with creative potential.

The goal is refreshingly simple. Usable supplies get rescued from the trash and passed along to local artists, teachers, parents, and anyone with a project brewing.

That means half-used paint sets, leftover fabric, and bags of buttons finally find someone who wants them. Your neighbor’s abandoned scrapbooking phase could become your next birthday card.

The shop calls itself a secondhand resource that is affordable for everyone. You don’t need to be a trained painter or a seasoned quilter to feel at home here.

Plenty of shoppers come with a specific item in mind. Others arrive with no plan and leave with a basket of ideas they didn’t know they needed.

The mission also asks a quiet question of every crafter in Idaho. Do you really need brand-new materials, or could secondhand supplies do the job just as well?

For most projects, the answer turns out to be the cheaper one. That’s a lesson your wallet will happily accept.

From A Texas Nonprofit To A Broadway Avenue Storefront

Shay Haas didn’t stumble into creative reuse by accident. She worked for a nonprofit Creative Reuse Center in Texas before bringing the idea to Boise in 2020.

The early version had no front door at all. She collected donations, ran an online store, and set up at pop-up markets around the Treasure Valley.

Those donations piled up fast. At one point, more than 4,000 pounds of supplies sat in storage units while she shipped online orders across the country.

That’s a lot of yarn and paint to keep track of. It also proved that people wanted a place to send their unused craft goods.

The physical storefront finally opened in January 2025. After years of storage units and folding tables, the collection had a permanent home on South Broadway.

Today, Cats Eye remains a small, solo woman-owned and operated business. Shay handles the sorting, the shelving, and the community side of things herself.

Knowing that backstory makes each purchase feel a little more personal. You’re not just buying a skein of yarn.

You’re supporting a long, patient build that finally paid off for Idaho crafters.

Shelves Stocked With Googly Eyes, Feathers, Stamps And Way More

Googly eyes. Feathers.

Popsicle sticks, bells, marbles, glass stones, and playing cards all claim their own corners of the shop.

The bigger categories cover nearly every craft hobby out there. Fabric remnants, yarn, papercrafts, and scrapbooking materials line up alongside paints, canvases, pastels, and brushes.

Stamp lovers have reason to smile too. Rubber stamps show up often enough to be a regular part of the mix, along with envelopes and specialty papers.

Sewists will find fabric and notions waiting for them. Painters can grab a canvas and a handful of brushes without paying full retail.

There are also art and craft books for anyone who needs instructions or fresh ideas. A good how-to guide pairs nicely with a bag of mystery supplies.

And yes, there’s glitter. Plenty of it, in fact, which may thrill your kids and terrify whoever vacuums your house.

The stock rotates constantly because it all depends on donations. Something you spot today may be gone next week, so grabbing it on the spot is usually the smart move.

Bottle Caps, Corks And A Vintage Shelf Worth Checking First

Most stores toss corks and bottle caps without a second thought. At Cats Eye, they count as creative potential materials and earn shelf space.

Leather scraps, old records, and CDs fall into that same category. Each one is waiting for a mosaic, a collage, or some clever assemblage project.

Kids seem especially good at seeing possibilities in odd parts. A box of random bits can easily turn into a robot, a diorama, or a backyard invention.

Then there’s the vintage and featured shelf. It’s reserved for more unusual items, the kind of finds that make crafters stop mid-aisle.

Retro fabric and old-fashioned embellishments are the type of pieces that can surface there. You never know exactly what will appear, which is half the fun.

I like how this section changes the way people look at everyday leftovers. That drawer of mismatched odds and ends at home suddenly seems a lot more interesting.

It’s a good reminder that creativity doesn’t always start with a shopping list. Sometimes it starts with a strange object and the simple question of what it could become.

Organization So Tidy It Makes Browsing Feel Easy

Thrift stores aren’t always famous for order. Cats Eye flips that expectation with supplies that are clean, packaged, labeled, and sorted by type.

Shay has said easy navigation and organization are a huge priority for her. You can see that care in how everything is merchandised on the shelves.

That matters more than it sounds. Digging through a jumbled bin for one specific stamp can test anyone’s patience.

Here, small items are bagged and grouped so you can find what you want quickly. It turns a potential scavenger hunt into a pleasant stroll.

The neat layout also helps beginners. Someone who doesn’t consider themselves crafty can browse without feeling overwhelmed by chaos.

Because new donations keep arriving, the shelves are constantly being added to. A shop this tidy makes it easier to notice what’s fresh since your last visit.

Fair warning, though. A tidy shop can be dangerous for your budget, since every shelf seems to reveal one more thing worth taking home.

Doing a couple of laps around the room is completely reasonable here. You’ll likely spot something new on the second pass.

Thrift-Store Prices That Leave Room In The Craft Budget

Craft hobbies get expensive fast. A few skeins of yarn, a pack of brushes, and some specialty paper can quietly drain a weekly budget.

Cats Eye prices its donated supplies at thrift-store levels. That makes it a smart first stop before heading to a big-box craft chain.

Prices naturally vary by item, so expect a range rather than one flat rate. Many small finds cost just a few dollars.

For teachers stocking a classroom, that difference adds up. Parents planning a rainy-day project can grab a stack of supplies without wincing at the register.

Wedding planners and holiday card makers benefit too. Envelopes, fun stamps, and magnets are the kinds of items that can turn up on the shelves.

The savings come with a bonus. Every purchase keeps perfectly good materials out of an Idaho landfill.

That combination is hard to beat. You save money, you skip new packaging, and your project gets a little extra story behind it.

Since stock changes constantly, it pays to stop by often. The best bargains tend to belong to whoever spots them first.

Workshops, Art Shows And A Rotating Gallery On The Walls

Collage and card-making nights. Embroidery, macrame, and assemblage.

Even zodiac-themed crafts have made the list of workshop ideas.

Cats Eye organizes affordable craft workshops, often featuring local creators and instructors. It gives Boise artists a place to teach and gives beginners a place to learn.

Kids’ programming ideas sound like pure fun. Concepts like Build Your Own Diorama and Rube Goldberg Machines would make any young tinkerer grin.

Monthly art shows bring another layer to the shop. A rotating gallery means the walls change regularly, showcasing local talent.

It’s a smart pairing. Seeing finished art next to shelves of raw materials can spark ideas you didn’t walk in with.

Shay also leads paint-party style events through her other business, Indigo Easel. Creativity clearly runs through everything she does.

Class schedules shift over time, so check the shop’s Instagram or website for current events. New arrivals get posted there regularly too, which helps if you’re hunting for something specific.

A solo art date here sounds like a pretty great afternoon. Bring a friend, and it gets even better.

Your Overflowing Craft Closet Could Stock These Shelves

Every crafter has a stash. Half-finished projects, abandoned hobbies, and duplicate supplies tend to multiply in closets all over Idaho.

Cats Eye accepts clean, reusable art and craft supplies as donations. That’s how the shelves stay full and the inventory keeps rotating.

Donation drop-offs happen during set windows midweek and on Saturdays. Check the shop’s website for the current schedule before loading up the car.

Bringing a big haul? Larger donations of more than two boxes call for an appointment, which keeps the process smooth for everyone.

The website offers helpful guidance on what the shop can take. A quick look saves you from hauling items that won’t fit the mission.

Donating feels good for a few reasons. Your supplies avoid the trash, and someone else gets to finish what you started, or start something new entirely.

It also frees up space at home. That corner holding three bins of fabric could become a reading nook again.

Think of it as decluttering with a creative payoff. Somewhere in Boise, your leftover beads might become a kid’s favorite invention.

Good Music, A Friendly Owner And Coffee Right Next Door

Hideout coffee sits right next door, which is a dangerous kind of convenient. Grabbing a drink before browsing makes the whole trip feel like a mini outing.

Inside, the vibe is welcoming without being pushy. The staff is friendly and helpful, and the shop plays music that suits a relaxed browse.

If you’re hunting for something specific, just ask. The shop is responsive to questions about particular crafting items.

The space works for all kinds of shoppers. Parents come with kids, friends pair up for craft night supplies, and solo makers chase inspiration on their own.

Visitors to Boise even make a point of stopping by. Creative reuse fans tend to seek out shops like this when they travel.

It also fits nicely into the Broadway neighborhood scene. Events like the Broadway Block Party have brought new faces through the door.

I can’t imagine a better rainy afternoon in the Treasure Valley. Coffee in one hand, a basket of glitter and stamps in the other, and no real plan beyond seeing what turns up.

Plan A Midweek Or Saturday Craft Run To South Broadway

Cats Eye Creative Reuse is located at 1747 S Broadway Ave, Boise, ID 83706. It’s an easy drive from downtown and close to the Boise State area.

The shop keeps a Wednesday through Saturday schedule, with doors opening late morning and closing in the early evening. It’s closed Sunday through Tuesday, so check before driving.

Following the shop on Instagram is a smart move. New arrivals show up there regularly, which helps you time a visit around fresh stock.

Bring a reusable bag if you can. It fits the spirit of the place and comes in handy when your basket overflows.

Plan for more time than you expect. Between the vintage shelf, the gallery walls, and the packed bins, a quick stop rarely stays quick.

So is it worth the trip? For anyone who sews, paints, scrapbooks, or simply loves a good bargain, the answer leans strongly toward yes.

Idaho has plenty of thrift stores. Few of them are this focused, this tidy, or this dedicated to giving glitter and googly eyes a happy second life.