About Us

A smiling woman with shoulder-length dark hair and blue highlights, resting her head on her hand. She is sitting at a table with a yellow fabric bag in front of her, on a cutting mat with grid lines, and a small cross-stitch item partially visible inside the bag. The background is a light blue wall.

I was born and raised in Wisconsin and became a resident of Roanoke in 2024. Growing up in the midwest - with the help of a very small DIY community - I cultivated a colorful sense of creative reuse through alternative means, ultimately making me a pretty cool dumpster-diving raccoon. I've dabbled in quite a few common and niche crafts, but my love lies in making miniatures. Opening a craft supply store has always been a dream of mine! After meeting Amanda, with her dedication to sustainability, we allowed our ideas to blossom into what Scrap Collective is. I'm thrilled to be a part of the Virginian craft community!

Candice Rohde (she/ her)

Miniature wooden guillotine with black chains and a small dark wooden seat, placed on a textured blue background.
A woman smiling while wearing a large, colorful handmade rag rug made of woven material.

Amanda Barbee (she/ her)

As a Gen X/ Millenial cusp kid, most of the “vintage” ephemera and fabrics folks bring in still feel deeply contemporary to me! There wasn’t a craft I didn’t try. From pantyhose pot holders and puff painted shirts to handmade mugs and irregular crocheted socks, I’m your enthusiastically creative friend.

50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth had a profound impact on me in elementary school. Meeting Candice was a jumpstart to a quiet dream in my heart, and Scrap Collective is coming to you correct and in check! I am so excited to meet you in the storehouse and talk about your ideas for the reusable materials we’ve got for you.

A colorful painting of pink flowers with green leaves in a vase, with visible brushstrokes and vivid colors.
A man wearing glasses, a purple cap, and a black T-shirt with a chicken graphic and the text "Let's Henvestigate" is smiling and flexing his arms in front of a world map.

I’m genuinely so excited that we get to do this in Roanoke, Virginia. We may be newer to the area, but I am already in love with the mountain views when I drive Gertie around. Road score shopping is a big part of my design style. From my first apartment to our current house, I am always finding amazing things that others are ready to pass along. I love to pass along useful things to others as well. Since I teach Economics and Personal Finances at Patrick Henry High School full time, I dedicate my free time afterschool and weekends to Scrap Collective’s REconomy efforts. I am also the official document dude, creating our budgets and paying our bills.

Jon McSween (he/ him)

A collage featuring an orange GMC pickup truck, a gold glitter star, a red heart, a pink ticket with the words 'It's a Beautiful Life,' some maps, and decorative paper. The truck's name, 'Gertrude' is written in yellow on a green background.

We are a small but nimble team of similarly creative and community-focused individuals.

As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, we accept tax-deductible donations from manufacturers and creatives. We can then organize and offer these items to crafters, teachers, artists, makers, children, and reuse advocates.

By diverting materials from the landfill, we are able to offer our rescued craft materials at very low prices. When you buy “scrap” from us, we can gas up Gertrude to collect more donations, keep the lights on at our storehouse, and offer even more goods for the community.

The best part? You are welcome to come as you are. Our favorite aspect to Scrap Collective is the community. We are equally pumped to receive support from volunteers, interns, teaching artists, and many other forms of community leaders and advocates. We want the “scrap” to be the shared interest of the “collective,” so to speak.

If you are interested in joining our efforts by way of teaching/ directing/ guiding/ sharing/ leading an art or a craft that you love, please consider filling out this form:

Call for Crafters
One necklace with stone pendants and leather cords on a distressed blue wooden surface.

Our Mission

Scrap Collective will inspire creativity, environmental stewardship, and community engagement by providing access to affordable, repurposed materials and offering hands-on workshops. 

We aim to reduce landfill waste by collecting reusable materials and turning them into resources for art, craft, education, and DIY projects.

Our Plan

Miniature wooden table with pink, yellow, and blue flowers on top, held by a person's hand indoors.