Cruisers by Caren

From Trash to Treasure

My story doesn’t begin in a fancy studio. It begins in a small-town thrift store with a big-hearted mission.

I work for a local animal rescue organization whose thrift shop exists for one reason only — to help animals in need. Every donated item that sells helps fund reduced-cost and free spay/neuter services, vaccinations, and veterinary care for families who might not otherwise afford it. It’s honest work. It’s meaningful work. And it’s where my art found its roots.

Part of my job is sorting through donations that others might consider “trash” — broken frames, tangled jewelry, forgotten odds and ends — and deciding whether they can be saved. I repair, repaint, and repurpose whatever I can. My boss Desi even gave me a nickname: her MacGyver.

I’ve always believed that just because something is broken doesn’t mean it’s finished.

For years, I made one-of-a-kind wind chimes — never mass produced, always unique. Then one day, my boss handed me a donated picture frame fitted with chicken wire and asked what I could do with it. I knew nothing about beading. Nothing about weaving chicken wire. But I said what I always say:

“I’ll figure something out.”

So I gathered broken jewelry, loose beads, and whatever treasures I could find — and I got to work.

It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t polished. But little by little, something beautiful began to take shape. When we placed it in the front window of the thrift store, people immediately wanted to buy it. Soon after, custom requests followed.

That’s when I brought home a box of discarded frames, found chicken wire in my husband’s workshop, and a new craft was born.

There was plenty of trial and error (and a few scratches — chicken wire is no gentle task). Thankfully, my husband, a general contractor, helped me find the right tools and taught me how to work with it safely. 

Beading became its own journey of discovery — experimenting with fishing line, wire, hooks, and techniques until I found what worked best.

Over time, I learned how light transforms everything:

Solid faceted beads glow warm and rich, like old stained glass in a country church window.
Clear faceted beads scatter sunlight into bright, dancing sparkles.
The more facets, the more shimmer.

Today, I continue working with reclaimed frames and rescued beads. I also collaborate with small Etsy businesses to incorporate acrylic faux stained-glass centerpieces. While real stained glass is beautiful, it can be costly — and keeping my pieces affordable matters deeply to me. I want everyday homes — farmhouses, front porches, cozy kitchens — to have something that catches the light and makes people smile.

At the heart of it all, this is why I create:

I love taking something that was going to be thrown away and making it sparkle again.

I don’t create to mass produce — I create to restore.
To take something overlooked and make it shine.
To prove that broken doesn’t mean worthless.

Every piece I make carries a little bit of that story — of second chances, hard work, and finding beauty where others might not look.

And just like the animals we help at the rescue, sometimes all something needs is a little care… and a little light.