Reclaimed, Recycled, and Redeemed

This Mansitee store is a magnet for artisans, shoppers, and DIYers alike

By Brighid Driscoll | Nov. 4, 2023

Denice Leonard grew up in a small town just south of Manistee and then spent 23 years away from the area while her husband served in the U.S. Navy. “When we retired, we moved back here, and I started working in the medical field,” Leonard says. On weekends, she began selling glass pieces and home décor that she painted by hand.

In November 2015, she discovered Redeemed Furniture Art and Decor, locally known as Redeemed Manistee. Leonard was instantly drawn to the market and, a couple of months later, had her own booth. She loved everything about Redeemed and let the owner know. “I kept telling her, ‘As soon as you’re ready to sell, let me know. I’ll write the check.’” That day came in 2017, and Leonard has been the proud owner ever since.

The first order of business for Leonard as the new owner was to add more. “I said, ‘We’re gonna pack it and stack it!’ I didn’t want minimalism or clean lines. We have over 5,000 square feet of space, and we’re going to use it all. … We’ve wowed the community since then.”

Redeemed Manistee is a market-style shop with over 50 vendors selling unique goods—that means everything from furniture to décor, handmade jewelry to vintage clothing, and bath products to treats like jams, jellies, and maple syrup from local farms. Leonard thoughtfully chooses the vendors and products, looking at what the market already has and what it needs to stand out. Would-be vendors need to offer something that Redeemed doesn’t currently carry.

“I want to see how you set a display up and how what you create is unique,” Leonard says of the vetting process. “I have someone right now who does picture frames made with Michigan rocks, hand-drawn wine glasses with beach stones in them, and she also does stained glass. So, I won’t bring in another artisan who makes things like that.”

Also offered at Redeemed are crafting classes. Think of your grandmother’s buffet table or credenza—dark, heavy pieces that are well made but not gelling with your current décor. Leonard’s furniture painting classes aim to help you revive and transform these older pieces that feel outdated but are too precious to haul to the curb. The classroom space is also open to those who'd like to offer DIY classes.

“If somebody wants to come in and teach a jewelry class, we have the room for it. We also have a lady who does cookie decorating classes; those are fun,” Leonard says.

If you’re feeling crafty but need help figuring out where to get started, Leonard has given us some fun DIY ideas for all experience levels. With the holiday season in the offing, consider making a handmade gift for a loved one or using one of these projects as an excellent way to unwind.

Beginner: Forever Bouquets

Bouquets are always a welcome gift and a great way to spruce up any area of the home. The only downside is that they only last so long. Creating a dried bouquet is a charming and sustainable way to capture the beauty of flowers you can keep around for much longer.

“A lot of my girls find things in the wild to harvest,” says Leonard. Once harvested, the flowers are hung upside down in a cool, dry place to air dry, preserving their colors and shapes.

Create your own bouquet by selecting a variety of flowers (dry yourself or shop options at Redeemed). Trim the stems to your liking and arrange the dried flowers. Incorporate complementary textures and colors for visual interest, like dried grasses, herbs, or seed pods for an organic touch. Secure the bouquet with twine or ribbon, and enjoy the long-lasting beauty of your handcrafted arrangement.

Intermediate: Mood Boards

Gaining popularity over the last decade or so are mood boards, i.e., aspirational posters created with pictures, words, and magazine clippings. These posters are made best with Mod Podge. (History buff moment: Mod Podge crafts have a rich history dating back to the 1960s, when Jan Wetstone, a teacher and artist, created this versatile adhesive and sealer. It gained popularity during the DIY and crafting movements, becoming an essential component for decoupage, collages, and other creative projects.)

Leonard offers Roycycled Decoupage Paper, a durable yet tissue-thin paper perfect for creating mood and vision boards. (Roycycled Paper can also be decoupaged onto furniture for the truly crafty.) The paper comes in a huge variety of prints and pictures, from buffalo check to florals to watercolor paintings. From there, simply cut out the inspirational words and images that help bring your project to life.

Advanced: Furniture Painting

Don’t let the word advanced scare you; this DIY project is made easy with Leonard’s furniture painting classes.

“We do those on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 1pm. For $65, you get paint, tools to use, and all the instruction you need to complete your project from start to finish,” Leonard says. She asks that all project pieces be something that you’re able to carry in and out of the classroom. So, that means no credenza, but you’ll be able to get the hang of painting on something smaller before taking on the big project.

Other tips to revamp your furniture piece include installing new knobs or drawer pulls (or polishing up the ones already on it) and lining drawers with liners in a complementary print or color.

And if a different DIY project excites you but you don’t know where to begin, Leonard says to come on in. “Come visit us here. Inspiration begins at Redeemed, and we have all kinds. … Plenty of people come in wanting to transform something they have based on something they saw on Pinterest.”

The best way to stay up to date with upcoming classes and all other store information is to like the Redeemed Facebook page: facebook.com/redeemedenterprises