Portland residents: If you are a fan of DIY, thrifty finds and other forms of reuse, you are in for a treat this week. The second ReuseConex conference, sponsored by the Reuse Alliance, will be in town from Thursday, October 18 to Saturday, October 20. Although some of the workshops and speakers are limited to paid conference attendees, some of the conference’s most exciting events are open to the general public. On October 18 at 7:30 p.m., crafters will vie for the title of Portland Craft Master at the Rebel Craft Rumble at the Hollywood Theatre. Described as “Iron Chef meets upcycling,” four DIY masters will face off to create the best craft project from a mystery assortment of waste materials. Heckling is encouraged, and disasters involving glue are almost guaranteed. Tickets are $10, and are available for purchase on the SCRAP website. October 20 brings the free Reuse Expo from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel at the Lloyd Center. Visitors can shop for items handcrafted from used materials, learn more about local reuse organizations and take free workshops on topics such as trashion (repurposed fashion) and DIY home design.

Two workshops are family “make and take” workshops, where kids of all ages can craft their own projects from recycled goodies. A ReFashion Show featuring Portland’s Junk to Funk is scheduled for 4:30 p.m., and artists will be selling their upcycled works at the ReArt Exhibit all day. Those committed to going into business for themselves can take advantage of a free workshop for reuse entrepreneurs on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Preregistration is required. If you are in Portland this weekend, come get inspired for Halloween, the holidays and the all the days that lie beyond. More information on all these events and about registering for the ReuseConex conference is available on the ReuseConex website.