What do you put in Envelope?

[Lynne Larkin]

I have been trading ATC's for about 9 years and a few years ago started to 'decorate' the envelopes  after reading about mail art. . Not sure what to put in a Mail Art envie?? message, ephemera, note, all/nothing? I also have traded a few collaged postcards with other ATC artists who do other size art Should I concentrate on Postcards which solves this problem? Any help/suggestions

[Valentine Mark Herman]

Bonsoir! I spent the first few months of my IUOMA life sending out empty decorated Envelopes*. Then I started doing all sorts of other things. I guess you can put anything you like in, on, around, whatever your Envelopes -- it's entirely up to you, and anything goes.

Val (you might be interested to look at my web-site www.val-herman-art.eu; the sections on Envelope Art/Description, and, especially Envelope Art/Envelope a Day to see what I've done with Envelopes in the past).

*Envelopes are very special, and  so the first 'E' should always be capitalised.

[maha]

creative

[Valentine Mark Herman]

Go on Lynne -- ask her what sort of cheese?

[chimerastone]

Anything other than the stamp, address. Hamsters have a intendancy to invade my mailart while I decorate the envelope.

[Valentine Mark Herman]

Chimerastone: please do NOT put a hamster in an envelope! They are very special little beasts and shopuld be given love, care, affection and lots of food to stuff their pounches with. They were not meant to be 'Mail Arted'. Val

[Bonniediva]

For the New Folks, a good rule of thumb is to send OUT the same as what you have received IN: if you get a post card and a note, send a post card and a note. However, send whatever you like, really. I sometimes send paper scraps, clippings, poems, etc.

You should match the postage: for example, if someone sends you an extra special piece of art with $2.29 in postage, it's nice to send them something similar in return. 

[DeeDee Maguire]

STELLAR IDEA Bonniediva! That is what I a following---unless something strikes me to include for whatever reason.

all good wishes + kind regards

deedee

[Kayenderes]

Just a question as to what do you do with all those ATC

I have multi-pal ATC and also Deco booklets and fabric posts cards from

years of making and sending.   I want to clear them out

What are you doing with yours?

[Carien van Hest]

Get a Rolodex at a thrift store and put your ATC's in them. Turn the wheel every time you want.

[Mim Golub Scalin]

Carien, I love the Rolodex solution. I have my received ATCs in small plastic boxes that I bought at Muji years ago when we traveled to NYC. AND a ton from my students (years ago students) in a tin box. AND a 3 ring notebook with clear pages that were meant for baseball trading cards, full, mainly of students card, traded cards, and a few of my own which I don't know why I kept rather than trading.  I haven't made many in recent years, tough a tiny format is terrific since during the pandemic I haven't been able to focus on anything for long. 

[Coco Muchmore]

What did you end up doing with your old mail art?

[DeeDee Maguire]

Please someone out there? Help this newbie?

What the Dickens is an "ATC"??  All I could find was "Air Traffic Controller"

 YIPES!