Postcards or Envelopes?

[Ruud Janssen]

What do you like the most? Postcards or envelopes?

I myself like both. Only with the current rates, the sending of a postcard costs the same as an envelope. So when I send out a postcard, it costs the same as sending out an envelope with included 3 postcards. So I am sending out mostly envelopes the last years.

Ruud Janssen

[MaoMao]

Hi, annette! I rejoined recently after many years away, don't really know which parts are dead, which ones still going, but i poke around and leave my two cents here and there...i didn't really answer you (well, you weren't asking me) but i prefer envelopes and slip in a few postcards (printed, but my own designs) and sometimes a scribbled poem or a recipe, just because i try to milk my 3 dollar stamp, which allows me 50 grams in a large A4 envelope...

[Terry Owenby]

I too like both. However, instead of them going into a box like they are now, I need to learn how to showcase beautiful envelopes. I've thought of binding postcards into books but haven't learned how yet. But the envelopes? Any ideas on how to manage those? In the U.S., sending postcards is cheaper than an envelope but I still send both. :-)  

[Amanda Becerra]

Hi Terry! Have you ever tried "accordian spine" book binding?  It's pretty easy and you can add single sheets (or envelopes).  Here is a sample video on youtube https://youtu.be/KNmOE96Y-UE

[Terry Owenby]

Thank you, Amanda, for the accordian spine binding idea! When I read your post, I remembered seeing this particular binding a long time ago but I had forgotten about it. No, I have never tried it, but it the perfect solution! Thank you for taking the time to suggest this binding to me as well as looking up the YouTube video link. I appreciate it very much! I'm going to check it out right now. I'm excited about getting started on a book, the first of many. :-)

 

[Amanda Becerra]

Yay! I hope it is a workable solution for you!  I like the way she maximizes space by cutting the accordion folds.  Happy binding!

[Terry Owenby]

Thank you, Amanda! I'm pretty sure this binding will work for me. When I saw the many measurements that went into creating the book in the video, I realized that the worst part for me will be trying to figure out the measurements I need to use for my books as they will be different sizes.  :-) 

[Amanda Becerra]

I agree. She goes into a lot of specifics on her measurements but I have seen a lot of people do it with the folds all being the same-ish size and not be so precise. I have only done it once myself, to be honest, and wasn't so exact. But I am lazy so I always go the easiest route.  Ha!

[Annette R]

Oh my gosh there are still people here ! !    When ever I look in on the site there is never anyone online or add replies  !   I might come back more often ! 

[Ilya Semenenko-Basin]

Nine years ago Ruud asked a good question here, I will try to tell You about myself. When I joined the Mail Art movement (very late, in 2018), I obediently followed the laws of Mail Art and sent my collage cards without envelopes, that my collages are bound to be supplemented by unconscious inclusions of the Post Office (their stamps impressions and the like).

I was doing the right thing because of my character (rather hindering myself). Soon I noticed that my work was reaching the recipient with badly crumpled corners, soiled, and I felt sorry for my own collages. Since I live very far away from the US, Canada and from Western European countries, my things go a long, very long way, they are sorted many times, so they have many opportunities to get defects and contamination. It takes me one to two hours of work per collage, sometimes more. It is a slow labour built on meditation. I started to feel sorry for my artwork! After that I started doing things the wrong way round, i.e. sending my collages in thick envelopes to save them.

In Russian mail, sending an envelope or a postcard costs the same, the rates depend only on the weight of the item.

[DeeDee Maguire]

To llya

I agree with all of your points! The piece you sent to me arrived in an envelope and was pristine! No damage!

It makes complete sense to sent mail-art correspondence in this manner 

The pieces I create depending on whether they are watercolour paintings on watercolour postcard paper--mixed media collage--cut-out paper collage--original drawings--etc may take from one hour to 5+ hours time to complete

My simple Dell printer/scanner no longer works--I must write to them -- a plastic piece broke when I was changing an ink cartridge!

So I can't simply print a previous piece of work and paste it onto a new one--I make an attempt to re-create the original And forget about my
photos--I can't scan and print + include in something I'm creating--sooo until I find a new printer/scanner everything I do is pretty much a manual process -- a labour of love if you will

I don't want these pieces to be damaged in any way while they are travelling across the many miles of land +/or sea to reach their intended recipient 

All apologies for going on + on here---I agree w/you Ilya!

All the best + kind regards

DeeDee

[DeeDee Maguire]

Hello Ruud

If I understand correctly--you share decorated postcards within decorated envelopes --This makes terrific sense in both monetary terms + artistic sense as well

Ironically, this is what I do as well--I don't want a postcard to become damaged in sending by mail--so I place a postcard or two plus a few stickers or other bits inside the envelope (along with the postcards) and it becomes an entire pressie within the envelope. A "treasure trove" if you will!

All best wishes + kind regards

DeeDee Maguire 

NYC