SWAP RETURNS - WHAT TO DO WITH THEM?

klb1082 · 05-04-2012, 04:15 PM

I have been swapping, mainly ATCs, for some time now. I love all the great art I have collected but don't love how they are stored. Lacking any idea of what to do with these little masterpieces on their arrival, they end up tucked away in binders. They are safe but no fun this way. Some favorites have found themselves attached to magnets and live on my fridge. Others have ended up attached to various surfaces in my craft room. But, the bulk of my collection is not visible everyday.

How do you store the ATCs and other art received in swaps? Do you use them in the creation of other art? Do you tuck them away safely? Give them as gifts? It would be so wonderful to see and be inspired by these lovely little items every single day.

Please share your ideas and methods in this thread. Let's inspire each other to find ways to enjoy this art in our everyday lives.

Let's talk!

mrslaporte · 05-04-2012, 04:58 PM

Kari... I hope many people stop off in your thread. I have thought the same question many times. Currently I'm mounting my inchies on a larger box from inside an acrylic frame. I'll post pictures when i'm done.

Some of my art dols are pinned to a bulletin board in my crafting space but most are in baggies waiting for me to be inspired.

klb1082 · 05-05-2012, 05:50 AM

Thanks for your good wishes!

That's a good idea for the inchies. I have begun mounting them to foam board. There is a lot of it around from keeping puppies away from cords and stuff. Little furball get everywhere! LOL

I thought about this approach with the ATCs but I would need a bigger wall(s)!

Jmaraul · 05-05-2012, 09:26 AM

My Inchies are mounted on 12 x 12 canvas as I collect them. I am hanging them 3 in a row vertically in a narrow section of wall that didn't really have room for anything else.

My Twinchies are decorating the side of the white bookshelves I have in my craft room - a full length book shelf will hold a lot of twinchies.

ATCs are still in binders, but I plan on pulling out some by theme (ie, laundry and kitchen) to hang together as a framed piece in those two rooms.

Chunkies and 3-D items - I just recently screwed a length of chain between some white shelves that hang in my craft room. I use metal hooks to hang cards, chunkies & other oddly shaped items from this suspended system. I really like the way it works & looks....I am wondering why it took so long to get that project started?

I try to rotate my artwork so I am always looking at something fresh - but I do have some favorites that stay out in view all the time.

mrslaporte · 05-05-2012, 09:26 AM

I learned you should mount from the middle out... they are not uniform in size so I have a gap that is about 1/2-3/4 of an inch in random places.

Jmaraul · 05-05-2012, 10:24 AM

Yes, I have 10 x 10 in number on a 12 x 12 sized canvas. I used rubber bands to mark off a temporary gridwork and then paid them out & arranged them until I was satisfied. THEN applied the glue to make them permanent. This way I could adjust for size differences. Dangly bits went on the bottom row or on the sides as necessary.

mrslaporte · 05-10-2012, 02:40 AM

Well I'm thrilled with the imperfect collage. It's beautiful. Check it out:

Jmaraul · 05-10-2012, 05:00 AM

I spy one of my Inchies in there! hee hee hee

klb1082 · 05-14-2012, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrslaporte

Well I'm thrilled with the imperfect collage. It's beautiful. Check it out:

Your collage is so cool!! I see my "grandma's purse" in there too!

There are several sheets of foam core under the guest bed that I intend to cover with gorgeous inchies, twinchies and very special ATCs as soon as I get the chance. Being sidetracked is a permanent state of mind for me these days, so I have been painting and redoing our master bathroom for the last several days. So glad that's done and ready to get back in my craft room.

mauiueno · 05-20-2012, 01:15 PM

Great ideas - mahalo for sharing!! Since I am a newbie, I have not yet amassed the numbers of treasures that you have - yet!! I've used somall frames for seasonal and similar items - the 25 days of Christmas was my first and am so glad it turned out in its own frame. Need to work on some others now - mahalo for the inspirations!!

brattitude2000 · 05-31-2012, 10:12 AM

I agree that there are some good ideas here however, I just have ATC's and sure hate to "glue" them to something because it would ruin the information on the back. What about one of those "Tim Holtz" shadow box photo things. If they fit it sure would be easy to change them out without damaging them.....

klb1082 · 05-31-2012, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brattitude2000

I agree that there are some good ideas here however, I just have ATC's and sure hate to "glue" them to something because it would ruin the information on the back. What about one of those "Tim Holtz" shadow box photo things. If they fit it sure would be easy to change them out without damaging them.....

You have a good point, Mary. Taking it another step, ATC pockets (those little clear covers) could be attached to the board and then the art inside could be changed out now and then.

scraphead · 08-15-2012, 12:59 PM

I bought 1 of the 7 Gypsy atc holders, they hold 12 I think and hang on the wall, I change out the atcs so it is a revolving picture

terrie.mcnulty · 09-03-2012, 09:03 AM

I just found out about the 7 Gypsy ATC Holder and ordered one immediately. Right now my ATCs are stored in sheets designed for sports trading cards in a binder. A number of them get magnets attached and find a home on my 'frig or are given as gifts. And a few have been mounted onto cards to send or give away in batches.

MaryBrewer · 09-09-2012, 05:14 PM

I store my ATC's in the baseball card sleeves in a binder and have it on my coffee table

normat · 09-23-2012, 10:31 AM

I really like your idea of using rubber bands for measuring your spaces, Joyce. I am unpacking all my boxes from our move this year and boy do I have a lot of cards. Storing them in boxes is a crime. I like the ideas shown here.

normat · 09-23-2012, 10:34 AM

My daughter was looking at some of my cards and suggested that I use a huge frame I have been hanging on to. I have not put up a picture in my bedroom. Her suggestion was a collage in the colours of my room, purposely using colour as my focal point in stripes. I'm thinking on it. That will be my fall project, I think.

lindac007 · 09-23-2012, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrslaporte

Well I'm thrilled with the imperfect collage. It's beautiful. Check it out:

wow that's a whole lot inchies!!!!! great display of them so colorful and interesting.

Mindykid · 09-24-2012, 10:26 AM

7 Gypsies revolving ATC holder and a 7 Gypsies wooden drawer...hadn't thought about binders...I like them out where I can browse through them from time to time for inspiration.