My "system" for handling incoming mail is to take the art bits - the ATCs and other art cards and supplies - and sort them as they are received. Things get displayed or put away in designated storage containers and that usually leaves me with just the envelopes to deal with. Which I don't deal with until I have a heaping mess of them. Surprise.
When the plastic drawer unit I use to hold incoming mail parts is filled to capacity, I sort through everything. Rediscover overlooked bits of things, toss blank envelopes, liberate pretty note card fronts, cut out interesting postage. For the most part, that's as far as I'd go. The remaining re-sorted stuff would get archived and the collecting cycle would start again.
Lately though, I've been inspired by some swaps in the Mail Pals group to repurpose more of the old envelopes. They served their purpose, after all, and why not give them something better to do. Last month I had to do another incoming mail re-sort so I took the opportunity to really get into it and salvage as much collage fodder as I could from the hoard.
I got a respectable heap o' stuff...
Some of the usual suspects - postage and note card pieces...
But also lots of painted and collaged envelope sections, stamped images, pretty tapes...
shapes punched from security envelope patterns and handmade envelopes...
Yesterday, with those collected mail art scraps I made a group of 10 ATCs. TEN!
I added a few new details like rub-ons and sticker words, but the rest are all salvaged mail art bits.
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