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Recycled Inchie Art

Launch gallery slideshow

Swap Coordinator:beckra (contact)
Swap categories: Paper Goods  Challenges  Art 
Number of people in swap:26
Location:Other
Type:None
Last day to signup/drop:October 10, 2007
Date items must be sent by:October 22, 2007
Number of swap partners:2
Description:

This past spring I participated in a swap (hosted by umbrella designs) in which people made mosaics out of trash--and I loved it. And over the months I've been swapping I've really enjoyed receiving postcards and ATCs from a number of people who have made beautiful cards out of repurposed/recycled materials. Now let's apply our repurposing/recycling/reusing instincts to the realm of inchies....

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is this: make 6 separate 1-inch art-squares for 2 partners (12 inchies total), using paper products which were destined for the recycling bin or trash. You could cut up thin cardboard boxes for backing, collage with junk mail, incorporate pieces of funky designs used for security envelopes--these are just examples; in general, you can follow your own inclinations and inspirations as long as you send each partner 6 individual squares using materials that would otherwise have gone by the wayside!

Let's keep the primary focus of these inchies on the repurposed paper products, so try not to use any other materials (except glue, of course!).

Some people are relatively new to inchies, so here's some extra information. Inchies are made and collected just like ATCs--they're just smaller! While ATCs are 2.5 x 3.5, inchies are 1 x 1. Sometimes they're made out of fabric, photos, painted or stamped images, etc.--but for this swap we'll use repurposed paper goods. Some people store their collected inchies in the protective sheets that stamp collectors use. Please send your inchies in an envelope just as you would send ATCs. If you do a flickr or google search for inchies, you'll see some neat examples.

Other details: 1) Newbies with completed profiles are welcome. 2) Swappers with ratings below 4.8 (I round to the nearest tenth) will be dropped before partners are assigned. 3) This is an international swap.

Feel free to ask questions, and remember to have fun reusing & recycling!

Discussion

KimyCate 09/25/2007 #

I gotta ask... what is chipboard??? Thanks!!!

beckra 09/26/2007 #

Hello, KimyCate--Chipboard is the kind of cardboard that notebook backs or cereal boxes are made out of. It's often been made out of recycled materials already, so if you reuse it yet again it's been doubly repurposed....

Kessie 09/26/2007 #

Oh! I'm glad you clarified that. In the UK, chipboard is a kind of manufactured wood that cheap furniture is made out of, but apparently in America you call that particle board

beckra 09/26/2007 #

I'll change the description from "chipboard" to "cardboard" just to be clear....Wouldn't want people thinking that they needed to use old furniture ;)

Kessie 09/26/2007 #

Yeah, good idea - when I tried to imagine something an inch square and made from chipboard I did think 'wow, they'd be REALLY chunky...'

Starwatcher 09/26/2007 #

So, are the inchies supposed to be sent individually -6 in an envelope to a partner - or could they be put on the front of a postcard or card? Or, I guess, (rereading the instructions) they could be sent either way..

3YorkieMom 09/26/2007 #

Do people collect these like ATC's or other types of cards. I've not hear of inchies, fill me in please. I have seen the sleeves for ATCs. Are there books made for collecting and displaying inchies?

beckra 09/26/2007 #

Hi, Starwatcher! Let's send our inchies in an envelope as if they were mini-ATCs. I've added info in the swap description to make that clearer.

beckra 09/26/2007 #

3YorkieMom--I've added some extra info on inchies in the swap description; I hope that helps!

Starwatcher 09/26/2007 #

Thanks for all the added information - now I get it! This swap is very similar to the "old box ATC" swap that were done a few months ago, only now its inchie size rather than ATC. Cool. I'm in! (Now I just need to create an inchie clear template so I can find the best combination of letters and colors....)

beckra 09/26/2007 #

Yeah, Starwatcher, and you can add stuff (other recycled bits) on top of the cut-out boxes. For instance, I'm going to do mini-collages on mine.... So you could use the old box merely as backing or you could have some of it show through and build it into the overall design. I hope you have fun!

CARROLL 10/ 1/2007 #

Wow Beckra,

This swap has me written all over it... I would love to send some recycled art around the world. But using "inches" won't dent my dumpster treasures stash much.

beckra 10/ 2/2007 #

Carroll--It's true: I'd guess we'd need to make lots & lots of recycled inchies to make much of a dent in the mounds of paper products that get trashed! But every inchie made is an inch reclaimed for beauty's sake....? I'm glad you're joining us. As my write-up for the swap suggests, I've been inspired by folks like you who do such beautiful work with repurposed materials!

crimsoncat05 10/ 5/2007 #

sounds like a lot of fun... I'm going to dig thru my cardboard/paper recycle bin right now!

threesweetpeas 10/ 7/2007 #

most of my atcs are in some way done with repurposed materials,does newspaper pics and old postcards, brochures etc type images count.....? if so count me in:) i have been wanting to do inchies for a long time:)

beckra 10/ 8/2007 #

Hello, threesweetpeas! Any of the materials you mentioned are just fine, as long as they were otherwise going to go in the recycling bin or trash.... I hope you'll enjoy inchies!

wendymc 10/ 9/2007 #

I've never made inchies, but I have done ATCs. This sounds like a fun swap to learn about inchies!

beckra 10/ 9/2007 #

Great, wendymc! Glad you're joining in!

beckra 10/18/2007 #

A picture of my inchies can be found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/beckra/1625330952/

If anyone else wants to share pictures of their work, great! Feel free to post to the gallery here or give the web address for your flickr page or blog....

wendymc 10/21/2007 #

Quick question - do we write anything on the back of these? They're a bit small to sign effectively, so do I just leave them blank??

(They're done, and envies addressed to go out in the morning)

beckra 10/22/2007 #

I didn't sign the back of mine, but I've noticed that other people have signed theirs--so whichever way you prefer!

mitokondrio 11/ 2/2007 #

A picture of my inchies:

http://flickr.com/photos/mkondrio/1552026605/

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