How do you store your ATCs?

The other night I was tidying up my ever growing collection of ATCs into some sort of order because putting the best ones in the glass cabinet was becoming a bit of a problem - they're all good!! I also wanted them in albums so that I can take them to the meet being organised next week as I thought peeps might like to have a browse through - nothing like seeing the works of art 'in the flesh' so to speak.

Whilst I was sorting, I came across the set of ATCs that I 'won' in the New Inspirations August lottery. Basically everyone in the group who wants to play makes an ATC on a set theme (that month it was Friendship)and a 'winner' is selected at random to receive all the ATCs. As I looked at them again, I realised that I hadn't looked at them since the day they plopped on to the mat, which I thought was a great shame, and what I really needed was a way to showcase them. So here it is - Ta da!!!



I decided that the best way would be in an altered board book album. I divided them up into similar sort of colour ways and chose some papers for the pages. I was also able to use up some the 'Friendship' stickers and rub ons that I have collected but which never seem quite appropriate for cards and are usually too big to go on an ATC. One of Jan'e entries was quite thick so that had to go on the front cover (that gave me a few problems and I'm still not entirely happy with it).





I decided that I didn't want to actually stick the ATCs on so instead I have opted to stick the little ATC sleeves on to the pages and then use them to hold the ATCs. I did think about photo corners but a) didn't have any and b) some of the ATCs were quite thick and I thought they wouldn't work. (I had some really great little stickypockets made of heavy duty plastic that I 'liberated' from elsewhere, alas they are about 2mm too small for an ATC. Grrr!!) Anyway, time will tell if this works or not. I expect this piece will get handled a bit next week - if it survives it was a good idea!! Because I don't really want the ATCs to be taken in and out I have put the name of the artist on a little tag next to each one. (Margaret, sorry I had to put you down as MAMMA as I didn't have room for Margaret and I was running out of 'Y's for Maggy).




Some of the papers I chose were quite busy and I did wonder at first if the individual ATCs had got a bit lost on the page. However after handling it for a day I think it does work and these little pieces of art will get more attention in this book than they would in a 9 pocket album. Right, that's those few sorted, now what to do with the other 3,373..........? (joke, I don't have quite that many..)