what do you do with....

J Phipps TN

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Jul 14, 2004
Posts
1,423
Loc
Kingsport TN
What do you all do with mat boards that just keep multipling?

I don't have the gallery space to put ready mades out front, and I don't have the space to keep storing them.

In the past, I have just donated them to school and churchs, but what else can we do with them.

I feel so guilty if I throw them away.

You guys are always so creative, tell me what you do with your over flowing mat boards.

Can you tell that I am cleaning, getting ready for the Christmas rush!

Jennifer :D
 
I cut them into 8x10s and 11x14s(blanks, no openings), bundle them in 50s, and sell them on Ebay. ;) Seriously!
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Sue's not kidding. I buy them on eBay and burn them in my fire.

So now you've got two viable suggestions.
 
Originally posted by Ron Eggers:
Sue's not kidding. I buy them on eBay and burn them in my fire.
Just want to say I can always count on you to make me laugh - you crack me up! :D :D Thanks!
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We have a box of 11 x 14's and sell them for .05 each, no limit. Teachers love us, artists love us and wanna be framers love us.

It's great to be loved!!!
 
It's much neater if the scrap is trimmed into standard sizes. We cut everything down to 24 x 32, 20 x 24, 16 x 20 12 x 16, 11 x 14 or 8 x 10.

We carry readymades in the last four sizes.

Doug
 
We donate large boxes to schools and churches, as well as art classes and studios around the area.

They are great to cut into small pieces for art projects/scrapbooking/etc.

I also like to glue matboard to acid free foam core and coat it for painting.

Nicer mats that are just size mess ups, we put in a box and sell for .25 a piece to artists that come in.
 
In addition to donating to school, check local churches (VBS programs are pretty intensive, and love these donations) and daycare centers that have 3-5 year olds doing lots of artwork.

I do the same as already mentioned- sell mats cut in standard sizes for cheap.. when I don't have time to even get them in a standard size format, I will drag out an "odds n' ends" bin that have odd sized scraps of matboard to sell, too. People use these for signs, backing for all kinds of projects I wouldn't think of.

For the holidays, I am putting together kids' craft kits, and selling them. (some are gifts, too!) I am using matboard for backing board or the "base" of some of these.

I do the same with pcs. of scrap clear glass, sell with mosaic pcs. and marbles, etc., a pattern, glue and call it good.
The glass is cut to standard sizes so it can be popped into a frame for a quick gift.

Of course, this is an idea for creative use, not a solution for cleaning out quickly!
I have a hard time throwing materials out, obviously.

Interested in hearing other ideas on this..
 
Advice from Bill Parrie at LJ's framing school some years ago - cut them into matching sizes but not standard sizes. Then, when the little buggers bring their art home to Mommy, she has to go to a "custom" framer. LOL

Pat :D
 
When I owned my stores I use to cut them to standard size mats and backings all year untill the arts festival that comes to Columbus in June. I would then sell them to photographers attending the show. I got to the point of matting and shrink wrapping several thousand pieces per year. Make the photographers attach the photos then bring them back to wrap. It generated about ten thousand a year at a time that business slowed down a bit (15 years ago).

I don't know what we do with them now but I bet when Dave sees this post he will have me selling mats at art festivals.
 
What do you all do with mat boards that just keep multipling?
Have them spayed!

<font face=bellevue size=1> Boy, I’m on a roll, today!</font>
 
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