Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Pocket letter swap

Have you heard of pocket letters? I bet you have, I feel like I'm really behind on what's going on with the art swapping world lately. Anyways, I've read about pocket letters on a few of the blogs I read, and I've been on YouTube (which has become a horrible obsession lately) and found a bunch on there. Since I've heard of them, I've been wanting to swap with someone. Sherry of Createlogy, agreed to swap with me. I met her through A Swap for All Seasons a few years ago (and I feel I read her blog before then, but I don't know if that's true), anyway she had posted about a swap she was in and I asked if she would swap with me.
From what I've seen, I believe the pocket letter is like a 9-card swap I did in an ATC group I was in. We took the 9-sleeve protector and created a page that was cut up into 9 cards and sent to a partner. The pocket letter is a little different in that you're also sending goodies and a letter about yourself to your partner. I really liked the idea of creating again, and sending out some of my supplies to someone else.
Sherry sent hers in time for me to get it before Easter, I was not that quick, so sadly mine didn't get to her until last week, but I hope she liked it.
Here's what Sherry sent me:
 I really liked how she used a calendar page that looks like an Easter basket.
Here's the back:
 The top there is a note on a tag, the middle is a W card for my name (Wendy), the right is a bag of punches. Second row: the left is a cute little flower card with a bee, the middle has buttons sewed onto a playing card and the left has a cupcake and some beads. Last row: the left is a bag of punches, the middle is a chocolate, and the right is a little image that says art.

I was going to make some nice cohesive design, but what I plan is not always what comes out in the end. Here's what I sent Sherry:
 Top row: left, some stickers from a vintagey sticker book, the middle is a acetate design, the right is a mermaid puffy sticker and a sticker in the corner that says: It's all ok. Second row: Some polka dotted ribbon on the sides and some daisy trim in the middle, a foil butterfly and some more acetate designs, right a punch out. Last row: another acetate design, I added some Sharpie marker to help it pop, a flower with more Sharpie marker, and the right is a bunny sticker and I think the words in the corner say whimsical. I also added some polka dot washi tape to the side.
The back:
 One of the videos I saw, that Christina Betts posted, she had gotten a letter from someone who had a whole design on the back and the goodies inbetween the cards, I really liked that idea. You can't really tell, but it's a bunch of flowers. I really wanted to get this done before Easter, but I felt crappy that week, so I went with a more springy look.
Here's the goodies:
Top row, a vintage card of buttons, some washi tape and my letter. Second row: some mini buttons, some chocolate, and (it's not in this picture, but) some charms (they would not stay in the pocket, so I had to add them later and tape the pocket shut). Last row: circle and square paper clips, an envelope of die cuts, and a bag of metal embellishments.
I hope she liked it.

I really had fun making this and I hope to make more in the future. Anyone know where I could go to find pocket letter swaps?

I really like sharing my supplies with people. I have way too many and it's fun to send them off (plus you get different stuff back). I also like the idea of decorating the side where the hole punches are with washi tape. I'm horrible about using my washi tape (I actually bought a roll just cause it was cute, I have no idea how to use it), so something simple like that makes me really happy. I also love sending some off to someone else.
I do like that Sherry sent me chocolate, I've seen in quite a few swaps that people send tea, but I don't like tea, I would never say no to chocolate.
I'd love to have a notebook of these, like I do of my ATCs (I actually have 3 or 4 notebooks of those), I love collecting other people's artwork, and think that swaps are a great way to do it.

I was just watching Amanda K on youtube and realized I didn't wrap up my pocket letter really nice. I was all flustered to get it done and out because I had already gotten Sherry's that I didn't do that. That was one of the other things I really liked, how cute people wrapped them up. I guess I was lucky I got the address right. I have a lot of envelopes that I reuse when sending things out to people, so I always have to cover up my address with something else. I usually just use an index card, but I couldn't find any of those, so I was using a piece of scratch paper, and apparently I'm really bad at getting everything on the correct lines and having fit on the paper and having it readable. I was copying from her return address label and then looked at her email and saw she had a PO box, so after having it all taped up and ready to mail, I had to do the address again.

1 comment:

Createology said...

Hi Wendy! I m so sorry that I am late to read this. I took a little jobette and it has consumed my last ten weeks. I LOVE my Pocket Letter you created and gifted me. It is always such fun to see what is in each of those 9 pockets. You were very creative and generous with your gifties and I am very grateful. Swapping with you was such fun and I hope we can in the future again. Embracing Creative Bliss...