Tuesday, December 13, 2022

4-Inch Mini-Book LOOSE Pages - Postmark by Wednesday, January 4th, 2023 - UPDATED

Hello Wonderful Mail Art Swappers,

 I don't think we have ever had a 'Mini-Book Pages" swap in this group.  A while ago, I really enjoyed a one-on-one exchange with a wonderful pen pal in Belarus.  

Fanned-out 4" booklet by hhc

We both made up eight four-inch square LOOSE pages with collage or other media/designs on the front side, and then put our name/address and a message, quote or good wishes on the back side of each page.  She mailed me four of her pages, I sent her four of mine.  

Booklet pages by hhc

Then when we had put our 4 pages together with our swap partner's 4 pages to make 8 pages, we  punched a hole in the upper left-hand corner of each page, and connected the pages together with yarn, string or a cord through the punched holes.  (I suppose a hinged C-ring would also work to keep the pages together.)

Fanned-out pages by hhc

Any questions?  Please email me.

I used the super easy"Masterboard"technique.  On a sheet of poster board, I made a background with light acrylic paint and collaged over the whole large piece.  I cut it up into individual pages.  Next, I added finishing touches to make each page different from the others.

Fanned out booklet by hhc

I recommend using light-weight poster board, NOT copy paper.  I don't think (index card-weight) card stock would be sturdy enough, not sure...  If you are using collage, that adds weight to each page so you want it to be supported.  You don't want your finished pages to curl or fold.

I suggest you keep your collage relatively flat, not too thick or heavy, although if we have to, we can mail the finished booklets as "packages" in puffy/padded mailers since plain paper envelopes wouldn't be protective enough.  Postage costs will be higher for thick/lumpy mailings...

SUMMARY:  Each swap participant- design eight (8) LOOSE pages that are 4" square:  4 to send in to swap, 4 to keep to round out your own finished booklet of eight (8) pages when the exchange is completed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOW, if you wanted to have enough pages for TWO mini-books, you could make up 16 pages, sending in 8 to be swapped with participants' art, and keeping 8 of your own, to eventually make up two books for yourself.  (Or one thick booklet) This should work IF we have eight or more participants in this fun exchange.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WHEN YOU SEND THESE IN TO ME, I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU ARRANGE YOUR LOOSE BOOK PAGES SIDE BY SIDE, WRAP IN WAXED PAPER, TAPE WRAP LENGTHWISE WITH WASHI, MASKING OR SCOTCH TAPE, AND MAIL TO ME IN A LONG ENVELOPE.  OKAY TO DOUBLE UP THINNER PAGES. 

 KEEPING MAILINGS RATHER FLAT KEEPS THEM FROM GETTING RIPPED OPEN BY THE SORTING MACHINES, WE CAN HOPE.  YOU MIGHT REINFORCE EDGES AND CORNERS OF YOUR MAILER ENVELOPES WITH SCOTCH TAPE...

Postmark your mailing of 4" pages by 

Wednesday, January 4th, 2023

Include two loose 1st-class postage stamps, and a self-address label for the art coming back to you. I will gladly provide the envelopes when I mail your exchanged Mini-Book pages to you.


Mail your art to:

Honi C.  PO Box 142  Freedom, NY  14065

Questions?  

Email me at   s.h.greenstamps@juno.com 


COMMENT:

M.R. writes:  I would think that papering both sides of regular 65 pound cardstock would be fine if these will not involve weighty embellishments 


My P.S.  Once you receive the swapped 4 pages to keep, you may do whatever you want with them.


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fun!

Anonymous said...

I will be mailing next week, after the Holiday mail rush. KarenM

Jan Hodgman said...

Would a concertina bookie be acceptable for this swap, in the same 4 inch square format?

Anonymous said...

Jan, you may make whatever you want to do with the resulting 8 pages (4 by you, 4 from other swappers when the exchange is completed).

Post a Comment