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Going Postal - a scavenger hunt!

Launch gallery slideshow

Group:Zines, mail art & other cool stuff
Swap Coordinator:TangleCrafts (contact)
Swap categories: Challenges  Miscellaneous  Mail Art 
Number of people in swap:11
Location:International
Type:Type 3: Package or craft
Last day to signup/drop:January 4, 2010
Date items must be sent by:February 1, 2010
Number of swap partners:1
Description:

Going Postal – a scavenger hunt
Swap description
Send your partner at least 5 items from the list below. Unless otherwise specified, these should be items not available to buy new (e.g. from thrift stores, charity shops, second hand shops, antique markets, flea markets, car boot sales etc):

  • Something free-but-functional from your local post office (e.g. luggage tag, airmail labels, customs labels).

  • An item of 'postal paraphernalia' – it can be anything except postcards or postage stamps (too easy!).

  • A book that bears any reference to anything postal-related in the title, e.g. post, mail, envelope, stamp etc. The subject does not actually have to be postal-related.

  • A stamp from your country that is postmarked within the sign-up & send-by dates of this swap. Send yourself a letter, if you have to! You don't need to send the whole envelope to your partner, just the part with postmark & stamp.

  • 5 pieces of paper that could be re-purposed as handmade envelopes by your partner (eg maps, magazine pages, sheet music, pages from a large book, calendar). Please make sure an envelope that meets minimum mailing requirements could be folded from the papers you send (in the USA, the minimum mailable size for an envelope is 3.5" x 5").

  • 5 re-purposed envelope seals – e.g. anything that is a self-adhesive (or lick'n'stick-able) label that could be used as an envelope seal. Do not just buy a pack of decorative stickers or deco tape! Each seal should be between (approx.) 0.5” & 1.5".

  • An additional item that is in some way postal related (vintage, 2nd hand, or new). This can be postcards or used postage stamps but ONLY if your partner specifically states in their profile that they would be happy to receive them – so please check!

  • An additional postal-related item that is handmade (not necessarily by you).

Swap requirements
Please do not make specific requests in the comments section below (other comments welcome!). All items scavenged are sender's choice. If second-hand/vintage, they must still be in good/useable condition.

The obvious bit
You already had to have a rating of 4.9+ with no recent no-sends, 1s or 3s to join this group anyway, so the same stands for this swap. But I will still double-check before assigning partners, so if you have what you feel is an unfair comment or rating, just PM me & we can try to work it out. :-)

Discussion

smokeyquartz1980 11/13/2009 #

Did you know that there is a book titled "Going Postal"? It's by Terry Pratchett and it's hilarious!

TangleCrafts 11/13/2009 #

Oh yes - possibly my favourite Terry Pratchett. Although I've always had a soft spot for Wyrd Sisters...

Silencio 11/22/2009 #

Just to be sure, when it says

'Each seal should not be between (approx.) 0.5” & 1.5".'

So they have to be bigger than 1.5?

TangleCrafts 11/22/2009 #

Well done - Silencio wins the prize for noticing my 'deliberate mistake'. I actually meant to say the seals should be between 0.5" & 1.5" (ie large enough to successfully seal an envelope, but not so large that they cover the envelope). But it's only approx. - if you have something seal-like that's slightly different in size (just not huge or tiny) that'll be okay.

hollycm6 11/29/2009 #

Question... I am having some "down brain time" apparently. Like down time, but only brain function related. I can't think of "postal paraphernalia"... I don't want to spoil someone's surprise... but maybe if I could get some ideas?? I plan to join but not until closer (too many swaps between now and then. :)

robotlove 11/30/2009 #

I was also wondering about that @hollycm6

TangleCrafts 12/ 1/2009 #

Maybe something like a rubber stamp (e.g. 'Fragile or 'postage due'), or a catalogue from a postage stamp exhibition, or a really old random letter in an envelope picked up at a flea market (etc) - just something a bit different. The ideas just mentioned were plucked from the air & are not definitive - just think creatively & see what you can find, when you go rummaging!

robotlove 12/ 1/2009 #

Ohhh. Okay. Thanks for the clarification @TangleCrafts ! I think I have the perfect item for that ;D

TangleCrafts 12/ 2/2009 #

Excellent! :-)

orode 12/29/2009 #

do 5 pieces of paper count as "an item". You've got 8 choices up there. do we choose 5 of them and add an additional item?

TangleCrafts 12/30/2009 #

The requirement is to send a total of 5 items to your partner. You do not need to send something for every option listed. There are 8 options listed so that you can choose what you would like to send.

Each bullet-pointed item in the description counts as a single item (so yes, in this instance 5 pieces of paper, as per the 5th bullet-point, count as 1 item).

Where the bullet-points state 'an additional item' this still counts as one of the 5 items you send in total - I just didn't want to stifle anyone's creativity by stating more specifics ;-). (With hindsight, the word 'additional' is redundant to the sentences, though: simply saying 'an item' would probably have been clearer - sorry!)

All swappers are welcome to send their partners more than the required 5 items if they would like; but only 5 items are necessary to meet the swap requirements.

TangleCrafts 12/30/2009 #

P.S. smokeyquartz, did you know they're currently filming 'Going Postal'? I can't wait!

robotlove 01/ 1/2010 #

For the 5 sheets of paper (to be repurposed as envelopes), I have some pages from a book that are 7.48 x 9.77. One side isn't quite 8'' but I've been able to make envelopes from these pages if I fold them a different way...

Would these be okay to send or do they have to be 8x8 squares?

TangleCrafts 01/ 2/2010 #

That's near enough ;-). Maybe include a not with which method of envelope-folding you would suggest for the size?

I've amended the wording of the description slightly, as the 8" requirement was possibly a little arbitrary: I just want to be sure that papers sent are able to be folded into an envelope size suitable for mailing. I think that in the US the minimum requirement is 3.5" x 5"? In the UK it is a little smaller: A7 = 7.5 x 10.5cm approx.

FarStarr 01/ 8/2010 #

Is it okay if I actually send the made envelopes vs. pieces of paper?

TangleCrafts 01/ 9/2010 #

That would come under the final category option: "An additional postal-related item that is handmade." So yes. :-)

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