Naked Poetry Book!

Naked meaning "no envelope". Sorry, ladies. :) This sounds MUCH more complicated than it is...

This swap idea comes from @tanglecrafts in another group's swap. (slightly altered!)

You will make a small booklet for your partner which includes at least four of your favorite poems. They can be written by you, or by someone else (include the poets' names), and you may illustrate or decorate any way you like (or don't).

This needs to be sturdy enough, and neat enough, that it will make it through the mail, no envie, and that your partner can keep it. One idea is to make your own journal out of a cereal box, no smaller than 9x14 cm, like they do here. This one works well and only takes a few minutes to half an hour to make.

Another idea is to use a mini moleskine type journal you have purchased (Target even has some pretty ones that are sturdy, in packs of three for $3 or $4), and neatly write your poems in, or print them on the computer and paste them in.

A third idea is something like my journaletters (see my etsy shop).

Include a little note on the first or last page, or inside a cover, telling who you are and what swap it is, and anything else you'd like to include!

When you are ready for the poetry, you can either print up your poems on pages divided into columns, cut them the right size for your book, and sew the pages in your homemade book, OR cut them out and and attach them to the blank pages of your book. No one is expecting perfection. :) Or, of course, you can neatly write the poems in yourself. Feel free to leave pages empty for any poems your partner would like to add, or fill it right up!

THEN (ha! You thought we were done?) decorate the outside somehow (if the cover was blank), and title it if you want to, and include your partner's address and your return address on one side, just like you were addressing a letter. Seal it shut so that it can be opened again easily by your partner. (Masking tape does this nicely)

Take it to the post office to be weighed and stamped (using real stamps IF possible)... and send it off! You should probably take a picture of it as well, just in case it doesn't find its destination. :( So far mine have all arrived safe and sound! Even internationally, they were not expensive to send.

If we like this idea we can do future swaps which are similar... naked mini journals of our favorite books or authors, quotes, etc...

Swap requirements:

• Notebooks may be handmade or storebought.
• Minimum notebook size 9 x 14cm, no maximum.
• Notebooks should contain a minimum of 16 pages. These can be blank, ruled, or squared (etc) at sender's discretion.
• Notebooks should be decorated, sealed & addressed – no envelopes allowed!
• Write a brief note to your partner either on the first or last page of the notebook, or on the inside cover, and include at least four poems.
• Scan or photograph both sides of your notebook after addressing & before mailing. Hopefully this will not be necessary, but in case any notebooks go missing in transit there will still be some evidence of your work.
• If you can get proof of posting this is a good idea, unless you don't mind resending if it is lost.
• If your Naked Poetry Book fails to arrive within 1 month of date of sending, please ask your partner to provide the the photos of the notebook they sent, and the proof of posting. If they provide this evidence, you must rate a 5 whether you have received the notebook or not (it is not fair to rate your partner down for a delivery problem which they cannot control). If they cannot provide the photos, a 1 is justified.

You must be in good standing in the group and in swap-bot, and no outstanding swaps or tags in our group (I mean, none LATE, not none you are in process of). I will recheck profiles before assigning partners.

This is not profile specific... start now!!