Make Me a Mail Art Kit!

I have just (finally!) received my copy of 'Good Mail Day' by Jennie Hinchcliff & Carolee Gilligan Wheeler (pic above borrowed from book). I've not even finished reading it yet, but Chapter 3 has inspired me to create this swap!

Chapter 3 is called 'The Traveling Mail Art Kit', and as the title suggests it is simply about creating a portable pack of mail art essentials, so that you are prepared, whenever and wherever inspiration strikes. I know what I would put in my own mail art kit, but as mail art is such a personal thing & everyone expresses it differently, I thought it would be interesting to see what our partners consider the essentials of mail art.

So you will send each of your partners the following:

1. A container for your kit: this could be a rigid envelope, large matchbox, or zippered pouch – maybe even a re-purposed pencil case or make-up bag. The important requirements are that it is portable, so it should be no bigger than A5 (half letter-size), and be substantial enough not to fall apart after being carried about for a few days!

2. 5 small items that you consider essential to successful mail art (see list below for ideas from the book, but feel free to use your own ideas instead of or as well). Please make at least 1 of the 5 items a higher effort item - e.g. a set of personalised address labels, a hand-carved stamp, a couple of handmade postcards etc. & please make sure that all of the items fit (simultaneously!) inside the container you have chosen.

3. A small leaflet/booklet/mini-zine explaining the essential nature of the kit you have put together (e.g. how to use the enclosed items, & why they are essential).

Here are the 'suggested items for a well-stocked mail art kit', as listed in the aforementioned book:

• A black, blue or red permanent (/smudgeproof) pen for addressing envelopes
• A coloured pen for decoration
• Double-sided tape
• Short snub-nosed scissors for children [not so sure about this myself – I had a pair of nail scissors confiscated at an airport once]
• A small glue stick
• A mini-stapler
• Blank labels, plain or fancy
• A booklet of stamps [not especially useful to overseas partners, so maybe some used stamps to re-craft, or some faux stamps for decoration, instead?]
• A few blank postcards
• A small address book
• A crayon for making rubbings [umm, okay]
• Some mail art awaiting reply
• A hand-carved personal seal/stamp
• An office date stamp
• Small ink pad

I have to say my own essential kit would definitely include some different items than are featured here, so please don't be afraid to make any substitutions! (Other ideas include but aren't limited to: personalised address labels, airmail labels, envelope seals, envelope glue, postage stamp edge scissors or punch, etc etc)

2 partners = 2 kits sent & 2 kits received

The mailing date is end of November so that hopefully packages will arrive before Christmas! :-)

This is a group swap for members of Zines, mail art & other cool stuff. I've checked people's ratings as they've joined the group, but I will check through again before partners are assigned, to do my best to avoid disappointment in this swap. Please only sign up if you have both the time & inclination to complete this swap!