JAN: A HandCrafted Fairy Tale #1: Hansel & Gretel

illustration above by Charles Robinson, c. 1911

Swap description: A HandCrafted Fairy Tale

This is the first of what will be an ongoing (bi-monthly) series of swaps, focusing on a different fairy tale each time. For January, your challenge is to re-create the story (or a scene from) Hansel & Gretel, in handcrafted form.

What is your medium? Whether you are a writer, embroiderer, stuffie-maker, ATC artist, zinester or have a different method of working entirely, this swap welcomes interpretations in any creative form! You can work with the original story or create your own revisionist version. You can illustrate a scene or scenes. You can think laterally and get inside the mind of one of the characters. You can provide a prop or accessory that is integral to the storyline. The main criteria is to express the story creatively!

As we will be working with different media, it is difficult to set guidelines of size/quantity, but as a rough guide, minimum requirements would be one of the following:

• a story at least 500 words
• 3 ATCs
• 2 handmade postcards
• a 4” x 6” notebook - either handmade, or storebought with altered cover
• a hand-drawn (or other media) illustration approx. 5” x 7” (or 2 smaller)
• a series of 20 artistamps (at least 4 different designs) in loose, sheet or booklet form
• a handmade stationery set (2 each matching letter paper or notecard, envelopes, seals or mailing labels)
• an 8-page mini-zine
• a decorated 250ct matchbox, filled with themed items
• a small stuffie (min. 4”)
• an embroidered bookmark

However, you are not limited to sending an item of the type listed above. If working with a different type of craft or item, please use common sense to convert the approx. sizes/quantities above to your own media. If unsure, post to the swap comments or send me a PM & we can jointly decide what would be reasonable. You may, of course, send more or larger items than suggested. The list is for minimum size only. :)

I have started a discussion thread in the group forum - please feel free to stop by & share your ideas, or perhaps be inspired by the other posts there. :)

Swap requirements

• 1 partner = 1 handcrafted fairy tale sent & 1 handcrafted fairy tale received
• Please put time and thought into your creation. See guidelines above for approx. size/quantity guidelines for different media
• Remember you will probably receive an item that involves entirely different creative processes from your own, which may not be possible to compare directly.
• Please send on time!

The obvious bit
As well as meeting requirements as outlined on group homepage participants must have no late swaps on their dashboard, no 3 ratings in the last 3 months, and no 1 ratings in the last 12 months. I will check before assigning partners, so please contact me if you are concerned. I will take extenuating circumstances into account, but the happy swapping of the majority is the most important factor.