Naked Mail

are you doing a international swap version?

I was not intending to. You can go ahead and start one if you'd like.

Have you tired to look up TTPO which stands for "Torture The Post Office", Instead op Naked mail. It might be a bit 'safer'.

@fawnscrafts - I see no such thing online as TTPO or Torture the Post Office. Do you have a link?

I can see the expression on the lady at the post offices face now no box no envelope are u sure lol

My post office will NOT let me send anything unless it is in a package of sorts. I have to drive an hour one way to be able to send Naked Mail but it is so much fun!

I have received lots of super neat things ~ A reusable bag ~ journal ~ cookbook ~ notepad ~ mixed cd ~ calendar and more! Its fun to see what people come up with :)

I sent a toy robot for my last naked mail swap- just wrote my letter on the cardboard backing! For another one I sent a giant, filled, Lisa Frank Lipstick! I have received ice trays, a pattern,...I LOVE THESE SWAPS!

Two guys who experimented with mail art

Some of their mail

@TC Thank you so much, those examples and their site was a great read...awesome!

I've done one of these about four years ago so I'm in!

Aack--delete that, too--typo prevented the image from showing:

The address and stamps were an the label tag on its ear!

@twobluecrows I love it!

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=TTPO

I was thinking of sending a CD container containing well I don't want to say as it would ruin the surpise. What do you guys think of that? I've done this before here on swap-bot for a Naked Mail swap back in 2007. It got a favorable reaction from the Post Office person. Donnaj

Hey joiners and watchers, can I get your opinions on @stlouisphile 's question?

Aww, thanks so much for the shout out! I usually have to restrain myself from buying up sturdy items from the thrift store that I could send as naked mail. It's so much fun.

Tip to those who've had trouble mailing things at their post office: just make sure it's under 13 ounces, put postage on it, and drop it in the blue boxes outside. I've sent a plastic ice hockey trophy before, which I think is the most bizarre item to go in my corner mailbox. The recipient said her mailman rang the doorbell with it to find out the story. :)

My opinion on @stlouisphile 's question is that a CD tin might not be a box, but it is a little boring. I don't think it would surprise anyone to find it in their mailbox, nor the letter carrier who put it in. Now, if the container were decorated in a fun way and the surprise inside was fabulous enough to make up for not getting something totally odd-shaped, it might be alright, but the spirit is the unexpected, so it ought to meet that requirement somehow. :) Anyone else want to add their two cents?

It's not a tin craftgasm it's a see through container and it would be totally a nicely decorated on the inside and outside of said item. I didn't want to go into detail as to what the item would be but it would definitely be a "naked mail" item. Oddly shaped mail is not the sole description of naked mail.

Thanks for doing this. The last naked mail swap that I was in was so much fun - I received a five inch wood block stamp for the letter "Y". It is proudly displayed on my what-not shelf. It is awesome. I'm definitely in.

I have sent plastic dino's, a kids sized trafic cone, sandbox toys and a baseball bat. I think that it would be a riot to send a bowling ball but I have not wanted to spend that much on postage. I go to my local thrift store and look for things to mail. It is so fun!

This is a very fun thing to do. I use 3 or 4 different local Post Office's here and I will tell you, it depends on the postal worker how things will go for you. I have had one office say my handmade PC's were parcels and charge me 1.56 to send, so I went to another office and sent for .44....some will say items are unmailable and there is a slight chance of things not getting delivered. I said all that to say this: Please communicate with your partners and do not rate down quickly assuming no send. This should be awesome!!

I got my thing today at a thrift store. haaaaa

Hehe... so I really want to sign up for this swap but Im also worried that my post office/s around here might be picky... I googled "naked mail" to see if I could find any regulations, etc... and guess what I came across?! Wisconsin mailman delivers mail NAKED! Umm yes, a NAKED mailMAN!!!! (Im from Wisconsin) Oh- my!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/14/naked-mailman-wisconsin-pn796555.html

I got my item from the consignment shop today:)

I think the CD holder is still a package item. I wouldn't want to receive for naked mail. Sorry if that offends anyone :)

I don't think naked mail HAS to be oddly-shaped, though it's fun when it is. More importantly for this swap, though, it needs to fit the criteria @kimbeewa specified of "not us[ing] a box or other mail container." As I said earlier when you asked for opinions on the subject, if you think your case fits the criteria of being unexpected enough to warrant sending on its own, then it might be alright.

Post office guy didn't know what to chrge for sending a flat piece to my swapper so charged me for a package. They will p;robably stop accepting this type I bet.

Its been over ten days and I sent a painting on wood to my swapper addressing and stamping it on the back. Have not heard from her as to whether or not she received it. Hope everyone rates when they receive stuff as it makes it easier to resend if they didn't get it.

@ladydy5 ...did you ask your receiver if she received it yet and maybe forgot to rate?

I see from your ratings she did get it!!! Yay :)