Welcome to our fun and collaborative Round Robin Swap! This creative journey requires commitment, time, creativity, and imagination from all participants. Please read these guidelines carefully to ensure a smooth, enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
What is a Round Robin Swap?
A Round Robin is a group-based art swap in which participants contribute to a traveling snail mail project. In this Round Robin we are sending a loose-leaf journal. Each participant adds creative pages to journals and passes them along to the next person. Eventually, every journal returns to its original creator, filled with unique contributions from each participant.
Important commitments
- Group size: This swap includes 6 participants.
- Postage consideration: Journals are loose-leaf, and postage costs* will gradually increase each round as journals grow heavier. If postage may be an issue, please reconsider joining, as one delayed shipment can affect the entire group.
- Timely shipping: Send journal pages before the ship date in your Round Robin swap tracker. Avoid holding multiple rounds of pages together. If combining shipments is necessary, use tracked shipping to ensure delivery.
- Documenting work: Photograph or scan all contributions (both sent and received) to ensure a digital backup against loss or delays.
Swap process
1. First Round – Creating your journal cover
Journal creator responsibilities:
- Create an A5-sized cover page and an art page (do not send blank pages).
- Use sturdy paper (avoid cardboard).
- Design a mood board on the front featuring your name/nickname and your Round Robin Swap ID (clearly visible).
- On the back, write a brief personal introduction or your journal’s theme.
- Clearly mark the binding side to help others leave space for holes or binding.
- Decorate your second page to set the creative tone for your journal.
- Send your pages to your assigned Round Robin partner.
2. Adding pages
Participant responsibilities:
- The first recipient begins by adding two A5 pages (four decorated sides).
- Each participant thereafter adds two pages (four decorated sides) to each journal they receive.
- Use flexible paper (no cardstock) to keep postage manageable. Decorations will naturally add sturdiness.
- Clearly include your name and swap ID on every page for easy identification and credit.
- If necessary, clarify the round your pages correspond to, distinct from the original creator’s ID.
- Once completed, send the journal pages to your assigned Round Robin partner by the specified ship date.
3. Final round & Journal return
- Once you have completed your final contribution, send the journal pages back to the original creator (no need to send any goodies).
- The journal will contain 12 decorated pages upon completion (1 cover + 11 decorated pages).
- When your journal returns home, finalize your participation by confirming completion on SnailMailFriends.com.
Mobile users: The swap registration section is located at the bottom of the page, scroll down to access it!
Communication & Managing delays
- Duration: This Round Robin will span several months.
- Private forum: A dedicated private forum will be provided for updates, communication about delays, and general discussion.
- Planning ahead: Notify the group promptly (forum) if vacations or unexpected events will cause delays.
Start date & Participant requirements
- The swap begins once all 6 participant slots are filled.
- If fewer than 6 participants join, the swap will be canceled.
- If the final participant joins by the deadline, the swap officially begins on April 15th.
By joining, you commit to following these guidelines, ensuring an enjoyable and successful Round Robin experience for everyone.
Let’s collaborate to create something beautiful together!
Footnote: This is a loose-leaf journal swap, meaning no actual bound journal will be sent. Instead, only individual pages are exchanged. The owner of the loose-leaf journal starts the swap, and each participant sequentially adds two pages before passing it along to the next person.
Estimated total weight per round (No Guarantee)
This estimation is provided for reference purposes only and does not constitute a guarantee of the final weight. Actual weight may vary depending on factors such as the extent of decoration, the materials used, and the type of envelope selected for mailing. Participants are advised to weigh their packages before shipping to ensure accurate postage.
For more information and to access the official Round Robin, visit https://www.snailmailfriends.com/view-event-details?id=394.
Founder of Snail Mail Friends, spreading happiness through Snail Mail. Making the world a happier place, one snail mail at a time ^_^
