I’m pretty comfortable around my brush and palette, so when an opportunity to try something new recently came up, I dove right in. I had to say yes to trying a Pocket Letter swap. It’s something I have never tried before so I figured it would be a great exercise. I am familiar with ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) and have been swapping with other artists for years, but what is a Pocket Letter?
A Pocket Letter is an interesting way to communicate with a pen pal or friend. You fill up a 9 pocket trading card sleeve with ATCs of a theme, then inside the pockets you tuck in little goodies. These goodies might be washi tape samples, homemade papers, ribbon, stickers, buttons, embellishments, tea bags, sequins, etc. One of the pockets holds a letter from you to the recipient. To keep from paying too much in postage make sure you keep the items relatively flat so the sleeve can be folded in thirds and mailed in a business sized envelope.
I found it interesting to design the pocket as a whole larger piece that was still able to break down into individual ATCs. I was able to use a favorite vintage photo in my piece and it fit the composition well. It was a fun exercise and I may try it again sometime.
Here are just a few links with various info on the Pocket letter movement and how it’s done.
What Are Pocket Letters Janette Lane
Jane Lane Shows Pocket Letter Sample
Another video of sample Pocket Letter
katieturnerartblog 