Guidelines for the Round Robin art journal swap

Creating your art journal:

Buy or create an A5 notebook/blanco booklet, keeping in mind that this is an international swap. Your art journal must be sturdy, but try to keep it light at the beginning as it will get heavier along the way. Your art journal must be able to open completely. On the first page of your own notebook, write:

- Your name / socials
- The Snail Mail Friends swap ID
- A brief piece about yourself 

Dedicate the remaining five pages to your boundless creativity, allowing your unique ideas to flow and fill the canvas of your journal. Embrace this opportunity to express your personality, passions, and artistic flair, shaping the vibrant foundation for the artistic journey that follows.

Sending guidelines:

Although not required (our Round Robin is a document type swap), but highly recommended is to send the journals with tracking. I definitely advise this for the first round because we are sending it in a very busy time for the postal services. Please ensure to clearly write your Snail Mail Friends swap ID on the envelope.

Receiving and contributing to the art journals:

When you receive an art journal, treat it with care and respect. Remember, it's a piece of someone's creativity and effort. Take your time to explore the pages, read the stories, and understand the emotions behind the art. Then, let your creativity flow! Every entry you make should be a heartfelt contribution, reflecting your personality and style.

Time and inspiration:

The others in the group are relying on you, so make sure the notebook reaches the next participant on time. Do not join the swap if you are not able to complete it, and also consider the mailing costs involved. Every 4 weeks, due to the international nature of this swap, you fill 3 pages (so 6 sides) in another person's notebook according to your own creativity: with text, photos, drawings, clippings, a recipe, whatever you like.

After several months, your own notebook will return to you, now filled with contributions from other group members, specially made for each other.

- So, sign up if you want to join a global traveling art journal and have fun creating for yourself and others.
- Sign up only if you have enough time to finish all the traveling journals.

Understand that this round robin will take several months.

- So do not sign up if you don't have enough time to complete all the rounds. We understand that life can sometimes get in the way; if something goes wrong, please keep communication open with your partners or post updates in the private forum.
- Do not sign up for the swap if mailing costs might be a problem. Keep in mind that this will be a heavier swap to send in the end.

General guidelines:

Keep in mind that the round robin feature is in the beta phase; please let me know if there are improvements to be made or if you encounter problems (only site-related issues, not postal issues). Furthermore, we expect you to be careful with the work and notebooks of others (so be cautious with coffee, glasses of juice, children, dogs, etc.).

And finally (an important point!): give the owner of the notebook the surprise of the contributions. Therefore, do not share your Round Robin contributions (or those of others) gradually via Facebook, Instagram, or other social media during the project.  If you do want to share, make it only a sneak peek; this preserves the element of surprise and adds to the enjoyment of the experience. Of course, you can share photos of your own notebook (once it's back home) with the world.

What the traveling art journal brings:

Inspiration: As you can read/look in another person's notebook, you'll find inspiration in unexpected places, sparking your creativity in new and exciting ways.

Connection with other people: Through your art and words, you'll connect with individuals from different parts of the world. It's a unique opportunity to share perspectives and form meaningful connections.

Fun and creativity: This swap is not just about the final product; it's about the journey. Embrace the joy of creating something special for others and the delight of receiving personalized art made just for you.
 
Remember, the success of this swap de