Graveyard Deco

Why are we making one for ourselves? I don't mind, just curious. So we won't be passing it along to several different partners to decorate a page each? It would be neat to send to one partner for them to decorate, then to another, and another, etc then back to you. But I guess this would require quite a few swappers and dedicated at that because there would be a lot of sending involved.

I went to your facebook to look so let me understand this. It is just like a small altered book where we put an original piece of art, then pass it on , then they put in some art...etc and then when the book id filled it will come back to me? I make two books? This sounds really interesting...

Okay so maybe I get it , maybe... What is the size a typical book?

Typically, when making decos for a swap, you make one for your partner and one for yourself. This way, when your partner gets them, they have the option of decorating one that is NOT their own (think: not wasting a page someone else could decorate) which is the one for YOU, in addition to one made for them that they can pass along to either their circle of artist friends, or 'set free' into the big, wide deco world.

Let's see if I can make a flow chart...

LMM makes 2 books and sends them to Pattie.

The one made FOR Pattie is cute and she mails it to AD with her blessings.

The one made FOR LMM is even cuter and Pattie decorates it in her own style before sending it to a deco friend she knows would enjoy the theme.

Eventually the books are filled and one comes home to Pattie, while the other goes home to LMM.

One caveat that is not a rule, per se, butcan be disappointing: make them different. I got 2 decos in the mail yesterday that were, in the main, identical. One for me, one for my partner... mirror images. Talk about no creativity! (I can say there here. I would never say that where she could hear me. ;-)

Next up, size.

8 out of 10 of my decos are an 8.5X11 piece of paper cut in half across the middle and then folded like a card. (I often wonder if my partners think I'm a one trick pony.) I then take a sightly smaller piece of paper, in a coordinating color, and staple it in side for the 'pages'. I decorate the front cover, put return instructions on the back cover, and that leaves 6 'pages' inside to decorate.

Of the other possible 2 decos, I like to play. I just made a Hindu deity one where the 'cover' opened like temple doors. I put guardian deities inside the doors as well. I've made decos like a Mayan codex; the one pictured on this swap flips open like a policeman's note pad.

Other deoc artists can be very vocal in their likes and dislikes. Many people frown upon large decos. I have in fact seen at least one deco that was a full piece of paper. I passed it along. ;-) I've also worked in very small decos, they can be quite charming, and a challenge.

I have learned, over the years, to build my page over here (just like making an ATC without the size restrictions) and when it's done, mount it on the deco page, rather than work directly in the book. 'cause when ya screw up, there's no going back! lol