Pocket Letters Project

I recently learned about Pocket Letters, a current trend popular among papercrafters. The idea is to start with a clear 9-pocket page, the kind that sports enthusiasts use to store their trading cards, then fill those pockets with artist trading cards (ATCs) or decorated placeholders, embellishments and small gifts, a short personal letter, and some questions you may have about the recipient. I expressed an interest in trying this, and one of my StampNation sistahs (hi, Robi!) stepped up to swap with me. I'm also now working on a Pocket Letter page for a personal friend (hi, Tammie!) -- but more on that in another post.

ATCs are what intrigued me most about this project, so I ended up making nine of them for Robi's page. We decided to use a Spring/Butterfly theme, so every one of my ATCs have a butterfly on them. (I do love butterflies!) Here's how my completed page looks:

Here's a closer look at the ATCs:

(Click pictures to enlarge.) 

I chose to work with the colors Sweet Sugarplum (a current In Color from Stampin' Up!), Blushing Bride, and metallics (gold and silver), plus spots of other colors to add interest.

I used traditional ATC backs on the cards, although if I preferred I could have just left them decorated placeholders.

I then filled the pockets with a variety of crafting goodies, plus a letter to Robi.

My little gifts were a handful of paper paperclips cut with a die set from Stampin' Up!, wooden butterfly embellishments, sequins, a length of rickrack, some gold bow paperclips, some bronze circle paperclips, and some wood veneer speech bubbles. I stuck a business card as my personal info into the final pocket.

The Pocket Letter was a fun project to do once, and it gave me a chance to look through my stash of embellishments. I learned, though, that I really like making ATCs and really dislike writing letters. The page I'm filling for my friend Tammie will have the letter omitted since we talk to each other almost daily, and most of the ATCs will be different from the ones I sent to Robi.

Have any of you experimented with exchanging Pocket Letters? I'd love to hear about your experience!

Smiles,

Joyce Spear a.k.a. StamperJoyce