Sunday, March 27, 2011

Make a Friendship Book or FB

Make a Friendship Book aka FB


FB - in Penpal lingo is 'Friendship Booklet' not 'Facebook'. :)

Penpals are a great way to learn about other people and other countries. A fun way to find penpals is through Friendship Books. Friendship books can be something simple like stapling some pages together to something more creative like Decos which are decorated friendship books. The purpose of friendship books is to find penpals and to share a little about you and your interests. ADD ME TO Your FAVORITES

What is a Friendship Book?

A small book that is created by one person as a gift for a friend. They have colorful covers usually cardstock and are filled with blank sheets of paper.

The books are mailed between penpals with each person adding their name, address, interests collections, etc. When the book is full, it is mailed to the person whom it was made for and that person now has a full booklet of penpals who would like to write back.


How to Make a Friendship Book - FB 

A Pictorial Tutorial

Step by Step instructions to make a very simple Friendship book using just 1-Sheet 8.5 x 11.5 of paper.
curated content from Flickr

Step 1: Make a Cover 

Cardstock and Pretty Paper

Make a sturdy cover using Cardstock or Pretty paper. You will then be adding Decoration Tape, Contact paper, or Clear Packaging tape to this in the last step.

Use what you have in your craft stash to decorate the cover.
- Stickers
- Magazine cut-outs
- Die cuts
- Printable pictures
- Drawings
- Ribbon
- scrapbook embellishments
- IMAGINATION is key

Booklet FB 

Step 2: Add Your Friends Label 

As well as your label



You will be adding your friends label [the person who this is being made for] as well as Your label [the person who made the booklet] on the Left side of the inside booklet.



Information to include:

- Name

- Mailing address or email to contact you

- Birthday, Anniversary, etc.

- NPW, NSW, Whether you are looking for new penpals or swappers [See Abbreviations]

- Your interests [TV, Movies, Characters, Collections, Hobbies etc.]

- What you swap [list types of books/bags/collections you swap]


Tag FB 

Common Penpal

Abbreviations

Step 3: Add the Paper 

Make into a booklet


Cut your paper to fit your booklet and Staple or Glue to the right inside of your booklet. (cardstock cover)

You could also sew a binding or Staple into booklet form on the crease instead of the right side.

You can use:

- Notebook paper

- Construction paper

- Computer or Copy paper

- Scrapbook paper

- Recycled paper

Booklet FB 

Step 4: Decorate the Cover 

Stickers, Die cuts, Embellishments, collage,

You can decorate your booklet with just about anything:

- stickers

- diecuts

- drawings

- magazine cut outs

- recycled book pictures

- scrapbook emellishments

- ribbon

- yarn

- crochet appliques

Pretty Paper FB 

Step 5: Cover with Tape or Contact Paper 

Deco Tape, Packaging Tape or Contact Paper

Deco Tapes are perfect for decorating the outside of friendship books. They come in all sizes and characters. My favorites are the kawaii foods and gnomes made in Japan.

This is the last step in your Fb making Process:
- Use packaging tape [clear]
- Use clear contact paper
- Use Deco tape on the outside of your cover
- Laminate [machine or no heat laminating]

Just make sure your cover is sturdy and can last shipping world-wide for at least a year.

Painting 'circle' FB 

FB Poll: 

What do you Swap?

How to Sign a FB Friendship Booklet 

Someone sent you an FB now What?


1. *Search some empty space in FB, and write your name and address (collections or interests, whether you are searching for new penpals or new swappers).

2. *After signing, read the FB. If you find someone you'd be interested in corresponding with, copy their information into your address book and write them a letter of Introduction. (most pals don't like form letters so write a personal letter)

3. *Send it on to another snail mail pal, who isn't already listed. (be sure the person you send it to hasn't signed the booklet already)

4. *If you receive a FB, which is full after you sign it, send it to its owner. Usually that person's name is in the cover of FB with words ' Made for'. (there are Yahoogroups which keep track of address updates) If you can not mail it home, contact the 'Maker' of the FB.

5. *Pass it on as soon as possible; don't let it lay in your shelf for months. If you can, send it on in a week!!!! (Join a group for regular swaps)

6. *You must not write to someone, who doesn't want new penpals. (for Abbreviation-Definitions Click HERE)


Penpals: Everything you Need to know 

From a fellow Pal

I swap Fbs with Lara all the time. This is an 'Encyclopedia' of information for those new to the penpal world. It gives detailed information on what to swap, why, and How. She gives links to a number of popular Yahoo swapping groups as well as Penpal sites.

Penpals

Amazon Price: $11.38 (as of 03/26/2011) Buy Now

Friends: Making them and Keeping them  

Includes 4 Mini Posters


What do you do with your FB? 

Now that you've made your FB-friendship booklet

Start Swapping those friendship booklets with your real life pals, your email pals, your penpals, and even Swap-Bot is starting to host swaps for FBs.

You can start by joining in on a Yahoo Group or even just answer an ad in a Penpal Zine.

Friendship books are fun to make and fun to swap.
You can join Round Robins or even join a yahoo group and make different Fbs for people with different themes.

Come on, give it a try JOIN A SWAP.

Visit Friendship-by-Mail to learn more about the pen pal hobby.
Lifetime friendships are formed via simple letters... and so much more!

Recycled FB 

Swap-bot Groups 

You must be a member of Swap-bot to Join

Themed FBs - Swap-bot
In this Group we create only high neat & nice Theme Fbs.Every Month/ Week here are different Themes for FBs.
~Friendship Forever~ - Swap-bot
This is a group where we can swap fb's and any other swapping materials.
FB & Penpal swappers - Swap-bot
This is a group I moderate. This group is for Swap-Bot swappers who enjoy penpalling and swapping FBs, Slams, Label-Sticker Bags, Crams, Friendship Sheets(FSS) and StickerBooks aka Sticker slams.
USAswaps - Swap-bot
If you love to swap and live in the USA, then this is the group for you! You can also find us on yahoo groups! We swap friendship books, decos, friendship sheets, slams, bags, stickers, stationery, notepads, kawaii, deco tapes, just about anything you can think of!
QualityFBSwaps - Swap-bot
These books must be in booklet form made out of cardstock, not too big, front covered with patterned scrapbook paper, and decorated with either stickers or printed images via the internet, ribbons, embellishments, confettis, sequins, all put together on the cover in an artistic way and covered with plastic clear shelf liners or clear packing tape to withstand the travel worldwide. No staples showing on the front of the covers. The best way to staple an fb is on the crease of the booklet.

Swap Friendship Books

on Swap-Bot.com

Join a Yahoo Group 

When a hobby becomes an addiction

Nothing better than chatting with others who enjoy making FBs almost as much as you do. Join a themed swap, a FB challenge, Find a friend, discover new creative outlets.

FB swapping Yahoo Group
fbswapring: FB Swap Ring - A fun new way to swap!
Pen-PALS!!&FB SWAPPERS!!!
A community to get new pen-pals and FB swappers. A perfect havan for FB swappers and pen-palling enthusiasts alike!!!! Please feel welcome to come and hang around!
MomSwappersPals
Swappers who also happen to be moms.
friendship/books swappers
Friendship Book swappers. Need I say more.

Free Printables 

Tuck-ins for your pal letters

Make some envelopes or send a printable project to a friend as a tuck-in surprise. Kooohkies even has printable FBs so all you'll need to do is add your contact information and re-enforce the cover with contact paper or Tape.
Envelopes and letter Stationery
Download greeting cards, print out and create your greeting cards! Get Envelopes and Stationery, too!
FRUITS CHEW INC.
Here is a land of happiness, of bright colors- and dotted lines! Fruits Chew Inc. is a home-baked printable stationary company. We make you stationary to keep you happy. All characters are © FruitsChew unless otherwise noted on character pages. Slogans for characters are also © the company. If you have any questions, comments or requests, please contact us! We love hearing from you!
Moko.Pupu.JP/print
Although this site is in japanese you can still print out the kawaii stationery and make your own stickers too.
Merry Christmas Edition
Kawaii-Inc. Consist on the following: cute, pixels, myspace, glitters, dollies, buttonmaker, cute wallpapers, and more!!!
Friendship Books Printables :: Kooohkies Penpals
Print your own LabelBags free! Friendship Books and Address Labels Sticker Bags Mini Envelopes and Swap cards

Want to know more? 

Sites about and for Friendship Books

Didn't find what you were looking for here? Drop on by these sites for more information, photos, and explanations and GET SWAPPING.
Friendship Books Printables :: Kooohkies Penpals
Print your own Friendship Books free!
LetterSets.com - Welcome
List of Penpals ages under 14 to over 35 They also sell cute/kawaii letter sets and other stationery supplies.
Kirana's Fb World
Explains simply What are FBs.
MyJellybean | Life | How-To Column | Create a Friendship Book
CREATE A FRIENDSHIP BOOK An alternate method of FB making for those friends in real life not just via letter.


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Tuesday, February 02, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY - FEB 5 2010 <> BEST WISHES!


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A partir de 1,00 Real - BRL

DOE AQUI|DONATE HERE

ou/or






Tuesday, August 04, 2009


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Monday, April 17, 2006

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Do you SWAP FB's, DECOS, SLAMS...? Yes, I do.




What is Swapping??




WHAT ARE FB's, SLAMS, CRAMS, AND ALL THAT STUFF???



When you exchange snail mail letters ("old-fashioned" letters handwritten and sent via postage mail) with your pen pals, you may receive a small, usually handmade booklet with many names and addresses signed in it. It's a friendship book, FB for short.


These usually consist of a small booklet of papers stapled together. There is a great variety of FB's, some are very simple, others are very creative. I have seen people make them out of scrap paper. Others are neatly cut fancy paper and embossed with rubber stamps. It will fit in an envelope. Many pen pals trade FB's. They are passed from person to person. Each person adding her name and address (many times by adding an address label).


This is also called "swapping". Swapping is another name for trading. Most people add information about themselves too such as age, interests, hobbies, etc. Some write if they want new pen pals or swappers, and some add decorations like stickers.


When the book is full, it is mailed to the person it was made for. FB's are started as a way to thank a pal, to look for new pals, or just for fun. It's very interesting to get back a full FB, because you get to see all the places over the world it has been.


There are also other kinds of "FB's" such as friendship sheets, decos, slams, crams, lyrixes, and quotes. FB's require patience because they can take years to fill, so it's best not to do FB's too large because of waiting, and having hard time fitting them in envelopes. My suggestion is start out with a small booklet with about 5 pages. Swappers swap these by amounts ranging from 1-1000 or more. Some pen pallers begin to get bored with FB's and branch out to use their creative skills in other types of FB's like decos, slams, crams, lyrixes, and quotes.


There are many kinds of abbreviations, and you can see the common ones listed below. In the last page of FB, there is normally a page that states: Full? Return home to (the original owner)! That means that if you are the last one to sign, and there isn't any space left, you have to send the full FB to whoever it's made for.



FRIENDSHIP SHEETS



Friendship sheets are just like FB's, but instead of a booklet format they are just one sheet of paper.


SLAMS

Slams are a bit like FB's. Inside cover is usually maker and owner. On the first page you write in your name and address, or stick your address label, usually next to a number. On each of following pages is a question like what's your favorite band? Or do you want new pen pals? Or look out your window and what do you see? You answer every question and write your answer next to your number. If you didn't sign in with numbers write next to your sign which can be for example a heart or star, but never the same as anyone else's in the slam! The idea is to have a symbol that identifies who you are without having to write out all your info other than on the first page. There are choice slams, fill in the blank slams, sticker slams, puzzle slams, and many more!


CRAMS

Crams are very little pieces of paper and you cram in as many names and addresses as possible, so you don't write any information about yourself or anything that will take up space. Just add your name and address. Crams might be many times just for labels. If you don't have any labels just pass.


DECOS

Decos are like FB's. They are booklets, where everyone has her own page, but there's one difference-In deco you have to decorate your page very beautifully, not just with a sticker or two. The more beautiful the deco is, the better! Use your creativity. If you love scrap booking, this is a great thing for you. Decos usually portray things that you enjoy, but sometimes may have been started with a theme that you need to follow. So if the deco owner loves cats, and the theme is cats, then you need to make your page reflect the overall theme. Just try not to make your pages too thick. Try to remember these items are mailed, and it can become costly in the long run.




LYRIXES or LYRICES

Lyrics are FB's where you write one of your favorite song's lyrics on your page or just a part of the song. It depends on the page's size and your handwriting. Of course you write your name and address in this too.


QUOTZ

Quotz are VERY similar to lyrixes, only with these you sign with movie quotes. Some themes that have been held in the past on other lists are "Disney" "Favorite Actor" "Comedy" and "Hot Celebrity". Now's your chance to use up all of those celebrity magazines in the back of your closet!
When you receive a FB,(as well with slams, decos, lyrixes and crams) there are some basic DO's and Don'ts:
Search some empty space in FB, and write your name and address (and information if you want) there.After signing read the FB through if there's someone you'd be interested corresponding with. If you'd like to start swapping with someone, but you are beginner and you don't have very many FB's or slams collected, it's best not to start with anyone who is heavy-swapper. Heavy swappers want to swap a lot FB's, or whatever they swap, once. So choose someone who is light-swapper or beginner. Send it on to another snail mail pal, who isn't already listed.If you receive a FB, which is full after you sign it, send it to its owner. Usually that person's name is in the cover of FB with words 'for'. Remember! The person, who has made the FB, isn't always the same who it was made for.Do pass it on as soon as possible; don't let it hang around for months. If you can, send it on within a week.When a FB is full, you must send it to its owner! Stealing the FB is silly when you can create your own, or have a pal create one for you.Don't add any extra pages or numbers to avoid sending that FB back to its owner.Don't remove any pages.Don't write anything that might hurt someone.Don't take up too much page space. It isn't nice if you are almost the only person in the FB.Don't write to someone who doesn't want new pen pals. I am sure you'll find someone else to write.


ABBREVIATIONS


A/A - Answers all

A/M - Answers most

A/O - Answers only

A/S - Answer some

Addy - Address

BBFN - Bye-bye for now

BD - Birth date

DOB - Date of birth

FB - Friendship book

EMS - E-mail soon

IRC - International reply coupon (you can send them to your Non-USA pals, they are gift certificates for postage stamps, you can get them at larger post offices, just ask!)

ICR - I can return (people who are willing to return the full fb home)

LL - Long letter

LLP - Long letter pals

LLO - Long letters only

LOL - Laugh Out Loud

LSASE - Long self addressed stamped envelope

NNPP - No new pen pals

No chains - Do not send chain letters

NPW - New pals wanted

PC - Post card

ROFL - Rolling On the Floor Laughing

SNNP - Sorry no new pals

SWA - Swaps with all

SS - Swap soon (referring to swapping fbs, slams or crams)

SASE - Self addressed stamped envelope

T/C - Take care

TTFN - Ta ta for now

TTYL - Talk to you later

VP - View card (another name for post card)

W/A - Wedding anniversary

W/B - Write back / Welcome Back

W/S - Write soon

W/W - Worldwide

WBSP - Write Back Soon Please










SIGN IN MY GUEST BOOK





NSW=New Swappers Welcome
NPW=New (Pen)Pals Welcome
NMW=New Mailers Welcome
SNNS=Sorry No New Swappers
SNNP=Sorry No New (Pen)Pals
SNNM=Sorry No New Mailers
ASAP=As Soon As Possible
TC=Take Care
HF=Have Fun
KS=Keep Smiling
BH=Be Happy
AS=Always Smile
NC=Never Cry
FF=Friends Forever
GFF=Good/Great Friends Forever
BFF=Best Friends Forever
LY=Love You
WS=Write Soon
SS=Swap Soon
NLM=Never Leave Me
NLY=Never Leave You



Fb Etiquette.

This page was suggested by Wendy from the USA who is pretty new to swapping and wants to know the do's and don'ts of fb swapping so that she wont offend anybody.

PRISONERS

Most penpals who swap fbs do not want to write to people in prison. (Kirana for example when she was starting fb swapping got letters from prisoners in jail for everything including rape, and one guy was on Death Row for murder, and as you can imagine this is extremely disagreeable to most penpallers) so please DON’T SEND FBS TO PEOPLE IN PRISONS unless the person who the fb is made for, clearly states in the fb that it is okay for you to do so.

WHAT TO WRITE IN A FB

Write a small penpal advert about yourself (age, hobbies, pals that you want), and of course include your address. Please do not write abusive or rude things about other peoples interests or adverts, and fb swappers are not usually interested in receiving fbs containing swear words (like f***) or that contain sexually orientated adverts.

WHAT TO DO AND NOT DO WITH FBS

Never keep other peoples fbs for yourself remember they expect their full fbs to be returned to them, just as you expect yours to be.

Never fill up a fb with other people's names and address that you have written in the fb. This is not fair and is not the object of a fb. If you have lots of friends wanting new pals too, why not make them some fbs of their own?

Never rip out pages or add extra ones of your own.

Never redesign other people's books or make them into fbs for yourself. Make yourself some fbs of your own and send them out…

If you don’t want to sign a fb, don’t! Just write something like ' hello from Jane in the USA' or simply 'Jane passing' then send the fb on- other people want to sign the fb !

When a fb is full please, send it home, to the person it was made for, they will usually make fbs for you to say thank you, or refund your postage. Don't just pass the full fb on to a penpal who then will have to return it themselves without even returning it. (Only yesterday, on Dec. 22, Kirana got a full fb to return that had been full since 1998, which, although a extreme example, illustrates the problem. )

When signing a fb please write your address clearly, using block capitals or labels if you need to; people may well want to write to you, but cant if they are unable to read your address. Also, always write what country you live in, it is very hard to return a fb, or write to a pal, if you have to look up the city that they live in, on a world atlas to find what country they are in!

Don’t keep a fb for ages before passing it on, generally speaking you should only keep a fb for, at the very outside, one month, fbs should really be returned within a year, but to do this they have to be passed on pronto.



Do not EVER copy adverts out of fbs into your own magazine/newsletter. This may seem like a easy way to get a issue out fast but in the long run, the people whose names you have put in the magazine will not reply to who writes to them via your publication, therefore they are not quality adverts, as well as which once word gets around about this, people will not buy your newsletter.



Do not write to people via fbs and ask them for gifts, immigration stuff, etc. This happens to many fb swappers (for example, Kirana, currently unemployed and on Benefit, has had letters from Ghana and Morocco, demanding things like cars as gifts!) and it’s a common misconception in third world countries, that everyone in the West is rich and in a position to give them all they want. We are not! Some may be rich yes, but also there are many of us unemployed, students, or just scraping by here too!! Besides it is rude, and generates bad feeling to just write to someone out of the blue asking for expensive stuff!



Finally to warn everyone about the consequences of the habitual misuse of fbs, most fb swappers know many more fb swappers all over the world and word quickly will spread about any misuse of fbs, and people will soon stop writing to the person who has been misusing the fbs.