Official Bead Swap Thread « Back to Group Discussions

[katt]

Okay, so i'll take care of this.  Be WARNED.. i've never run a swap before.  If someone else steps forward with experience...

Let me know if you would like to participate.

I think we'll set the deadline for signing up to be Monday the 9th.  

If that seems too soon, let me know.

We need to have a final count so everyone knows how many beads to send.

I'm not sure of how much for shipping, but i'll let ya'll know asap.

So far we have:
Anya

Carlin

JudyBean

Hyde

birthmommomx2

Katt

Worldshakerz

Help007

MirandaM

Crystal Buffaloe

Edited by katt - 7/8/12 at 12:33pm

[Worldshakerz]

Add me! 

[hyde]

Is there a way to make this a sticky over the weekend? Not sure how that works on MDC.

[katt]

i have NO idea... good question  

anyone?

[help007]

Add me, please!

[katt]

bump

[MIrandaM]

I'm in!
 

[crystal_buffaloe]

I'm in

[katt]

Okay, tonight is the last night.  Let me know if you want in!!!

[katt]

Okay, here's the deal.  

Everyone will need to send me 9 beads (don't need to send one for your self)

I'll divvy them out and mail them back out.

I'll PM everyone with my address.

You can either send along about 5$ (i'll send back any extra) to cover a padded envelope and shipping

OR you can send a SASE and I'll use that to mail them back.  i've NO idea how much return postage will be.  no clue.

Any questions?

[katt]

Help007 had a good question:

Are there any suggestions for the beads' hole size, like to fit a leather string vs. a fine beading string?

Anyone have any input in this?  I like it when it's a very misc. group of beads.

[MIrandaM]

I agree that it's nice to have different shapes and types of beads . . . I'm getting some beads from friends & family as part of a 'virtual blessingway' instead of a babyshower and in my mind I was picturing the end result being something like this.   It looks like the hole is sized for thread or embroidery floss or jewelry wire, but maybe too small for leather.

I have a question too, should the beads all be the same?  I have a bunch of cool beads I bought from a glassmaker in Venice but they're not all the same, or even similar really.  Does that matter? 

[katt]

no beads don't all have to be the same.  If you want to specify for a specific person just write their name on a paper and attach the bead some how.  I'll divvy accordingly.

[AnyaRose]

Shouldn't we include OUR addresses in the letter we send to you as well? (: 

[help007]

So, *all* of my good friends live far from me. What would be a friendly way of suggesting something like this with them? This is my first pregnancy away from all friends, and it does make me really sad that I don't even have anyone to go enjoy tea with. My friends are very loving and understanding, but I just don't know how to ask.

[MIrandaM]

help007, I mentioned it to my mom and she didn't understand at ALL until I got all emotional (unintentionally) and my voice cracked as I told her that I'm all alone here (women friends wise) and just wanted the beads from my women friends and family as a show of unity and sisterhood and support for me to mentally (and physically) bring to the birth with me.  Then she was totally on board and starting listing who she thought should be on my list of bead suppliers :) She and her best friend (who is also a close family friend of mine) have already picked out their beads. 

I was going to have a close friend arrange it, she offered when I mentioned it, but that is turning into a nightmare because her idea of how it should work is SO different than mine.  She keeps asking where we're registered for gifts and what my paypal account is for people who want to send money - I'm thinking, thank you for everything, really, but I want BEADS and blessings or positive thoughts or nice birthing stories, or stories of sisterhood or whatever . . . not money and gifts and I really don't want people to have the impression that that's what this is about.  I especially don't want people to have the added expense of shipping gifts overseas.  Then she wanted to have it be a big online skype party with games and things, host events on her blog related to it, omg I was dying inside at the thought.  I'm camera-shy, don't like big groups, and half the people on the list are much older and really can't even hack regular skype much less a group video :( but she is so loyal and great that it's hard to just shut it down.  Still deciding how to deal with this, in the meantime I have not sent my list of 'participants' - eeeeh.  any ideas on how to politely get out of this pickle?

So I'm thinking I will just get in touch with the ladies on my list (about 12-15 people) and tell them myself, and ask that because I live far away and won't be having a babyshower, would they be willing to participate and please send me a little bead, stone, or trinket that symbolized something special to them as a woman or a mother.  Then explain that I will string them together and wear them while I'm in labor and then keep the necklace or bracelet as a treasure afterwards. 

this makes more sense in my head and i need to clarify it a bit before i move forward with it . . . ykwim?  wanted to get this out but it's late here and DH is pressuring me to wrap up and get to bed. 




 

[crystal_buffaloe]

I think the postage will probably be cheaper than 5$ (US to US, that is) -- a good guesstimate would be whatever it cost to mail your beads plus addressed envelope TO katt is probably about what it will cost to mail the beads BACK to you (that makes sense, right?) -- you could tack on 50 cents or something just to cover any excess or if someone had particularly heavy beads.

What do you think about that?

And ((hugs)) to MirandaM.

And thanks to Katt for organizing!

[katt]

Crystal-Buffaloe - yes, that would be a good guesstamite.   Keep in mind if I need to get an envelope to mail the beads back to you.

Deadline... we need a deadline for mailing.  How about a week from today?  Please mail by the 18th.

[crystal_buffaloe]

I totally spaced on this and missed the 18th deadline to ship out! I'll mail either tonight or tomorrow AM via Priority Mail

I bought the beads a little bit ago, but was more leisurely searching for a good quote/affirmation to include -- sorry!

Who else has mailed out? How much was it to ship your beads? (I can also just include the original suggestion of $5, too, no problem.)

Can I blame this on baby brain?

[AnyaRose]

Oh phooey... I'm mailing out tmw too... This has been a crazy week.