SWAP is OPEN, link in first post - Page 2

[ameliabedelia]

I like the idea of doing a different, random swap where each person sends 1 thing to 1 person.

I also would not take part in one now...but mostly likely would take part in one later, once we get to know each other more. I would prefer to wait until late 2nd trimester or beginning of the 3rd trimester.

For beads..I don't really like option 1 or 2. Option one is a pain since you would have to mail lots of little packages. Option 2 is A LOT of work for the bead organizer..to string all that, package it, etc. If we do beads, I would vote for each person being assigned another person and stringing their own necklace/bracelet (whatever we chose) and sending it..so everyone gets 1 bracelet from 1 person.

[jennnk]

I like the idea of a pampered mom swap, especially if it's closer to the end, like Jan. or Feb. I don't like the idea of a mandatory minimum, esp. for people like me who are crafty & can/will make a lot of the stuff that goes in the package.

[AllisonK]

We have to have a minimum with a swap. We need to follow the swap rules and guidelines that are listed in the swap forum. Without a minimum someone could send $20 and only receive $2. And it does not have to be $20 at all we can choose to do $10 or whatever. So if you guys have other ideas please, please post them. The swap closes in 7 days from when I started it so keep posting and we'll see what the final vote is in the end.

[mtm]

my last pg I took part in a cloth diaper swap. It was awesome!

[mommycakes]

Hi, me again. How about surprise/pamper the momma swap now or 2nd trimester, a birth bead swap in 3rd tri and a celebrate the new babies swap in March????

None of it has to be big and crafty mommas are more than invited to contribute! I LOVE crafty gifts. Also, I saw that some ddc's agree to gently used/2nd hand items as well as long as the recipient is o.k. with that.

Just a thought...

[jennnk]

Originally Posted by AllisonK

We have to have a minimum with a swap. We need to follow the swap rules and guidelines that are listed in the swap forum. Without a minimum someone could send $20 and only receive $2. And it does not have to be $20 at all we can choose to do $10 or whatever. So if you guys have other ideas please, please post them. The swap closes in 7 days from when I started it so keep posting and we'll see what the final vote is in the end.

What if it was an item minimum, then? Like a minimum of five or ten items? That way, the crafty moms could send stuff we make, the moms with six boys who are expecting their first girl could send some gently-used stuff to the moms expecting their first boy, the moms who would rather just save time and go shopping could do that, etc.

[AllisonK]

I believe that you can just put a dollar amount on your homemade item. I did a swap a while back and made two child ring slings for the mama. It was a $20 value swap I think so I looked up how much child ring slings were on hyena and they were from 9-15 dollars. Gently used items are usually allowed in swap unless the mama lists that she would like only new items. For me personally used in EC is fine for clothing and household items but pampering things like lotions, bath oils etc I would only want new. Everyone is different.

[AllisonK]

Originally Posted by jennnk

What if it was an item minimum, then? Like a minimum of five or ten items? That way, the crafty moms could send stuff we make, the moms with six boys who are expecting their first girl could send some gently-used stuff to the moms expecting their first boy, the moms who would rather just save time and go shopping could do that, etc.

Thats an idea but what if the items on moms list are more expensive items. Then the person who ended up with that person in a swap would be paying a ton to purchase five or ten items. For gently used items you also would put a dollar amount on them. I don't use yard sale pricing but not goodwill pricing either (the goodwills near me are super expensive). And its always better to be on the generous side in your giving for swaps than not.

[jennnk]

Originally Posted by AllisonK

Thats an idea but what if the items on moms list are more expensive items. Then the person who ended up with that person in a swap would be paying a ton to purchase five or ten items. For gently used items you also would put a dollar amount on them. I don't use yard sale pricing but not goodwill pricing either (the goodwills near me are super expensive). And its always better to be on the generous side in your giving for swaps than not.

Oh I totally agree it's better to be on the generous side, but there are some of us who are able to be generous without spending a lot of money, either because that's our nature or because our budget dictates such. I also don't think that it should be a "list" type thing, per se, either. If you check out some of the knitting swaps, like sock it to me, secret pal 1-11, etc., you can see they have questionnaires that the participants fill out, and your pal gets you things that catch her eye and she thinks you'll enjoy. I really like being able to surprise people, and finding stuff that I think someone will like and then knowing they like it when she receives it is a really squishy, happy feeling.

[XanaduMama]

I like the idea of some sort of questionnaire (are you doing CD?, is this your first baby?, eg), though it's hard to imagine how to coordinate all that. Maybe once we get "assigned" to each other, we can just exchange questionnaires with our "partner"?

[JustJamie]

I don't like the idea of doing a minimum number of items; I don't have much time to be crafty, and less time to shop - being required to do 5 things would seriously suck for me, though I could find one thing that met a minimum dollar value.

[jennnk]

Originally Posted by XanaduMama

I like the idea of some sort of questionnaire (are you doing CD?, is this your first baby?, eg), though it's hard to imagine how to coordinate all that. Maybe once we get "assigned" to each other, we can just exchange questionnaires with our "partner"?

We could either have a group blog on blogger, or a thread here where we post our answers, it's pretty simple either way really.

Originally Posted by JustJamie

I don't like the idea of doing a minimum number of items; I don't have much time to be crafty, and less time to shop - being required to do 5 things would seriously suck for me, though I could find one thing that met a minimum dollar value.

Since I was the one who brought up items...what if it was either/or. Min. $20 OR 5 items, for instance? Or would that be too complicated?

[jillybeans]

here is the swap they did for the November 07 ddc. It worked really well from what I heard (had to drop out in the middle of course)

Nov. 2nd tri swap

The basics:
Please begin by posting your needs/wants for this sweet babe within a $20 range!

At that time, please PM me with your mailing address.

Please do not clog the thread with much else other than your needs/wants.

Please post too if you have any objections to gently used ie pet allergies etc.

What's nice is that people were able to get things that a mama needed, and everything was under the price limit. And I think they posted in a thread on the ddc that they all agreed quality home-made crafty items were ok.

[ameliabedelia]

As far as dollar amounts/number of items go..I would say a dollar amount is much better. Even handmade things, it should be very simple to assign a dollar amount...even if you don't actually "pay" that amount of money, time is money. I would just assign whatever the typical going rate is for handmade X item or what they would sell the item for.

[JustJamie]

Originally Posted by jennnk

Since I was the one who brought up items...what if it was either/or. Min. $20 OR 5 items, for instance? Or would that be too complicated?

That would be fine with me.

[alisaparrent]

I personally would rather do a Pamper Mama swap rather than the bead swap. Here is an idea that might make things compicated, but might solve the dilema.....

Have each of us fill out a questionaire or likes/dislikes, etc. Set it up like a Secret Friend and have the moderator match us up. Those that only want to spend $10 could be matched with another $10 person.....$20 for $20, etc. Those that would rather send homemade things could be matched with another homemade person. This way everyone should be getting something similar~

This way people that don't want to spend $20, don't have too~

Just an idea!

Alisa

[zonapellucida]

GREAT I already bought my dang beads.

as for a questionaire I think all you really need to do is start another post and have the dislikes/ likes listed and swap organizer matches people. and keep it short! Personally I don't want to know everything someone likes and dislikes.

[mommycakes]

Originally Posted by zonapellucida

GREAT I already bought my dang beads.

Save 'em! I think we're proposing to do the bead swap later, perhaps 3rd trimester (birth/labor beads).

[AllisonK]

nak
sorry i have not checked in a few days, I've been really sick. Gotta love the first trimester. I will update the swap thread and link it again tonight. i think that everyone who wants to participate has had time to vote. I sadly don't think there is any way to 100% please everyone so hopefully it will work out as a compromise. Let me get the babe to bed and I'll set it up.

[alisaparrent]

Oh man.....I really wanted to be part of the swap, but I guess I'll have to wait for 90 more posts~~ ARG!! Any ideas of how to still be included? If not, then I'll keep posting like crazy to try to catch up.

Thanks for setting it up anyways~
Alisa