Scrapbook Swaps
How To Host Your Own Scrapbook Swap
By Rachel Webb
Often times after someone has started gaining experience in participating in swaps, these swappers start to come up with their own unique ideas for swaps, but have no idea where to start. It is my goal today to help you learn how to host your own swap, so that other scrappers can benefit from your great ideas!
One of the first things I must say is that hosting a swap is not for everyone. Swap hostesses must be extremely organized, knowledgeable in the scrapbooking, and, of course, they must be friendly. As you read on you will find out more of what is expected of a hostess, and you will be able to better see if hosting a swap is for you.
WHERE WILL YOU SHARE YOUR SWAP
Before you even start deciding the type of swap you would like to host, it is important for you to know where you are going to share your swap. If you don’t have a forum where you can share your swap, you won’t be able to get participants to sign up. One of the best places to share your swap is in swap or scrapbooking discussion lists. I recommend searching YahooGroups for “scrapbook swaps” for a listing of email lists that will allow you to post your swap.
When joining any new list on the internet, be sure that you read and understand their rules for hosting swaps. If you are not totally clear on what the rules are, be sure to write the list owner to find out.
DECIDE THE TYPE OF SWAP YOU WANT TO HOST
The next step in hosting a swap is to determine the type of swap you would like to host. This can only be done if you already have experience in the swaps that are out there. There are endless swap ideas out there. I will share a few with you here:
~34 & 55 cent Envelope Swap
~Sticker Swaps
~Page kit Swaps
~Recipe page Swaps
~Punchie Swaps
~Punchart Swaps
~Diecut Swaps
~Border Swaps
~Paper Doll Swaps
~Paper piecing Swaps
~Title Topper Swaps
~Decorated Quote Swaps
~Round Robins
~and many more!
If any of these swaps ideas are new to you and you don’t understand what is meant, I would suggest you join one of the many swap discussion lists hosted on the web. By joining these lists, and hopefully participating in a few of the swap listed there, you will learn more about their differences.
DECIDE YOUR THEME
Now that you have picked out the kind of swap you are interested in doing, think about your theme. For example, if you would love to host a paper doll swap, what kind of dolls do you wish for the participants to create or buy? A lot of times the theme you choose is going to be something that you particularly have an interest in. If I know that I am going to have lots of winter and Christmas photos to scrapbook soon, I might host a winter themed paper doll swap.
When deciding your theme, it is also best to know what type of swaps are currently being hosted on the discussion list or bulletin board you are a member of. If someone else just started a 34 cent envelope swap, chances are you might have a hard time getting swappers to join your swap.
PICK A TITLE
I personally love catchy, cute names for swaps. My rule is the shorter the better, but whatever you can do to make you swap stand out from the rest is great! Recently I hosted a swap called “Bed & Bath Swap”. We have all heard of the bed and bath area in our local department store and this was a perfect name for my swap, since the participants would sign up for bedtime and bath time related categories.
DETERMINE YOUR DETAILS
After all the other steps are done, it is now time to decide on your specifics. Be sure you know the answer to all of the following:
~When will this swap be due?
~How many items will each participant have to make or buy?
~How many items will each participant get back?
~Do items need to be labeled with their name and email?
~Are the items sent to you for swapping out or do they send directly to each participant (sending to each participant is usually only used in envelope type swaps)?
~When will you swap the items out and send them back to the participants?
~How many groups are you willing to create?
~Do you have any other specific ways you would like the swap handled?
SEND OUT YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT
When you know all your details about the swap, it is now time to share it with all of the swappers! They are eagerly awaiting new swaps, so don’t be shy! If you are interested in borrowing my announcement letter that I use for announcing swaps, please be sure to check out part two of this article for a variety of sample letters.
PREPARE FOR SIGN UPS
Immediately after you send out your announcement of your swap, you will need to be prepared for the sign ups. In the case of the above mentioned “4-Item Autumn Layout Swap”, I created a file on my computer with this title. When I received word from swapper that they wished to join, I added their name and email address to my list. I also wrote them back immediately and let them know that they did have a spot in my swap.
After you have all of your spots filled in your swap, you will need to send a “swap closed” notice to the list that you shared your swap on.
FINAL DETAILS
Once you have your groups completely filled in, it is now time to send all of your participants your “final details”. Final details is an email that you will send that list each and every details to your swap. The more detailed, the better. The more organized, the better. If you are unorganized or don’t give enough details or help to your participants, you will not be a successful swap hostess.
Some of the things that you might want to include in your final details are:
* Name of the swap
* How the swap items should be created and how many
*
How many each participant will get back
*
Due dates (is this a “postmarked by” date or a “in my hands” date?)
*
* Your complete name and mailing address
Details on how the item will be returned to them (must they send you a self address stamped envelope?)
For a sample “Final Details” that you might wish to use, please see part two of this article.
VISITS FROM YOUR POSTAL CARRIER
Shortly after you have sent out your final details, you will begin to receive the packages from your swappers. When I receive a package I do the following:
1) Open package and count the number of items sent it to be sure it is correct. If not, contact the person immediately and let them know.
2) Check for a SASE if you asked each person to send you one. If this is missing, contact the participant immediately.
3) If everything is correctly done, I then mark this person as having their items in. Prior to receiving the packages, I print up a list of my participants and place it in a three ring binder. As each package arrives, I highlight the persons name and email to show that it has been received. This helps you to clearly see who you have not received items from.
4) Every few days I send out an update to the participants letting them know who’s packages I have received (see sample letter in part two of this article). This serves two purposes. First, those who have sent their items can know if you have them yet, and second, those who have not sent their items will get a reminder with your updates.
5) For each swap I am hosting, I have a cardboard box with I place all of the swap packages into. The packages stay in this box (out of reach of children, pets, or other things) until I am ready to “swap them out”.
READY TO SWAP OUT
After you have received all of your packages, you are now ready to “swap them out”. I usually find an area of my home, such as my living room floor or my dining room table, and I lay everyone’s package out. I then carefully swap the items, making sure that everyone gets one of everyone’s, including one of their own back.
After all of the items are swapped, they are then placed in the self addressed stamped envelopes that everyone sent in, they are sealed and then mailed.
I am not the first to say it, and I won’t be the last, but it is frustrating to participate in a swap with an unorganized hostess. I know that my style doesn’t work for everyone, but I have receive many compliments on my swap letters and other methods for handling scrapbook swaps. Because of this, I have decided to share with all of you my swap announcements and letters, so that you too can host organized and fun swaps, and become a hostess that swappers return to time and time again!
Please feel free to copy and paste the following sample letters, altering them to fit your needs, for your own scrapbook swaps.
SWAP ANNOUNCEMENT LETTER
The following letter is something that you might wish to use when announcing your swap to your friends and/or email lists.
……..beginning of announcement letter……
[name of your swap here] -:¦:-..· ´¨¨-:¦:-..· ´¨¨-:¦:-..· ´¨¨-:¦:-..· ´¨¨-:¦:-
Swap time is here again! Please read through all of these details, and if you are seriously interested, please email me PRIVATELY at [your email address here]. We will start with filling up group # 1, but I may add additional groups if necessary.
WHAT YOU WILL DO:
[explain here *exactly* what each person is to do when completing their swap items]
WHAT YOU WILL GET BACK:
You will receive back [give # of items].
DEADLINE:
US residents: your swap items must be postmarked by [date here]
Canada residents: your package must be postmarked by [date here -- often 1 week prior to US date]
OTHER IMPORTANT INFO:
1) PLEASE NO NOT SIGN UP unless you *know* that you will be able to fulfill your obligation!
2) I will take sign ups on a first come, first served basis. You are not officially in this swap until you hear from me.
3) Sign ups will end [date here].
4) Following the sign ups, final details will be emailed to each participant.
Any questions or to sign up, just email me! [your email here] Happy Scrappin!
……..end of announcement letter…………
FINAL DETAILS LETTER
Don’t be afraid of my final details. They may seem lengthy, but I feel they work. Of course, you are welcome to edit them as you wish.
……..start of final details letter…………
IMPORTANT: READ, SAVE TO FILE & PRINT OUT THESE DETAILS!!!
-:¦:-..· ´¨¨-:¦:-..· ´¨¨-:¦:-..· ´¨¨-:¦:-..· ´¨¨-:¦:-
[name of your swap here]
FINAL DETAILS!
POSTMARK BY [date here]
DON’T BE LATE!
-:¦:-..· ´¨¨-:¦:-..· ´¨¨-:¦:-..· ´¨¨-:¦:-..· ´¨¨-:¦:-
You are receiving this email because you signed up for the [name of your swap here]. Thank you for joining! I hope you have fun making your items for this swap and especially love the assortment you will receive back! Here are the details you will need, so please read them carefully and if you have any questions, please write me ASAP:
1) There are a total of [# of groups here] groups, with [# of participants here] participants in each group. The groups are as follows (please double check that I have you listed correctly):
Group # 1
Group # 2
Group # 3
2) For each group you are assigned to, you will need to send in [# and name of items]. Your should be all the same, but if you are in more than one group, please create a different [swap item name] for each group.
3) Each [swap item name] MUST contain your name and email. This can be done by including your name and info on a slip of paper which is inserted into a baggie/envelope/wax paper packet, etc. with each quote OR you may label the back of your item with this info. DO NOT send your [swap item name] without this information!
4) The deadline for this swap is: . All items must be *POSTMARKED* by [date here]. Please do not procrastinate – start your items early so you will have ample time and you won’t feel rushed. This swap will be swapped out approx. one week from the deadline. Sorry, but packages postmarked after [date here] will have to be returned to sender.
5) IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF THE USA: Your package MUST be postmarked by [date here]. This is only for those who live outside of the US .
***NOTE: Please take your participation in this swap seriously — everyone is counting on you to do your part.***
6) MAILING INFORMATION / CHECKLIST:
Your package to me must contain:
~[# and name of swap items] for each group you are in. Each [name of swap item] MUST contain your name & email address. DO NOT keep the one for you…this must be sent to me as well, and one of your own will be sent back to you.
~A Self Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE). Your SASE should contain your name and mailing address in *both* the “TO:” and “FROM:” areas. Your SASE should contain enough postage (in stamps only) for me to send your package back to you. PLEASE send a SASE that is large enough to send your items back in. A 5″x7″ is too small !!! Please note: If you are sending first class, usually the package you receive back will be heavier (cost more) than the one you send! So, consider placing an extra stamp or two to help cover this extra cost. Write DO NOT BEND on your SASE.
~Write “[swap name]” *and* your group number on the lower right hand corner of your package to me.
~If you send a piece of cardboard or any other item to protect your swap items, make sure this has your name and email on it, and I will be sure that this returned to you. I recommend that you send a piece of cardboard to help protect your package from bending.
~ATTENTION NON-US RESIDENTS: Those who don’t live in the US , must send me enough US money to cover their return postage. US funds only!
~Please write “DO NOT BEND ” in large letters on the front of your package!
You will need to send the above to me at:
[your complete name and mailing address here]
7) You will be receive back one [swap item name] from each person in your group, plus one of your own. After I receive all of the packages, swap them out (approx. one week after the deadline). You will receive one (1) of each that is sent in — including one of your own back.
I hope you are all excited about this…I know I am! While I hope my directions are clear, they may not be to some, so PLEASE write me ASAP with any questions you might have. I am more than happy to help you! My email address is: [your email address here]
Happy Scrappin!
……..end of final details letter…………
SWAP UPDATE LETTER
The following is a simple letter that you can use to send out your participants on a occasional basis, to let them know which packages you have received.
……..start of update letter…………
Hello Everyone! Here is an update of the [name of swap] swap packages I have received so far:
Group # 1:
Group # 2:
Group # 3:
A big thanks to all of those who have sent hostess gifts!!!
PLEASE REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING:
1) All packages must be postmarked by [date here] — NO EXCEPTIONS!
2) Please list “[name of swap]” and your group # on the front of your envelope.
3) Send your package to the following address:
[your complete name and address here]
As always if you have any questions, feel free to write me at anytime!
……..end of update letter…………
As I mentioned, you are more than welcome to use the above sample letters for your swaps. Feel free to change the items that don’t work for you and keep the things that do. Best wishes in your scrapbook hosting!