Lots of mail: cheap & easy

Hey, this is different! I'm in! :)

I got some emails that suggest that one thing may not have been clear, so just to clarify: You are sending just one item to each person. So you will have collected five items - one for each of the five categories - then you will mail one item to each of your swap partners.

As a recipient, you may receive one item from each category, or all five items from one category, or somewhere in between. Since the sender will decide which category to send to you, it's all luck.

Please let me know if this makes even less sense!

This sounds like fun! Will probably copy your good idea later and set up another swap where you have 5 partners, but only send a little something to each. Great idea!

This sounds like fun!

Thank you everyone for joining this swap!

Based on this part of the recent comment: "Will probably copy your good idea later and set up another swap where you have 5 partners, but only send a little something to each", I just wanted to make sure it's clear that you are only sending each recipient one item that fits one of the categories. So, five categories, five items, one item to each recipient.

I'm sorry if this is redundant and everyone already knows what I mean... this is the biggest swap I've ever lead, so I want it to go well.

Sounds fun!

I love this idea!!! Hope you don't mind but I may start up one for Kawaii lovers!!!

I'm joining!!

Ok I am new and signed up for this swap but I am confused about it. Will I get 5 partners and send 1 item from each catagory to each partner, in otherwords, 5 items 5 partners.?

Or do I send 5 items in separate envelopes to the same partner?

Sorry if it is a redundant question but I want to be clear what to do..

Thanks

Lotus Collector: If you want to start a similar swap, go for it! More mail for everyone!

Crochetoholic Debb: Don't worry about asking questions. I hope people will keep asking until they are sure they know what I mean. You do get 5 partners. You will collect five items - one for each category - then mail one of those items to each of your 5 partners. So, each of your partners will receive one item from you.

In exchange, as a recipient, 5 different people will each send you one item. You may end up with things from each of the categories, or you may end with all the items from one category (or somewhere in between).

Now that I've signed up for this swap, how do I get the names and addresses to send the stuff to?

Looking forward to this!

Tannermom: The names and addresses will be available late on the closing day - January 31st in this case - as a link from this page. Please have a look at Swap-Bot's F.A.Q. Page (there's a link at the top left of every Swap-Bot page) to find out how this works.

Thank you dreamhope for clarifying it for me... :)

Hi! I would like to know... Can I send items from the same category to more than one partner? Because maybe I will find more than one item of one category and seems to be more beautifuls to me than the item of the another category. Well, It's just a cuestion, I dont have any problem if I can't.

Winnie: The challenge of collecting items from each of the categories is really just to add interest for you, the sender, since the receiver won't know, since they just receive one item anyway.

If one category works better for you then another, and it'll make a better swap for the receiver, go for it!

In fact, if I run this swap again, I think I'll simplify it by eliminating the multiple category part of the swap.

dreamhope, I like the multiple part, none of my 5 people will know what I am sending. :) If you make it that everyone sends something soft .. then we know and they know that the mail will have something soft! I like it this way .. Just my point looking in.

Willow Tree: That's a really good point! Thanks for pointing that out.

I think this is going to be a fun swap because of the element of surprise.

Willow tree: You're right. I didn't see this point of view. :p

Hi! I am a newbie and am soooo excited to get started!! Thanks for arranging this swap and clarifying...I had some of the same questions. Swap on! :)

Fun fun fun :)

I also like the surprise part and am very excited! I've almost got my 5 bits together!

I've got my 5 bits together. I like the surprise element, too. I'll be rushing to the post office every day to see what is in my postbox!

I like it! Great idea.

Any ideas for what to do for the FUNNY one? Wondering what everyone else is comming up with..

Hi I'm just wondering, as a new person, what the general view is on PO boxes vs. real addresses? Currently my profile's all blank 'cos i'm not sure whether to join anything, as the sign up page recommends using a PO box - which seems like a big hassle to me! Has anyone got an opinion on this? Cheers, Ally

OK. Never mind. I'll see how it goes anyway!

If anyone reads this and happens to get my name...I'd love to get an ATC. I've read about them online, but I'd really like to see one before I attempt to make them!

Welcome everyone, and thanks for all the enthusiastic sign-ups!

Ally: I use my real address. It isn't the safest thing to do, as you don't know who will have it, but my address is so easy to get using just my name and city (since I'm listed in the phone book, etc.) that getting a post office box didn't seem worth it. I seem to be mailing to a lot of home addresses too, so I'm not the only one.

Creech: I haven't decided what to do for the funny one, but some ideas I've had include: a funny postcard or notecard, a comic strip clipped from the newspaper or printed off the Internet, a joke you love, or a funny photo. I hope that helps!

Thanks - I thought that most people did use their own addresses - I had a look at PO boxes and they are not cheap. I don't have any sworn enemies (erm, as far as i know...) so I can't really see it being a problem. :)

I know I will love this swap and can't wait to get started!

I would love an ATC as well, but one without nudity or profanity, please. I am already thinking and wondering what to send! This is so fun... Will we post photos of our goodies?

I would love it if everyone would post photos, how fun to see how everyone interprets the categories!

Hi Everyone, sorry to do this but I am dropping from all of my swaps. In the past month I have gotten alot of people who are no sends or do not pay attention to what is involved with the swap. Good Luck to all of you.

I'm in, sounds like loads of fun.

I am really looking forward to this- my first swap on swapbot! I already know what I'm making for all... Looking forward to getting mine in the mail too.

Swapping begins tonight everyone! Thank you all for signing up.

I would love to see people post pictures of what they are going to send, though I still haven't been able to upload pics to any swaps myself. If anyone has any tips on that, please post them.

Please remember, especially when it comes time to rate your partners, that this is a super-simple swap. If they send you something clean (i.e., not garbage) that is part of one of the five categories, you give them a "5". There is no cost, quantity, or even quality guarantee, but I hope everyone will have lots of fun.

Do you want us to post pictures of the "stuff" before we send it? Won't it ruin the surprise? Also, I haven't been able to upload a picture under my profile. Is this the same issue maybe? So excited about this swap- I've already made 2 out of 5!!!

Csilla: I suggest posting a picture of what you are going to send because you may receive things at very different times, so it'll be hard to gather everything together in a couple of weeks for a photo shoot. Also, taking a picture of what you are sending will show what you did for each category.

It could spoil the surprise, if you peek! :)

Hello everyone, I have two that will cost a bit more because they are going out of the USA. and three that might need a one or two cent stamp more. This is ok, right?

Only two of mine can go with just one first class postage stamp. The others have to have the additional 23¢.

The rule is that you should just need to use letter-class for mailing. If you are mailing outside of your own country, it will cost more then mailing within your country, but if you still only have to use the most basic level of postage (in Canada, this is less then 30 grams, standard size letter envelope, less then 2 cm thick), you are still meeting the requirement. So, since I'm in Canada, I will spend $0.52 to mail within Canada, $0.93 to the US, and $1.55 to any international address.

If you choose to send something heavier or bulkier and spend more on postage, I don't think anyone will be unhappy to receive it, but keep in mind that you may receive mail that meets the requirements.

It isn't the weight, its the fatness of the envelope. Even one ATC makes it so my envelope can't go for the one stamp. I checked with the post office this morning. They are getting very, very fussy about mail down here in the US.

I suppose I could take a chance and just stick the single postage stamp on, but I'm afraid I'll not be lucky. I hear all the time about people who stick a 24¢ domestic postcard postage stamp on postcards outside the US, and the cards arrive fine and dandy. But I know if I did that, the postal gods would catch me.

Whatever is sent to me will delight me, though. I don't ever use that yucky 3 rating. If I get something, it gets a 5, no matter what it is or when it gets here.

Hey all, Sorry for the HUGE pic in the swap gallery (just skip it, the next entry is a decent size). Does anyone know how we can delete the first one? My apologies again- I know it's annoying... Also, anyone have any advice on how to upload the avatar. I know you go to "edit my profile" and upload but for some reason I find the file but when I save it the screen goes blank and nothing. I tried a normal size picture and a picture 48x48 pixels...I also tried through IE and Firefox. Any advice? TIA!

I hope everyone is ok with this! I did put the extra "nonmchinable" 13 cents on the ones for the USA. Why not because it's heavy, they aren't! .. it's because the guy said one was "puffy" .. and wouldn't go through the slot ( he pulled the card thingy out) "with ease" .... It went through the slot, I saw it! But it didn't just drop through! Grumble ... LOL I took all 5 in and we checked each one .. LOL They were unsealed too .. because I didn't know if I had to change any because of the weight. Please don't make my rating lower cause I put the "nonmachinable" postage on it. :( I thought about each one of you in my group of 5 and picked "just the right things" :) Ohh and one I made, maybe she'll guess which that one is! :)

I'm with Zmrzlina :)

Rebecca aka Willow Tree

Wow Awesome photos Amanitaeater and Csilla!

I'm so excited, nice picks Amanitaeater!

Csilla, Great idea and nice concept on the Something literary (dark brown with tan).. just fab!

Zmrzlina: Thank you for the information about the US Postal System! They are obviously a lot pickier then Canada's, because I'm able to mail four ATCs with one stamp.

It's a good lesson for me: don't assume it'll work the same in every country. I'll keep this in mind next time I run this swap.

Thanks, Willow Tree! I had a hard time coming up with Literary- it was the last one and now my favorite. Although it does almost look skull-like... Btw, I hope my mailings overseas get through for being bulky! I weighed all of them at home but after sending them I looked up the thickness requirements on USPS and it's 0.007inches overseas!!! The weight was fine but I don't think mine are smaller than that- eeek!

Hey Willow Tree, I found out today why they check envelopes in that slot thing that's about an inch wide. I got an envelope that had beads in it and the envelope was all ripped where the beads were. The postal guy said they put them on a machine that mail goes in? on? or through? to be transported or something. Think of two rollers with that 1 inch slot inbetween for the envelopes to go through. The envelope I received was all ripped and the beads were dangling on a string. It's amazing that they didn't fall out or get damaged though :D

Mine all passed muster at the post office, so they are off to Anne in Norway, Toni in Texas, Shari in MA, Kelly in Michigan, and Ginger in Ohio. This was fun and I would love to do it again.

Oh, I broke the rules. Mine all cost extra, tee! hee! Oh well, I had a blast picking things out, I found something from each category, and don't mind the extra postage, it was worth it. I didn't post pics because I don't want to ruin the surprise. Maybe they'll post pics after they recieve them.

Hi Craftsty, I see were in another group together.... :)

I mailed my letters out today...I do not see any of my partners on here...but thought I would post that I sent all the letters out anyways...:)

Just want to say that I mailed everything today! :)Unfortunately, I am sorry to say that all of mine have the white printed postage sticker and not stamps. I live in a rural community and the line at the post office was a mile long behind me. It would have taken the clerk forever because I had a total of seven envelopes that I mailed. So, please don't be too hard on me for not have the 'real deal' on the envelope.

Thank you to dreamhope for arranging it this swap. It was so much finding the items for the categories!

This was a really fun swap, I think someone should start another similar one, with some new categories!

Next time, I am going to search harder for flat stuff so I can keep within the one postage stamp rule. I had fun finding stuff for this swap, but I got nabbed by the fat envelope police. Ah well, at least things will arrive without damage since the envelopes are all hand-cancelled.

Phew. Postal rates are way cheap in the US! Letter-rate post in the UK seem only to apply to stuff sent both from and to the UK, so my stuff (to be posted Monday - unphotographed due to camera breakage badness) will just be judged by their weights - but i've kept them all to letter-/ greetings card-sized envelopes to keep in the spirit of the swap.

All mine are going to North America so may take a little longer to arrive as they're coming all the way over the Atlantic!

I sent my cards today to Janet and Jesse in the US (where I live), to Melissa and Jane in Canada, and to Kristen in Japan. I had so much fun putting these together, trying to match both the category and the item to each person. I hope someone makes another swap like this soon; it was great!

Dreamhope, I really hope you plan on doing this again! I had so much fun with this!

okay, maybe i'm just dumb, but i can't find international stamps on usps.com. does the us have standard stamps? i need help. this is my first international swap.

International postage is 75¢ for postcard 84¢ for letter. Letter rate is for very thin letter. Best to make sure by taking your letter to post office for weight. You can go to usps.com and click the "calculate postage" link at the top of the page to get an idea of cost if you know the weight. The international stamps are located under "additional postage" in the USPS online store.

Zmrzlina, you are cracking me up! I can almost hear you say "fat envelope police" and "very thin"!

Yes, I am fully in another one of these, just to hear new people who didn't swap this time, explian how "it's tooooo fat" LMBO!!! Thanks Dreamhope, let me know if you have another one! I'm in! :)

I love the lesson we have all learned, maybe it will be he million dollar question on "Who wants to be a Millionaire"!

Willow Tree

PS mine are out to Shelly in Florida, Kristina in Ca, Jennifer in Canada, Rebecca in New Zealand and Marion in NJ! :)

I'm so glad everyone's having so much fun! I'm walking mine to the mailbox this afternoon.

I think I'll start another one (with different categories) a week or two after this one's "send by date", so keep your eyes open in about mid-February for "Lots of mail #2: still cheap & easy".

Hi! I dont understand what an international stamp is. Dont you use in USA the same stamps for within or without the country (only simply more)?

Oh, you can use domestic mail stamps to send international but you can get postage that is specifically international rates in the US. Domestic rate for letter is 39¢ and 24¢ for postcards. Pretty damn cheap, really. International mail is wicked expensive, though. It's almost like they want to discourage international mailings. With this administration, I wouldn't be surprise if that was truly the case :-)

International postage is going up, LOTS, in May. There will only be one rate so postcards will go for the same cost as a letter. I think it is stupid, but the USPS doesn't listen to peons like me. They only listen to big business and they are getting all sorts of break on bulk mail rates... oh goodie... they can send me junk mail for less money.

I love mail. I love mailing stuff to people. But I don't like the US Postal Service. They are not in touch with reality.

Amber, Keisha, Michelle, Ella and Ann-Marie, all from USA, your items are in the post from UK

amberscorpio, mandy, rosehueglasses, amanitaeater, and bianca, yours are in the post.

Jane, Laurina, Sue and Lynn in the US and Joan in Canada: your items from me, in the UK, were posted today. The woman at the PO was extremely pernickerty and only one of them was allowed to go as letter rate! Never mind, it was fun putting them together :)

Hello Everyone, Yes International postage can be high, but not too bad if you "try" and keep it flater...of course I always like stuff wider, the PO got really interested in my "something soft" letter and I had to declare what it was after she"frisked" it to death!!!!! Geezzzzzz.....

Anywho...mine was sent last week to ...Theresa in Ohio,Jane in NY, Jen in Canada, Jane in PA, and Marianne in Canada....I hope you all enjoy the letters. And I agree this has been a fun swap and we should do it again with different topics...:)

Starcerra, Creative Change, Lindam, Brittercat & Ria - your stuff went out today....i hope you all like what i sent!

I meant to say: It was so much FUN finding the items for the categories. Inadvertantly omitting a word can change the meaning of the sentence :( Anyway, I am eagerly anticipating the next swap!! :) I found good info on the www.usps.com site for postage rates but it took me a bit of searching to find it.

I'm watching for the next one, too! This has been great fun :-)

Mine went out from Pennsylvania to Connie in Arizona, Mary in New Jersey, Barbara in Virginia, Alice in Texas, and Ann in Nova Scotia! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go check my mailbox (never mind, it's 22 below wind chill tonight and feels more like 32 below, I'll stay inside!)

Mine went out a few days ago. I sent to Cielle, Natalie, Kerri, and Teresa in the US. And also Cynthia in Spain.

I haven't received any yet....maybe the postman will bring some happy mail today! :)

Juli

Csilla, I got you mail yesterday! LOL it was the Something literary (dark brown with tan). I thought, how fun! We were talking about this one earlier! :) My mailman did ask me for the 24 cents extra, I just laughed and gave him a quarter. LOL :)Thank you Csilla, it is nice!

Danielle, I got yours yesterday too! :) I will say more when I post your rating. But for you NOT to worry, I will say his little snip-it: You swapped from the heart! :)

I got my first bit today... something BLUE from AmyMarie. She sent a country blue ink pad for my rubberstamping pleasure. What a clever idea! And she also read my profile very well because I got a calendar page with bees.. which goes right into my bee ephemera collection to use in my bee altered book. Thank you AmyMarie!

WillowTree- I am SOOOO sorry you had to pay my postage!!EEEEK- how embarrassing. I promise my lazy butt will go to the post office next time and have it weighed. (I did use my own little scale but I guess they didn't like that.) Btw, did you get a receipt for your quarter? Make sure he didn't pocket it ;>) Others: Mazzam, Singlerose7378, KristinaO, Salacity please let me know if yours got there okay... *blush****

I just got mine from MaryO, it was the cutest crocheted BLUE teapot. I sent all of mine out, so pretty soon they should be coming in.

I hope the people I sent to won't be too inpatient... Sending overseas takes a few days! Since I couldn't read much out of the profiles I made 5 envelopes and adressed them at random, hope everybody will be satisfied.

Csilla, no problem! :)

Nah, he didn't pocket it, I give him presents all the time. :) "Hello Mr. Postman" (even though I know his name).. Christmas etc...

Don't worry about it, really .... it's wasn't for the weight, it was as Zmrzlina would say, "The bulky police"! non-machinable LOL :D

Cutecake, I really like your photo you posted, thought the "Something Funny" was FUNNY! :D

Thanks to mpontalba for the funny item! Now I will have a joke to tell - maybe I can keep the card with me and read from it :) and thanks to Lori for the blue paper, (I love paper!) and the great atc.

I sent out to Penny in Texas, Stephanie in Australia, Catherine in France, Windy in Washington, and Bee in Ohio today!

Post coordinator here: One participant in this swap changed her name, address, and email address to "helloabc" after partners were assigned. People with this person as their partner won't be able to send anything to her, and I suspect that she won't be mailing out either.

I have contacted the Swap-Bot website people in the hopes of making sure she can't rate her partners, since they can't mail anything to her.

If everyone who was supposed to send to her could message me (1 of you already has - thank you, LadyBug613, for bringing the problem to my attention), I will send you addresses that "helloabc" was supposed to send to, so everyone can have a happy swap.

I just realized that I can see who was supposed to send to helloabc, so I will message each of you an address. Cheers!

The following people were supposed to receive from the person who is now helloabc and will now, if all goes well, receive from the people who were supposed to send to helloabc: Lynnette (Iowa), Christine (California), Gabbi (London), Lori (California), and Amanda (Michigan).

So, when it comes time to do ratings, don't give good ratings to helloabc because someone else sent to you!

OK, I've heard from the Swap-Bot coordinator (who is wonderful, by the way), and he will try to prevent anyone from getting rated by helloabc, but if anyone does, let me know and he will get the rating removed.

Cheers!

hey lori... hello abc was one of my partners. so you will be recieving goodies from me instead, but i have to recreate this... grrrr!!!!! i already sent out...so yours will just be extra special!!! the rest are out there somewhere...

piece sarah

Wendy, your package arrived today and they're such pretty socks! Thanks so much. I sent you a message by the swap-bot form but it all went a bit weird and I'm not sure if it worked...

Cheers! Alice

I got some very cool sticker paper from Mary O. I've never seen this before, it will come in handy for some 1" x 1" squares I have to make for a different swap.

Thanks!

How do we give feedback?

Thanks-Chris C.

sent 3 yesterday and the other 2 today. forgot to take a picture!
sent out comics for literary and funny, yarn for soft, lip gloss and handmade bracelet for sparkly, and gloves for blue!

i agree that sending international is expensive! i had trouble keeping it light enough ;x

I have received my "literary'' item from Holly (groovyholly)-- thanks for the great Trivial Pursuit cards and the pages from the old dictionary! :) I can use both in paper crafts -- Love them! :)And from Marcia (mrsMc), I received my "sparkly'' item -- an awesome postcard of Marilyn Monroe with handfuls of diamond jewelry. :) I love it! :)

Just 3 to go! :)

My dear swap partners, your packages went out today. Sorry if it seems like I was cutting it close. Those deadlines sure can sneak up on you fast. I hope you enjoy everything I sent.

Chris C.: How you give feedback: One week after the "send by" date, a link will appear on this page, up top where the "see the partners you send to" link is. The link is called something like "rate the partners who sent you stuff". It is pretty self-explanatory from there, but please message me if you have any trouble.

Yippee! I got some snail mail, it made my day! My first goodie from this swap, some yummy Tazo teabags, along with a $1.00 off coupon to buy more, from Sissi in MT! She put them in the "Literary" group, because she likes to drink tea and read a good book. They were in the cutest teddy bear envelope made from a calendar page! I'll have to post a picture in the gallery. Geeze, just what I need, another hobby, now I have to try envelope making! Thanks Sissi! (Not sure what your nickname is here, I don't see a Sissi listed.)

Forgive me, today i was really scared because i sent 3 or 4 things to my partners in swap.... and i tought when i saw the photos.. oh mi God i must sent 5 things for each one...but...after read the organizer advise... iwas right... plop.. im feeling good again. Waves From México Alejandro

dreamhope wrote 01/17/2007 # Thank you everyone for joining this swap!

Based on this part of the recent comment: "Will probably copy your good idea later and set up another swap where you have 5 partners, but only send a little something to each", I just wanted to make sure it's clear that you are only sending each recipient one item that fits one of the categories. So, five categories, five items, one item to each recipient.

I'm sorry if this is redundant and everyone already knows what I mean... this is the biggest swap I've ever lead, so I want it to go well.

Kristen from Japan, sparkly swap arrived safely! Thank you! It`s nice!

thanks to christine for something blue (nice buttons!) and to lynnette for something literary (very cute book!).

so far i have received 2 blue, 1 literary and 1 funny - 1 more to go!

What timing! I went to the quilt shop and bought some pink fabric to make fabric Valentine's postcards for my Mom and sisters, and on the way home I stopped for my mail and found an envelope from Claudia in Germany filled with "something soft", pink and red ribbon with hearts on! How perfect! They're making their way into my Valentine's postcards already! I posted a picture in the gallery.

Thank you to Kymberley and Alice whose items arrived today.

Judging by the stuff I have received, and being new to swaps, I was a bit mean in the stuff I sent out so I am sending all 5 of my partners a few more bits and pieces. Please don't feel you have to rate me on these second envelopes as I expect they will arrive after the deadline. Margot

I just uploaded a photo of what I sent to my partners...Jen, Theresa, Jane, Kayleigh, and Silvia...don't peek if you don't want to ruin your surprise. They are on their way to you...hope you like them.

Marianne

Kayla, thanks for the funny! Gave me a giggle when i arrived home from work freezing cold having been rained on during my walk from the station :) Alice

Kayla, thanks for the funny! Gave me a giggle when i arrived home from work freezing cold having been rained on during my walk from the station :) Alice

Willow Tree--sent me the most BEAUTIFUL blue buttons...they are simply gorgeous...you are a gem!

Marion P.--Rec'd your "literary" pocket card...it's simply lovely and has found a errific spot in my organizer...I will see it and be inspired each and every day. So thoughtful....Thanks!!!!

I love this swap! I've had an envelope in my mailbox each day for the last three days, we must do this again!

Today I received some lovely hand-painted blue & shiny gold paper, a length of blue eyelash yarn, and some transparent paper from Cindynvb, along with a nice note. Thanks Cindy, you went above and beyond the call of duty! I love it all!

Got another envelope today from Jenn in UK. This one has Black Jack gum and lip gloss, both are BLUE wrapped :-) My boyfriend saw the container for the lip gloss and asked if the gloss was blue, too. That would have been bizarre! It is a lovely neutral shade that I shall wear often. And Black Jack gum brings back such memories of childhood. I don't even think they sell it here in the States anymore. I'm going to use the blue wrappers in ATCs. Thank you Jenn!

Geeze, I tried to make the picture of the blue paper smaller that I put in the gallery and it's really tiny, I'll try again tomorrow.

I've received 3 out of 5 so far :D 2 blues and a sparkly.

Blue from Connie & Claudia and sparkly from Mary! I've uploaded pics if any wants to see what I got :D Love it all ladies thank you!!

Jane, your funny cartoons arrived! Thank you! My brother came to look why I`m laughing!

i've gotten two sparkly things. i hope we do a swap like this again. it's been fun!

Hello, I've got two blue things and two soft things... and I am waiting for the fifth one... Many thanks. Very nice swap. Fun.

I'm at two blue and two literary. Very fun swap, both to send and to receive!

HI..... I got something from Sara in Austrailia today..thank you

I also got Something funny from Brenda in Indiana...thank you and I liked your car and info on the writer was interesting...

thanks Lisa in Australia for the something funny, lots of great things in there!

i have now received all 5!

i have 2 blue, 2 funny and 1 literary, thanks gals ;)

Csilla paid 52 cents to send me 25 cents LOLLOLOLOL :D

You really didn't have to do that, I problem never should have said anything! :)

But I talk alot and think alot and sometimes I talk without thinking! :D

Erin in Germany, Ellen in Canada, Kristen in Japan, Jane in Canada, and Jennifer in PA, US. I am so, so, so sorry but I am mailing late. They went to the post office today, but won't go out until Monday. I just got so backed up with everything and my car died. Oh well, no excuses. Just wanted you to know your letters are comming. This was lots of fun. Next time I promise to be on time.

Willow Tree- think of it as an extra bonus- another card :>) I hope my other mailings have gotten there- haven't heard anything from anyone except you...haven't gotten anything returned/rejected that I sent out, so I guess that's a good sign... I am dying in anticipation of getting 4 more soon...

INSPIRATION! I sat here looking at all my cool envelopes (I'm new to swapping, can you tell?) and decided that I want to get an atlas of the states and an atlas of the world, and use them to make altered books. Somehow, I want to mark on the pages where each swap has come from, and add a tip-in using the envelope, note, and a photo of the contents. Is anyone doing this? I think it would be so cool to look at someday, all the things I've swapped and received and where it all came from. Swapping is fast becoming an addiction, I'm afraid, lol. This was so fun! Someone needs to do another swap like this. I can't, because I don't have a rating yet. I think it would be fun to do a swap like this with the random categories, but along with that, all send something funny also, everyone needs a good laugh now and then! Sorry so wordie . . .

Hi All, Well, my swaps are on thier way and I've already recieved 3 really cool things from my partners. Hope you all are having as much fun as I am. Cindynvb

Recieved swaps from Serienova, Amity, and Sissi. Sissi, your letter got damaged in the mail, It was fat so you should have asked to have it hand canceled at the P.O. window. The contents were intact though.

Ok, I screwed up. (Sorry, I'm new here). I did send out 5 things, but not one from each category, so some of you will be receiving two.

I received some paper and a very cool beaded bookmark from Kymberly-sparkly, blue, literary, and funny! Did you make the bookmark? I really like it.

Csilla, your right it was something sparkley! :)

Thanks to Dreamhope for the funny, and to Cainna for the literary. Both brought a bright spot to my day. KnittyWitch, I'll keep an eye peeled for yours as well as the remaining two.

Murmel, glad you liked the sparkly. Hope my other four envelopes have made their way from Japan safely.

I sent on the last day of the swap and I sent to Elise(Wisconsin), Mary(MO), Lindsey(Ontario), Jennifer(IL) and Anne(MA). So you should be getting something through your letter box soon:)

I haven't gotten anything yet - I am waiting for the post each day eagerly though.

I got two more letters in the mail today! Thank you to Bonnie (mrzlina) for the great funny key ring! I love it! :) Also a big thank you to Chy for the bookmarks,the Focus on the Family pamphlet and the nice note. :)

So, I'm up to 4/5 now! :)

Thank you to Brenda for the blue stamps...I'm going to save them and when I get into making ATCs I'm going to use them up. Thanks again! ~Marianne

I received something Blue today from Ashley, really pretty scrapbook pages...thank you...

I've got my "extras" mailed out now.

Also I received some nice shiny cord from craftsty. I liked your little note too. Thanks!

I've received two literary and two soft swaps so far. Thanks to everyone that I've received from so far.

Jesse, thank you! You sent me something for each category! The japanese gum is already eaten:)

I've received soft, sparkly and funny so far

I received my very first ATC (literary one) from Australia. Thanks a bunch, Janelle!

Jesse & Jane, got your envelopes yesterday. Thanks for soft red fur (which may be incorporated into my husband's Valentine's gift today) and a little bit of everything (Jess, you really outdid yourself)

Chris Cerutti - yup I did make the bookmark ;>

I've received sparkley, blue and soft so far. Thanks!

Alice - my kitties loved the soft blue mouse, although I'm sure it wasn't meant to be a cat toy!

Hi, thanks for this swap and to all my partners. You totally came through. It's really weird, actually. I got something from each category!

I've now got 4 of 5 letters, I hope the last one turns up because I'm having a hard time identifying who's who on the rating form!

Has anyone gotten anything from me yet? I'm not sure if I mailed them out before the due date or not but I was not late (I've never mailed any of my swaps late before). I was out of town at my parents a lot over the past few weeks but I was not late at mailing everything out. I guess I'm just sad to have received my first bad rating from this swap. I have only received one of my packages so far but I'm not so quick to give a bad rating as I know the mail can be slow sometimes and I see that the people who had my name have marked their items as "sent". I posted a photo in the gallery and on my flickr of what I mailed to my partners so please rest assured that they are definately on their way!

I never thought that receiving a bad rating would have me in tears. Maybe the fact that my dad died on Sunday morning is finally catching up to me? This "1" on my other-wise perfect swapbot record really did NOT make my day. Before you rate your partner poorly...just...please...have a little patience. You don't know what may be going on in their lives and sometimes...just sometimes...the "pony express" isn't a fast as we thought it would be ;o)

Sorry to rant...I hope everyone is having a wonderful Valentine's day. Maybe my daily trip to the postoffice will cheer me up today and I'll get the 4 packages I'm still waiting for.

~Marianne

Hey!! So far I have gotten 2 out of 5...I want to rate my partners...who sent mt something from Australia??? Thanks!!!

I'm happy you liked your package Csilla and Willow tree...I loved reading your profiles...to brighten your day!!!!

Sorry you got a bad rating, Marianne, people just need to have more patience. I think that once they recieve their packages, they can go back and change the rating. Sorry to hear about your Dad.

I'm still waiting for 2 more also (not yours, though), and I will give it some time. I know how slow the mail is. Better days are coming, Marianne, keep your chin up (easier said than done, I know) and join a happy swap to help cheer you up. :0)

thanks, Jewels. Jen did say she will change the rating when it comes. Jen...if you read this, I really didn't mean make you feel bad...I'm just not in the best of moods, I guess and a little oversensitive. I'm afraid once a comment is posted on here it can't be edited anymore. Please forgive me if I've made you feel bad about this and thank you for the sweet email. Take care, sweetie! Marianne

Marianne: I'm also sorry to hear about your pre-mature rating. I'm in Canada, and mail's been so slow coming and going to anywhere outside of the country that I'm sure it is just a matter of time before that happens to me too. I've just started a 2nd version of this swap, and I've added a note about the slow post to the new swap's description.

The only thing I can suggest is messaging the person who gave you the rating and tell her that it is already on the way. Maybe she'll be willing to remove the rating and wait another week before rating you again.

Oh Marianne! I can so feel for you. I have gotten two 1 ratings and neither are deserved. It did make me cry and it even makes me want to close my account and start over again but I have so many wonderful rating and comments from the many other swaps I've participated in on Swap-Bot, so I don't. But I hate seeing those two 1s.

Oh my dear Marianne... sending you lots of warm hugs from snowy cold Pittsburgh!

Dear Dreamhope,

I am quite new (it is my second swap) I just would like to thank you for this marvellous, easy, cheap and lovely swap. Of course, I will sign for the next one...

Hello!! I´ve discover this discussion today! and I would like to know if someone has received my letters!!

Hi all! So far I've gotten all but one of mine (Saor--yours arrived today! What a great snowy Valentine's surprise!) and am wearing the lovely stripey socks Lindsey in Aurora, ON, Canada sent--you're a sweetie!!). Yay!

I've gotten three out of five, but will wait to rate the other two (drewzel and starbrite) because they are marked sent and maybe the mail is just slow. I have no idea where they live in relation to me, so that's another consideration. I totally hate giving people ones!! Usually I just don't do a rating if I don't get something but I have decided that the 1's are necessary evils because people who don't send shouldn't have a chance to disappoint others. So I'm going to give it a few more days. And luckily you can always change a rating if need be.

I've only received two of the five. I will wait on rating until next week, just in case the miserable weather has slowed stuff down. I won't give 3s but I will do a 1 if the person doesn't ever send. I won't rate at all if the person contacts me and let me know if something is preventing them from sending.

I've only got one so far, but I am confident that I will get them all in good time; I blame Canada Post.

I've started round 2 of this swap: http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/2214

Hope to see lots of you there!

i sent mine out and just recieved negetive feedback. why? isn't there a 2 week grace period to allow for postal delivery? mosy of my partners were over seas as well. how disappointing to have my rating dropped down like that. :(

Motes - I am glad you like it:)

I have received from one person so far. I certainly wouldn't assume that the rest of my partners hadn't sent because I haven't received yet. Living in Ireland it always takes at least a week for post to get to and come from the U.S. and Canada and even longer if it's comes from further afield.

Dreamhope I really enjoyed this swap - great idea.

Dreamhope and Jess, I received both of your letters in the last few days. Jess, I wonder if you meant to send me one from each catagory as you only needed to send me from one category only. Nevertheless, I am thrilled. I will rate as soon as the program allows. I love seeing how creative people are. Way more than me, I afraid! Thank you very much. Janet

To Those Who Rate Prematurely Please understand that mail can take 2 to 6 weeks to arrive. This is especially true if it is international or even if the envelope is an unusual shape. Also after you have given a one it can interfer with the recipients ability to join other groups until you change it. Not to mention how upsetting it is for people who try so hard to honor their obligations. You CAN change to a Don't want to rate at this time, instead of leaving the 1 on file and change again when you receive or even back to a 1 if you never receive. Please don't use the 1 power to express your impatience or frustration with past 'no sends'. OK, I have now stepped off my soapbox. Thanks to everyone for wonderful swaps.

thank you knitty witch. i wish this was posted somewhere central. i'm still upset about it. i messaged her but no response yet. i read her feedback and she has another feedback dispute. i fear the worst.

Perhaps everyone could sent a polite message to the site administrators requesting a change in the rating system to allow for longer shipping times. It has got to be discouraging for folk outside the US to keep getting ones and the message "will change if received" 'cause sometimes the person rating just disappears from Swap-Bot and never gets around to changing the rating. That's what happen to me. It is so upsetting.

sigh i still haven't gotten three of mine. and two are even marked not sent. i emailed them. i hope that they just forgot to mark it sent and mail is on it's way

i got something blue from jane blue beads and stickers! i love them :)

Amity sent me a BLUE knitted coffee mug rug (for a fellow BLUEgrass lover)... it is so "ME", if I'd seen it in a craft shop, I'd have bought one for myself! It's earned a place of honor right here next to my keyboard, replacing the old worn out coaster I've been using. Thanks Amity, I get so excited when I get something in a swap that's handmade! I love it!

I think it would be nice if people gave an indication of where they live in their profiles. Then we could check their profiles before we rate them and hold off on rating if they lived in another country and needed more mailing time. In fact, wouldn't it be cool if swap-bot could somehow put little country flags by our user names showing nationalities...just a thought....

KnittyWitch, your envelope made it to Japan safely. I love the blue buttons & you can be sure all the little paper tidbits will be put to good use. Thanks!

So now I've received five of five. Hope my sends are trickling in.

I haven\'t heard if 3 of my partners have received their items yet: Ambrosia_luv, mwannabe, cateringmom. I\'m still awaiting items from craftstye and Ann - the post is being slooooow at the moment!

Hi wiggle worms, I sent you a letter and was wondering if you got it yet? I have only heard from 1 person that they have gotten my 5 letters sent...I know you are in Canada so it takes awhile. But wanted you to know I did mail it over a week ago..:)

res_a did you get my letter I sent you??? It was sent a week ago... I sure hope so :)

Peace of mind to Csilla, Miss Amy O, Nellbe, and Danielle F, all of whom have sent to me and I have rated.

I have not rated Mazzam yet, I will wait the 10 t 14 days after mail by deadline before I rate.

See you all in round two. :)

i am pretty sure that i did! i had two deb partners though! =p

Debb, I haven\'t gotten it yet but I\'m not worried. The mail has been unusually slow lately, even within Canada.

I\'ve actually only gotten two of the five things from this swap so far. One from Canada and one from Australia.

Jen got her package from me and has changed my rating...thanks so much, Jen! I\'m back up to a \"5\" now. It always seems to be little things that make me happy (or sad).

BTW...my dad\'s funeral was on Saturday and it was very nice. I\'m so at peace that I just can\'t feel sad. Thanks for all the kind words. They really meant a lot to me :o)

~Marianne

I received three items so far - a soft thing, a funny one and a literary one - from ThatDarnCat, sunbeamncz3) and Jewelz. I enjoyed them all.

All of the ones I sent were received a week - ten days afterwards

Speaking as someone living in Europe, and going by other swaps there does seem to be a delay in letter and postcards coming and going.

Hello Amigos... I Would love when my partners receive them swaps..please send me a message...please... Still i havent received nothing, but im patient, normally take 2 or 3 week in mexico.. i know, because i sent normally 4 o 5 letters to europe and USA per month Saludos Alejandro Tapia -Alx-

I\'m still waiting for one more envelope from Canada . . . ahhhh . . . good old snail mail!

I haven\'t received anything from Cainna and Lindam yet. Never fear, I am not quick to rate. Just litting you know in caae it should have gotten here. I am worried that my soft category may not have made it through the mail. I will check later because I don\'t want to give it away to my partner.

I\'m still waiting on three. One is still marked \"not sent\" on the participant list :(

I got all five.

To whom it may concern and you know who that is, I will not lie about when it was postmarked .... Part of the swap requirements are the date the item must be sent by! Why should I lie and say it was sent on time when it wasn\'t!?! Yes, if there was issues in your life and you e-mailed me then thats a different story, but to not like what I posted and it being the truth is not my fault and you should not try to make me feel guilty for it! I rated 14 days after the sent by date, when it came in I changed my rating. I cannot and should not be expected to wait a month for your item and not move on with my swaps or that of others. I am a fully honest person! I love people but I will not get railroaded at the same time. I understand 14 days is out of your control, however I did NOT rate you on the time sent, I rated you on the date it was sent! There is a send by date not administered by me, so take that up with somebody else!

res_a I am the only Debb so and I am in CA so that should tell you which one I am?

Wiggle worms. Ok just checking to see if it got there. And yes apparently the mail is slow now all over.

Jen did you get my letter yet???

I am still awaiting one letter.

I have a question how do you know who is sending to you?

You don\'t know who sends to you until rate day. But, Deb build up to 15 \"5\" to one \"1\" and join Whole-lotta-swppa and you will know that the swap people you are in with WILL send to you!

http://www.flickr.com/groups/whole-lotta-swappa/

if you want to, you can click for an invite, but send admins something that will help us see you have the 5 ratio. Perhaps copy and paste. :)

I got a funny from Jane.Carolyn in yesterday's mail. Thanks so much, Jane....that made me smile :o)

Still waiting for two more...but I'm not handing out 1 ratings yet...so don't worry :o)

Marianne

Debb!!! I'm SO sorry. I just cleaned off my desk and guess what I found? Your Something Soft was here all along! I'm so sorry I made you worry. I must have had it here for quite awhile. I guess with everything that was going on with my dad I just overlooked it. Very cute little CareBear puffy stamps :o) Thank you!

Marianne

Craftsy - I received your literary item last week - thanks! Still awaiting Ann\'s. I hope everyone has received mine. I haven\'t been rated for all of them yet - I don\'t know if Ambrosia_luv, mwannabe and cateringmom have received their items yet.

Sweet Release, thanks for the sparkle! I love the colors, I'll have to hide them on my daughter, she's a hot pink/lime green girl!

Unfotunately, I have been given a 1 rating for a no send...another envelope lost to Canada Post I suppose...so sad given the fact that I had a 5 rating as well...I now share that horrible feeling with others on this swap...Although this is premature, and so NOT in my nature, I did have concerns about this sort of thing happening...so I've withdrawn from all future swaps...so sad :(

Jen K....that's too bad. I still hadn't received one of my packages so I sent a message to my partner asking if everything was o.k. (I didn't want to give a "1" rating and I was trying to be patient). She told me she'd mailed it off a long time ago. Funny thing was...it finally came today and the stamp wasn't even cancelled (it even looked like one of the stamps had been ripped off). I'm confident my partner mailed this out long ago and something wacky happened at one of the postoffices it passed through. There should be better communication between people before 1-ratings are given away...it just doesn't seem fair when we've done all we can on our end and a postoffice messes up :o( I'm sorry you cancelled your profile and dropped all of your swaps :o(

I never did give a 1...and since I got it now I was able to give my partner a 5....and a heart, too ;o)

Marianne

I still haven't received three of the five. One person did let me know she sent and it is coming international so may take a while. Another hasn't responded to my messages, but she has a 5 rating so I am reluctant to give her a 1. The last seems to have given up and never sent.

I feel so bad for Jen K. I think the rating system is too harsh. There needs to be a longer period of time before ratings are given, and some sort of field for senders to respond to bad ratings. I am so disappointed with the two no-sends I have on my profile. It is terribly discouraging when you do send and try hard to make the swaps extra special, but someone decides to be mean and rate low. It happens out of spite at times, too. Like when they have received a low rating from you.

Zmrzlina...I noticed one of your no sends gave me a 1 for this swap as well. And I sent her item out loooooong ago. I don't know why I'm having such trouble with this swap :o( It seems mail was really messed up at the beginning of February? I sent this person a message with a photo of what I sent her and an offer to send another but I see on HER profile that most of her swaps lately have been no sends by her. I was pretty proud of my perfect rating...but...I see that it's probably not going to be that way forever even if I DO send off my swaps...so sad. It's disheartening and makes me want to give up, too. Besides...all this postage...ugh...doesn't almost seem worth it most of the time.

I ha ve received my first swap from an "Ordinar Angel"... was great...and so excited about the rest of them... Waves to all You.. nice Swap