May 12th 2009 09:31:28 am

Creating and running a swap on Swap-bot is a lot of fun, but it is also a big responsibility. Here are some important tips on how to run a successful swap:

• Give a Detailed Description – When creating a swap make sure that you have clearly and thoroughly explained your swap idea. Include a description of the item(s) being swapped, an explanation of the craft technique being utilized (with links to instructional websites if needed), and a clear statement of what is expected from participants. A dollar value or number of items expected to be sent for the swap may be needed. Also, make sure you include what kind of requirements participants are expected to have, such as a completed profile, minimum rating, number of swaps completed, etc. The more detailed your description, the more likely you are to attract committed, quality swappers to your swap.
• Create a Swap Graphic – A custom graphic or image for your swap is not required, but it does give your swap an identity and it shows that you are dedicated swap host.
• Communicate with Participants – Be available for any questions members may have via private message and email. Check your swap page periodically to read comments left by participants and respond if needed. Clearly and kindly explaining your expectations will help your swap run smoothly.
• Check Over Participants – This may be the most important tip! After the sign up deadline for your swap has closed, carefully check over your list of participants and remove any user who does not meet your rating or region requirements, or who does not appear to be a strong swapper. Swap-bot is an open website which accepts all different types of people from all over the world. We believe diversity of culture and opinion strengthens and enriches the community, but it also means that there may be people on Swap-bot with whom you are not comfortable swapping. As swap coordinator, it is your duty to protect your swap participants from questionable or dishonest users. Swap-bot’s automatic suspension system and Admin are the first line of defense against questionable swappers, but we rely on our coordinators to be a second line of defense against swap lifting and other undesirable behavior. If you come across a user who makes you uncomfortable, remove them from your swap before assigning partners and report them to Swap-bot Admin (questions [at] swap-bot.com).
• Send Your Swap – This is a no-brainer, but it is especially disappointing when a swap coordinator does not send their swap!
• Follow up with your participants – About 2-3 weeks after the send date, follow up with your participants to see if everybody has sent and received their swap. You can email your participants as a group, or just look over the details on the swap’s participant page. You may choose to angel your swap or arrange angels, if needed. Make sure to remind any swappers who did not receive a swap to rate their sending partner honestly with a 1 rating. Honest ratings help weed out the dishonest users more quickly. If you had any major problems with any of your participants, report them to Swap-bot Admin (questions [at] swap-bot.com).

Those are some of my general tips for how to be a good swap coordinator, but what else makes a coordinator extra special? What tips do you have for first time coordinators?

2 Comments » Categories: Tuesday Tip

May 11th 2009 06:19:23 am

I really wish there was a picture to go along with this week’s featured swap, because when I read the title I literally shrieked out loud! The Matchbox Backpack on a Dotee swap, hosted by Charrley, sounds like it will be a ton of adorable fun. For the swap, each participant creates a Dotee Doll of any theme for their one partner. They then alter a 32-count matchbox to be a tiny backpack for the doll. The “backpack” must contain at least five craft items that the recipient can use in future projects. The swap is international and you must sign up before May 24th.

Dotee Dolls are small fabric dolls created by Dorothy “Dot” Christian. They are meant to spread friendship, love, and joy. For more info about Dotee Dolls, check out their creator, Dot’s, blog. You can also see lots of great photos of the dolls in the Dotee Doll Flickr group. View the Matchbox Crafts Flickr group to see lots of inspirational altered matchboxes. I can’t wait to see photos from the Matchbox Backpack on a Dotee swap in those Flickr groups!!

2 Comments » Categories: Weekly Featured Swap

May 8th 2009 08:41:45 am

There has been lot of good stuff to see out in the crafty interwebs this week! Here is a random selection of general craft fun and some Mother’s Day stuff for your clicking enjoyment:

• First and foremost, that adorable Ernie the envie stuffie you see above was created by Swap-bot user, KawaiiFiend. What an amazingly accurate and realistic portrait of Ernie in felt – and super-cute to boot!! Love it.
• For Mother’s Day: Mother’s Day corsage tutorial on Craft:zine, Mother’s Day craft ideas for kids on Woman’s Day, Mother’s Day craft projects from the world of Martha Stewart, and finally, a very pretty free Mother’s Day door hanger download from Twig & Thistle.
• These cute pincushions could also make a quick and cute Mother’s Day gift: Free Bitty Bug pincushion tutorial from goody-goody.
• Speaking of free – and of something you could use for Mother’s Day – Creature Comforts has some lovely, simple cupcake tags free for download .
• I am loving Ali Edwards’ words of wisdom on how to work through creative fear. Inspiring!
• Ok, I have posted about this site before, but lately it has been cracking me up more and more: Craftastrophe. The site writers, Sam and Karen, post about really odd handmade items that they find all over the internet. Sometimes I feel really bad reading the site and laughing at another person’s hard work and creativity… but there are some crafts out there that are extremely bizarre!! … and funny.
• New York swappers: I am planning on attending Monday night’s (5/11) Etsy Labs event in Brooklyn. It is from 5 – 8 pm and it is going to be all about cupcakes! I had a lot of fun at the last Etsy Labs I attended, so I would definitely recommend it. Make sure to let me know if you are going to be there and I will bring you some Swap-bot goodies. (Email me rachel [at] swap-bot.com.)

Have a great spring weekend, everyone! xoxo

4 Comments » Categories: Swappy Goodness

May 6th 2009 07:04:08 pm

One more adorable Swap-bot stuffie for your viewing pleasure. This guy was made by Swap-bot user Swan and I love him!

No Comments » Categories: Swappy Goodness

May 5th 2009 03:14:39 pm

This is a quick tip that I think will cut down on swap flaking – or at least make it less likely for you to personally encounter it. When choosing swaps, only join those which you will have the most fun completing instead of ones that you would most like to receive. We all love to receive our snail mail swap packages, but swapping should be a creative process that is enjoyable on both the sending and receiving sides.

In the more than three years that we have been running Swap-bot, Travis and I have noticed a pattern in the swaps that the truly malicious flakers gravitate toward. The more expensive “go buy such and such for your partner” swaps are always targeted by the thieves. Not to say that putting together a fun package of goodies for your partner isn’t rewarding, but it is smart to be selective about which store-bought swaps you participate in. Private or group store-bought swaps are much safer. And never sign up for a swap you cannot afford! Inexpensive mail swaps, like postcards and letters, are a still lot of fun without being as financially risky.

Creative craft and art swaps can certainly still end up with flakers, but most of the fun in these swaps is in sharing your creation with others. The swappers who sign up for craft and art swaps are usually very interested in the creative process and love the challenge of creating something new, not just the promise of receiving a package. Swapping can help you explore your creativity while also connecting you with other artists, writers, crafters, and makers from around the world.

There are a few more tips on how to choose successful swaps in this previous Tuesday Tip post. Please add your suggestions for how to choose swaps in the comments section.

5/14/09 UPDATE:

Here are a few more helpful tips for how to choose safer swaps from Swap-bot user, LINDA50 :

• Do not sign up for swaps with hosts with less than 40 completed swaps.
• Do not stay in swaps with questionable swappers. Either have the host ban them or drop the swap.
• If the swap title has the word bored in it, don’t join. Don’t know why this word attrats flakers but it does.
• Avoid public swaps for items that require a large time (or money) investment.
• Go for low value, medium effort public swaps.
• Do not wait two or three months to give a one. Ones can always be changed, but you cannot go back and warn people. The longer it takes to spot a flaker the more they walk away with.

Thanks, Linda!!

2 Comments » Categories: Tuesday Tip

May 4th 2009 09:02:13 am

I just couldn’t help myself! I had to choose the Twilight ATC swap , hosted by Mysticsweetness , for this week’s featured swap. I have read the whole Twilight book series and seen the movie, and I think it is a lot of fun! For the Twilight ATC swap, you make three artist trading cards for your one international partner. New users and anyone with a 4.9 rating are welcome. There are no rules as to whom or what you must feature on your cards, as long as it has to do with Twilight ! The sign up deadline is May 15th.

Here are some links to help you with the swap:

• Official Twilight Saga website
• Twilight Wikipedia page
• Author Stephenie Meyer’s website
• Twilighters.org
• Twilight Saga Wiki
• Twilight – the movie
• ATC Basics Info page

2 Comments » Categories: Weekly Featured Swap

May 3rd 2009 09:01:10 am

Many of you already follow swapbot on Twitter and get updated every time a new public swap is created on the site. We also just created a new SwapbotNews twitter account. With the new account we can announce fun swap-bot stuff without it getting lost within all of the new swap tweets. I plan to only tweet about once or twice a day with the SwapbotNews account, so you can follow without the fear of being bombarded with too many tweets.

I am going to announce a new Swap-bot Giveaway early next week that will utilize Twitter in some way, so get ready by following SwapbotNews now!

(Other Twitter fun facts: you can follow me and Crusher, and crafty stuff like Etsy and Craft Critique, as well as famous folks like Oprah and Martha! Fun!)

2 Comments » Categories: Announcements

May 3rd 2009 05:01:43 am

Somehow I missed the listing for the Swap-bot Stuffie swap hosted by lilacamy931. I wish I had signed up because I love all of the Ernie the envie stuffies that I am seeing on Flickr now. Check out these three cuties:

This one was created by MaliksMom – so striking in felt!

This floral sweetie was made by synchrodoll for her partner, craftycrocheter.

This one was made by MamaRosita. I love the stamp!

If anyone else would like to share their Swap-bot-themed creation on the blog, please send me your photos! (rachel [at] swap-bot.com)

2 Comments » Categories: Swappy Goodness

May 1st 2009 01:59:25 pm

A little late today, but I still love you! Check out these crafty and fun-filled links:

• It is indie craft fair season! Check out the comprehensive calendar of craft fairs on Craftershock to find one near you.
• I’m posting this a little late for Earth Day, but Simple Mom has a great list of 40 Tips to Go Greener at Home.
• I am excited about this: A new “Etsy Addict” iPhone application! It allows you to quickly check your fave Etsy sellers for updates via your iPhone and it is just $.99. (You can purchase it at the App Store.)
• I love this free pattern from Heather Ross and Mendocino Fabrics for a cute, smocked summer dress… too bad I don’t know how to smock. Wait a second – here is a free tutorial on smocking from Pretty Ditty! Perfect!
• These Post-It note drawings by Marc Johns have been cracking me up. (found via Twig & Thistle)
• I like the cute pirate card tutorial featured on the Etsy Storque on Tuesday… great for a little boy’s (or girl’s) birthday!
• One more: crochet rose tutorial from Planet June.

No Comments » Categories: friday link love