Some early evening link love to get you through the long holiday weekend. Have fun!

• The image above is from a Button Fairy Tutorial on Flickr created by Swap-bot user, redwing480 . The tutorial is very detailed and quite handy for anyone who is curious about the cute little fairies. (I need to add “Button Fairy” to the glossary!!)
• There is a very sweet (and FREE) scalloped tag download on A Print A Day.
• I just ordered some washi paper masking tape from nothingelegant’s Etsy store and it is beyond beautiful – had to share the store! (I originally found out about nothingelegant on simplesong .)
• Ok, I saw the new Star Trek movie recently and I am in love!! (Usually, I am more of a Next Generation girl, but I am digging this newest interpretation.) Anyhoo, if you are also a Trekkie, you must check out the two Star Trek ATC swaps going on now: here & here .
• Amy Butler is holding a contest – make something with her Midwest Modern fabric and submit an email with a photo of your creation between June 1st and September 15th. Ten winners will receive a very generous Amy Butler prize package. Read the official contest PDF here. (found via Whip Up)
• This next one is just for fun, because hey, it is a holiday weekend and you just might be taking some family photos: Awkward Family Photos.

I want to quickly share with you one of my absolute favorite blogs: Creature Comforts. The site is run by Ez, who loves style and design and all things beautiful. She features the most lovely photography and art each day by sharing her inspirations from all around the web. She also often has giveaways and free downloads to share. It seems like all of my bookmarked websites these days have been found by reading Creature Comforts!

You can check out Ez’s Etsy store, Wren & Chickadee, and her Twitter . She is also one of the artists behind Kindred.

Creating a descriptive profile page is an important part of swapping on Swap-bot, but what does that entail? And, how do you make your profile fabulous?

The Swap-bot “Edit Profile” page is extremely simple in design, but it allows you endless possibilities for customization. The “Personal” link at the top of the “Edit Profile” page is where you go to add information to your profile page.

<img style=”border:1px solid black;” src=”http://blog.swap-bot.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/editprofile-300x155.jpg” alt=”Click on Edit Profile “ title=”Click on Edit Profile “ width=”300” height=”155” class=”size-medium wp-image-791” “ srcset=”http://blog.swap-bot.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/editprofile-300x155.jpg 300w, http://blog.swap-bot.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/editprofile.jpg 377w” sizes=”(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px” />

Once you are there, follow these tips:

First, Add URLs

This is where you can prominently place links to other places on the internet that you inhabit, such as your blog(s), your MySpace Profile, your Flickr Photos, and if you’re an indie artist who sells your work, links to your Etsy store, your Artfire studio, etc. If you have wishlists on other sites, you can also add those links. Swap-bot provides a dropdown list with a few of these titles for the links, including My Amazon Wishlist, but you must provide the correct link address. For the wishlists, make sure you are not logged in on that site when you copy the link address or it won’t work for other people. If what you want to link to isn’t on the drop down list, just click on “other” and Swap-bot lets you name the link what you want, such as My Etsy Faves.

Second, Add info about yourself

The “Profile Edit” page starts out only showing one profile section, but you can add additional sections to your profile by clicking the “Add Another” link. You can choose from the pre-set section titles, or create your own by selecting “Other” and typing in a title.

Following are some suggestions for what to include in each section:

• About me

This is where you give people a general idea of who you are. You can include things like your job, a bit about your family, your hobbies and so on. You could include information about whether you would like to do one-on-one swaps with others, or if you are interested in specialized swaps. Add as much info as you would like, but remember that Swap-bot profiles are public, so do not include anything that you do not want to be public knowledge.

• Favourite crafts

If you do enjoy crafting, describe your projects here. Do you crochet, sew, are you interested in paper crafts, ATCs? If you are mainly interested in postcard or letter swaps, you can skip this section. You do not have to include all (or any) of the pre-set sections in your profile – they are simply suggestions to get you started.

• Favorite books/videos/music

These are pretty self-explanatory sections. If you do love movies, books, tv or music, you can give them each their own area on your profile page. The type of info included in these sections may not affect the swap packages that your partners send, but it will help them get to know you.

• Other sections

There is no limit to what other sections you can add to your profile. Some users have added sections specifically about their family members, or about special collections they have. You can create an area for anything you would like to share about your self on your profile page.

A lot of swapbot users list their likes and dislikes under special sections. These two categories of info are very important for profile-specific swaps and swaps where your partner is likely to go looking for making that special thing for you. Your partner will get inspiration and maybe find information about what little extras you might like. The more information you include, the better are your chances of receiving a parcel you really like. You could list things like your favorite colors, craft materials, candy, and other items you would like to receive. It is equally important to list your dislikes. Include any allergies or intolerances you may have to things.

You can also create a section to discuss how you handle swapping in general. The section can include statements about rating, being rated, how and when you send swaps, and what you do if you dont receive a swap.

Have fun adding “other” information to your profile page! Make it a place where others can quickly get to know you.

Adding Images and graphics

You are not required to add images and graphic to your profile, but some members have a lot of fun customizing their page. If you want to decorate your profile, you must first upload your graphic somewhere online (like on flickr or photobucket) and then you can use Markdown code to link to the images for display on your profile page. There is more information about using Markdown on the Swap-bot wiki, here. Also, stay tuned for a handy Markdown tutorial on an upcoming Tuesday Tip post!

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_(Most of the text for this post was taken from the Swap-bot WIki “Tips for a Good Profile” page. Thank you to everyone who added to that page!)</p>

CherylLaVon , an active Swap-bot member, a lover of Dotee Dolls, and a good friend to many on Swap-bot, passed away yesterday after a long illness. Instead of a featured swap this week, I want to draw attention to some projects you can do in honor of Cheryl.

If you would like to send a card to Cheryl’s family, user Fairy20tails is collecting them to send as a group. Please read her forum thread for more info.

A swap, In Honor of CherylLaVon , has been created by user TheFallenAngel. For the swap users are asked to donate to Cheryl’s American Cancer Society Memorial Fund, add their memories of her to the memorial page, and send a card to her family via Fairy20Tails. Swap participants will not receive any items in the swap, but will be able to honor a friend and share their memories.

User pgk has also created a graphic in memory of Cheryl that you can place on your profile page. You can find it on this forum page .

Cheryl will be greatly missed on Swap-bot, but it is wonderful to see so many of her friends honoring her life and memory. </u> </strong>

No theme today, just fun links:

• Cupcakes Take the Cake, a blog all about cupcakes. I met one of the ladies behind this blog (Nichelle) on Monday at Etsy Labs and she was awesome. You can also check out their Etsy store, Tiny Cupcakes, which sells cupcake-themed goodies for kids.
• Craft Corps – A brand new project and website by Vickie Howell documenting the indie craft movement and profiling crafters. There is going to be a Craft Corps book next year, but in the mean time you can read a new crafter profile each week on the site.
• Love Twilight ? Love crafts? If you answered yes to both of those questions, you must check out the Twilight Crafts LiveJournal blog . Most recently, the users were competing in a “Craft your Food” contest and making food items from the books.
• Craftcast is a podcast site that “delivers weekly content, covering the latest information in the crafting industry. Listeners get personal time experience with a wide variety of artists and crafters.”
• It is summer, time for ice cream! To keep your hands drip-free, check out the Ice Cream Cone Cozy tutorial over at the object project. (via whip up)
• Anyone checking out the Bust Spring Fling Craftacular in Brooklyn on Sunday? Maybe, I’ll see you there!

I know that many of you not only create handmade items to swap, but you also sell them (or want to sell them) on sites like Etsy and ArtFire. If you need help navigating the world of selling handmade goods online, Handmadeology is helpful resource you should check out. From the site’s description:

Handmadeology exists for the purpose of teaching artists how to successfully sell their handmade goods online. Through articles, blogs, video and screen shot tutorials, and Q & A dialogue between Timothy Adam and followers of his work, the formula for selling handmade goods online can be learned.

Timothy has had success selling on Etsy since 2007 and also has a blog and an Artfire store . Selling his handmade metal jewelry, sculpture, and furniture online is his full-time job. On Handmadeology he shares his secrets for success. There are both articles and videos that can help beginners navigate the world of online selling, and help established sellers get more traffic to their store. You can learn more about Timothy and Handmadeology from his CraftCast interview. </div>

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 </b> – 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?

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!!

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

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