just wanted to make some comments on completed page swap

[laurafaith]

hi all i had suggested we do a completed page swap and im soooo excited others like the idea and its a go!

-- i just had some suggestions/tips based on how we do our swaps at CTMH
-- we usually set guidelines -- such as at least 2 photomats per 12x12 page
-- one journaling spot per 12x12 page
-- also ** this is a big help ** all pages DO NOT have to be identical! if you have different patterened paper/stickers to use up -- use them -- especially helpful for those on the ban wagon.

-- also we ship using priority mail -- so as hostesses we usually try to make things easy on ourselves and the swappers -- so we usually as for a premade out priority return label and a priority stamp for 4.60. then hostess just has to put on label and stamp -- and send out.

**if the hostess needs help with boxes, tape...etc...let me know u can order everything for free through USPS.com and they deliever usually in 1-2 days.
im sooo excited about this swap -- i hope u all love swapping completed pages as much as me!

 

[TPCShauna]

Hi Laura!

Thanks for your note regarding the non-identical issue. I've not made my pages identical in the past completed swaps I've been in but I totally forgot to mention that.

It would be great if you could copy your above comments onto the Interest thread for the completed pages swap so everyone can find everything in one place. I know that many people have a subscription to that thread already so it might be easier to make sure that people see your excellent suggestions.

Also, I've mentioned guidelines on the other thread so you might want to look at my thoughts there.

I had planned to instruct everyone to use the flat rate priority boxes that require $8.95 postage. I keep a huge stash of all shapes and sizes of mailers from the USPS as I swap/host fairly often. Is there another method you use that works better in your experience?

I'm so happy that you are excited about this. I think it will go well.

 

[laurafaith]

if u keep the rounds small -- less then 10 papers u can ship in a priority box (non flat rate) and the cost is only 4.60 for a priority stamp. this works as long as the package is under 1 pound -- if it would go over 1 pound (very rare with this small of a swap) just tell the post office to bill overage postage to the recipeint. that way people save money -- it would never add up to 8.95!

 

[TPCShauna]

I know it costs at least $7.95 to mail a non-flat rate box cross country. Since I'm in California and most Dis-ers are on the East Coast, that is the least amount that most would pay.

Thanks for this info. I think we're going to stick with the $8.95 flat rate postage though because that seems to be what works. I'm not comfortable having multiple people send too little postage and run the risk that I'll have to pick up the difference. I KNOW my local P.O. won't mail out a box with too little postage and have the recipient pay the difference. I've had more than one package returned to me for insufficient postage when I paid what the P.O. told me to and then found out they had given me the wrong info.

 

[laurafaith]

not trying to argue with u! u can do what your comfortable with -- ive been doing completed page swaps for years! this does work. ive even gone and met with people at the post office to find the best method. there is a non flat rate priority box that u can ship with a priority stamp for 4.60 anywere in the country....as long as the package is under 1 pound. with this small of pages it will be under 1 pound!! if it goes over (which it will not) u just have to tell the post office when u drop off the boxes to bill the recipeint. if u tell them this they will do it -- u just have to take the extra step.

like i said im fine with how u want to do it -- this is why i wanted to be hostess - but others were nervous about a newbie -- but sometimes us "newbies" have done this hundrends of times and know what we are doing!! lol -- just like everyone flamed the idea of a completed page swap until a few people liked the idea then everyone else was on board -- people just need to be open to new ideas!

 

[laurafaith]

in fact .. i find alot of people on this board very close minded to new ideas -- the completed page swap was my idea! and a lot of people were very negative about it -- im not the only "newbie" who feels this way...sometimes u have to be more open minded about things -- others do know what they are talking about! i was just trying to save money for everyone -- this makes things easier on hostess and swappers.

u saying that u KNOW u can't ship a package from east to west for under 7.95 just proves u have not done all your research. if the package is under 1 pound u can send prioirty for 4.60. PERIOD.

anyway this has been to much work and negativity for my taste. i thought this was suppose to be fun! and alot of people on here have taken the fun out of it. on CTMH we have started a disney swap -- 8 rounds -- all completed pages so im going that route -- that way i know they will be quality pages, and people know how to swap!

all i tried to do was make this fun -- u guys can just do things in your little group -- i really don't think its nice or kind to act like "newbies" are nobody's when this is a PUBLIC FORUM!!

anyway hope u guys have fun with my idea -- but count me out -- to many negative people with bad attitudes and not willing to listen! not my cup of tea!

 

[TPCShauna]

I'm sorry you feel the way you do. I've always found this board to be very open and welcoming. I started out as a total scrapbooking/swap newbie and everyone was great.

Again, I understand that you speak from your experiences and I speak from mine. I mailed a package at my Post Office and paid exactly what I was told to by the clerk. The package was less than 1 lb. and I was told I only needed to pay $4.60. Well, my package wasn't delivered and I received it back 2 weeks later with an insufficient postage notice. I've had many problems of this nature with my local P.O. Maybe yours is more accommodating but I as a hostess should not have to "eat" the cost of paying extra postage when the whole issue can be avoided by just paying for the amount of postage we know will work.

Like I said, I'm sorry you feel that we aren't open to new participants. As a swapper, I don't think it is unfair to ask someone new to the board to participate in a few swaps before hosting one. Like you said in your above post - this is an open forum and anyone can post and participate in swaps. The only way that people know someone is trustworthy is to see their participation in a few swaps. I'm sorry if that doesn't make sense to you but that is how the majority of us feel.

Yes, I think people "jumped" on the idea of the completed page swap after they had more info about it and had time to warm up to the idea. A lot of the reticence resulted from a perceived slight to the element/page kit swaps that we currently run on the board in one of your early posts. I'm sure it was never your intention to insult anyone by your statements but some people were and it took them a bit to warm up.

I hope you enjoy participating in your other Disney swap. As you say, you've swapped with them before and are familiar with the quality of the product they produce. Please allow us to feel the same way about the swaps that occur on this board. Should you choose, you are still more than welcome to participate in the completed page swap we are hosting in February. I'm sure you would be pleased with the quality of work that the ladies here produce as well.

Good luck!

 

[laurafaith]

This Will Be My Last Post Here -- Why Are U Still Arguing With Me About The Post Office Stuff? Seriously Go Drive To Your Post Office Ask Them How Much It Cost To Send A "priority" Box Under 1 Pound Costs To Ship To New York (or Whatever Is Far 4 U) They Will Tell U 4.60 -- Please Know Your Facts Before U Argue A Point -- Im Sorry Im Done With These Boards --

 

[Faerie]

Well, personally, I have to size with Shauna here, I sent a .75 lb package from South Florida to MA and was told I would have been better off putting it in a flat rate since it ended up being $5 or $6. I always try to use flat rates when swapping, makes my life easier

 

[missesdisney]

Laura,

I am usually not argumentative on these boards, but I think you are being a bit out of line with Shauna when she so graciously agreed to host a swap on your behalf to warm you up to the group. I have only been swapping since April and I have never felt anything but welcomed by Everyone in this group and we get newbies all the time. Newbies to swapping, newbies to dis, etc. You started out enthusiastic wanted to dive in and now are being very rude about something silly. I hosted only one swap and I know how difficult it is to sort out postage if it goes over. And it CAN go over one pound - people use embellishments and bazzill and these things add weight. It's entirely too much to ask to have the hostess guess and ask the post office to bill it (which mine WILL NOT do - all post offices do not operate in the same manner).

These boards have guidelines overall and there are some long term swappers here who have done enormous volume and I don't think that when a logical suggestion is made it should be slammed. Anyone who wants to join a swap with a flat rate box will know that up front and make that decision. They don't have to send it that way - just receive it back that way.

I'm sorry you don't agree but honestly with your current attitude I wouldn't want to be swapping with you on this board.

Best Wishes.

 

[Princess Jayne]

i 'm quite a newbie here-i've only taken part in 3 completed swaps and i';ve never had an issue - everyone has been really nice - particularly when i didnt know what i was talking about and had to ask a stupid question, and being from the uk i was worried people might have an issue with that but i've not encountered any negitvity or bad attitudes. x

 

[New England Eeyore]

I'm not even going to comment on the unbelievable rudeness....

As far as the postage goes, I know I've been mailing swaps and CJs around the country for a long time now, and while yes, it is true that if it's under a pound it's $4.60, if it's 1.00000001 lbs, it then bumps up to the next price category, which can be hefty for cross country. I just mailed back quite a few swaps that to look at the stack of baggies, you wouldn't think were a pound but most boxes were over $4.60 and they were not going cross country. Paper and embellishments add weight fast, not to mention you want a little wiggle room in the pound figure. Any swap I have ever sent, if I sent it in a box, I always included $9 for return, even if it cost me less to mail, just to make it easier for the hostess.

 

[missesdisney]

I'm not even going to comment on the unbelievable rudeness....

Here Here!

I'm a bit bugged by the lack of punctuation and proper grammar too but no need to slam.....

 

[Faerie]

I paid a quite a bit out of pocket when I hosted my first swap because I DIDN'T use flat rate boxes - totally my mistake and that reminds me that I need to put in an order before the tag book swap!

 

[nicurn]

wow, just shaking my head in disbelief over the rudeness towards tpcshauna, seems pretty uncalled for. I haven't swapped in awhile but it's MUCH easier just to use the priority rate box, that way it doesn't matter what the dang thing weighs. People here are very open to new suggestions, just not the rudeness or the arguing. Hopefully your other swap will work for you laurafaith, and I think you owe tpcshauna an appology. maggie

 

[rlovew]

While I can definately say that Laura's attitude isn't needed the best thing to do with this thread might be to not post on it. It will work its way down the list fairly quiickly- you know we post fairly often so it only takes a few days for things to move down the list- of course we could post on more rarely used threads to move it down but there is no reason we should have to lower ourselves to continuing to beat this since Laura has already stated she doesn't plan on having anything else to do with us and therefore is probably not even looking at it anymore.

I can definately see everyone's point in supporting Shauna- which is wonderful but let's put this back at the bottom of our pages and let it and all of the unpleasantness go away- we can be glad that we are vigilant in looking at those who are insistent at hostessing immeadiately in their own way because of this none of us lost any money or too much time over this.

Rebecca

 

[Twigs]

I'm sorry you feel the way you do. I've always found this board to be very open and welcoming. I started out as a total scrapbooking/swap newbie and everyone was great.

Again, I understand that you speak from your experiences and I speak from mine. I mailed a package at my Post Office and paid exactly what I was told to by the clerk. The package was less than 1 lb. and I was told I only needed to pay $4.60. Well, my package wasn't delivered and I received it back 2 weeks later with an insufficient postage notice. I've had many problems of this nature with my local P.O. Maybe yours is more accommodating but I as a hostess should not have to "eat" the cost of paying extra postage when the whole issue can be avoided by just paying for the amount of postage we know will work.

Like I said, I'm sorry you feel that we aren't open to new participants. As a swapper, I don't think it is unfair to ask someone new to the board to participate in a few swaps before hosting one. Like you said in your above post - this is an open forum and anyone can post and participate in swaps. The only way that people know someone is trustworthy is to see their participation in a few swaps. I'm sorry if that doesn't make sense to you but that is how the majority of us feel.

Yes, I think people "jumped" on the idea of the completed page swap after they had more info about it and had time to warm up to the idea. A lot of the reticence resulted from a perceived slight to the element/page kit swaps that we currently run on the board in one of your early posts. I'm sure it was never your intention to insult anyone by your statements but some people were and it took them a bit to warm up.

I hope you enjoy participating in your other Disney swap. As you say, you've swapped with them before and are familiar with the quality of the product they produce. Please allow us to feel the same way about the swaps that occur on this board. Should you choose, you are still more than welcome to participate in the completed page swap we are hosting in February. I'm sure you would be pleased with the quality of work that the ladies here produce as well.

Good luck!

Well said Shauna, I happen to know that you are not a rude person and you actually go out of your way to be kind and helpful to people. I also know that you spoke about the postage from personal experience(you have been doing swaps for a very long time), I remember those swaps where things went back because the $4.60 turned out to be not enough. It is true that not all post offices will do things the same way.

 

[MazdaUK]

I agree with PJ, I've found people more than accomodating here and I know its very difficult sometimes to send overseas, especially til you get into the habit. I always work on what works for the hostess - if a hostess asked for everything to be packed ni pink tissue I'd get it!

We explained while we wouldn't join a swap hosted by a newbie, but were happy for her to "earn her ears" by swapping with her, and even took her idea on board as a swap (although its a bigger expense than usual).

I could say many rude things but that would not be nice.

 

[Mickeyteacher]

Wow--- I can not believe this thread. Shauna, you are an awesome swapper and great part of our group.
Thanks for hosting and putting time into your swaps!
S

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I am closing this thread, we need to keep the peace.