10/30/06 - NEWSFLASH!! More New Swap Rules!!

[twowishes]

I find it a touch sad that there could be a 4-page discussion of how nice it is "sometimes ... to just craft for the sake of making someone happy.  not for getting a handmade item in return" without anyone once bringing up the charity threads.

Recently I proposed an idea on the "swap ideas" board of sending packages to soldiers and injured Afghani children through www.AnySoldier.com.  The thread was moved to the charity board because it wasn't technically a swap -- i.e., nothing comes back to you by mail in exchange for the package that you send out.
 
When I went into the charity board to check up on it, I discovered that someone had proposed almost the exact same idea -- down to AnySoldier.com -- a few days before.  But I had no idea, because I read the swap boards at least once a week but had never clicked into the charity boards.  And I suspect I'm not the only one on Craftster who can say that....

As a Craftster community, we devote so much time, money, and energy to swapping.  Sure, getting that return package in the mail is great!  But I don't think that's really what the swapping is all about. 

I've had a lot of bad luck with swaps, to the point that my boyfriend  asked me to stop doing them because he hated to see me stress over sending a nice package and then get something ... less ... in return.  But I still crave swapping, because, as most Craftsters know, it's really about the love of putting our own box together!  So why not do a little good in the world while we're doing it?

There are several charity efforts going on right now on the charity boards.  Besides my own (ahem), there's a particularly exciting one with a different charity to be blitzed with crafty love for each month of 2007.  I urge everyone to check them out.  If just a small amount of our Craftster community's swapping energies went into the charity efforts instead of the normal swaps, we could make a real difference!

[mmd32]

Twowishes-I saw your post about Anysoldier.com, and was inspired enough to decide to start sending random packages when I get them together. I haven't done it yet, though, because it was leading into the Christmas season, and I was already overwhelmed, but have plans to begin soon. I love the idea a LOT; I just need to organize myself. Your post DID make a difference.

[Stifflersmom]

The charity threads are somewhat new, and many people only visit one or two areas of Craftster, as it is such a large website. I think the charity themed ideas are a lovely way to send joy and caring. However, no one needs to feel guilty for not bringing them up in the swap threads.

[irid3sc3nt]

There are charity swaps?  Wow, stifflersmom is right, I really don't get out into other craftster areas much.  Funny thing, I just finished thumbing through Knitting for Peace, thanks for the tip, I'm off to check it out.

[boygirlparty]

i tried to view the link in the original post, but it said it was off limits. can someone post the content here? thanks!

[SevsOnlyGirl]

I just tried it and it worked for me.  Maybe copy and paste it in your address bar?  Never hurts to try!

[boygirlparty]

i tried that! i still get the error:
 The topic or board you are looking for appears to be either missing or off limits to you.

[sweets4ever]

It's in the Recycle Bin (deleted).  I'll check with the swap mods to see if it should be reinstated or this one should be deleted as well.

Thanks!

[Stifflersmom]

I'm not sure why that rule post was deleted. I would say it's ok to restore it.

[sweets4ever]

Okie dokie!  I restored the delete thread & merged it with this one...Leah's rule post is now the first post of this thread.

Enjoy!

boygirlparty, thanks for catching that for us... much appreciated & good to know someone is reading the rules!