Swap Board Update & other swap news.

[Sherry]

I want to thank you guys for your patience during the swap board coding phase. I know it has been a difficult wait and that you are itching to start swapping but please know that coding a board to work with vbulletin has not been an easy task. If it were a stand alone app, Mark would have had the project completed weeks ago. However, Mark and I wanted to offer a quality product, one that would work with your current login and one that could be accessed without having to leave the confines of 'The Stamp Shack' message board. We decided it was better to have you wait than offer you a sloppy program.

Just so you know, we are pushing for a completion date of December 1st. Mark, however, is hoping that he can roll this thing out even sooner.


Other Swapping News:

We all enjoy card swapping and usually it goes very smoothly. Unfortunately, however, certain individuals can make swapping both frustrating and hurtful. These individuals are known as flakers and perfectionists.


Flakers: If you've had the displeasure of dealing with a flaker, you know just how frustrating it can be. For this very reason, I am declaring 'The Stamp Shack' a "flaker free zone"! I am implementing a "two strikes and you're out" policy in order to cut down on flaker activity.
If you flake once, you will receive a warning from the administrator, which would be me.
If you flake twice, you will be banned from 'The Stamp Shack' website, no questions asked, no excuses heard.It is IMPERATIVE that you maintain open communication with your swap hostess and/or swap participants. If you sign up for a swap, you are obligated to fulfill the commitment unless you give ample notice to the swap hostess. Dropping out one week before the due date is not considered ample notice!

Perfectionists: These are the swap hostesses that will RETURN your cards to you, unswapped, because they feel that your cards are not up to their standards. This kind of activity is hurtful and WILL NOT BE TOLERATED on this website. If you do not wish to receive cards from stampers of every level, please do not participate in our swaps. Returning a participants cards due to "lack of workmanship" is grounds for banning.

[Christie]

Sherry I think these are wonderful rules! I think everyone will be very happy that their participants will have repercutions to not fulfulling their promises. I can't wait for the board to be up and would like to say thanks to you and Mark for all of your hard work!

[GrammaStamper]

I like and appreciate your rules, Sherry. To paraphrase an old idiom, "Neither a flaker, nor a perfectionist be!"

Thanks to you and Mark for all of the work going into this Swap Board and I can't wait to start swapping.

[Spartymom]

The swap board is going to be great with the hard work you and Mark are putting into it. Also, it's great to have the rules clear and in writing. Kim

[cahinton]

Hi Sherry,

Can you please define flaker? Do you mean someone that just doesn't send cards in at all? I have been in swaps where participants don't follow the rules. For example ..... participants don't do what the hostess has asked them to do, which has a negative outcome on everybody. I've also been in swaps where participants are required to stamp and I received cards back that don't even have a stamped image. We are after all a stamping board. Are these people considered flakers?

I have never heard of any hostess sending cards back because they weren't up to snuff. I hope this never happens to me because I think it's a pretty mean thing to do.

Carol

[toao]

THANK YOU for all that you have done thus far and for all that is to come. We are all excited about the upcoming swap board. And Sherry, your rules are PERFECT. You know I totally love the flaker policy (of course) and I also agree with you 100% on the "perfectionist" rule. I have always enjoyed seeing everyone's work, whether it be from a newbie or a seasoned veteran. I used to love hosting the newbie swaps, so perhaps I'll get a chance to do that again soon. Again, thanks for all your hard work.

WE LOVE YA!
Mary

[Sherry]

Hi Sherry,

Can you please define flaker? Do you mean someone that just doesn't send cards in at all? I have been in swaps where participants don't follow the rules. For example ..... participants don't do what the hostess has asked them to do, which has a negative outcome on everybody. I've also been in swaps where participants are required to stamp and I received cards back that don't even have a stamped image. We are after all a stamping board. Are these people considered flakers?

I have never heard of any hostess sending cards back because they weren't up to snuff. I hope this never happens to me because I think it's a pretty mean thing to do.

Carol

Hi Carol,

Thanks for your questions :)

A "flaker" is considered someone who doesn't send in the swap at all. They will sometimes lie and say that the swap is in the mail but the swap never does arrive.

If a participant does send their cards in, even if they did not follow directions, they are not considered a flaker. They at least made a valiant effort to get the swap completed and to the hostess on time.

And yes, on another swap board, we had to deal with perfectionists. It is very hurtful and can even discourage people from wanting to swap.

Hope this answers your questions :)

Sherry

[Beaglelover]

I am counting the days. Thanks Sherry and Mark. Sherry these are excellent rules.

I have also had hostesses who never returned their swap cards. Is there a rule for that as well? One site I sent in the cards and none of us ever heard from her again.

Speaking from a hostess standpoint, I could never think of returning a card due to lack of workmanship. I hosted a Newbie Swap and they were all so afraid there cards would not be up to snuff. The swap turned out great even with all the levels of creativity.

So, my question is what kind of rule should there be about a hostess who doesn't follow through and give us our cards?

Thanks.

Teresa

[Sherry]

I am counting the days. Thanks Sherry and Mark. Sherry these are excellent rules.

I have also had hostesses who never returned their swap cards. Is there a rule for that as well? One site I sent in the cards and none of us ever heard from her again.

Speaking from a hostess standpoint, I could never think of returning a card due to lack of workmanship. I hosted a Newbie Swap and they were all so afraid there cards would not be up to snuff. The swap turned out great even with all the levels of creativity.

So, my question is what kind of rule should there be about a hostess who doesn't follow through and give us our cards?

Thanks.

Teresa

Hi Teresa,

A hostess that does not return cards is also considered a flaker. The same rules would apply to her. First a warning, then banned.

I've had the "pleasure" of dealing with a flaky hostess on the PCMB. What bothered me most is that she was able to keep doing it, over and over and over again and PC Magazine would just let it happen. It won't be happening here :)

[Far North]

Good morning Sherry!
Ah-h I am so happy to hear your rules regarding flakers and perfectionists. It does feel like we are getting closer to SWAP TIME after all Mark's long hours to make it possible.
I wanted to say I also appreciate the policy of total geographic inclusiveness.
I experienced a hostesses who only wanted to swap only with those from the "mainland USA"--go figure! What a wonderful opportunity she and her swappers missed.
Sherry, I know swapping here is going to add so much to all the wonderful things you have already done with the wonderful site. Thanks so much!!!
...Jan

[shuggy]

sherry these are great rules!!

i love that there will be consequences for flakers and that they will not be allowed to continue to do so. how will the flakers be reported?

i can't believe that some people would send back a persons swap because it wasn't "up to their standards". i've hosted quite a few swaps and i've recieved all levels of crafters items. if they weren't quite as intricate or detailed as everyone else's things, i attribute it to being a new crafter and everyone needs to start somewhere!! i certainly didn't dismiss them as being a bad crafter!! geeze, i bet some of my first swaps were viewd as 'not nice enough'! we all have to start somewhere!!

thanks again for everything you are doing for this site and us!!

angie

[Erin K]

Ok, this is ment to be nice, so if it comes out all wrong please give me some slack:
On the issue of work not being up to snuff or whatever I think that's crazy for a hostess to send it back. I have gotten a card or two that were not as fancy or advanced as the other cards in the swap and I always think, "Awesome, this person is learning and trying and they are going to get this whole set of fancier cards to inspire them" Now maybe sometimes I'm wrong, it could just be a matter of taste too, Some people might just like a simpler card and that's fine...

My point is that the whole idea of swapping I thought was not to collect awesome cards but to have fun and inspire each other and create bonds with our fellow crafters all over! So I would be shocked to hear that someone returned stuff because it wasn't good enough. Although I have heard about it on another board...

OH and I love to swap with international people, when else do I get mail from other countries? :)

[jdpisces]

Sherry, I am so excited for this to be up and running! I love seeing everyone's work, no matter what level.

I think what some hostesses/swappers forget is that the first time they made something, it wasn't perfect! You have to start somewhere! I remember a few weeks back where Chelsea said some other swappers were weary of her swapping because she is so young!!! The fact that people even say such things is crazy to me. So come one, come all!

Julie

[emmcee]

Sounds like this is going to be such a wonderful swap board.

I also remembering reading on another site about swaps being returned or someone grumbling because the cards weren't up to their standards and I always felt bad for the person's cards being returned. We've all been beginners at one time. Even now, after a few years of card-making under my belt, sometimes my cards stink. :(

[shurlyjean]

everyone followed the rules but one person... I wasn't sure what to do with her cards, but swapped them anyway because she tried... I added some cardstock to the first group of cards and think I added a whole card to the second group. There were 2 swaps.

One person wondered why one of the cards were not complete. I explained that I didn't think this person really understood the swap, but I would be happy to send her another card, which I did.

So as a hostess I really try to be fair and balanced to everyone, and it was really hard for me not to say something to the person who didn't complete their cards,, but I hoped by seeing what others made they would realize that their cards were not complete. I suppose if this kept happening I would have to say something. Let's hope she learned.

I am looking forward to your swap board.

Shirley:p

[countrystamper]

I think this is great and it should make for some awesome swaps. I can't wait to get started. Thanks so much for all the hard work Sherry and Mark!

Linda

[firefly]

Thanks Sherry for stating the Swap rules up front. They are very fair. Hopefully this will eliminate or at least reduce any potential problems.

I don't have alot of experience with swapping but I've always been very delighted with everyone's creations and learned alot from all the talented swappers. Looking forward to swapping on this board.

Love the new smilies too! :grin:

Sally:D

[CRAFTNMOM]

I love your swapping rules too! I have not run into perfectionists (thank goodness because in the beginning my cards were not that great) but I have run into a few flakers. I think swaps are way fun and I can not wait for us to get started!
:nod:
Catherine

[lucy04kitties]

I have never experienced so many flakers as I have had recently on the other board!! I sometimes post for 9 spots in the hopes I will get 6 who will send their cards in and sometimes that has been a challenge. I appreciate all of the fabulous ladies who continually join my swaps but will welcome knowing that I won't have to worry about the continual flakers!!

Smiles,
Vicki