Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
I really enjoy participating in swaps. Sometimes I receive cards that are out-of-this-world incredible, and sometimes I receive cards from folks who are new to stamping and are doing their best as they learn. But I always appreciate the effort made by folks to provide a product to share.
When I hostess a swap, if someone doesn't follow-through on his or her commitment to provide the cards, I personally cover that spot. In large swaps, it usually isn't necessary because there are plenty of people participating to receive a variety of swaps in return without receiving one of your own cards back. But when only a few folks are signed up, as the hostess, I feel obligated to make sure the participants receive the variety of cards I promised in my original post. Sometimes that means I have to make enough cards to cover.
As a hostess, what do you do when you come up short?
As a participant, what are your expectations if that happens to your hostess?
I haven't hosted any swaps so can't answer the first question.
But if I've signed up for a swap that only has a few participants, I would only expect cards from those participants, since I would know how many are participating. I wouldn't expect the swap hostess to make extra cards to add to the swap if other participants people flake.
Need to have a FLAKE list.. then add their names to it so no other hostess and players get "who-do'd".. (however ya spell that one) ... I know on some groups that is what is done.. the "flake" is basically blacklisted and banned from futher swaps UNLESS they had given ample time and a good reason for not following thru with their commitment.. (as we all know life sometimes gets in our way) .. just my opinion...
Location: not too far from the big mountain in n.h.
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've never hosted so I can't comment from that point of view. I don't expect the hostess to always be able to cover for the flaker though. It's really too bad that there is a reason to even discuss flakers. I personally have never had to bow out of a swap but in most of the swaps that I have been in the hostess will ask that you just let her know in time to replace you.
In my opinion, there is ample opportunity to do the right thing. Leaving a hostess high and dry is just wrong on many levels. I often wonder how many flakers actually get reported. We all want to give people the benefit of the doubt but for some it's just a free pass to sign up and flake on yet another swap. Tough subject....
I've been both a hostess (several times) and a participant as well. As a hostess, I don't always report when someone flakes, sometimes someone will need to drop out because of an illness, family illness, etc. and these things are going to happen.
I answered your questions below, in blue.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mindykid
As a hostess, what do you do when you come up short?
I really haven't run into this problem because instead of putting everyone into groups I just keep a running list of my swappers and this way if someone drops out it won't affect my swap just as long as I have at least 6 players since my swaps are usually a 5+1. (Hope I explained that okay.)
I have found that it's easier to fill up a swap if I make the swap not so specific and that allows for more people to play along. For example, instead of hosting a swap for Father's Day cards, I might say that I am hosting a swap for masculine cards.
As a participant, what are your expectations if that happens to your hostess?
I have seen swaps in which someone needed to drop out and I often see the hostess looking for an angel to fill in and most cases someone will help out; however I have already seen it where the hostess will fill in herself. Sometimes the swappers will even post on other swap threads that a few more players are needed. I believe the hostess could even extend the due date to allow some time to fill the swap.
I have not hosted a swap for that very reason. I have done several swaps and when I make that commitment I usually make my cards immediately. I am always one of the first if not the first one to send my swap stuff to the hostess. I got a little irritated that the swap was not sent out in a timely manner. There is always someone who is late getting their stuff in. They have had ample time to get it made. So basicly I quit doing swaps. I would not expect the hostess to make up for flakers. That's too much to expect.
The flaker thing really bugs me. I have had flakers in every swap I have participated in and I have stopped swapping because of them! It wrecks it for everyone! I wish they would all get reported!
I don't mind when someone has a personal event that prevents them from completing a swap - as long as they let me know well before it's due. That way I can post for an angel or bump the original post to get another person to join.
And once in a while I get an empty envelope that's had the you-know-what beaten out of it - tire tracks, ripped edges, and it's missing the contents. One time I received just the clear plastic baggie with all the contents and no outside envelope. Still haven't figured that one out - but the swapper had a piece of paper with my address inside her baggie so it still found me.
And, I have to confess, I did screw up one of my swaps because I addressed the outside envelope to me and the inside envelope to the hostess. Needless to say, I was embarassed when the whole thing came back to me - so I FedEx'd it to her so I didn't mess up everyone else for being late. Turns out, there were a lot of late entries so the hostess held up the swap until she received more of them. Figures!
I guess there will always be someone who doesn't make it on time, or drops out without telling the hostess. But I just can't stop doing them because I do receive some really incredible swaps from time to time. There are certainly a lot of talented people around here.
as a hostess i make whatever is needed to fill the gap...or corral one of my dd's to be an "angel"
as a participant i think whatever the hostess decides is fine with me
as for "flakes" if it's because they just didn't follow through shame on them...but not a "flake" if something came up that was much more important...when my son-in-law died i was in a swap...75% of cards done...but had to bow out...i felt bad but my family is always going to be more important than a swap...commitment or not
i was in a swap where the hostess was needed by her family and unable to complete the swap on time...no big deal...myself and the other participants were willing to wait...and even if there had been no follow through i would have been fine with it
__________________ That's not gray hair...it's brain cells escaping! Kari E-R
I have never hosted, and not sure why; it's not hard to do. I rarely, even, swap any more, especially, considering the cost to participate of double shipping cost.
One of the flaker hostess, must have liked a few of our 'kit swaps' as we never got ANYTHING from her. I contact her and she ignored the adminstrative staff here also.
She may have received a stash of cards, but, I don't think she has her face on this site anymore. I keep a folder on this site of subscribed, posting that they were a flaker,
but it has to be bad. there always seem to be someone who can't get it togehter early enough to get hers done, either. So, I ignore the posts and don't even read swaps anymore; too, bad some amke it bad for the rest of the responsible poeple
__________________ Carolyn
my avatar: (such desparation), Dear God, if you can't make me thin; make my
friends fat"
I'm confused about swaps. When you swap cards, are you coming up with the
ideas for your cards yourself? I know a lady that takes cards made by people
here on this site and makes 10 or so and then takes them to swaps. Is this
the proper thing to do? It seems underhanded to me, but then again, I don't
fully understand the whole in's and out's of swaps.
I have never hosted, and not sure why; it's not hard to do. I rarely, even, swap any more, especially, considering the cost to participate of double shipping cost.
One of the flaker hostess, must have liked a few of our 'kit swaps' as we never got ANYTHING from her. I contact her and she ignored the administrative staff here also.
She may have received a stash of cards, but, I don't think she has her face on this site anymore. I keep a folder on this site of subscribed, posting that they were a flaker,
but it has to be bad. there always seem to be someone who can't get it together early enough to get hers done, either. So, I ignore the posts and don't even read swaps anymore; too, bad some make it bad for the rest of the responsible people
Oh, I think I know who you referring to and I was in one of her swaps, she was the hostess, and she flaked on her own swap, just quit and no explanation at all either. She is why I quit doing swaps and also because it was getting expensive to mail off too.
I have not hosted a swap for that very reason. I have done several swaps and when I make that commitment I usually make my cards immediately. I am always one of the first if not the first one to send my swap stuff to the hostess. I got a little irritated that the swap was not sent out in a timely manner. There is always someone who is late getting their stuff in. They have had ample time to get it made. So basicly I quit doing swaps. I would not expect the hostess to make up for flakers. That's too much to expect.
As I am a "last minute suzy", your firsties are a thorn in my side!! But I am NEVER late with my swaps!! They get there in a timely manner. I just like the think about my swap a little. Let the ideas brew, try out protos, discard, start over, etc.
I too have recieved some swaps back were not what I expected. I have cut back on the number of swaps I play in, and would hope that hostess asked for some angels to fill in if needed.
I'm confused about swaps. When you swap cards, are you coming up with the
ideas for your cards yourself? I know a lady that takes cards made by people
here on this site and makes 10 or so and then takes them to swaps. Is this
the proper thing to do? It seems underhanded to me, but then again, I don't
fully understand the whole in's and out's of swaps.
You sign up for a swap, then make a certain number (depends on the swap) of identical cards, preferable of your own original design. Then along with a pre-stamped and pre-addressed return envelope, you mail your cards to the hostess who gathers cards from all the folks who signed up. When the hostess has them all, she keeps one of each for herself, then mixes up the rest of them (so you don't get any of your own back), and then mails them back to the participants.
The part that gets tricky is that some participants flake out and don't send their cards, or they send them after the due date making everyone's returns much later than originally promised. It's up to the hostess to decide whether or not to use what was sent on time, or swap without the missing sets. Some hostesses will even make a set of cards to fill in the empty spots.
as a hostess i make whatever is needed to fill the gap...or corral one of my dd's to be an "angel"
as a participant i think whatever the hostess decides is fine with me
as for "flakes" if it's because they just didn't follow through shame on them...but not a "flake" if something came up that was much more important...when my son-in-law died i was in a swap...75% of cards done...but had to bow out...i felt bad but my family is always going to be more important than a swap...commitment or not
i was in a swap where the hostess was needed by her family and unable to complete the swap on time...no big deal...myself and the other participants were willing to wait...and even if there had been no follow through i would have been fine with it
Those type of circumstances are completely different. That's not being a flaker. I would always want our families to be the very first in our lives. I'm sorry about your son in law.
Swap Flakes
