7 days of (Small) Surprises

Wonderful idea! Count me in! Good job Bravesgyrl! Hugzzz

can the items be handmade or do they have to be purchased?

Either way, Ella. I like making at least one item, but that's personal preference. :-)

I like the idea of getting totally random and unrelated stuff too!

great swap to really personalize and check out each others profiles.. good idea!!

Now this one, I can be in. The other 7-day swap didn't make a lot of sense for me to join, cause my mail all arrives on one day, all at once!

Do we send all 7 packages together?

Yes V-Dub; just wrap them (it doesn't have to be exquisite, tissue paper will work!) and put a tag on each item indicating the order. Hopefully your partner can show some restraint and open one 'gift' each day for a whole week!

hi how can i start joining the group? where will i start? who will be my partner?

burf316: Since you are a newbie, first you will need to fill out your profile a bit more. Try to be really detailed and specific so it is easier for your partner to pick out gifts for you! Then, you need to PM the swap coordinator so she can review your profile and approve you to join. If she does, you come back here and click the big "Sign-up for this swap." Swap-bot will assign partners at the given time. :)

Oh, and for whomever my partner will be: I'd be way happy without a particular theme. I love random surprises! :D

What a great explaination Mandi Noel! THANKS

This will be my first swap. Can't wait! Love the idea of this one!

This will be my first swap too & I am very excited to participate!

Uhm, If there are a lot of newbies, then's the chance to be flaked on a little bigger.. But what happens if someone doens't get their package? Because shipping can be expensive on this one :)

^^That's my concern. I prob. would have said no newbies for this one; but the swap is a great idea. I want to join but I have been burned on multiple items which scares me.

Give the newbies a chance - sometimes their SO excited (and they're not sarcastic and burnt out FROM being burned) that they send packages that are WAY over the top - I did. :-)

Thanks, everyone, for expressing my concerns about all the newbies. Been burned? Oh yes I have. Joined swaps to help newbies improve or get ratings - got burned. I'm so hoping that this doesn't turn into "gimme gimme gimme" with no follow through on their part.

Bravesgyrl, if more of us had had you as a partner maybe we wouldn't be tagged as being "sarcastic and burnt out". I didn't realize that honesty could be confused with sarcasm. I'm sure this can be read as a nasty note. It isn't --- just more honesty.

As a newbie, I hope not to get burned too. I've already started picking out my gifts (some of them but I'll wait to get my assigned person to finish the rest). I really want to get into this & I was happy to see a really cool swap that would let newbies be a part of it. Give us a chance...you won't be disappointed if you're my swap partner. And other newbies....don't flake and make me sound like a liar....k?

Just having read all the comments about the newbies, I am now weary as well! Except today is the deadline! AH I cannot decide.

I think there are many ways to get ratings for newbies (quick newbie envelope swaps, etc) and this is probably not the best swap for newbies in case they rip off people. I've been ripped-off a few times now, it is quite disappointing. I don't mind loosing a small envelope of goodies but 7-days worth of small surprises, i'd be pretty sad! :/

spending limit?????

I'd say between $10-$15 BEFORE SHIPPING

BTW THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY NEWBIES IN THE SWAP - Stop complaining already

There are 15 out of 117 people that are newbies (ie no ratings at all, I did not look through every profile to check whether there are people like me who have only a couple of swaps finished) - 13%. On the other hand, there are around 20 who have less than 5.0 ratings. Not that that's bad (I know things happen and packages get lost/arrive late etc), and maybe I don't have enough experience with Swapbot with only the two swaps under my belt, but newbies gotta start somewhere right? I know you're more likely to be burnt by an unknown, but shouldn't this decision be up to the swap host? Or maybe you could start a similar swap of your own (with bravesgyrl's 'ok' of course)... although I guess it's getting a bit late now

Bravesgyrl, perhaps you might like to step in and say you'll utilise your discretion and check all the unrated profiles? I imagine that's what you were going to do in the first place, seeing as you've already asked newbies to message you before joining the swap.

I'm looking forward to creating a package of seven little delights that will make my partner hardly able to wait to open the next one. It will be fun to choose them and fun to make a pretty package.

Will I stress out about being burned or flaked on? No way. I'm getting my joy in the giving. What I receive is a brilliant bonus.

Okay - we have all had our say, including me - now LET'S GET ON WITH THE SWAP. I need to know my partner so that I can go shopping. (I love to shop.) It finally occurred to me that if I didn't want to swap, I should just drop out --- but I'm still here.

Mediatinker, you are 100% correct. I lost sight of the giving for a moment. But, thanks to you, I have readjusted my attitude and am now very excited about shopping for someone else. I've joined several more swaps and can hardly wait to get started.

A delightful little shop in our town has recently reopened, after the 100 yr. old bldg. it was housed in collapsed from all the rain we've had this year, and I am about to become their best customer. WOO HOO !!! I also spent some quality time in Staples (hope someone has a profile that those goodies will fit.) Let's get shoppin'/swappin'. I apologize for not being able to make gifts at the moment, but my sewing machine isn't in the "mood".

hi! I did the match today and I did check every newbies profiles and made discretionary decisions.

HAPPY SWAPPING

Bravesgurl ~~~ All this time I was under the impression that partner selection was random by Swapbot. You cleared up how I got two brand new folk as partners.

TO MY NEWBIES ~ I HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN TO ONE AND WILL MESSAGE THE OTHER. I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS SWAP.

Grandmaroro - How did you get two? Don't we only have one swap partner?

Grandmaroro Swap-bot does assign you a partner at random; I made decisions about who to let in the swap.... :-)

I sent my swap today.

Merry120 - Sorry - Life got in the way and I haven't been on the computer in several days.

How did I get two - the one I send to and the one who sends to me. Sorry, didn't mean to confuse anyone.

I'm about to get mine in the mail too.

To my partner in Italy: A package is en route to you. Enjoy!

My package is on it's way to Xebby :)

Can I make a suggestion for everyone to please fill out their profiles fully? I've got a few things I think my partner will like but they've only got a couple of short paragraphs, so it's hard to be sure. Thanks heaps!

thank you Artistic! can't wait to open it =D I'll send my package tomorrow (I'm ill right now)!

Ive already sent out my package and it has been received. I've sent out 5 other packages for different swaps & now I'm getting worried about everyone talking about all the flaking that goes on. I hope I don't get screwed over as well and start to receive some cool stuff. From a newbie, we were all new at one time. I am going to pray for honesty.

MandiNoel....goodies are on their way to you from California! Hope that you enjoy them! :D

Could whoever labelle is supposed to send TO send me a message? She hasn't logged in to Swap-bot since Oct. 18. Her profile isn't filled out, so I have no idea what to get her. I'd like to send to whoever her recipient is supposed to be if she flakes instead of to her. I've emailed her, but no response so far. Let me know!

package sent to eveyinorbit. hope you like everything. :)

Hi Laurina!

Just wanted to let you know I sent your package today. Hope you'll like everything:)

Christina

hello beawhiz, labelle is suppose to sent to me. i've sent you a messgae do get back to me.

Terrip I sent your package today.

Lindy : I just receive your package today. I open the first package, I realy love thing to make the little doll, I already do it. I'll put the picture. I write you again a the end of the week

I received my pack from Mere today. I´m surprised!!! :O Thanks a lot, Mere!