My Candor?

@ Sheila--I wish for a whole new head! I'm sick of the constant headaches I get with the one I have. LOL

And that's what I'm afraid of too Tara, scaring people off from swaps but problem still remains of how to deal with the people who renege on swaps. I'm sure there are others that wish for something to be done as well. If some type of "swap flakers monitor" is put in play, there's gotta be some gentle way of doing it without making people who really want to join feel they will be ridiculed if they flake out or whatever. Oh and I will mos def keep you posted about swap-bot.

They have something like that too on swap-bot Heather but like I stated before, this is more a craft site that Tom and the others set up for crafters to show off and share our creations. It won't hurt to ask for it, if it hasn't already been requested but I wouldn't be surprised if they said they couldn't do it for any reason they may give. And depending on how that's set up, you can't trust that everybody will list all the swaps they've been in or expect the site to be set up to monitor who's been in what swaps because they don't regulate any of the swaps, they have nothing to do with the swaps we run, they just provide the platform for us to do them.

@Lolly.Bot-I just got one thing to say to you, "You are your own worst critic." Just because you think it's crap, others may think it's genius. Show us something girl!!! ^_^

And I do something like that too, rhibi, to newbies mainly. I don't send out until they say that have or I have received from them first. I saved myself couple of times already, and one of them was a newbie swap.

Lolly I taught the same as you about the swaps at first when I joined.But now that I know people here and see the awesome pictures and joy that the swaps bring I want to participate too.
I signed up for the newbie swap a few days ago.And I cant wait to get a partner.
I love making things to other people and getting gifts that other people made. It must be so much fun.And I think its really rude to let your partner down by not sending anything back.Or if there is a reason why you cant send out then at least notifie your partner about it.
I had some experience with gifts.I outdone myself for family members for gifts and didn't get anything.Not even a pan.
Ad Creative is right Lolly-you shouldnt be so hard on yourself!
So as I said I have no experience in swaps-exept for the happy grams-but I like Heathers idea about the swap rating a lot.

violetta---"And I think its really rude to let your partner down by not sending anything back.Or if there is a reason why you cant send out then at least notifie your partner about it."

And that right there is what I wish everyone would keep in mind when joining swaps. Thank you violetta!!!

Your welcome! Now I want a swap even more...

I know a few of us has mention to Cat and Tom about the rate a swapper thing, but unsure if there will be anything to come of it due to that this is a craft based website and that it shouldnt discourage people to craft. I know I been here for a long time and I been keeping doing my best to thread out those who have flaked but at the time it was hard to do so till they participate in a swap. Thus why I opened the newcomer swap, this way a vet can sorta sponsor a newbie and let us know how the newbie does on time and stuff. Its been open for awhile now and I have to say it has been a success. Also I have it required in my swaps to have completed unless I seen that person active on the boards and they send me a message. I ask for everyone's addies this way if anyone goes missing I could always send a "reminder" to them. I did this for one person and I dont remember who it was but gave them my cell number to txt to let me know if they were okay since it was unlike them to disappear.

I love swapping and I love to see all my cutoutandkeep family happy. I just feel like I am the big momma and need to make sure her cubs are well taken care of! ~.^

You are Sug! and that's what I was thinking too about the rating thing as far as them adding it. I really don't think they will, but I could be wrong.
And I didn't know about the whole reporting thing in the newbie swap, because there was a newbie I was partnered with that didn't send and never heard from them. I can't even remember who it was. And then I tried again and got flaked on again, only to let that same person join my ATC swap, trying to be nice and give 'em another chance, to only have them flake on you. How ironic!! Sorry about that, I would have said something had I known I was to report on how they did or "didn't" do. But I didn't send out anyway on that one and wasn't going to until I heard or received something from them, so because they didn't, I didn't. So that's why I never volunteered again, besides that I'm better with themed swaps anyway.

That is a good idea.... to not send until you get your stuff from the newbie. Maybe that should even be a rule. If you have only been in " " many swaps you must send first. And only partner them up with a reputable swapper. Hmmmm....

I like the idea of just naming and shaming flakers. I think if people knew they were going to be publicly labelled as a flaker then they would make more effort. Personally I try to only sign up for one swap at a time so that I can give it my full attention and make sure I make a decent haul of stuff. Maybe if there was a way of getting people to only do one at a time until they'd done a few and got into the swing of it more would be completed. Sort of a probationary period if you like. I think some people get all excited about swapping and sign up for half a dozen and then find they don't have enough spare time to do them justice.

Ok I have a quick question of being a newbie vs. being a vet...what qualifies? b-cuz I was going to jump on the newbie/vet but didn't know what a vet would be...

And back on the subject: The rating system seems like a good idea or even if people let the host know that there is a possible flaker that has joined a swap. I would have no problem letting a host know of a situ that has happened before...maybe if people do that then that flaker could be closely monitored! Would people be willing to do that?

And I totally understand if your computer craps out on you but most library's have 'puters or maybe a friend could let you use...(how many times have we heard that excuse)

That's a thought Tara, adding it as a rule.
I agree with you Laurel, for the reason you stated and a lot of others. And they just may be signing up for swaps left and right, because they are fun and they want to get in on it, but soon realize they are more work than they anticipated especially if it's their first swap EVER and they don't craft as much as the rest of us. And that's something else, crafting to me isn't just a hobby, it's what I do, I'm not sane without it, well I have to leave a little bit of crazy, but it keeps me grounded for the most part. So I don't think it's the same for the newbies which is why we also get crappy swaps, and that could mean too some of the ones who have been in a few swaps too, but not swap junkies like most of us. And I know that most of us, if not all, has gotten a swap that they were not happy with, hence the reason pix aren't always posted, but hey, I'm just speculating on that last part. I have gotten maybe one or two that I wasn't thrilled about, but I was nice and said thanx becuz they did send it. I'm just gonna start adding in my swaps like they do on swap-bot, "don't send something you wouldn't want to receive".

Totally agree with the fact that Crafting keeps me sane!!

I know that with ppl's computers crapping out on them, this has happen to me a few times or the time I had that accident back in July '08, but I been friends with a few ppl outside of CoK that I was able to have my husband or myself txt to let them know why I went MIA, I also have the web on my phone so if I cant get to a computer I am able to check my swaps on there and respond.

I had a website/forum where we could use for swappers/hosts to post the flakers but the traffic on that stopped. So I just keep a record in my swap book.

Also I would like for ppl to be honest with their swap items, send a PM and let me know if you had any probs with an item so I know in the future to try something else, how can I improve on my skills if I dont know what needs to be improved, you know what I mean? I am hoping ppl really enjoy the stuff I made them and see and feel the love that goes into each item I make.

Sug, you have no problem with me being your partner, I love your stuff, you, and a lot of others. I'm was just saying, but let me go back to the reason I posted this thread...honesty and how some don't take it well. Believe me, you have nothing to worry about cuz most of us know how much you like to craft. Sticking something together with glue and glittering it up doesn't take as much love and care that you put into your crafts. But I know what you mean about letting you know if there was a problem with a craft item. Just like in the Alice swap, Kirsten let me know that the polymer charms broke but I wouldn't blame that on the postage, I took that as a mistake on my part and noted that next time I will make sure things like that are packaged better. But I'm talking about something that was just gawd-awful hideous or something, nobody's say that it is because of feelings being hurt or just that it's their opinion. The person sent it may think it was something they are proud of. There's a thin line when it comes to situations like that.
Subject change:
I like the new book library feature they added!! I only got as far as the first page though as of right now, but it may be promising to get that swap rating thing added after all. And it would also be nice to have a list of all the swaps that a co+k member has participated in to be rated, so I'm thinking that should be added first then the ratings part.
Ok, now I was thinking of not so much of rating the crafts that the swappers send, because that would be like really bad, if you know what I mean. But rate the swapper on timely send out, if they followed the guidelines of the swap provided by the host or just didn't send at all. You know, rate the swapping part in itself and not the crafts.

Oh, and Melissa, a newbie would be one who has done 1 to maybe 5 swaps and finished them successfully. I would think they would get the gist of it by then. Vets are those who have done more of course. Is that about right Sug?

yes you are right my dear! I am excited to see what you make for me in the zombie swap, i loved loved LOVED your zombie at
that you made me!! I am still going to frame them to put them on the wall in craft room with my other zombie pictures!!

hmmm so I'm thinking that i may just fall into the "Vet" catagory then...I have to count how many I have done....Thanks ladies!