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kraftyladies Oct 9, 2005

Has anyone done any bear swaps on here?  Would anyone be interested?  It has been a long time since I have done one, and I really would like to do one again.   :)

Susan

Daphne Oct 9, 2005

I'd love to.... after the holidays as I'm needing all my inventory for shows and christmas gifts and can't bear to think of sewing another thing.

Dilu Oct 9, 2005

After the last discussion about sodafizzypop I would like clarification; what do you mean by a bear swap?

kraftyladies Oct 9, 2005

what do you mean by a bear swap?

After I posted this question, I thought about that.  Sorry!     :)

Bear swap is when you and another person make bears and then send them to each other.  Sometimes you do a theme (Christmas, fall,  :cake: etc) and send other goodies along, but sometimes just the bear.    Whatever people wish to do.

I would love to do another one, and I know alot of you have shows (like Daphne), and this is a busy time of year.  I would have shows if I wasn't in school and have mid tems and finals all the time!    Maybe next year

So, if there are people that would like to do it besides Daphne and myself, I could organize it, and maybe we could plan on a February/March swap???   

  :dance: :dance: :dance:
Susan

Dilu Oct 9, 2005

What if it wasn't a bear?

kraftyladies Oct 10, 2005

  Ahhh, you got me there... well golly   I guess it could be whatever you wanted as long as it was Ok with your swap partner!    

Susan

Dilu Oct 10, 2005

What if it was a golly critter with his nightynight teddy?

If people could accept that I would ask the kiddikins what they think

kraftyladies Oct 10, 2005

Of course Dilu, gollies are included too  :dance: :dance: :dance:

Susan

kbonsall Oct 10, 2005

I'll do it... do we do bears in a certain "price range"  - how do we know who gets whose bears?  does the person who "gets us" get to pick from a selection or just get what we send...

Am I asking too many questions?     

gotobedbears Oct 10, 2005

Count me in!

I love swopping stuff  :dance:

Penny 

Dilu Oct 10, 2005

The gollikins said yes.......They are always in such a hurry to leave home.....what does that mean?

clare14 Oct 10, 2005

I think it must mean they want to come to live with me Dilu, in fact i'm sure of that  :cool:

I'm in!!!    Give me 'til after my fair (less than 2 weeks) and I'm there if any one wants me!!

kbonsall Oct 10, 2005

My bears can be mischievous little buggers - they like to throw fluff around... 

Dilu Oct 10, 2005

How about you put all participants name in a hat and draw them out 2 at a time- and that's who we go with?  That way, there is a surprise. 

Where's Marie?

And perhaps a size limit? ofr $ limit?

just a couple of ideas.......

kbonsall Oct 10, 2005

This is fun!!!!!  Should there be a "deadline"?

kraftyladies Oct 10, 2005

Great, I am glad we have so many that want to participate, and hopefully there will be more.   :clap: :clap:

I guess we need to vote on a $$$ limit, a size range, and a deadline? 

Everyone give ideas, and then we can vote?? 

I like the idea of putting everyone in and drawing two out at a time.

But we must also consider if there are people that only make minis, larger, etc.... might want to swap for one in the same size range? 

What is everyones ideas on this?

:dance: :dance:
Susan

Daphne Oct 10, 2005

I'm so glad you are all more responsive to this idea than the last time I brought this up. Tho' it was a different board, I think..???

I think a price limit is a must. Size may not be as important as price.

I do have a thought though. I wouldn't want to spend my time and materials on a bear that the recipient honestly didn't like. For instance the recipient may not like purple, or bent arms, or mini in size, or.... well, you get the idea. I've swaped bears with artists in the past but we'd contacted eachother, liked and even admired eachother's bears and were so happy to be able to add a bear we really liked to our collection and knew our hard work would be appreciated by the other.

I'm NOT saying I wouldn't appreciate the work and effort that went into anyone's bears here so I'm not sure if I'm wording this correctly or not. Is anyone understanding me?

I guess I need educating on how a 'swap 'really works. I suppose it is name drawing, suprises, etc.? Help me understand, pweeze!

shantell Oct 10, 2005

I could be persuaded to participate...but it'll have to be later rather than sooner.  I'm suppose to be making a quilt for my friend's Mom and some others for an art display and well...I'm not too inspired to work on any of them right now...got my head in fur instead.

Dilu Oct 11, 2005

Daphne,

If I am understanding you, you want the trade to be equitable and you don't want anyone's feelings to be hurt if they perceived that the bear they got was not the same quality as they sent out.  Does that sort of sum it up?

I think you have a good point, and something everyone needs to consider.  Usually in secret pal type things the price limit is like $5-10.  However you couldn't make a mini for that.  Well a needle felted mini wouldn't cost that much but the amount of work is considerable. 

Speaking for myself, only, this is how I would approach this situation.

       1.  I am sending something to a fellow artist,creator,archetect,maker....
therefore I would have more angst re: quality and workmanship, I would want my peer to be pleased, and to perceive me as a fellow artist.

      2.  The artists on this forum are either known and established or getting known and established
      3.  I would therefore be the lucky receipient of an established artist or an up and coming artist......winwin

My father frequently bought or traded art with up and coming artists that he knew.  I always thought he was doing it to help give them a boost....but later I realized that it was also a good investment.  Yep, investment.  A painting he would get in trade when I was in 6th grade would be worth several thousand more when I graduated.  Plus he liked the art....of course.

again a winwin

So this is one way of approaching this situation. 

The other thing we need to keep in mind is that many established artists may not want to trade away their work, simply because that same piece of art could bring several hundred dollars which could be very important to the work budget to continue with supplies for their business.

I believe, if this project goes forward, that we must totally understand  and respect someones reluctance, and certainly not question why someone decides not to participate, for whatever reason.

Does this help clarify things at all?

Dilu

kraftyladies Oct 11, 2005

I totally understand where you guys are coming from.  It is only fair that you be paired up or whatever with someone that is agreeable to you, which by everyone I have seen on here, makes WONDERFUL bears.  And yes some are greatly recognized, some are upcoming, etc

And just for instance since Dilu will make a Golly, then we will have to make sure she is paired up with someone that likes/collects Gollies, because not everyone does.  And some people don't like minis, etc etc

I think once you are paired up with a  partner, then between the both of you  would decide on likes/dislikes/colors, etc?  That is also a good way to get to know people too, I think!  :hug:

Should we let the price/size issue be decided between partners?  That part doesn't matter to me because I am an avid collector of fur/mohair/etc (mohairaholic here!!) and need to use some!!  And I make all sizes, and like all sizes....  I just love bears...  I make them to collect them, at least it seems that way.   

Some of it is meant to be a surprise of course, cause it is supposed to be fun, but we need to have the generalities out of the way at least, price,color, favorite things, like bees, or "snowflakes"  (love your bear Kim!!) or hates Clowns  , etc   Right???

Susan

Daphne Oct 11, 2005

I'm typing as I think this out....probably a mistake....

What if everyone who is going to participate submitted two short lists: one with what they MAKE: bear, golly, etc
SIZE: in inches (ball park like 6-10, 10 - 14" or something) and STYLE: traditional, contemporary, antique, etc.
Then the other list is for what they like to collect: again, MAKE, SIZE, STYLE. Then who ever (Susan) is organizing this puts all with a majority of matches for each list together, then draws.

I guess that sounds a bit complicated. It'll be easier if most of us are open....

Perhaps I never should have opened my mouth in my previous post. I hope I don't come across as picky, fussy, whiny....... just didn't want anyone to come way from this being unhappy.

kraftyladies Oct 11, 2005

Hey Daphne and everyone,

You are not being picky or fussy at all....... because I for one have been in a swap before where honestly I felt really disappointed.  I never said anything though, because I didn't want to hurt anyones feelings, because i am just that way.  BUT-  If anyway possible everyone needs to be happy about the results, because it is supposed to be FUN.

So yes, we need to work out all the details...  so where to start? 

Does everyone want to post on here what they can/will do like Daphne said such as size and style to start with?  I think sending out around the end of February would be a good deadline?

So far it looks like we have Me, Kim, Gina, Penny, Dilu, Clare, Daphne, and possibly Shantell, that's a good start!!  So is end of Fedruary good for you ladies? Do we need to make it longer, like march??

Daphne Oct 11, 2005

Susan, thanks for understanding. It'll definitely be fun. C'mon girls.... jump on board here!!!  :dance:

Once we have a go and know who we are swapping with it's going to be hard to wait! For me anyway  So I'd say February is good.

Marie_ Oct 11, 2005

HELLO 
Thank you for remember me Dilu,
I love you.  :love:
...and
Daphne you are never picky!  :hug:

I really love to join this but can I ?
I don't mind paying shipping fee for
USA or other country but I need
partner that wouldn't mind to send her/him  bear/golly to Japan.... I am so far from you girls..... :redface:

Marie

kraftyladies Oct 11, 2005

Hi Marie,

I am sure we can figure out something abot the shipping.....  It'll be fun to have you along too!!   :hug:  :hug:

Susan