Sign Up for the Focal Swap...

 Okay, so I had some interested people so we are going to give this a try.

I thought of a Focal piece swap.

Guidelines ( since we don't like rules here! LOL! ):

Focal Piece would be anything that would be the focal of a piece. It could be stone, glass, crystal, lampwork, woven, metal, wire work, etc just use your judgement. You are all talented people! 

Sign up by sending me an e-mail. You can do that by clicking on the contact here in this posting. I would like to have your name & address. This will make it easier since I can have labels ready to use for shipping. 

Sign Ups will continue through October 2nd. This will give everyone a couple of weeks to see it ( and maybe bargain shop? ). On or about October 3rd, I will send e-mails to everyone to let them know how many we have signed up and where to send the focal pieces. I will post when I have done this so that you can watch for your e-mail.

Approximate value of the focal piece would be $5-$10. ( If you have a couple that add up and you want to group a couple together to get one in return for reasonable value I am okay with this. Just put them together with a note that that is what you are wanting to do).  If you want to swap out several, that is fine. Unless otherwise noted, if you send me 3, you will get 3 back. Make sense?

If you know what the piece is made of please list that information with your name on a piece of paper with the focal piece. If you have an allergy, please list that as well. If you have an allergy, I will do my best to avoid it. I will forward the info about the focal and the person who sent it onto the next person. You do not have to list your address on this paper.  

We will have a ship to me date of October 15th ( give or take ) since this is when some of the other swaps are shipping. If you are already at the post office anytime before that, feel free to ship. Once I get all the pieces, I will swap out the focals and mail them out. I will post when I have shipped so that you can be watching for them.

If possible, ( and I hate to ask this but I do have a kid in college! ) if you could stick a $1 or $2 in as well, I would appreciate it. This will help me to cover the cost of envelopes and shipping for your return focal. If money is tight or you are out of the US and don't have access to American currency, don't worry about it. I am just looking to ease some of the cost.

If anyone has any questions, please let me know. Let the e-mails begin!

 mail sent.

Sheila, so this swap doesn't work like the others, where we each mail a piece to someone else.  Instead, we mail everything to you, you put it all in a basket, and pretty much randomly pull out focal pieces that you'll package up and mail to each person?  For example, let's say 10 people send you focal pieces, and everyone sends you one focal piece except for Susie, who sends you 2.  You'll put all 11 focal pieces into a basket.  Then you'll see who the first person on your list is, let's say Abby.  You'll close your eyes and reach into the basket and pull out a focal piece for Abby.  After making sure it's not the piece she sent you in the first place, you'll place it into an envelope and mail it to her.  When you get to Susie's name, you'll pull out 2 pieces instead of 1.

I realize I'm simplifying the process a bit, as you've got to account for allergies and sensitivities.  But do I sort of have the process correct?  If so, then I'm in.  Not sure how many focal pieces I'll send you yet, do you need to know that ahead of time?

This looks like fun!  I'll send you an e-mail shortly, and THANK YOU for organizing it!!!

Hi, Sheila,

Thanks, Lisa, I got it now.

I am in.

And I will send extra $$ for the postage for some of our BD friends.

(I can just withdraw it from my little Graditue Bank)

I am excited! this sounds like fun. Who don't like "Surprise Packages".

Mary

Sounds like fun! Count me in!

Are you looking for some sort of single focal bead that we have purchased, or would it be more like a pendant that was hand-made by us, using a variety of materials of our choosing?

 To answer a couple of questions...

Lisa - You have the process. Yes if someone notes that they have an allergy, I am going to do my best to avoid that. So, if you have a copper allergy, I will not send you anything that is made from copper. So simply note that in with your own focal.

Yes you can send 10 if you like. Once I know exactly how many sign up, I am going to list that in the e-mail that I send everyone with my address to ship to me. That way you won't send 20 if we only have 5 people signed up. ( So I won't have to send you back your own focals! )

Erin - It can be either! Something you have made or purchased.

I had a question in an e-mail and right now I don't remember who but it was about a cabachon setting. I would think that was a focal piece. Seriously, use your best judgement on these. It could also be something out of clay, chain malle, etc, etc.

Just an FYI...I will be leaving early in the morning to go south to visit my son. I will be back sometime on Sunday and won't have internet access until I get home. So please, if you have any questions, post them and then feel free to discuss it and come to a group decision. I was just trying to set up a rough set of guidelines.

 Hey Sheila, I definitely want to be in :)

 email sent

 Just sent my e-mail.....sign me up! What a nice way to change out some beads! Thanks Sheila.                                

                                                           Evalie

 I mailed my "focal Beads" on Monday. Have no idea the value. but they been around so long, I am sure they weren't too expensive on the Mayflower.

Looking forward to what ever I receive.

Thanks, sheila, for thinking this swap up in the first place.

Mary

Mary - I got yours today and they are gorgeous! The two that are together I think I leave together. Your thoughts?

I think including myself we are up to 12 people now! I will recap names this weekend when I have a little more time! Sorry! 

 Sheila, I am clueless on the focal beads. Beautiful yes, What the heck to do with them??

Which is why I think your idea of a "Focal Swap" is a great idea!

I am going with "just use your own judgement", no one will know but me n you.:)

Mary

Just a reminder to sign up for the focal swap by Friday, Oct 2nd if your are interested. I will be sending out an e-mail late Friday or early Saturday with details to ship to me focal pieces that you want swapped out.

I have about 12 people signed up. I will include a listing of everyone in the e-mail. If interested, please click the contact on this posting and it will send me an e-mail. I will need your name and address ( that way I can get envelopes ready ahead of time ).

Thanks!

 I have sent those of you who signed up an e-mail. I have the following people:

Sheila ( myself ) , Mimz, Ann M, Rachael, Evalie, Christina H, Vanbeads, Alice, LoisB, AndreaM, Lisa, Gyspy Mary and Inca.

If I somehow missed you and you wanted in, please e-mail me asap so that I can get you added.

Thanks everyone!