Em-

I love the animal theme idea!

I am already gathering things for the next spring cleaning swap! I'm happy to run it again, but if anyone wants to be a co-leader, that would be super- message me and let me know.

I think I will save the stash buster swap until one of my traveling swaps gets home.

I love the alphabet swap idea.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming, I just had an idea for a swap that I don't want to start until the critter swap wraps up at minimum, but I'm thinking maybe a hybrid - spring cleaning craft swap, where the theme is open, but the only real requirement is that you have to use what you already have without buying new materials. The only exception would be general things that are not specific to your craft, so if you wanted to try something with a new gage of needles or run out of polymer glaze that you will use for other projects, that would be cool, but no running out for new yarn or fabric or clay or whatever it is that you personally stockpile, and no buying any single use items like clasps just for this piece of jewelry.

It could either be separate or part of the regular spring cleaning swap with the idea that one thing you send must be something you crafted for your recipient, with the idea that the rest would be business as usual.

Thoughts?

Hello hello! If you haven't stopped by Book Club recently, we are currently brainstorming entrants for the first ever March Madness style bracket here at BPAL.org. But we're choosing sports teams, or even favorite Lab product (although that has a definitely ring to it). Instead, we are brainstorming as many books from which the Lab has chosen inspiration for a group read showdown!

Sound like fun? Then stop on over here and see if you can think of any I missed - of particular interest are specific works by Poe, Lovecraft, Clive Barker and specific Sherlock Holmes books, as well as poetry and other works from the General Catalog.

We need around 20 more titles to make for a full bracket of 64 and ideas on how to break things up are welcome as well. Nominations are open through January and then I will be on the hunt for a bracket generator.

Come join us!

ATTENTION EVERYBODY!!!!

I have opened a new pinned topic inviting anyone interested to weigh on on potential rule changes for Circular Swaps. It is here. I've set out some ideas I have, but I want your's too. So mosey on over and check it out and reply or PM me with your thoughts.

Deek, if you feel comfortable pming me with details, that would be great, as I really want to try to tackle this issue.

Speaking of circular swap boxes, I'm hoping to dig the bath and body boxes out from under my bed and get those ready to move again over the holidays.

Please use this topic for Circular Swap swaplifts as well!

Both of those sound amazing!

FWIW, I think that the Halloween related swaps are a little thinner on the ground this year for a couple of reasons - one is that with the forum outage over the summer, there was a lot of catch up on swaps from April and May, even earlier, so things kind of snuck up on folks. But we can definitely have lots of swaps running at a time - I for one - need to get the bath and beauty circulars up and running again, if only to get the boxes out from under my bed. And we had something like 6 different December/Yule/Holiday themed swaps running at the same time last year. So if any one who is interested, don't be afraid to jump in.

We did something like that as a 1:1 swap years and years ago. It was tons of fun!

I vote Sparkle Motion, but I'm in no matter which you choose.

I did one or two of the ATC swaps and they were pretty regular for a while. I think it was just one of those things that got played out a bit. It would definitely be fun to revive, particularly with, say, a Weenie theme.

I'm definitely in for another 13 Nights swap!

That sounds really fun!

Yessssssssssssss to fandom swap!

spring swap does sound nice. I wonder if anyone will be running a spring cleaning swap again this year?

 

Dude, I totally forgot about the spring cleaning swap! I just do not have the energy or time to run it this year, so if someone wants to run with it, please be my guest! I will happily participate.

 

 

Hmmm how early should it start? How many people have been involved in past years? I haven't got lots of time, but I might be able to do something - especially if someone will help & I don't have to start it up for a couple of weeks.

It looks like I always started it sometime in April, but there's nothing magical about the timing-whenever works for you, there's no set timeframe. The first year, we had 50 people, plus several who really wanted in late. Last year it was more like 30ish? I can't remember for sure, but it was not nearly as popular. Either way, it definitely lends itself to co-hosting. Here's the old threads for reference: http://www.bpal.org/topic/76980-spring-cleaning-swap/page__p__2139937__hl__%22spring+cleaning%22__fromsearch__1#entry2139937

http://www.bpal.org/topic/80650-spring-cleaning-swap-2013-edition/page__p__2298545__hl__%22spring+cleaning%22__fromsearch__1#entry2298545

spring swap does sound nice. I wonder if anyone will be running a spring cleaning swap again this year?

Dude, I totally forgot about the spring cleaning swap! I just do not have the energy or time to run it this year, so if someone wants to run with it, please be my guest! I will happily participate.

Any interest in a virtual spring break swap? The premise: Touristy stuff from your town/area.

That sounds fun!

I've been trying to decide if there's enough time to do a super fast 7 days of spring break swap leading up to Easter, but I just don't have the time or energy to run something right now.

Ooh, neat! That sounds like a great idea.

So, uh, anyone planning anything springy?

I will note that in my experience, without an absolute ban on something, it will make it in there. And my sense from polling my regular participants is that the more flexibility there is in what can be added, the happier people are, since part of the goal is to get stuff out of the house.

Speaking of which, I do plan on resurrecting the boxes currently hiding under my bed, but I want to go through and make some severe cuts first, since the boxes are so overwhelmingly full at the moment, and maybe make them slightly thematic (i.e., this box has more makeup, this box has more haircare, or whatever makes sense).

Yay swappies!

Hey everyone, I'd like to get the group read concept back off the ground for spring - if you like to read and want to join us pop on over to the Book Club thread and suggest some books. Nominations on the topic "spring" are open through February 14, with voting starting soon after.

I've been trying to decide whether to quick luper swap so feel free to pm me if you have ideas you want to toss around.

Would anyone be interested in a tea swap? I have a TON of different loose teas, and probably have enough stuff to fill a large flat rate box.

 

I'm also thinking of a traveling imp swap since I missed out on the ones happening now.

 

UM YES very much please! Jan. is National Hot Tea Month. *rubs chin*

 

Inspired by the 12x12x12 box of samples I'm rapidly filling up in my storage area - is anyone (Usagi?) doing a cosmetics sample swap this winter?

 

Because man do I ever have a pile of samples that I will never use - lots of good stuff, just anyone who has been assigned me in a swap knows that I have the sensitive and allergic skin to end all sensitive and allergic skin - oh, and I'm about as pigmented as copier paper, which makes color matching very difficult.

 

I also have a "Scented Home Products" Kitchen Sink Swap with Bath and Body Stuff too coming home in the near future. I'd happily hand over the box to someone else wanting to take over running it, as I am juggling four boxes now and have to take one out of circulation at all times since there is a three circular swap cap. Seriously, I'd love someone to use it as a starter box for their own samples. If anyone wants to take it over, let me know.

 

I have never run one of these before, but I've done so many mailings/exchanges that with some nurturing I think I could work on this, at least for a bit! Let me know.

I anticipate starting signups for one or both of the Bath and Body Swap boxes in December/early January as well...and would be happy to turn those over to anyone interested in running them!