Yesterday I sent out my first swap, an envelope with five individually wrapped items to a woman in Turkey! It didn't take me but once to figure out I am not cut out for international swaps. The contents were to value around $7.58 USD but since a lot of my stuff was handmade, it ended up higher than that retail. Nonetheless, I listed my value as $10.00 for the whole thing, and the shipping was $11.48!!
Then today I sent out my second swap of five introduction letters (at least 2 pages was required) and one of those was to Amman, Jordan. The rest were stateside. With these last 5 letters, my total number of introduction letters sent out in the last week is up to 35! That's not including all the emails I sent out.
So far I don't know if I have gotten any replies. Ornery is to check the box sometime today. Obviously most of the letters have probably just arrived at the sender's address, so it seems unlikely I will have letters, but you never know! Meanwhile, I have all the addresses in a notebook and I decorated it this morning... Not fantastic, but at least better than a bare white cover.
I am currently signed up for three more swaps, one is for a Fall Themed ATC (Artist Trading Card) and the other two are private swaps to help me get some ratings. Most of the swaps require a minimum rating and minimum number of swaps, and it is hard for a new person to jump into those swaps. I think it's a good thing, because I am learning a lot with each swap I do.
The swaps are so varied that I don't think I will be bored, AND I am learning all sorts of new terms and ideas for projects. Did you know that people decorate Rolodex Cards? (called Rolos) I had no idea, but some are really pretty. I am off this weekend to haunt a few craft and office supply stores for supplies. Not that I don't already have a ton, but it is amazing how many things I find I don't have!
I would love to do that too but the price of postage has put me off. I used to send care packages to a dear friend in South Africa, back when I had money. It would cost $30 to ship the box and then i found out that she had to pay a customs fee on her end just to receive it, and she literally has NO money. :(
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