Penpals, Scrapbookers, Postcard Artists and Other Creative Types

[clay]

Originally Posted by Abigail Crabby

I'm not going to go back and read all the posts. Can someone explain to me how this all works?

Let me give this a shot!

1. We get an idea or a theme for a project!
2. A wrangler is decided on...usually one of the "longtimers" here who is familiar with, has experience in wrangling, and can handle the dispensation of said projects in specified time frame.
3. The wrangler gets everyone's addresses, sorts & packages up the goodies once all are received, and mails them back out.
4. A monetary fee....agreed upon by group, is sent in with projects once completed, to the wrangler. This money is to package said goodies up, mail back out. Depending on the projects, sizes, embellishments, etc...the mailings generally go back in smaller boxes OR padded envelopes. Once in a while, we get really "creative" & zealous (don't we,clay?!) and things require bigger packaging. Most all projects get returned a week or less after wrangler gets them all.
5. The wrangler is usually who has the choice of project parameters, and once concensus is reached on said project, parameters are then set forth by said wrangler. We have usually 1 week to sign up. During that said week, one can decide to unsign up, and still be able to participate in other future projects.
6. Once the week of signups is closed, and someone signed up, then is not able to participate, that person would not be allowed to join in on any projects for 6 months. BUT can still post in the thread.
7. Anyone who does get a 6 month sit out, is required to come on thread to post their time period...example....Susie will post...I wasn't able to meet my commitment for said project for 6 months, beginning May 23, 2018 until November 23, 2018. THIS is for clarity, transparency, and to ensure consistency in continuity of projects successfully!
8. Anyone considering signing up should read all the rules/parameters/deadlines explicitly, so as to assure their participation in project.
9. Hope this helps. I am certain others will be along to post as well. I think I got it all covered.

Thanks for coming by & inquiring. May you be considering joining in? Welcome...

[clay]

Thank you for being brave enough to open this dialog.
It has not & did NOT sit well with me..AT ALL!
The postmark is the only one on the envelope, and clearly reads name of town she lives in, and IS postmarked June 7, 2018!
I am extremely upset by all of this and even more so by fact no apology & ownership has been made..nothing.
This IS NOT the first time a project was alluded to being sent on xyz date, & once received, wasn't mailed at all when was stated it was. One other project I wrangled, the wax resist one, this happened as well. Project was mailed out after specified timeframe, and was supposedly held up at customs....but came in by DHL...postmark was nowhere near stated time it was sent..was postmarked 5 days before final due date......anyway....I delayed sending projects back out...then mailing her package back cost $26....far more than the $5 fee we had going then.
My point is we have had more "issues" than not with projects being late or not even received.
I feel so down about all of this & have been troubled by it, and to find out the package actually wasn't even mailed til one day before final due date!.No Bueno.

I do not know how to multi quote, but to go off Gemme's post. NO, it has only ONE postmark and is postmarked by the post office where she lives! June 07, 2018! Had it been "sitting in customs", there would be all manner of postmarkings, etc...
CCB, I am so very proud of you for starting this and having the guts to post. I absolutely agree we should discuss this as a group & that TRANSPARENCY is a must!!! Unfortunately, it HAS to be even more so now. I am all for making photocopies of the future projects & sending to everyone in our group. I respect keeping that artwork within our group. Thanks everyone.

[nycfem]

Not speaking related to Breathless but just reflecting on the general issues some of the concerns raise, this is why we need to follow the rules without exceptions, both for participants and for wranglers. All that we can know for sure is if we have a package in our hands by a certain date.

[candy_coated_bitch]

Originally Posted by Gemme

This is SUCH a good idea!!!! I love this and just may have to steal it.



Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!

Small print kind of clarification, please. We are just doing this on some sort of base like we normally use or can we use canvas? I'm thinking that might not get too thick if we're just sending one or two pieces out at a time. What say you, oh wrangler goddess?

Not that I plan on using canvas but I feel I haven't been difficult enough lately, so there you go.



I wouldn't stop someone from doing it on canvas if their dear little heart were set on it, but I wouldn't love it either lol.

CCB said: I tried figuring it out that way too and for some reason it didn't add up for me. One person was always left out, but your idea seems to have worked here. hmmmm. My mind is NOT good with this stuff, but if doing it in a circular way works we will do it that way so I don't have to do two paintings. Will someone else check the math on nanner's method for me and make sure it really does add up? Like with 7 or 9 participants?

Let's work this out! 9 below, with the top person sending to the person below and the final person on the list sending to the top person.

CCB
to
nyc
to
Gemme
to
nan
to
clay
to
Besame
to
Tommi
to
FireSignFemme
to
Pure to CCB

I think it works, if we wind up with an odd number. What do you think?

Works for me! I will mix the names all up so it doesn't go by sign up order and then we will send them out in a big circle. I swear I tried doing that myself and couldn't get it to work. Thank you and thank nanners!

Nor I.

This does sound disheartening. To play Devil's Advocate, is the postmark of 6/7/18 the original postmark or the postmark from it crossing the border?

If it's the original postmark from when it was originally mailed, then we all need to have a very serious discussion. If it's a postmark from when it crossed over into the US, then that gives more credibility to what Breathless said.

Originally Posted by clay

Thank you for being brave enough to open this dialog.
It has not & did NOT sit well with me..AT ALL!
The postmark is the only one on the envelope, and clearly reads name of town she lives in, and IS postmarked June 7, 2018!
I am extremely upset by all of this and even more so by fact no apology & ownership has been made..nothing.
This IS NOT the first time a project was alluded to being sent on xyz date, & once received, wasn't mailed at all when was stated it was. One other project I wrangled, the wax resist one, this happened as well. Project was mailed out after specified timeframe, and was supposedly held up at customs....but came in by DHL...postmark was nowhere near stated time it was sent..was postmarked 5 days before final due date......anyway....I delayed sending projects back out...then mailing her package back cost $26....far more than the $5 fee we had going then.
My point is we have had more "issues" than not with projects being late or not even received.
I feel so down about all of this & have been troubled by it, and to find out the package actually wasn't even mailed til one day before final due date!.No Bueno.

I do not know how to multi quote, but to go off Gemme's post. NO, it has only ONE postmark and is postmarked by the post office where she lives! June 07, 2018! Had it been "sitting in customs", there would be all manner of postmarkings, etc...
CCB, I am so very proud of you for starting this and having the guts to post. I absolutely agree we should discuss this as a group & that TRANSPARENCY is a must!!! Unfortunately, it HAS to be even more so now. I am all for making photocopies of the future projects & sending to everyone in our group. I respect keeping that artwork within our group. Thanks everyone.

I think we do need to have a very frank, serious conversation about this. I think there needs to be consequences and that more people in the group need to chime in. It seems that what has happened was not only has a project turned up late, but the mailing date on the project was lied about. For me, personally, this goes beyond a six month time out.

So, I am going to hold off putting up the sign up and new parameters for my project up until the situation with Breathless has been dealt with. I don't want too much commotion at once and for either to get lost in the shuffle.

[nycfem]

CCB, would you consider the option of canvas or something on the heavier end (I had even been envisioning or toying with the possibility of working with beads), if the individual is willing to send you in advance the extra money that a little bit heavier piece would cost?

[Kätzchen]

It's very unsettling to see the timeline of events.

The member in question posted on June 2nd that they mailed their project envelope 11 days *BEFORE* they posted on June 2nd (see post no. 7056).

Then, Nan posted that she received their package, which was post marked on June 7th, 2018.

I'm an bonded courier who works with sensitive mail for my employer. Here's what I know about technical mail issues:

1) an article of mail, whether it's an envelope or package, is only post marked once. Once.

2) That post mark cancellation stamp appears on the article in question and it's the post mark cancellation anyone sees on any letter, bill or official correspondence. That post mark cancellation stamp is administered by the postal facility from where the article in question is mailed.

3) Each postal office, whether it's here in the US or in another country, applies that cancellation date stamp to articles mailed from any specific place that provides mail services. The place of origination shows usually as city, state, and subsequent country, as viewable on the post mark cancellation stamp applied by that specific mail issuer.

In some instances, as an example, our company has its own Pittney-Bowes mail room machinery that processes outgoing mail. On that post mark cancellation stamp from our facility is the subsequent city, state and country (US), but also contains an set of alpha numeric characters as an identifying set of ID which ID's our mail room to official postal inspectors.

Conversely, in ordinary postal mail services, all that is necessary to trace place of origination is the singlely applied date cancellation stamp which verifies the place where the article in question is mailed. If there is an set of alpha numeric characters on a thin strip of sticker-type ID at the bottom or side of the article, all that means is that it's just another set of ID belonging to the mail services issuer.

All that matters, in most cases of mail, is the single post marked cancellation stamp on the article in question which is found in the upper right hand corner of any article mailed from an postal mailing station (here in the US or anywhere in the world).

To post in the thread that one has mailed their package eleven days before June 2nd, yet when the wrangler receives the article post marked and date stamped for June 7th, constitutes an exaggeration of the truth (my professional opinion).

False facts presented: "(sic) I mailed it eleven days ago, per post on June 2nd" (see post no. 7056).

FACT ON RECORD: Article in question is post marked and date stamped (cancellation stamp) on June 7th, 2018.

Fact on record supercedes false facts provided by member on June 2nd, 2018.

In my own professional work experience and opinion, the only fact believeable in this particular case is the post marked date stamp on the article in question.

--K.

[candy_coated_bitch]

Originally Posted by nycfem

CCB, would you consider the option of canvas or something on the heavier end (I had even been envisioning or toying with the possibility of working with beads), if the individual is willing to send you in advance the extra money that a little bit heavier piece would cost?

Yes, I guess as long as the extra postage is taken into consideration that will be ok.

[nycfem]

Originally Posted by candy_coated_bitch

Yes, I guess as long as the extra postage is taken into consideration that will be ok.

Thanks, I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet (obviously) but just nice to know possible options.

[clay]

Originally Posted by homoe

I think this is a rather nasty post! No doubt you mean well but just the same! As with any postal service it's a crap shoot! You surely know that from experiences you've mentioned!

There is a whole lot more going on here, that involves the participants of this project. There is much more to this...multiple instances of either project being late OR never being received at all. I understand maybe once in a while, BUT NOT several times! and I didn't find her post nasty, at all.

The point is...WHEN package was ACTUALLY mailed....we were told that it was mailed around 05/18 BUT the one AND ONLY postmark from her hometown Post Office was June 07, 2018! Which is when it was GIVEN to them....period. Its all there in B&W, my friend!

[nycfem]

Moderation

Homoe, please do not address Katzchen directly on this or any thread. There is a personal history between you and Katzchen that there is no need for me to describe publicly. Please stay away from her. I expect better from you.

Thank you.

[Breathless]

I have read the posts made on this thread in regards to my ‘participation’ To state that I am hurt and very upset about the way some of my ‘friends’ have spoke about me and the accusations made would be the understatement of the century. To those same friends, who are also on my Facebook, and could clearly see that I left the country on May 23 for NZ and did not return until June 13 as I posted with time stamp and location! Seriously! Give your head a shake! How dare you call yourself my friend and call me a liar in the same breath! Anyone who actually knows me, would also know that I do not like negative attention, it stresses me out! So why would I allow myself to be in any highlight, asking about the status of my package if I knew different?

Fact. I did not ask for any special treatment or any additional time.

Fact. I stated myself, that when my package wasn’t received that I was acknowledging that I would be timed out. That was ME accepting responsibility for my mistakes. I do not want and will not accept any special treatment for being late, not matter the reason the package did not arrive on time.

I can not explain why the date stamp says what it says, I’m baffled as well, (reminder I was on the other side of the world when someone decided to finally stamp it and send it.) however that does not give anyone the right to come on here and discuss and bash me publicly to the length I have been.
This was my thread go to when I needed to feel included in something, be a part of something, and now.. not so much!
Time out accepted!

[nycfem]

Everyone, let’s please move on at this point. If we want to revisit some of the issues in a few months, I think that’s reasonable. But right now let’s all simmer down and focus on projects.

[candy_coated_bitch]

On a bright note, I received my ATCs today and they are just wonderful!!! I love each and every one and the package, with all the cards and notes, was such a joy to open! Everyone's love and talent and individuality just shone through. Thank you!

Thanks for wrangling nanners bananers!

I will post the updated guidelines and sign up for my project tomorrow.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by candy_coated_bitch

I think we do need to have a very frank, serious conversation about this. I think there needs to be consequences and that more people in the group need to chime in. It seems that what has happened was not only has a project turned up late, but the mailing date on the project was lied about. For me, personally, this goes beyond a six month time out.

So, I am going to hold off putting up the sign up and new parameters for my project up until the situation with Breathless has been dealt with. I don't want too much commotion at once and for either to get lost in the shuffle.

I'd say, like nyc, to just go ahead and move on. I'm super excited about this project, girly!

Originally Posted by nycfem

Thanks, I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet (obviously) but just nice to know possible options.

Don't lie; you wanted to be difficult like me!

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by candy_coated_bitch

On a bright note, I received my ATCs today and they are just wonderful!!! I love each and every one and the package, with all the cards and notes, was such a joy to open! Everyone's love and talent and individuality just shone through. Thank you!

Thanks for wrangling nanners bananers!

I will post the updated guidelines and sign up for my project tomorrow.

Me too! I got mine today and am super happy. I love them all!!!

[nycfem]

I got my ATCS!!!

Tommi- super creative how you open the card through the clouds. Leave it to you to come up with something so creative. Also loved the !

Katzchen- love the packaging and the kitty . Beautiful work!

Clay!- Both cards were stunning, and I loved the quote!!! It was very special how you included the bark. I always love your personal notes.

CCB- Loved the mushrooms! The owl is so cute! Thank you!

GeorgiaMa'am- I got one that says "For: CCB" It's incredibly cool but if you personalized yours, maybe I can find who got mine and mail CCB hers?

Nanners- Wow, so starkly beautiful are the Northern Lights. Truly exquisite. Immediately touched me.

Besame- I love both what you wrote and the awesome art. You amaze me!

Gemme- I can't say enough how much I loved your ATC. It evokes so much feeling. Also gotta say how much I loved that you used a card from a card deck. It's truly exquisite.

Thanks everyone, and big thanks to Nanners for wrangling a very special project!

[nycfem]

Adding: or if they are all the same, I can just keep the one I received.

Originally Posted by nycfem

GeorgiaMa'am- I got one that says "For: CCB" It's incredibly cool but if you personalized yours, maybe I can find who got mine and mail CCB hers?

[GeorgiaMa'am]

Originally Posted by nycfem

GeorgiaMa'am- I got one that says "For: CCB" It's incredibly cool but if you personalized yours, maybe I can find who got mine and mail CCB hers?

nycfem, they are all more or less the same. It would be fine with me if you keep the one you have, as long as it's okay with whoever got yours instead of their own.

[nycfem]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaMa'am

nycfem, they are all more or less the same. It would be fine with me if you keep the one you have, as long as it's okay with whoever got yours instead of their own.

Sounds good to me, less work ! And thank you for an amazing ATC! Really creative idea with the photo! Plus the pin (swoon).

[candy_coated_bitch]

Originally Posted by nycfem

Sounds good to me, less work ! And thank you for an amazing ATC! Really creative idea with the photo! Plus the pin (swoon).

I checked and I got yours! I'm fine with keeping the one I have if both if you are fine with that. The one I got is awesome. But I'm also willing to swap them out.