Penpals, Scrapbookers, Postcard Artists and Other Creative Types

[Gemme]

Now, onto something fun.

Happy birthday, clay!!!!

[Blaze]

I get that, and guess what, I'm a new crafter. Enough said on that.

I've never told you that to do, nor do I intend to. .. im not interested in a fuss with you. But your intent to insult my integrity has struck a nerve. my Girl is very capable of defending herself. But you just put a very sour taste for a beginners like me in general.
So take it as you want. Crafting was fun, until now.

Kill joy.

[ahk]

Originally Posted by candy_coated_bitch

I'm really sorry to have to say I never made it to the post office. So, my projects will be late. I will do everything I can to make sure they go out Monday. I sincerely apologize, I've got a lot going on right now that just got away from me.

I understand as we've been talking-

So I'm going to ask the group- do you feel that being 1 day late of sending causes a restriction?

Also- can everyone just drink some tea and calm down. I don't think Gemme was "attacking" Besame*, just simply asking if we could wait a few days between swaps and to see if anyone else wanted to put something forth to the table.

But I also feel that Gemme if you feel that the project is too soon- don't sign up, wait til another comes forth or if you really like what you passed up- do another.

Another thing, Blaze, if you don't often come into said thread and want a welcome I feel the best way to do so is not by jumping all over someone- take a step back and deep breath. Communication on the net is hard, especially when your trying to protect someone you care for.

[Breathless]

Quoted from an earlier message.. For 2015, the rule is if one of us is more than a week late or drops out of a project for whatever reason, that person is welcome to continue posting but is not allowed to sign up for a project again until 2016. No exceptions. This rule must be posted at the bottom of all new projects that are being wrangled so that members can thoughtfully consider whether we wish to commit to a new project.

I believe according to the rules.. one day late does not equal a week or more..

[candy_coated_bitch]

Originally Posted by Breathless

Quoted from an earlier message.. For 2015, the rule is if one of us is more than a week late or drops out of a project for whatever reason, that person is welcome to continue posting but is not allowed to sign up for a project again until 2016. No exceptions. This rule must be posted at the bottom of all new projects that are being wrangled so that members can thoughtfully consider whether we wish to commit to a new project.

I believe according to the rules.. one day late does not equal a week or more..

Oh, thank you so much for looking that up and referencing the rule! I feel so much better now.

[GeorgiaMa'am]

Originally Posted by Gemme

... It was also discussed previously to allow more time between projects. This thread has been going for years, since the other site. We've figured out what works and when something needs to be tweaked, we do that ...

I accept your word for that Gemme, since I was not around for those discussions. I just want to mention, since we seem to be discussing it again, that the decision we recently made to allow two different projects to run simultaneously affects this directly. As a reminder, we discussed if it was okay for some of us to do the Summer Recipe Project, since part of the group was already involved in something else. As I recall, it came up partly because there have been a couple of projects lately with participation limited to just a few. Maybe the guidelines should be tweaked a bit more.

[clay]

Originally Posted by Gemme

Now, onto something fun.

Happy birthday, clay!!!!

Thank you! I feel like dancing......dancing....yeah! I join the old farts club this year!

[nycfem]

I think it was fine for Gemme to tell how she felt based on her understanding and experience and similarly fine for Besame to come in and express that she felt it was a bit harsh and was left feeling hurt. For those who have missed, here are some of the discussions we've had:

1) We've discussed how people should participate in 2-3 recent rounds as members successfully before wrangling. Why? Because it makes members confident that the wrangler is reliable. Why? Because when we haven't done that, we've all sent our stuff to a wrangler and had never received our projects!

2) We've discussed how it helps to give space between projects- to wait until the next is received so that it doesn't confuse new folks, and also because we were having a a problem with projects falling apart because too many were going at once.

3) We've also discussed how it's fine to have simultaneous projects going at once because there's a sense of fun and freedom to have this thread be a place where anyone can start a project anytime, and those not interested simply don't have to sign up. I know this seems contradictory to #2 but it isn't since neither are a set rule, just thoughtful input from participants for all to consider when making decisions on this thread.

As long as we speak to each other respectfully, we are cool here!

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by Breathless

Quoted from an earlier message.. For 2015, the rule is if one of us is more than a week late or drops out of a project for whatever reason, that person is welcome to continue posting but is not allowed to sign up for a project again until 2016. No exceptions. This rule must be posted at the bottom of all new projects that are being wrangled so that members can thoughtfully consider whether we wish to commit to a new project.

I believe according to the rules.. one day late does not equal a week or more..

Breathless, thanks for going back and doing the research on this! I would have sorely missed CCB's contributions the rest of the year. It would probably be helpful if we, as a group, got back on track and got the list of thread rules in one location and for wranglers to post the whole list along with their round rules. That way, the current crafters have some say in it and everyone's on the same page with what is acceptable and what is not.

We could put the list together over the next few days and then, when it is finalized, Besame could have her sign up for the mosaic project. I think it's safe to say that a lot of people are interested in this project, so we should progress with it.

Does that sound fair to everyone?

Originally Posted by GeorgiaMa'am

I accept your word for that Gemme, since I was not around for those discussions. I just want to mention, since we seem to be discussing it again, that the decision we recently made to allow two different projects to run simultaneously affects this directly. As a reminder, we discussed if it was okay for some of us to do the Summer Recipe Project, since part of the group was already involved in something else. As I recall, it came up partly because there have been a couple of projects lately with participation limited to just a few. Maybe the guidelines should be tweaked a bit more.

That was discussed as a group and the rule was made if you participated in one, you could not participate in the other. I think that was a valid rule as the shrines were very time intensive. I have no problem with changes being made AS A GROUP. That's part of the ebb and flow of the thread.

My main points were that:

1. The current project hasn't even been received by the wrangler yet so we should not begin a new project right. this. second.

2. We did not, as a group, agree to who the next wrangler would be. No one asked anyone else.....it wasn't diplomatically done.

Originally Posted by ahk

I understand as we've been talking-

So I'm going to ask the group- do you feel that being 1 day late of sending causes a restriction?

Also- can everyone just drink some tea and calm down. I don't think Gemme was "attacking" Besame*, just simply asking if we could wait a few days between swaps and to see if anyone else wanted to put something forth to the table.

But I also feel that Gemme if you feel that the project is too soon- don't sign up, wait til another comes forth or if you really like what you passed up- do another.

Another thing, Blaze, if you don't often come into said thread and want a welcome I feel the best way to do so is not by jumping all over someone- take a step back and deep breath. Communication on the net is hard, especially when your trying to protect someone you care for.

Thanks, ahk. I totally get your points and thanks for the

I'm holding firm to not wanting projects to get started until after the current project is mailed out by you. That's something we all discussed previously and I don't see what has changed to affect that. The mosaic project isn't a train. If we wait a few days, it won't leave without us. If anything, it gives people a little more time to get their stuff together for the mosaic sign up.

I think the whole 'if you don't like it, don't participate' is dismissive and feels very 'it's my way or the highway'. It basically bows down to groupthink. None of us are really yes men/women so why should we be here?

I'm saying that we should agree on time lines and projects as a group. In a diplomatic manner where everyone interested has a point of view.

[nycfem]

I did ask that every time a new project is posted formally- that the rule about not following through and it's consequences be copy/pasted at the bottom of the post every time. I agree that that is important or else its specifics get forgotten.

It's my understanding re: multiple projects that it's not a rule that one can't participate in multiple projects at once but that the wrangler makes that decision. For instance, I forget who, perhaps CCB, said: If you are in my shrine project you cannot sign up for another project at the same time. It seems reasonable to me that the wrangler can have the power to make this decision.

We don't make these rules to be assholes. It's because we've been burnt in the past. Some people are eager to sign up for everything and then don't follow through. That's why we have these discussions and make rules when it seems they are needed.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by nycfem

I did ask that every time a new project is posted formally- that the rule about not following through and it's consequences be copy/pasted at the bottom of the post every time. I agree that that is important or else its specifics get forgotten.

It's my understanding re: multiple projects that it's not a rule that one can't participate in multiple projects at once but that the wrangler makes that decision. For instance, I forget who, perhaps CCB, said: If you are in my shrine project you cannot sign up for another project at the same time. It seems reasonable to me that the wrangler can have the power to make this decision.

We don't make these rules to be assholes. It's because we've been burnt in the past. Some people are eager to sign up for everything and then don't follow through. That's why we have these discussions and make rules when it seems they are needed.

Remember the collage book years ago that was passed from participant to participant? I did SUCH a good job with that and sent it on to the next person and then POOF! it disappeared. All of our good work gone; never to be seen or heard from again.

[ahk]

To the Group:

I think a list of rules and regulations should be posted for each swapper to be aware of. Show the post every week for new comers to see and for us oldies to recall on. (I'm sure this was done along time ago, but some of us have come back later and some of us are new) But I think as a group we should all put something together, don't you think? And we should have an updated list of folks who are considered flakers (known as folks who don't send projects out or drop out at the last minute) as this should be posted to.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by ahk

To the Group:

I think a list of rules and regulations should be posted for each swapper to be aware of. Show the post every week for new comers to see and for us oldies to recall on. (I'm sure this was done along time ago, but some of us have come back later and some of us are new) But I think as a group we should all put something together, don't you think? And we should have an updated list of folks who are considered flakers (known as folks who don't send projects out or drop out at the last minute) as this should be posted to.

You had me until the posting the names of folks who've flaked or bailed on us before. Most of us remember those who have done that previously and could privately say something to that person or persons but I feel actually putting their names out there is not necessary.

[GeorgiaMa'am]

Originally Posted by Gemme

You had me until the posting the names of folks who've flaked or bailed on us before. Most of us remember those who have done that previously and could privately say something to that person or persons but I feel actually putting their names out there is not necessary.

I don't like the idea of a list, either. We all get a clean slate on Jan. 1 every year.

The wranglers need some way of knowing who's on restriction, though, unless we're going to use the honor system. I would be okay with that; we seem to have pretty honorable folks here.

[Gemme]

1) We've discussed how people should participate in 2-3 recent rounds as members successfully before wrangling. Why? Because it makes members confident that the wrangler is reliable. Why? Because when we haven't done that, we've all sent our stuff to a wrangler and had never received our projects!

2) We've discussed how it helps to give space between projects- to wait until the next is received so that it doesn't confuse new folks, and also because we were having a a problem with projects falling apart because too many were going at once.

3) We've also discussed how it's fine to have simultaneous projects going at once because there's a sense of fun and freedom to have this thread be a place where anyone* can start a project anytime**.


*that is eligible to wrangle (see #1)

**allowing at least a week between the end the current project and start of new projects---time for the current wrangler to receive, repackage and send out the current project

4) If one of us is more than a week late or drops out of a project for whatever reason, that person is welcome to continue posting but is not allowed to sign up for a project again until 2016 (or the 1st of the next calendar year). No exceptions. This rule must be posted at the bottom of all new projects that are being wrangled so that members can thoughtfully consider whether we wish to commit to a new project.

I would like make sure that this last rule is adhered to BY ALL. Wranglers have the most work and we count on them the most, so they have to be held to the same standards that the rest of us are if not more so. Nyc was VERY fair when she suggested this rule. One week is plenty of time, even when running behind, to get the project to the wrangler or, if the wrangler is running behind a week is enough time to still get the projects out in a timely manner.

It's all about respecting one another. Each of us puts aside part of our personal time, away from family and work and other commitments, to participate in these projects. We are all signing up for these rounds assuming the next person is going to take this as seriously as we do and is as committed as the rest of us are. Yes, we have fun. That's the goal.

But when someone blatantly abuses the system and then flashes their pearly whites or flits their eyelashes or says 'my bad' or whatever they do to get out of it, it is disrespectful to all of those who have worked hard on their projects and abided by the rules. That's the core reason we started to formulate procedures and rules for the projects. That's why everything you buy in a store has a list of things that can't or shouldn't do with that item....because someone did something they shouldn't have.

These are just a few things I copied from this page alone. I think they are reasonable and fair to all. If we all pitch in some ideas and get them done nicely (nicer than what I have here...this is just for conversational purposes) then we will all be on the same page and it should be smooth running for Besame's and other future projects.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaMa'am

I don't like the idea of a list, either. We all get a clean slate on Jan. 1 every year.

The wranglers need some way of knowing who's on restriction, though, unless we're going to use the honor system. I would be okay with that; we seem to have pretty honorable folks here.

I'm almost with you with the clean slate every January 1st thing. There are people who, in the past, repeatedly.....I mean 6, 7, 8 times.....signed up for and then dropped out of projects or were late or just never sent a project in.

I think, if one of them were to come back, that we should take it case by case.

Of course, those folks aren't really here right now so it's not an immediate concern but it would be nice to have some groundwork in case they do come back and want to participate.

The wranglers post when they receive projects so we'll know if someone doesn't send theirs in but the honor system would definitely be in play.

[Tommi]

Originally Posted by Gemme

Now, onto something fun.

Happy birthday, clay!!!!

ditto , what GEMME said.

[Tommi]

Lurking, looking, waiting for a good time.

[purepisces]

I hate the turn that the thread seems to have taken over the last few days, but am sure we'll find our friendly, creative footing soon. A roomful of artsy people is bound to have lots of different, sometimes conflicting ideas of how to do things.

I am relieved that CCB is not going to be banned for missing the deadline by one day, that seems excessively harsh to me. But, I also have my concerns that the "not dropping out, no exceptions" rule.

I feel health emergencies, car accidents, death in the family, etc., should be considered for an exception. However, I realize that I haven't participated in this thread as long as many others here who have probably seen the sympathy of the group taken advantage of again and again. So, I abide by the rules of the majority because I love the projects we do and I feel connected to you all, and appreciate the parts of YOU that you share with me through your art.

I have been ready for a new project for the last couple weeks and would have no problem with starting a sign-up for the next project once we know all project have been mailed to the wrangler on the last project. But, again, am happy to go along with the majority, if they prefer to wait until after the last project has been mailed out.

I hope that Besame will be wrangling the paper mosaic project next. I'm excited to give it a try.

Also, Clay, happy belated birthday!!!

And, Tommi, good to see you ... I've missed you in the thread.

[clay]

Originally Posted by purepisces

Also, Clay, happy belated birthday!!!
.

hey purepisces...thanks hon! Appreciate the wishes.