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Update Feb 5, 2015 Valentine Swap Participants*
1. Thank you for participating! I love seeing these photos of valentines on the move. More! More!
2. Emails with addresses went out on Feb1st. I sent hundreds of them which likely triggered some spam filters, so if you are still looking, *check your junk mail*.
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Attention handmade valentine lovers!
For the fifth year running I am inviting my readers to participate in the biggest, most snazztastic valentine swap of all! Last year more than 500 folks participated from all around the world. That means more than 1,500 Valentines were exchanged between total strangers. Wowza! This year I cut sign-up time to one week to ensure only the most dedicated Valentine makers would participate. It’s going to be nuts. Are you ready for this?
I know what you are thinking….
Gee, I love the sound of this valentine swap. How does it work?
Well friend, I am glad you asked. This is the nitty-gritty: You send three handmade valentines to total strangers = You will receive three handmade valentines from total strangers.
That sounds fun! Where do I sign up? How do I exchange addresses?
Good question. Let me break it down:
- You fill out the signup form below before midnight on Jan 30.
- You receive an email from me on Feb 1st with the addresses of three total strangers.
- You send one valentine to each address you receive, no later than Feb 5.
- You receive three valentines sometime before/around Valentines Day.
What sort of Valentines should I send?
Handmade! It could be a simple scrap of paper with a doodle from your kids, or a stitched up and sequined masterpiece. Adding some glitter or a buttons to a pre-existing valentines is OK too. Just as long as it has a handmade touch and can fit in an envelope, it’s game.
I’m in! What else do I need to know?
- This exchange is open to anyone, anywhere, any skill level. No one is expected to buy anything except stamps (heads up: people who read this blog are scattered around the world, so we all might need to double up on stamps).
- You are welcome to include a note inside your valentines with information about yourself, your blog/website/etsy business etc…but it is not required or expected.
- This is not an advertising opportunity. This is just a simple way to exchange random acts of kindness and send some love out into the world. No Debbie Downers, por favor.
- If you feel weird disclosing your name and address, I assure you I will not compile and use this information for any other purpose besides sending you valentines! PS: Please be sure to include your name. Some folks like to omit their name for privacy purposes and then the post office refuses deliver the cards, so just include your initials or nick name if you are uncomfortable with everyone getting up in your business.
I don’t like filling out forms, can’t I just reply in the comments or send you an email?
Nope.
What happens if I get busy and can’t send a valentine? Can I back out at the last minute?
Good question. If you back out before Jan 30, no problem. Just send me an email (the address will be in your confirmation email) — no harm, no foul. If you back out after Jan 30, that’s a problem. Your address will already be in circulation to three other people who will be sending cards to you. Those three people would be pretty peeved if they knew they were sending valentines to someone who was not holding up their end of the bargain, as would the three people who will not be getting your cards. So altogether, that’s six people who will be ticked at you. SIX. Do you really want to risk those kinds of karma points?
Is it okay to send my valentines after February 5? Or back out altogether?
No. It’s not okay. There will be 3 people who were assigned to receive your valentines and your lack of participation will ruin the swap for them. I am not okay with that. Also, people are very vocal about complaining to me about missing Valentines, so it is easy for me to figure it out who dropped the ball. And even if the recipient doesn’t know who didn’t send them a valentine, I will. And I’ll have your name and address.
*True story: There was one woman in Georgia who signed up for valentines two years in row and never sent any in return. Not one. When she didn’t respond to my emails, multiple emails, I sent her an envelope of hair. Just hair. No return address. I’m not sure if she ever traced it to me but I’m pretty sure that freaked her out. HEY GLORIA!
Can I share pictures of the lovely valentines I made and received?
Yes. I would love that! We would all love that. Please post them on any social media platform using hashtag #auntpeachesvalentineswap. If you aren’t into hashtags, post the picture on my Facebook page. In the past, some folks have even become friends with the person who received their valentines. It’s pretty swell!
Can I request certain countries or areas of folks I want to swap with?
Nope. All assignments are made at random. FYI, in 2014, around 70% of participants were located in the United States, 10% Canada, 10% UK, the rest were scattered around the world. One year there were like 40 people in Bulgaria. It was pretty rad.
Can I skip the swap and exchange valentines with you instead?
As much as I would love that, you would end up with the short end of the stick. I don’t get to check my mailbox more than a few times a year, so I probably wouldn’t see your valentine until long after Valentines Day, which will make my response very lacking indeed. But, gosh, thank you for asking!
Can you tell me if my Valentines were received and what they thought of them?
No, sorry. I know we all love feedback on stuff we made, but that is the nature of anonymous swaps. We rarely hear back from the other person, and with hundreds of participants, I’m not able to act as go-between. This is another reason why I encourage everyone to post images on social media.
Okay, I’m in! Let’s get this party started!
Please fill out the form below ONCE. One entry per person, please. If you are singing up on behalf of a friend or family member with the same address, please use a different name. After you fill out the form you will receive an automated confirmation email. Important: Please be sure to check and make sure you recieved the confirmation email.
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Some photos from the 2015 swap…
Huzzah! Ginny and I were talking about this at breakfast just this morning! Can’t wait!
Very excited!!! Thanks for hosting this again….. I know it is a lot of work, and I for one appreciate it.
Katie, I still remember your lovely glitter arrow from last year! Not sure if I ever sent a proper thank you — but it is/was well loved 🙂
Your Welcome, but the glitter arrow was from my daughter Kelly! I have very talented daughters. My other daughter Kristen made the Elvis and Henry Kissinger (can’t remember what the 3rd one was) cards…..ha. Glad that the the arrow hit it’s mark. 🙂
I remember the other ones too!! Such talent!
I. Am. So. Exicted! I’ve been reading your page for ages and love that you do this – it’s such fun and who doesn’t like getting glittery things in the post?! Thank you SO much for arranging another swap
Glad to have you back for the swap, Laura!
So excited!
Thank you very much for your time and effort in organizing this.
My son and I really enjoy making valentines together!
(His school doesn’t do a traditional holiday party or exchange.)
xoxo
I’m so glad!
I have two boys, ages 12 and 9. They both want to sign up (yup, they’re crafty little buggers just like their momma). Are they too young for this or can I sign them up?
Never mind! I reread the information you sooo generously provided and I apparently failed to absorb, until my husband asked me to read it to him. Now, it looks like my whole family wants to join. Just hours after telling me that he wants to participate my youngest as already made his first gift. That’s how serious he is about this. 😀
That’s great! The more the merrier.
Warning! I’m not the Gloria from Georgia. Hey, that hair shipment, HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Brilliant!
Thank you so much for setting this up!
Of course it wasn’t you, Gloria 😉
The part about the hair in the envelope made me laugh hard. “Hey Gloria! You meanie!”
I figured it was enough to set her straight. She didn’t sign up last year so Imma take that as notice she picked up the hint.
The Twosided shop girls are gonna swap this year! Looking forward to it! xo
Ooooooh, that is not even fair. You guys are going to show up everyone!
I love this! Thanks to ModgePodgeRocks for the heads up about it. Getting ready to start making my cards now 🙂
Mod Podge Amy is my favorite 🙂
Can’t wait!
This is my second year doing this and I am so excited! I already finished my Valentines!!! Lol \(^u^)/
So, it has to fit in an envelope… a flat envelope or could it be one of those padded kind? May do something a little 3D.
Padded is fine, so long as it would fit a standard mail box. I don’t want anyone to have to go down to the post office to pick up or something. Padded is great 😉
Yay!
Yay! I love doing this! I’m not the most talented but I give it a shot. I’ve received some lovely, lovely things in the mail. Last year somebody from Brooklyn sent me a ring that they make and sell on Etsy that I wear all the time! I’ve also received a sewn heart change purse which I use (I think that came from New Mexico) and I also got a photo of someone’s hometown which was cool (suburb of Boston).
I was sitting here kind of grumpy drinking my coffee this morning reading thru the post. I was looking at both your photos to see the talent and pretty of all those cards and I almost spit my coffee out. The second photo? All the way to the right? The bottom card with the Siamese cat? That’s my Josephine! Her five seconds of fame right there! I told you I’m not the most talented of card makers, but I know you like cats. It was nice to see that my effort to make you smile went out into the world and it came back to me on a morning when I needed a smile. And it’s that what the swap is all about? Mission accomplished Miss Peaches. Mission accomplished. Thanks for bringing some sunshine into the world.
Ha! Your Sandy is a beauty. And you know I have to show off any cat cards — Lola wouldn’t have it any other way.
yay oh yay! i need to make something pretty! whoo-hoo!
Thank you SO much for putting this together every year! I love it and really look forward to it 🙂 I know it’s so much work, but it’s definitely appreciated!
I am pretty excited, I almost have all of my cards made! I even made a friend and my husband a card! Hey Aunt Peaches, you should have sent her (Gloria) a package of glitter instead of hair.
Sounds fun! I’ll spread the word on Twitter. 🙂
Uncustomary Art.
So excited! My friend participated in this in the past and I was super jealous – now I don’t need to be! Happy creating, everyone!
What a fun and fabulous Valentine card swap idea! Kudos to you for taking such a project on.
I can’t do it this year, I am way too busy. I’ll send one to you though!
Dang missed this by 1 day, just found it. How can I know when the next swap is
Assuming participation goes well this year, it’ll come back next January (fingers crossed)
OMG! I signed up and I’m eagerly awaiting my email from you with my 3 secret valentine names!!! I bought my padded envelopes yesterday and I can’t wait to stuff them with homemade crafty presents!!! yeah! Thanks Aunt Peaches for facilitating this swap! You are a super Cupid, my luv!
Hey Crystal I just confirmed I sent yours yesterday afternoon. Check your spam folder. If you still don’t see it, let me know by replying directly from that confirmation email.
I’ve signed up..just checking have we been assigned with partners already?
I sent all emails yesterday. If you didn’t see your email check your spam. If you still don’t see one, let me know by replying directly to the confirmation email.
I didn’t receive a list or the confirmation email, now that I’ve reread the FAQs. Guess that means I missed the boat this year? Jane
Jane, I just sent you an email. Let me know ASAP.
I signed up for your Valentine Swap 2015 but did not receive addresses. Did I not fill out the form incorrectly? Would like to know for next year. I made 3 Valentines, guess I’ll find three people to mail them to, I did this a couple of years ago and enjoyed it. I’ll try next year ! Thanks!
Just sent you an email. At this point it’s not looking like I will do this again next year, so if you want to join this year please respond to the email ASAP. Thanks.
That’s ok .. I’ll be fine not participating. Looks like you have your hands full! Thanks for the reply.
Thank you for doing this. I came home from a long, stressful day at work today to find my first Valentine! It really made me smile. I had such fun making mine. What a wonderful way to spread a little love.
Yay!! Glad to hear it. 🙂