Carving Exchange?

[Blake Lunsford]

I wanted to find out if there is a large interest level in a CARVING EXCHANGE.

[Bartster]

i would be interested as long as there are rules and i dont carve for the exchange all the time. maybe once or twice every other month or so.


bart

[chuckt]

Yeah - I would think that maybe we do one exchange every other month. Then allow folks to participate as their time allows. The way the WOM seems to handle it, is folks first register showing interest in participating in the exchange taking palce on a certain date. Then a few weeks before that date they register their COMMITTMENT (meaning they have a completed carving ready to trade), and those registrations are the one who make an actual exchange. That way, if someone who was originally interested can't get one completed for some reason - they have a way to "back out" of it.

ChuckT

[Blake Lunsford]

Well, I don't think we would necessarily have to time it and have everyone who is interested do it all at once. I just think if somone has a piece that is finished and they would like to put it up for trade, they can post a picture of the item, and if someone else has a finished piece that they will trade for it, that person can PM the original owner and work out the trade. That way you can participate as you have time.

Example:

"I have a santa that I would like to trade and I have attached a picture. The dimensions are ...... and it is a finished piece. If you are interested please PM me."

Bart would then PM me and let me know that he too has a santa that is finished and would like to trade for my piece. I could request that he send pictures, or leave it a mystery, but I would communicate with Bart and let him know that I was sending it out in the mail to him, and Bart would do the same with his piece. Thus the exchange.

I think it would be easier to do it on a one on one basis instead of trying to have a large group exchange. That way people could carve at their own pace and put stuff up for exchange as they wish. Also, if nobody is interested in their piece, they can always take it down and try again later.


What do you think??

[kitaye]

A pick and choose exchange will result in hard feelings.

[chuckt]

Hmm - yeah, my concern was that if it isn't a group exchange (perhaps on some changing theme) and folks could simply choose who they were willing to trade with, that some beginners might be left out.

Of course the converse of this is that more experienced ("better") carvers might feel that they get raw deals.

Hmm - well, I suppose we could always try a simple post it and those that want to trade can work it out approach without trying to get too crazy organizing something, and just see how it works out.

I kind of like the idea of having a regular timed exchange with a changing theme so everyone get something of like kind, and a group "anonymous" exchange approach but that requires someone to organize it. So I guess I'll go to W3E for that and just try out whatever we do here.

Cheers!
ChuckT

PS: I am not picky about this. Whatever form it takes that is easy and safe for all is cool by me.

[Blake Lunsford]

So does anyone have any other suggestions on how we could successfully have an active, ongoing exchange that any member of this board could participate in, but do it at their own pace? Knowing how difficult it is to get a bunch of pieces ready for an exchange, like the ornament exchange, it just makes more sense to me to do it at the pace of the carver as they get things finished.

I'm simply suggesting ideas! I'm definitely not the person that can put anything in stone on this board!

I'm just wondering if there would be an easy way for myself and others to form a collection of carvings from individuals who are active members of this board. I definitely would want it to be fair, and I definitely wouldn't want anyone's feelings to get hurt.

I found that when I participated in the ornament exchange that some people's carvings are "better" than others, but if you understand that going in, each piece is still special, and feelings are never hurt as long as the "exchange is carried out". The people who received items and never sent anything in return was the only ones I know of who hurt feelings during the ornament exchange. I don't think anyone's feelings have ever been hurt because the quality of work on one piece that was sent was any better than the quality of work on the one received .......

Some of the most special carvings that I have in my collection is not the best carvings that I have, but they are special to me because of the relationship I have formed with that individual. Some are people I have met in person, and some are people that I talk to on here on a regular basis. Something that may not be very good to one person, may be a great trade for someone else.

Any other ideas???? Maybe from people who have participated in the W3E exchanges?

Blake

[DADDIO]

doing it the way you were talking about,pm'ing someone seems to me might be the best as for as not hurting someone's feelings.cause you could always say you are working on a deal already,plus you might have something else you might be willing to trade with that person,as opposed to the piece you originally had up for trade. my 2 cents...anyway

[Kenny_S]

One on One sounds good to me. I do not think that a large amount of people doing one exchange is the way to go. Blake has it right, He has one and if anyone is interested, they contact Blake. First come first served. Now if blake has several pieces and different people wanted one of them, ok. But having 10 or 15 people like in a swap( another name for exchange) would be to much.
If people are that insecure of their carvings, maybe they should not participate now and wait till they are more secure in their feelings.

[chuckt]

I suppose. I just thought we were trying to go for a wider participation type of thing. Your model it seems to me - is alreay in place more or less. Anyone can post something now in the Marketplace and ask if anyone is interested in trading one of their carvings for it. Or you can always PM someone saying you like the carving they showed in a thread or a gallery and would they be willing to swap for a one they wanted to trade. (sending a pic of course)

I guess I just don't see where what you folks are describing requires ANY participation or change in things as they are now. But maybe I am just missing it.

ChuckT