GUIDELINES FOR CREATING YOUR SWAP ITEMS

Please follow these guidelines when making your items. When starting every swap please check these "GUIDELINES FOR CREATING YOUR SWAP ITEMS". Guidelines can change often as we get use to what's acceptable and what's not. If the hostess provides you with different requirements in a swap, then please follow those requirements.

***Most hostess require the use of textured cardstock, so please check your hostess FD's when creating your swap items***

Using a Cricut Imagine or similar machine to create your items? That is great, however, you need to follow the rules below regarding two embellishments. Printing and cutting your paper is great, but neither counts as an embellishment. Inking/sanding/bling/skittles/ribbon/flowers/glimmer mist/heat embossing/dry embossing/flocking/rub-ons/beads/wires/buttons/brads/eyelets/etc. are all types of embellishments. Basically, anything to alter the paper after it is cut counts as an embellishment.

***All handmade swap items listed "BELOW" and have *** next to there names are required to use at least "(2) embellishments & must be Layered at least twice". When layering your items use a sturdy base, like cardstock or thick covered chipboard. For more information on creating your swap items read the descriptions of each item and your hostess FD's.

Non-Smoke Free Homes: To reduce the smell of the smoke please include a fabric softener sheet inside each ziplock containing your scrapbooking items and also include one inside your package.

***Altered Item - 1 per person
* At least 3"

***ATC – 1 per person
* size is 3.5 x 2.5 inches – do not vary your sizing by more than 2 millimeters
* Use either thick cardstock, chipboard, or a playing card as your base
* Please do not have anything extend off the sides of your cards by more than ¼ inch unless swap designates it is allowed.

***Bookmark - 1 per person
* Minimum size 2" x 6"

***Borders - 1 per person
Sizes to choose from are:
*1.5" x 11.5" or wider/longer
*2" x 10" or wider/longer
*4" x 6" or wider/longer

***Buttons, Covered Chipboard - 3-4 per person
*if 1" and or smaller buttons - 4 per person
*larger sizes - 3 per person
*be sure to punch holes and include the string



***Cards - 1 per person
* The actual card must be made of cardstock or buy the prepackaged cards found at craft stores.
* You may use plain or patterned cardstocks for your base of your card, but the actual card can not be made out of any type of thin flimsily papers.
* You may use flimsily papers on top of your cardstock base.
* Regular sized cards when folded: 4.25" x 5.50" or 5" x 7" or 4"x 9.25".

* Envelopes are not required, unless you are sending odd sized cards.
* When providing an envelope, it must be the right size.
* Do not sign your cards!

***CD's - 1 per person
* Use CD's or thick chipboard, either must be completely covered.

***Chipboard Letters - 5 or more per person (Monogram letter requirements are listed under M)
* Minimum size of 1.5" tall and a Maximum size of 3" tall.
* Use thick chipboard.
* Exceptions: If creating items that are 2" or less in size, then you'll only need to embellish them once per item.

***Chipboard Shapes -
* Small (5) per person - Minimum size of 1.5" and a Maximum size: 2.5".
* Large (2) per person - Minimum size of 2.5" and a Maximum size of 3.5".
* Use thick covered chipboard
* Exceptions: If creating items that are 2" or less in size, then you'll only need to embellish them once per item.

***Coasters - 1 per person
* Minimum size of 3.5" x 3.5" and a Maximum size of 4.5" x 4.5"
* When making your own use covered thick chipboard

***Embellishments - this includes items not in this list
* Small (4) per person 1.5" x 1.5" or larger
* Medium (3) per person 2" x 2" or larger
* Large (1) per person 3" x 4" or larger
* Embellish at least once per square

***Deco Squares or Deco Shapes -
* Large (2) per person 3.25" by 3.25" or larger.
* Small (3) per person - over 1.5" but under 3"
* Embellish at least two times per square.

***Die Cuts - these do not need to be embellished. They are just cuts from machines (cricut/sizzix/etc.)
* 3 per person minimum size 2.5"
* 5 per person Minimum size 1.5"

***File Folders -
* Small (3) per person - size is 1.25" x 2" when folded.
* Medium (2) per person- size is 2.75" x 1.75" when folded.
* Large (2) per person - size is 2.25" x 3.75" when folded.
* Ex. Large (1) per person larger then 4" when folded.


***Journaling Items or Pockets - 1 per person
* Must leave enough room for a small paragraph.
* These can be any shape you like.
* Journaling Pockets must have an insert for journaling.

***License Plates -
* Small (2) per person - Minimum size of 2.5" x 1.5" or larger.
* Large (1) per swapper - Minimum size of 4" x 3" or larger.
* Round all corners and they must have the little license plate holes, like the real license plates do.

***Matchbooks - 1 per person
* Minimum size of 2.5" x 2.5", when closed or larger.
* Matchbooks must be made out of card stock and contain 2 or more paper on the inside for pictures or journaling.

***Mini Album Pages
* Pages are be a minimum of 2.5" square and maximum of 8" square (unless swap states other size). They may be square/rectangular/flower/whatever shape you want. Follow the standard swap paper and site embellishment rules of the site - two layers, two embellishments. There are 1000's of designs out there - have fun.

***Monograms -
* Minimum size of 4" and a Maximum size of 5" 1 per person
* Smaller minimum size of 2.5" (2) per person.
* If using chipboard, it must be thick and covered

***Photo Corners(Fancy) - 2 per person
* Minimum size of 2.5" diagonal
* Fancy shapes only! Can be triangular in shape, but No straight plain triangles, it must be fancy.

***Photo Corners - 4 per person
* Minimum size of 2.5" diagonal
* Standard Triangular in shape

***Paper Piecing(The Cricut Way) - 1 per person
* Minimum size 4"
* Paper Piecing must contain a minimum of 4 pieces
* They may NOT be 100% computer/machine generated. This means that you can not print them out on copy paper or cardstock and cut out the pieces and put them together.
* Required swap papers should be used along with the required cardstocks.
* Embellishments and Cardstock are required

Paper Piecing(The Original Way) - 1 per person
* Minimum size 4"
* Paper Piecing must contain a minimum of 4 pieces
* They may NOT be 100% computer/machine generated. This means that you can not print them out on copy paper or cardstock and cut out the pieces and put them together.
* Required swap papers should be used.
* Package each finished item between two layers of cardstock or one layer of chipboard.
* Embellishments and Cardstock are not required, but detailing is required.

***Photo Mats -
* Minimum size of 4.25" x 6.25" to hold a 4" x 6" photo 1 per person
* (2) per person any size if smaller.

***Poem or Quote - 1 per person, matted and embellished. Minimum two layers.
* Minimum size of 2.5" x 3.5"
* These may be printed on vellum or any acid free paper.

Scraplings Cards - 2 per person
* The actual card must be made of cardstock or buy the prepackaged cards found in stores and cut to size.
* Card base size folded, 4.25" x 1.25" each
* Try to use at least two different cardstock or pattern papers on a portion of your 4.25" x 1.25" card base.
* Add or stamp an image and enhance the image.
* Ribbon is required.
* Embellish at least once.
* Do not sign your cards!

***Shaker Box - 1 per person
* Minimum viewable window size of 2" x 3"
* Make sure the shaker box is glued together and your items move freely when shaken.

***Slide Mounts - 2 per person
* Minimum size of 2" x 2".
* The Slide Mounts may be plastic, layered cardstock or thick covered chipboard.


***Serendipity Squares -
* Minimum size (4) per person 1.5" x 1.5"
* (3) per person Minimum 2" x 2" or Maximum 3" x 3"
* Embellish at least once per square
* Exceptions: If creating items that are 2" or less in size, then you'll only need to embellish them once per item.

***Tags - see specific swap requirements as many tags will vary, but if no requirements are listed, layer and embellish twice and follow size guidelines below.
* (2) per person Minimum length size of 2"
* (1) per person Minimum length size of 4"

Tear Bears(Cardstock or Mulberry Papers) - 1 per person
* Minimum size 4"
* Use cardstock or use the thick mulberry papers when making your tear bear animals.
* Other papers may be used as accents.
* Package each Tear Bears between two layers of cardstock or one layer of chipboard.
* One embellishment is required

***Title Blocks- 1 per person
* Minimum size 3" x 6"

- Embellishment bag content are listed by the hostess.
- Store bought items please contact hostess.

Layering:
Layer #1(bottom) Use one: cardstock, chipboard or any other sturdy item for the base of your item. The hostess might have a required base for you to use, so please read her FD's.
Layer #2(top) Use pattern papers required by the hostess. More layers can be used and may have a better effect. These guidelines are the minimum requirements.

Embellishments & Techniques:
Brads, buttons, ribbons, gems, pearls, layered die cuts, altered die cuts, decorative stick pins, altered paper clips, dry embossed stamped images, colored stamped images, powdered embossed images, inking edges, glaze, glitter, beads, flock, wire, flowers, acetate, magic mesh, altered foam pieces, altered felt pieces......and there's so many more examples of embellishments!

Plain flat stickers and stamp images do not count as an embellishment, unless they are enhanced.

Paper Piecing and Tear Bears
When bagging your swap items and if your items do not have a shadow backing/layered back/base cardstock, package between two layers of cardstock or one layer of chipboard.

Hostesses have the right to allow and refuse certain items. Here is the list of items NOT allowed on any swap item:

Handwriting is not allowed on cards, tags or any other swap item unless swap notes otherwise.
No neon colors allowed unless hostess allows them in the swap.
Swap items cannot be 100% computer/machine generated: Although the use of the computer is perfectly fine for a small portion of your items, you can not print everything out on cardstock and just put it together. It must have the appropriate embellishments.

Any hostess requirements supersede the requirements listed above. If you have any questions, please contact your hostess for further information.

Both the Paper Piecing has been updated 1/14/10.

I noticed the old regular sized card sizes were a little off, so I updated it. I believe the sizes are now right, if not let me know.

Updated 1/5/2012