Let's Go to Market...Barter Style

Well, thanks to a lovely shout-out from Elsie Marley, there has been renewed interested in another barter market. I'm all for it! Here are the basics of how it works--you decide what you are interested in making for others and post it, then shop around at other barterers and strike up a deal for an exchange...your goods for their goods. People have had lots of great ideas such as making baked goods, bartering for patterns or fabric, etc. Sounds great to me, it just has to be something that others are interested in exchanging with you. It's not really for me to decide, that is the great part...it's a real functioning barter.

(I even made a little barter button you can snag for your blog if you are participating. I'm not technologically savvy enough to have the html but you can click on the image below save it in your files and then add it as a picture to your sidebar with a link to this post, pretty please.)

Here are a few more details:

1) If you are interested, post on your blog what you are interested in making for others (or just tell me with a photo or two of the item)

2) Everyone can view what others are interested in making and strike up barter bargains with each other (or work through me, though it will definitely be faster to go through each other). Really think about what you have made and what it is worth in a barter exchange. Everything should be exchanged in kind, ya know?

3) I'm going to try and figure out how to add a page to my blog where I will add all of the links, this page will be accessible on my sidebar so you can reference all the option at any time.

4) Then we make what the other wants, ship it off and wait for our barter item in return. There is obviously no one monitoring to be sure that you send something when you have received something but not following through on your end of the deal would kind of ruin the whole honor system feel of the thing. So, don't do that.

5) If you don't really know what you want to make, look at what others are offering and decide what it is worth in exchange or ask someone what they might like of the things that you make. Last time we found (a small group of us that did the exchange) the most rewarding component of the whole thing was getting to know each other better, so bring on the blogger to blogger conversations!

For example, if you make great children's apron or adorable little baby hats or whatever else but you would love a cute little bag....BAM, it's a barter!

I said this last time but it should be repeated, especially as it looks like more folks are interested this time around: a project like this could be overwhelming so don't be afraid to limit your barters and try not to be offended if someone says no to your barter offer. Also, every item will have a few errors and a little extra *love* worked into it. This is great! It's handmade!

I haven't decided yet what I'm going to barter this time around. Are folks interested in salad bags for the CSA haul?