Interview with Kathy of Creative Home Expressions

Let's meet Kathy, a relatively new swapper. She has a business called Creative Home Expressions and a boutique blog too.

SwapDex: Tell us a bit about you.

Kathy: I am 46 years old and live on Long Island, New York. I'm married and have two grown children ~ my son is in college and my daughter just had a baby {first for her and first grandchild for us}. We have a 10 year old Siberian Husky named Misty. In addition to my interior decorating business, I have a "day job" and I love to do projects from transforming something with paint and giving it a new life, or creating something new with scrapbook paper and fabric.

SD: How long have you been swapping? How did you first learn about swapping, and what made you decide to start? Do you remember your first one?

K: I only did my first swap this year and that was one hosted by someone else and I just participated. My first swap involved sending along embellishment type items and having a limit of $10.00 on what you purchased.

SD: What is your range of swapping? Do you stick to swaps hosted by people you know or are you likely to swap with anyone, anytime?

K: My first swap was not by someone I know, but I would be more comfortable participating in a swap by a blogger that I am familiar with. I'd like to do an international swap at some point.

SD: Do you swap with any organized groups like yahoo groups, flickr, groups on swap-bot, other message boards, etc? Why or why not?

K: No. I didn't realize they had anything like that, but I'm happy swapping within the blogging community of those that I know and that have the same interests as me.

SD: What's your favorite swap you've ever been in or hosted?

K: I could just say the one I'm doing now, which is non-specific but just sending "goodies" onto a partner based on their likes from reading their blogs or asking them questions. I am planning a cocktail napkin swap for the beginning of November and and I think that will be a lot of fun.

SD: What do you do to make your packages special?

K: Having joined in only one swap previous to hosting my own, I very much wanted to add some personality to a plain box. I wound up painting and decorating a nice size box that held envelopes; so it offered plenty of room. I decorated it in a way that worked for my swap partner's likes. I also like to throw in some unexpected goody items. Like many swappers, I like the whole package to look pretty, so there is tissue paper inside covering and protecting all the little goodies.

SD: Do you have a good story about hosting or participating in a swap?

K: No, but probably only because I'm still new to it. I do notice that many swaps I've read about, and the one I participated in, show the generosity of bloggers.

SD: What do you think is the most challenging part of hosting a swap? Any advice for someone who is thinking about hosting a swap?

K: Hosting my first swap, I knew matching people might present an issue, but it actually worked out well. Making sure you have enough people so everyone has a partner is my main challenge.