Secret Pal 8

And the awards go to...

2006-09-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

BEGINNING TO SPIN for spoiling KNIT HAPPENS

ROOTED IN KNIT-REALITY for spoiling KNITTER NAVY WIFE

ONE GIRL TRYING (DESPERATELY) TO STAY HAPPY for spoiling LIFE IN CLEVELAND

They are the winners of the best pal contest!

Congratulations to the winners and a huge thanks to all of you who did such a wonderful job spoiling your pal. We wish we had prizes for you all!

Final Nominations

2006-09-14T07:51:00.000-07:00

Here's the last batch of nominations. We'll have a winner(s) for you soon! :-)

CERELLABELLA
YARN HARPY
LEMONGARDENIA
PERPETUAL BLONDE
COULEUR TRICOT
JUST REGULAR FOLKS
AND ALL THAT STASH
MISS BEEHIVE 1963
PROFESSOR KNITWIT
THE RANDOMNESS OF JENNIFER COOMER

Best Pal Nominations

2006-09-05T09:50:00.000-07:00

We'll be accepting nominations for the best secret pal contest until this Friday, September 8th. We'll work on drawing the winner(s) over the weekend and will let you all know who won next week. The winner(s) will be chosen totally at random from the list of nominations we've received. Again, if you'd like to nominate the person who spoiled you for best secret pal, please send us an email with a link to your blog.

Here are some more nominations...

AS KAT KNITS
MY LITTLE TRIBE
ART BARN
SCHNUFFELTIER'S STRICKWELT
FLUFFBUFF
ZIGZAG'S JOURNAL
FIBER THERAPY
SLIGHTLY OBSESSED
INTERWOVEN
KNIT AND SPIN
KNITTYOTTER
KNITTIN' NOTES
STICKCHICKY
BELLASERA
BUSY, BUSY MOMMY
HAVE YOU ANY WOOL?
KNITTER NAVY WIFE
A TASTE OF JUNE
SHELBY KNITS

And they all lived happily ever after...

2006-08-31T07:03:00.000-07:00

Today is the end of SP8. If you haven't sent a package to your pal yet, PLEASE do it today and send your hostess a tracking number for it.

If you've not received a package from your pal, please let your hostess know right away.

If you've not revealed yourself to your pal, today would be a great day to do it. Part of the fun of SP is getting to find out who has been spoiling you silly for the past few months.

I hope you've all had a wonderful time!

Don't forget, signups for Secret Pal 9 open tomorrow! We hope to see you there!

Jenn's Group

2006-08-29T06:20:00.000-07:00

Interwoven
Vicki Knits
Jane Of All Trades
The Mogs Blog
Blackpurls
YoYo Knits
Yarn Knit Read Lit
Dimples Designs
Knittn Notes
A Flower in Full Bloom
Diary of a Mad Fibri-Holic
Dreemkints
Schrodinger Knits
Knitting and Everything Else That Matters
Knittervention
I Think I am Gonna Purl
My So Called Knitting Life
A Knitter In Queens
Zig Zags Journal
Another Hobby Blog
Julis Jots
Vegan Knitter
Kintting in the Shadows
Girl on the Rocks
The Shizz Knit
Frog Knits
Slightly Obsessed
I Heart Yarn
Knit and Spin
The Bookish Knitster
Garrisons Garret Fiber Art
Knitty Otter
Lauren Knits
My Knitting Addiction
Ekieh
Knit With Me
Oh My God I'm Awesome
Snarkland
Quilt Karin
Asjaloome
Myra's Knitting Basket
Tricot Treat
Mei Flower
Fadenelfe
Counting Mermaids
...quite Contrary
Yarn Pirate
Just Knit
Mama Knits
Craft Pirate
Crochet Per Se

1 week to go!

2006-08-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I hope you have all enjoyed SP8 as much as I have! I can't believe there is just 1 week to go before SP8 is over! I want to remind you that if you haven't sent out your last pacakge, to please do so now. If there are any pals out there who haven't received anything yet, and you haven't talked to your hostess, please e-mail them now. Some of the participants are sending only one package, and that is absolutely fine, it jsut needs to be sent before the end of next week. IF you are only sending one package, please spend the extra dollar to get delivery confirmation and send the number to your hostess.

Again, I hope you have had a great time! Don't hesitate to e-mail your hostess or myself if you have any questions/concerns.

Pals of StacyO

2006-08-22T18:12:00.000-07:00

070304.livejournal.com/
angeliasknitting.blogspot.com/
annie-knits.blogspot.com/
crisisofpraxis.blogspot.com/
esmerel.livejournal.com/
exercisebeforeknitting.blogspot.com/
gamecockdoc.blogspot.com/
houseofswank.typepad.com/
jennycoomer.blogspot.com
karlacardell.blogspot.com/
knit4ever.blogspot.com/
knitaddict.blog-city.com/
knitknak.blogspot.com/
lefthandpinkie.net/blog
lemongardenia.blogspot.com/
maidenaunt.blogspot.com/
nubianweb.com/brnwebgrrl
peaceableimperatrix.blogspot.com/
polarsun.net/twistedthistle
purldiver.blogspot.com/
quatzical.blogspot.com/
rjconklin.com/keeptalking.htm
sarahhbknits.blogspot.com/
soccerchic-knits.blogspot.com/
socialknitter.typepad.com/
swankyhanks.com/
whiningprocrastinator.blogspot.com/
whitecowboyhats.blogspot.com/
whittlnwithbear.livejournal.com/
www.knitsense.blogspot.com/
www.knittymama.blogspot.com/
yarnliberationfront.blogspot.com/

Are You Ready

2006-08-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

for some more nominations?

LIFE IN CLEVELAND
CRAZY CRAFTER CRAFTS CONTINUALLY
WENDY'S INTERTWINEMENT
BLACKPURLS
CAN'T YOU SEE I'M KNITTING HERE
KNIT N THINGS
A VILLAGE KNITIOT
070304
THE SHIZZKNIT
THE KNITTING WOUNDED
FEDEXCOURIER'S JOURNAL
HAVE EWE ANY WOOL?
CHICKEN WITHOUT A HEAD
SLIGHTLY OBSESSED
A PLACE FOR CREATIONS
COUNTRY VARIETY

The YarnYenta's Bubelahs

2006-08-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

otherwise known as heatherly's group...... I know you have all been waiting for this post! i had hoped to get it up yesterday, but life was typical. so here is my group:
*Left Coast Knits
A Fuego Lento
Avec le coton
beginning to spin
Caffinna's Creations
Ceallach Knits
Civil Bitch
Dyed Pink
Froggin Knitter
Hooked on string
I Heart Knitting
in relative calm
Just Regular Folks
Kaeki Knits
Knit About
Knit Happens
Knit it in black, please
Knit Knerds
Knit Kitty Knit
Knitter Navy Wife
Knitting Queen
Knitting Zen
Lanas y Tramas
Melly Breit (Knits!)
muses of a dargon mad knitter
My little Tribe
One More Row
Penelope porkchop
Res Ipsa knit with her
Rooted in Knit-reality
Say What?
Tales of a NICU Nurse
That Crazy Chick who knits
The Knitting Ref
The Knitting Wounded
Wild Geese
Yarn Spinner
Youthful

I had a wonderful group! I hope you all had a great round! If i missed some one email me! i did type this up with a squirmy 10 mon old in my lap!

Nic's Group

2006-08-20T17:15:00.000-07:00

A partial list of Nic’s group.
AS KAT KNITS
BUBBLES AND PURLS
CRAFT JUNKIE
DANCER GRRLLZ
DR. PURL
EXTREME YARN
FLAT OUT CHUCKLE HEAD
GEE, YOU KNIT?
HAND EYE CRAFTS
HAVE EWE ANY WOOL?
IT'S A GIRL THING
JAVAJEM
JOIN ME IN SNARKVILLE
KNIFTYKNITTER
KNIT ONE CHIC TOO
KNIT-N-MEOW
KNOT TONIGHT, I'M KNITTING
MINESTRONE SOUP
MORE THAN MANY SPARROWS
MYLERNA'S THOUGHTS
MY LITTLE CORNER OF THE WORLD
PROFESSOR KNITWIT
PURSE HO KNITS
TARCHER'S BLOG
THE ROW GOES ON FOREVER
THERESA GRANT'S JOURNAL
TIME TO REFLECT
WAY PAST MY BEDTIME

I feel a little sad posting this because I know SP8 is coming to an end. I’m going to miss my group. I’m sure all the other hostesses feel the same way about their groups, but I have to say I have the best group! I will miss reading all your blogs (I may still have to!) If I could keep you all for SP9 I would.

another comment on comments... ;)

2006-08-17T06:47:00.000-07:00

From now on, after some discussion among the hostesses, the ability to post anonymously has been disabled. If you want to comment on this blog, please feel free to do so! You just have to be a registered blogger user. Now I know that many of you do not have blogger blogs, but I encourage you to create an account, even if it's just for the purpose of posting comments on blogs. It is free, and only takes a few minutes to set it up. Please don't hesitate to e-mail me directly if you have any comments/concerns.

Comment on Comments

2006-08-16T18:43:00.000-07:00

I really feel that this entire discussion has gotten totally out of hand. Everyone has the right to complain. There is no rule against it. What we're trying to eliminate is the sarcastic negative attacks on participants of the exchange as well as the hostesses. We realize that not everyone is going to have a wonderful experience here. We're not trying to pretend that this exchange is perfect. However, we feel it only fair that you give the system a chance. If you're not having a great time let your hostess know. Don't post a snotty comment here. If you have no luck with your hostess, contact one of the other dozen hostesses for help. And for Pete's sake, if you really feel the need to attack someone publicly, at least have enough decency to let us know who you are so we can respond with a solution. We have been busting our butts for you people for months to try to make this a good experience and have been trying different things to avoid just this sort of nonsense. I deleted comments because I'm fed up with all the bickering. We're all adults here and yet some of you are acting like obnoxious bullies on the playground. Instead of being part of the problem, try being part of a solution to the problem.

Heatherly's group

2006-08-15T23:16:00.000-07:00

Watch this space!
After August 19 our group will be up too!

Shelby's list

2006-08-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

Here is Shelby's group's names! Have fun looking through if you'd like!

A Knitter in Transition
motherofallneedles
CerellaBella
Knittin' Mom
Random Fibers
The BIG Adventures of Mama-E
~*~YarnYenta~*~
twelfthknit
Tea and Cakes
more adventurous
KnitWit Momma
My Bloviation Celebration!
Knitting Nyxxie
fizicks phynatic
And Then There Was Me...
knitting on the go
Katie's Knit Knat
Kay In Stitches
Yolanda Gypsy Knits
Kerry Knits
k is for krista
tickle me pink
Mainiax
Tricotastique!
SalsaKnits
Stash Monkey
Socks-For-Mum
Krafty1
Miss Priss Knits
Please don't eat the needles
threads
Crazy About Sox

Amber's group

2006-08-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

Here is the list of prople who were in Amber's group originally. Have fun looking through!!

Magic Fiber
~*stars upon thars*~
Days of Yarn & Roses
in my life
Prettyknit
Ghostknitter
Confessions of a skull-obsessed knitter
Knit Story
friendly flamingo
Faith and Fiber
Princess Knits
My Pink Half of the Drain Pipe
Sheep-frog
Charityworld
sarcastic_twit
lucky dog knits
malinmaskros
Marsha Knits
purlpaw
Dandelion Spinnery
VivaPia
Extravayarnza
knitting solo
miserycord's Xanga
Kuduv koeraomanik
Wye Sue Knits
KNITTIOTHERAPY
craftomatique

Patty's list

2006-08-15T16:42:00.000-07:00

Have fun!!!

Motionary: Blog
Muntu Stitches
Cat Knits
Red Head Sky Diver
Debbie Does Yarn
Thread Theory
Elizabeth Genco
Knitter Next Door
Ply & Burl
Knitting 40 Shades of Green
The Lone Knitter
Kats & Yarn
KP Knits
Coherency Stops Here
Woven ~N~ Spun
The Silver Fork Saga
Aut Disce Aut Discedere
Batty For Yarn
The Knitted Purl
Knittinsilly
Handmade By Coley
Mommy, Mommy, MOMMY!
The Procrastiknitter
Coupersetique Denpa
A Crafter's Journal
KnitSanity
Knitting & Everything Else That Matters

Christine's Group

2006-08-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

Hey all! Here is the list of members blogs in my group. Have fun trying to figure out who belongs to you. :o)

Lilee's Gram Knits
The Comfy Bev
a ball of yarn and a remote control
The Sterling Stitch Holder
Aloha & Oreos
Perfect Kimmie
Bellasera
k1,*yo, k2tog*
stringy things
knit, carol, knit
Keep Your Needles Crossed
Knittin In The Mitten
2 Sticks & String
Just One More Row
(mis)Adventures in...
A Village Knitiot
Evil Genius
Can't You See I'm Knitting Here?!
Here in Topeka
Knit n Things
Knitting Chronicles
loose string
Royal Empress
Willful Machines
The Knitting Nook
String and a couple sticks
Kimberwood Shetlands

Cerella's Group.

2006-08-15T09:21:00.000-07:00

Have fun trying to find your pals!!!

Woolyvines
Potlikker
my dog has fleece
Gotta Knit
Redhead Ramblings
Bang, bang, history's complete
bliu blog
Jess knits in the 'burbs'
limedragon
Girl with a Purl Earring
Ride. Knit. Read.
Stoneview
A Taste of June
Knerq
Pieceful Creations
Jen's Tid Bits
Purls Just Wanna Have Fun!
The Knitting Diva
HaNdKrAft
Melissa's Adventures In Knitting
Knitting_Luv
knit, daisy, knit

Katie's Group

2006-08-15T09:08:00.000-07:00

And without further ado, I present the participants from Katie's group (minus one who requested not to be listed)...

A STRAIGHT TEQUILA NIGHT
ARTWEAR'S JOURNAL
BUSY, BUSY MOMMY
CHRISSY'S RANDOM LIFE
COULEUR TRICOT
CRAFTY OR CRAZY
EN FILANT MA QUENOUILLE
FEMINIKNITTY
IT HAPPENED JUST LIKE THIS
JANIS CAN KNIT
JILLIAN'S KNITS
KNITTING BATTLEMAIDENS
KNITTING GEMS
KNITTING RELAXES ME
MISS BEEHIVE 1963
NELDA'S NEW OBSESSION
PERPETUAL BLONDE
RANDOM FIBER RAMBLINGS
RHONDA'S KNITTING
SCHMOODLE
SONGS TO NO ONE
SPIN CYCLE
STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND
THE HUNDREDTH MONKEY
THE KNITTING BEADER
THE PAJAMA MONOLOGUES
THIS IS A TOAST-FREE ZONE
URBAN PAGAN KNITS
YARN COFFEE

Kerry's Group

2006-08-15T06:35:00.000-07:00

I hope you've all had a great time trying to figure out who your spoiler is. Below are the participants in my group. If you still don't know who your pal is, this will narrow the pool by a lot. :-)

A DASH OF WHIMSY
A GOOD YARN
AISHA CELIA KNITS & SPINS
ALL NIGHT KNITTER
AMPUTEEHEE
ART BARN
ARTWIN KNITS
BAA BONNY BELLE
BIG SKY LIFE
BRONNIE KNITS
DEBLOG
DYANN KNITS
FROU'S WORLD
GEMINI KNITS
HANDMADEBYFRANCES
HOME BURROUGH
KNIT2 BLOG1
KNIT AND COFFEE
KNITTING BLOG
LIKE THERAPY, ONLY BETTER
LUSCIOUS FIBERS
MOONLIGHT KNITTER
MY MOM KNITS
NATURE KNITTER
NEEDLEWORKS, INC.
PURLY BRITES
SHE KNITS SHE RANTS
STITCHY FINGERS
SWEAR OFF PROFANITY
TOO MANY CRAFTS, NOT ENOUGH TIME
WOOLLY WORMHEAD'S RIPPING YARNS
YARN HARPY
YARN GEEK

Contact Sport

2006-08-04T13:16:00.000-07:00

Please remember that both spoiler and spoilee must make contact with their pals at least three times per month. You don't have to write a novel (although your pal would probably love to hear what you've been doing...hint, hint), but a quick note to say hello is required.

If you've received a gift in the mail from your pal, please take a minute to thank them within 48 hours after it arrives. We realize everyone is busy, but busy is no excuse for bad manners. And again, it's awfully disheartening and frustrating to have to chase your spoilee to find out if they've received the gifts you've invested your time, energy and hard earned money in. So many people in this exchange really go the extra mile to carefully choose special gifts for their pals and they deserve to be acknowledged for their effort.

If you're going to be away for 5 days or more, please take a minute to let both of your pals and your hostess know. Communication is key in these exchanges and great communication makes for a great experience! :-)

The Big Reveal

2006-08-03T08:43:00.000-07:00

Since this is the last month of SP8, lots of you have asked when and how you should reveal yourselves to your pals.

When: This is really totally up to you but keep in mind that we do still have a month left. Lots of people like to try to figure out who their pal is on their own and if your pal is one of those people, revealing yourself now might put a damper on their fun. If you're super excited about revealing yourself and just can't wait any longer, ask your pal how s/he feels about it. They might be just as excited as you to finally know who's been spoiling them silly for the past couple months. Otherwise, I usually tell people to wait until about a week or 2 before the exchange ends to send a card or final package that includes a link to your blog and whatever other information about yourself that you'd like your pal to know.

How: Again, a card or package with a link to your blog is a great way to reveal yourself. Your final package could include something that you really love that you'd like to share with your pal. Or something specific to your area like some sand in a bottle if you live near the ocean or a packet of seeds for your state flower. If you've already sent all of your packages and have exhausted your budget there are lots of free ecards to be had on the web. Or you could send an email with some photos of the sky above your house, a popular or historic attraction in your area, or your elbow...something personal is always well received. :-)

I hope this helps give you some ideas and I hope you all have a wonderful time learning who your pals are. This is one of the most exciting parts of the exchange so have fun with it!

Your Attention Please

2006-08-02T20:20:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to take a minute to respond to some of the comments that have been left recently.

First and foremost, we want everyone to have an absolutely incredible SP experience. If you feel that yours is less than stellar, please contact your hostess. If you are having trouble with your hostess, then contact another hostess. You can do this by clicking the links on the right hand side of the blog. Just leave a comment requesting that we get in touch with you. You can write me privately any time for any reason. I will be more than happy to do everything that I possibly can to help ensure you have a great time in this exchange.

I appreciate your need to vent if you're having trouble, but doing so in a public forum whether it be here on the SP blog or on your own blog, will not be tolerated. We're all adults and should behave as such. Please try to consider the feelings of the other person before posting. I appreciate that for the most part, those of you having trouble have posted anonymously, but the problem with that is everyone reading your comment then wonders if you're talking about them. Can you see how quickly one negative comment can get everyone in a tizzy?

One participant asked if complaining was allowed. Absolutely it is. Sometimes it's a must. We can't fix a problem that we don't know exists. Nobody should ever be banned for letting their hostess know that they're having a problem. I think that this question may have come from the part of the rules that says we won't entertain complaints about you requesting a new pal because you don't like the one you've been given. What that means is that we won't rematch you because you've visited your assigned pals blog and see that she likes country music, has 10 kids, and drives a minivan and you like heavy metal, would rather have a snake big enough to eat a small child, and don't drive because it pollutes the atmosphere. It's compatibility complaints we won't entertain, not complaints about your pal not following the rules. If your pal is not contacting you at least 3 times a month and never updates their blog you should tell your hostess. The blacklist exists for those participants who blantantly refuse to follow the rules. I can't speak for all of the other hostesses, but I know I always give my participants at least a couple of chances to redeem themselves before I would remove them from the exchange and put them on the blacklist.

As Shelby said before, the blacklist comes with a 3 strikes policy. When you are placed on the blacklist you can participate as an angel in the following round. If you are a great angel then you can sign up to participate in the next round. You can be put on the list twice but if you make it to the list 3 times you are permanently banned from SP. Your hostess should let you know if you've been added to the list but if she forgets, you'll be alerted if and when you sign up for the next round. The best way to avoid the blacklist is by spoiling the daylights out of your pal (again, you don't have to spend above and beyond the minimum $$ requirement to spoil your pal silly) AND by being a grateful spoilee. Don't forget that the person spoiling you will want to hear from you just as much as you want to hear from the person you're spoiling. Can you imagine how horrible you would feel if went out of your way to do something nice for your pal and s/he never even acknowledged your effort?

Phew! I think that should answer lots of questions as well as address some of the complaints.

Don't forget, we're always here if you need us and there are lots of us so if you don't feel your hostess is listening please contact another.

I hope you all enjoy this last month of SP8. We're looking forward to seeing you back for SP9!

It's Time

2006-08-02T15:14:00.000-07:00

to post this week's nominations...

CRISIS OF PRAXIS
YARN LIBERATION FRONT
JUST KNITTIN
THE COMFY BEV
MSFORTUKNIT
PIGLOTTIE'S PARLOUR
KNITTING AND CHOCOLATE
TWO STICKS AND SOME STRING
MUNTU STITCHES

Sneak Preview

2006-07-31T09:21:00.000-07:00

We have a blog in progress for SP9. We'll update the blog as more info becomes available so keep an eye on it if you're interested in joining the next round of Secret Pal. :-)

We have a Button Winner!

2006-07-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

And the winner is:

Annarella

of

Annarella Handmade

Go stop by and tell her congratulations. She won a 25.00 gift certificate to Kpixie courtesy of the SP8 hostesses.

Super Secret Swappers

2006-07-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

HUNKA HUNKA BURNIN YARN
AVEC LE COTON
CERELLABELLA
HAVE YOU ANY WOOL
JILLIAN'S KNITS
JAZZYFAZ'S KNITTING BLOG
DIARY OF A MAD FABRI-HOLIC
EN FILANT MA QUENOUILLE
STRINGY THINGS
FURTHER ADVENTURES OF THE SECRET YARNINATOR
ANOTHER HOBBY BLOG
COMPULSIVELY CRAFTY
TANJAS SPINNEREIEN

Don't Get Yer Panties in a Bunch :-)

2006-07-21T11:43:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I just wanted to clarify a little on the angel subject. I didn't realize it would be such a hot button for so many of you. I totally appreciate your feedback though. It's exactly what we are looking for. So, just to clear things up...

1. PayPal donations would be totally voluntary as would any other donation you wished to make.
2. Donations would be made anonymously. We realize that not everyone has extra money to spare and would never want anyone to feel badly if they don't.
3. This idea will not apply to this round of Secret Pal. We were throwing it out there to get your feedback to help us decide if we should implement it in future rounds.

I'd also like to point out that there aren't normally a lot of people who bail but it does happen. We are keeping a list of participants that have flaked on their pals and those people are not allowed to participate in future rounds. I can assure you that the list is checked very carefully before the beginning of each round. Unfortunately, we have no way of predicting when taking signups who will follow the rules and who won't. And for those people who don't, well...it's not fair that they lose out. I agree whole-heartedly that SP is just as much about giving as it is receiving. The giving aspect of the exchange is much more important to me than the getting BUT the getting end can't be overlooked either. We all join this exchange with the expectation of exchanging goodies and every participant has the right to have those expectations met. This is a knitting related exchange, not a pen pal service. We want more than anything for everyone to have fun but the reality of it is that making new friends is just a bonus of the exchange.

I can't tell you how much it saddens me to hear that so many of you are having such a hard time with your pals. Please, please, please contact your hostess right away and let her know what's going on. If you have trouble getting in touch with your hostess you can always send an email to the hostess account or to me directly.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!!

This weeks nominees are brought to you by...

2006-07-21T05:56:00.000-07:00

CFKNITS
KNITTER
YARNBEANS
TARCHER'S BLOG
RES IPSA KNIT WITH HER
THE KNITTIN COOP
THE JOY OF WOOL
CRAFT JUNKIE
KNIT2 BLOG1
REDHEAD RAMBLINGS
SEH80
BARB'S SPACE
JOS KNITS
K IS FOR KRISTA
FUNKY LINDSAY
THE SILVER FORK SAGA
KNITTING & OTHER ENDEAVORS
CAFFINNA'S CREATIONS
YOUTHFUL
MUSES OF A DRAGON MAD KNITTER

Pay It to Play It?

2006-07-19T07:39:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

I had an idea last week and put it out for discussion amongst our hostess group. We all seemed in agreement that it was a fairly decent idea. So...I'd like your opinion now.

I thought instead of asking for angels to volunteer the participants who end up having a pal who flakes it might be better if we opened a PayPal account and accepted donations from each participant. If we all donated just a couple dollars (I'm thinking of somewhere between $2 and $5. We'd leave the decision to the participant on what amount in that frame they'd like to donate.) we'd raise more than enough to take care of the few people that will inevitably finish the round without having received any goodies from their pal. The participants hostess would then be alloted $60 to spend on items that the pal has expressed an interest in. Whatever money that remains at the end of the exchange (after all participants have been taken care of) would then be used to purchase gifts for the best pal contest. This way the account would be zeroed out at the end of each round so we can start fresh the following round. This way everyone would be helping out instead of us having to ask a volunteer to donate up to $60 by themselves. Kind of like it taking a village to raise a child. :-)

What are your thoughts and feelings on this? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Hope you're all enjoying the summer!

Special Offer

2006-07-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

I, Tina, have a small Etsy shop, ChemicalPink Creations, and I'd like to offer a discount of 20% and free shipping to all SP8 Participants. To get the discount, go ahead and order as normal. You'll recieve an automated email with payment instructions, which will include my email address. Send me an email with the item number, and your blog as it is listed on the participants page of the SP8 blog, and I will send you an updated invoice. Also, if you'd like it to be sent directly to your pal, please provide his or her name and address in that email. My shop is currently under construction, but look for more knitting related items after 07/17 - including soap specially formulated to keep a knitter's hands silky soft! I'll also accept special orders, as long as it is something I can finish before SP8 is finished!

Drum Roll Please

2006-07-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

The nominees for this week are...

WHITECOWBOYHATS
KNITTING STUFF AND GOING ON AND ON
AS KAT KNITS
SHE KNITS SHE RANTS
SOME BUNNY'S LOVE
GOTTA KNIT
TOO BUSY TO KNIT
CRAFTY RANTINGS
TALES FROM A KNITTING NICU NURSE
KRAFTIE
SHADKITTY KNITTY BLOG
STITCHY FINGERS
SNARKLAND
CIVIL BITCH
MELISSA'S ADVENTURES IN KNITTING
TEA AND CAKES
CHRISSY'S RANDOM LIFE

Congrats to all our nominees!

And the nominees are...

2006-07-05T17:58:00.000-07:00

The following participants have nominated their pals for the best secret pal contest. They're all having so much fun with the exchange that I thought it would be neat to share their blogs. If you've sent in a nomination and don't see your blog listed here please drop us another note. And if you haven't nominated your pal but think s/he is doing a fantastic job we'd love to hear from you. You can reach us at sp8hostesses@yahoo.com or you can always drop your hostess a note too. Be sure to include a link to your blog so we can see what your pal has been up to!

THESE ARE THE DREAMLANDS ON THE BORDERS
KNERQ
KNITHOLE
KNITS N THINGS
PLEASE DON'T EAT THE NEEDLES
KNIT HAPPENS
KNIT AND SIP
PEACEABLE IMPERATRIX
YARN IS BEAUTIFUL
MJM KNITTING

My Sincerest Apologies

2006-07-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

In response to imperatrix's comment I'd like to say that you should absolutely check to see what your pal celebrates. I never meant to leave anyone out of the "Christmas in July" idea I tossed out a few days ago. I certainly realize that not everyone celebrates Christmas. I simply shared one idea hoping it might help to spark some creativity for those of you having a hard time putting something together.

So with that being said, how about this...

There's nothing stopping someone from sending a Chanukah package. With 8 individually wrapped gifts. You could number them in the order they should be opened. How about a pattern and then the yarn, knitting needles and darning needles (think Chibi) that would total a number of 8 gifts. For example, I found a beautiful (free online) pattern for a shawl. It calls for 5 skeins of yarn. Add the knitting needle and a Chibi and you've got 8 items to wrap. Number them in this order:
Night 1. Chibi
Night 2. yarn
Night 3. yarn
Night 4. knitting needle
Night 5. yarn
Night 6. yarn
Night 7. yarn
Night 8. pattern
How much fun would that be? Or, what about mailing one small gift each day for 8 days?

Wiccans celebrate the Winter Solstice. How about some beautiful candles to represent the sun? Pine, frankincense and myrrh incenses are associated with the Yule. Why not send some of them along with a burner? Evergreen boughs, holly berries and pinecones are used to decorate the hearth so how about some yarns in deep greens, reds and browns?

If your pal celebrates any sort of tradition in December it can always be reproduced for them in July. Do some research if you're not familiar with your pals customs before creating a package. Your pal will be thrilled that you took the time to do something especially for them and you'll have had the opportunity to learn about some of the other fascinating traditions people all over the world celebrate. :-)

More Ideas!!!

2006-07-02T09:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Canada Day! (1 day belated)
I have had some people asking about other gift ideas.
Here are just a few....

1. iTunes gift cards
2. Handmade gifts (greeting cards, handknit socks, journals)
3. Gift certificates from online knitting vendors
4. Books on other hobbies that your spoilee is interested in
5. Candy (careful about sending chocolate right now b/c it might melt!)

Hopefully this will help maybe just a little bit. Remember to keep updating those blogs weekly!

Christmas in July

2006-07-01T20:20:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's July already??? I swear it seems just yesterday was the 1st of June. Time is going too quickly this year. I need to find a way to slow it down. But, seems how it is July here's a neat idea...

How about a "Christmas in July" package for your pal? Holiday scented candles are usually still available throughout the year and normally priced really low during the summer months. How about some holiday tea or some awesome specialty hot cocoa mix? Some red, white or green yarn (or heck, how about a skein of each) wrapped in some Christmas paper and tied with lots of curling ribbon would be awesome. Or how about sharing your favorite holiday recipe? Maybe even include the dry ingredients to get your pal off to a great start. There are so many neat things you could do if you let your mind wander. :-)

I hope everyone who celebrates the 4th has a safe and wonderful holiday!

Best Secret Pal Contest

2006-06-25T17:28:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

I hope you're all having as much fun with this round of Secret Pal as I am. I can't believe how fast it's going. I can't help but feel a little sad at the end of our exchanges. I guess it's because I just hate to see a good thing end. :-) To make matters worse, the end of this round will just about signal the end of summer. What a bummer! LOL

BUT, here's a little something to help ease my blues about the end of the exchange...

ANOTHER BEST SECRET PAL CONTEST!!!

Darn straight I'm yelling! LOL We had lots of entries last round and we hope to see even more this round. So if you think you have the best secret pal ever, drop us a note at sp8hostesses@yahoo.com and let us know just why you think your pal is the best. Be sure to include a link to your blog too so we can read all about it. We've got some great prizes to hand out again this round. So, get spoiling your pals like you've never spoiled anyone before! Don't forget, you don't have to spend above and beyond the $60 requirement to be a great pal. Just sending a "thinking of you" email or ecard can brighten your pals day like you wouldn't believe. :-)

Have fun and enjoy your summer!!!

Package Advice

2006-06-19T17:04:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

I thought it might be handy to offer a little advice for package ideas for those who might be stumped on what to get their secret pal. Remember those questionnaires we had you fill out? They are full of excellent information!

Here's what I've sent my sp so far and I used her questionnaire to make up my mind along with reading her blog:

A Knitpicks pattern for fair isle socks along with the yarn that's needed.
A chocolate bar!
A purple paper tablet that says "I love knitting" on it.
Some funky coil knitting needle holders in two different sizes.
I made a card that had a woman on it wearing a poncho and then I added a circle with a line through it (think of a no smoking circle sign) - why did I do this? She hates ponchos! She was definitely amused by it.

In the package I received:

An awesome glass clown figurine. I had two already and she searched out and found another one for me - how cool!
A sock book with some really amazing patterns.
Two skeins of some really, really nice yarn in my favorite colors!
A cute notecard.

So as you can see, your package doesn't have to be all about knitting or crocheting. Fee free to use your imagination, read the questionnaires - and if nothing else, ask your spoilee if there's anything they've wanted for a while but just can't bear to get it for themselves. Oh, another idea - I also just purchased a subscription for my sp for a magazine she can't get in London.

And if you'd like more advice, don't hesitate to ask any one of the hostesses listed on this blog.

Take care and have a fantastic week!

(And sorry about the font issue, not sure what's going on.)

Patty

Time Flies!!

2006-06-13T13:46:00.000-07:00

I hope you all are having a great time with SP8. If you're not just let us know & we'll try our best to help resolve it. No-one can promise miracles, and some situations can't be resolved, but they surely must be few and far between. Don't forget to post at least once a week to your blog, be a good spoiler and appreciative spoilee and all will be happy! We're almost half way now, so I hope there's no-one out there who hasn't received a little package sometime. I know I've been blessed with a super package and that my spoilee enjoyed her little giftee!
EDITED
Yes it is OK to send just one package at the end. I just want to enjoy and have all our participants enjoy the ride!

Adding to her original offer

2006-05-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

Joanne, from Homespun Angoras is sweetening her original offer. Here it is: "For all Secret Pals we are offering 10% off of our handspun yarns and handcrafted Spindles plus shipping is included with orders of $50.00 or more! For your Canadian Secret Pal, Ashford Spinning Products will be having a price increase as at June 5, 2006. Take advantage now of the lower prices offered at Homespun Angoras and if you order prior to June 5, 2006 take an additional 5% off our already lowest prices offered on Spinning Wheels, Weaving Looms and accessories. Shipping is included on all Spinning Wheels and Looms. Shipping of accessories is included on orders over $100.00. All this can add up to substantial savings and a wonderful surprise for your Secret Pal. All orders will be shipped directly to your Secret Pal with a gift card included."

Another Offer

2006-05-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

Robynn is offering 10% off for all Secret Pals, using the discount code secretpal8. She can ship a nicely wrapped package directly to the recipient, with a gift tag. Purlescence has gorgeous treats like wooden needles, needle organisers and unusual stitch markers, so there's lots to choose from!

Yet more special offers...

2006-05-16T08:04:00.000-07:00

From annarella:

I, annarella, create hand made beaded stitch markers, which are priced at £6 (GBP) for a set of 4 (postage is 50p to the UK and £1 worldwide). The stitch markers come attached to a jumbo safety pin, for safe keeping, and are packaged in a clear seal grip bag, with a branded card. I would like to offer 10% off anybody who buys them for their SP during the period of the exchange. I'm happy to send to the spoiler or spoilee directly.

From Diva Knitting:

I’d like to offer a discount from my store, Diva Knitting, on stitch markers and knitting cards. Shipping is free on stitch markers and the discount will be 10%, code secretpal8 at checkout and will be good from May 15-August 31.

From Alchemic Dragon:

I own a soap company, The Alchemic Dragon. I've created a 20% off discount code for sp8 participants, (discount code in the shopping cart: sp8)! I will also send discreetly to their sp with a note if they wish. These soaps have been popular with pals in the past, I hope everyone has a chance to try them out!

From Brooklyn Handspun Yarn:

I'd like to extend my offer of 10% off for any Brooklyn Handspun Yarn.

From undiestakr:

I run a small shop, undiestakr, and I'd like to offer a 15% discount to anyone who likes something there. Just email me with what you want and that it is for SP, and I'd be happy to help! I'll also take special orders.

From Les Laines.com:

I own a yarn and needles online store, Les Laines.com, in Europe and send goods worldwide. I would like to make an offer for secret pal 8 participants :10 % off on all items in the store with the code : SP8.

From Homespun Angoras:

Free shipping on all purchases of $50 or more from Homespun Angoras. Will also ship directly to your pal.

From ExtremeYarn:

I have an online store called ExtremeYarn. It's hand dyed yarn - sock, lace and worsted weight. I will offer 15% off all orders and I will ship to SP's with a card.

From Three Sisters Yarn:

We'd like to offer 15% off for all items at Three Sisters Yarn (this includes handmade knitting needles, stitch markers, and handspun/handpainted yarns) for all SP8 participants. We will also gift wrap and send to the giftee, if desired, for no extra charge! Customers can mention "sp8" (or something of the sort) in the "message to seller" option, or they can email us beforehand to get the discount.

Another special offer!

2006-05-15T13:38:00.000-07:00

I'm also offering a 10% discount at my etsy store Shelby B's Designs! I have various beaded stitch markers, handstamped cards, and bracelets. Cards are all customized for the order! I will fill out and send your cards to your pal, whereever he/she may be! Shipping is free! Check back Monday, May 22nd, for many more items!

Special Offer

2006-05-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!
I am offering 10% off of my C*EYE*BER Fibers to SP8 Participants! Always free shipping!

Nic's group!

2006-05-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

If you know you are in my group and you haven't received a partner, CONTACT ME.

Also don't forget if you haven't done so, contact your Spoilee- SP officially begins tomorrow!

Blogging Help

2006-05-13T09:21:00.000-07:00

This site has alot of blogging tips for many types of blogs.
http://www.knitblog.com/
Need more information on uploading buttons? adding links?
You 'll find it here!
Hope it helps!

How to Post a Button

2006-05-13T06:51:00.001-07:00

So you want to put one of the buttons over there on your blog, but you don't know how? Well have no fear because I am going to let you know how it's done. :o)

We'll use the first button over there as an example.

First pick the button you want to use. Right click on it and "save image as" (I save it to my desktop).

Open up whatever online photo album you use (in this case I used Phopobucket) and upload the image.

Go to your blogger template and find the sidebar section. Once there, this is the code you will use to link your image back here to SP8....

<(a) href="http://secretpal8.blogspot.com/"><(img) src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v118/ChristineO/SP8%20Buttons/SP8-button5.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting">

(remove the ( ) from around the a and img)

Of course your tag will have a different album name then mine does because you will be using your own album and not mine :o)

Sooooo, you will end up with this.

Got it?

Thank You

2006-05-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

First off...
I'd like to say a HUGE thank you to all of my co-hostesses for putting in so much time and effort in the planning of this Secret Pal Round! I have one of the smaller groups to match and manage (around 34) and some of you all have double that. KUDOS to you! We have over 500 participants in this round!!!

As we approach the May 15 start date... remember.... this activity was created out of a sense of kindness and community. I am so very excited to be a part of this and to get to know my pal and the members of my group.

That being said....Please keep an open line of communication with your hostess and remember..... this is fun! We are all anticipating a successful round!
Thanks!!!
Erin
Mama-E

Patience, please.

2006-05-09T05:28:00.000-07:00

I know many of you haven't heard from your hostesses yet. We're working as hard and as quickly as we can. Please remember that we are volunteering our time to organize Secret Pal 8. We take time from our jobs and our families to make sure you all have an excellent experience! We have until May 15th to get matches out to you, and some of us may actually take that long. It comes down to when we have time to sit down and match and e-mail.

If you don't hear from any hostess about your match by Monday, May 15th, please e-mail the hostess account directly and we'll help you from there. With over 550 participants, it will certainly take us until the 15th to get everyone matched. up.

Thank you for your patience.

Alisons Group

2006-05-04T13:47:00.000-07:00

Just to let everyone know I can't get to my group until 6th May. I'm on holiday and using my DB's mobile! So those of you out there who haven't had contact from a hostess are probably my group! You will hear from me by 7th May at the latest. Not with your partner, but just a message. I will get your partners fixed up by 14th.

Have faith my friends, it will happen!

Time To Start Checking

2006-05-03T06:31:00.000-07:00

It's time to start checking your email accounts! :-)

We have begun sending out welcome notes to participants and have had some emails returned. If we can't get through to your main email account we'll try your anonymous account so please be sure to look for a note from us there. It's also a great idea to check your Spam and Bulk mail folders as well. Sometimes our emails end up in one of those folders if you have a really sensitive spam blocker.

Hope you're all as excited as we are about getting matches!

Questionnaire

2006-05-02T06:29:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone and welcome to SP8!

Here is the questionnaire for this round. It's very important to post your answers to your blogs in a spot that your pal can easily find them. Please be sure to post your answers by the end of this week. Your pal is certain to be anxious to get spoiling you! :-)

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

13. What are you knitting right now?

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

17. How did you learn to knit?

18. How old is your oldest UFO?

19. What is your favorite holiday?

20. Is there anything that you collect?

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)

2 more days!!!

2006-04-28T06:39:00.000-07:00

Just 2 more days to sign up for Secret Pal 8!! We stop taking registration on Sunday evening, at 11:59 pm. And yes, we are very firm on that. And NO, there are no exceptions!!

Buttons anyone?!

2006-04-25T05:46:00.000-07:00

It's time to get those creative juices flowing! We're looking for buttons! Here are the requirements:

100 pixels wide by 50 pixels high. Please save as a .jpg, .png, or .gif and send to sp8hostesses@yahoo.com with button in the subject line.

We have a very special prize for some lucky button-maker! We'll accept buttons through Friday, May 19th then put all button-maker's names in a hat and send one lucky winner a present! Multiple entries equals more of your name in the hat! Thanks for playing and good luck!

SIGN UPS ARE OPEN

2006-04-01T16:20:00.000-08:00

Sign ups for SP8 are open now until April 30th.

The hostesses are excited to get this new round underway! Review the rules and if SP8 is something you want to do, send an email to: sp8hostesses@yahoo.com.

THIS INFORMATION MUST BE INCLUDED IN SIGN-UP E-MAIL
1) Your full name
2) Your main email address
3) Your mailing address
4) Your blog/website
5) Your anonymous email address that will be used to communicate to your SP buddies
6) What are your hobbies/interests other than knitting/crochet
7) Would you prefer to send to a pal who is either in the same country as you are OR on the same continent
8) Do you like giving/receiving handmade gifts
9) Is your home smoke/pet-free? Do you have any allergies to pets or smoke?
10) Please indicate if you would be willing to be an Angel and jump in as a replacement

Remember to keep your blogs/websites updated as the hostesses will be checking them out. Also, you creative types out there-- there will be a call for buttons down the road. Get those creative juices flowing!

Money requirement

2006-03-28T10:25:00.000-08:00

We've had a few comments/e-mails asking why we changed the money requirement from $50 USD to $60 USD. The main reason for this is due to the fact that we have extended SP8 to 3 and a half months, instead of just the three months. The breakdown is: For 14 weeks it's approx 4.30 a week versus
diving 50/12 is 4.16. So overall, the increase is only approx. 14 cents per week. SP7 technically ran for only 2 and a half months, making that 5.00 per week. If anything, it spreads out the committment a little bit further, and gives everyone a little more flexibility when spending, since now a days things are costing a bit more as the popularity of knitting increases.

I hope this clears things up. If you have any questions/concerns, e-mail us at sp8hostesses@yahoo.com

The Rules

2006-03-26T14:43:00.000-08:00

Deadline to sign up: April 30, 2006
Matches will be Distributed: On or before May 15, 2006
Secret Pal 8 Dates: May 15, - August 31, 2006

Who is this for?
Knitters and crocheters only please.

International Participation
This SP event is based in the United States - the term "International" will refer to all participants outside of the U.S.

Where ever you are - you are welcome to join!

Due to the high number of International participants, we cannot guarantee that we can accommodate a request for a same Country/Continent Pal.

Finally, if you are able to communicate in any language other than English, please let us know. We have a few people who may be more comfortable corresponding in other languages.

Blog
Having a blog (or website) is mandatory for participating in this program. You must have a blog and post at least once weekly. This online journal is a great place for the SP who is spoiling you to find out who you are and what you like or dislike (do you like sweets? Are you allergic to specific yarns?). It also provides a place for you to publicly thank your SP when the packages/cards start rolling in. Your blog certainly does not have to be a knitting blog, just somewhere where your pal can find out more about your likes/dislikes.

Anonymous Email Address:
You must set up an anonymous email address such as the free ones from Hotmail or Yahoo so that you can contact and be contacted by your SP buddies anonymously to find out more information about preferences. Make sure to check the account regularly; you might consider having that accounts mail forwarded to your regular account so you don't miss anything. If you do this, though, don't forget to reply from the anonymous account!

Minimum contribution:
$60 in US dollars over the course of three months. This does not include the value of your time if you make something, and it does not include any postage costs. Establishing this amount should make it clear to all what a fair commitment should be, and no one should expect more, or less. $60 over three months is just $20 a month; if you feel this is too much or not enough, We're sorry, this is not for you.

We are adding a mandatory letter to the contribution. There is just something exciting about opening the mailbox to find a snail mail letter! Sending one card, letter or post card is required during the three month duration of SP8

Your Pal
Once you have been assigned a secret pal, please send them a quick note to say hello (from your anonymous email address) so they know they've been paired. Keep in mind
that the fun of a Secret Pal event is to meet and get to know a random person who shares a common interest with you (knitting and/or crochet). There is a method to the madness of matching up all the participants, and you only get one match. Complaints about your secret pal of the "I'd rather not have a pal who " nature are a quick way to have yourself removed from the event. If you feel you have a valid reason to request a rematch, email away...Just know that you cannot pick and choose your secret pal and we will not hesitate to remove anyone who appears to be missing the point of a Secret Pal exchange. Please make sure that you contact your pal at least 3 times a month over the course of the next 3.5 months, this includes ecards, blog comments or email.

What to give?
Knitting and crochet-related items are great but not the only thing. If you've been following any web sites whose authors were in other Secret Pal programs, you'll know that people gave special bars of soap, cards, candy, and other nice treats to their pals. Just remember that not everyone likes to crochet, and not everybody spins..That is why it is a good idea to get to know your secret pal a little bit by reading his/her blog or sending a few questions by email..
(If you are stuck on something to give, feel free to contact your pal and ask them a question via your secret e-mail and get some ideas about the projects that they would like to start or other hobbies they are interested in.)

Number or frequency of gifts, mailings, etc.:
You must make contact with the person you are spoiling at least 3 times per month-let them know they have a pal, and let them know you're still around with either an email/blog comment/ecard to touch base during (June, July, August)! It is required that you send your secret pal at least one something per month of the event. This must include at least one piece of "snail" mail (a letter or post card), and one package. If you'd like, you can send one package a month to spread out the gifts, or one big package at the end. If you just send one package, make sure to let your pal know your plans so they don't feel abandoned.

Remember to use your anonymous email when contacting them. If you are going to be out of contact for a while - let your pal know. It's an awkward situation when you think your pal may have forgotten about you. You can also use Hallmark (or countless others) to send free e-cards as often as you like. Remember to treat your pal as you would like to be treated.

Also, please be sure to keep in touch with the secret pal who is spoiling you. A quick email to let them know you got the package will ease their mind as to whether or not it got lost in the mail. Part of the fun of Secret Pal is the joy of giving, and that includes knowing your gift was received.

If...
Stuff happens. So - if for some reason you are unable to follow thru with your responsibility with the program - please do not hesitate to let us know.

If you find you cannot participate, you must let us know ASAP so that we can find a replacement. If after a reasonable amount of time, if you can't come up with a good excuse for failure to hold up your end of the bargain on the Secret Pal 8, you will be replaced and your name will be passed on as blacklisted for hostesses of future SP programs.

If you have not received any word or package from the SP who is to be spoiling you, please let US know instead of using your blog to blast that individual.

Let us know, we will try to find out what happened to your pal and if they have flaked out, we will get you a replacement.

If someone does fail to participate as they agreed, we will remove their name from the participation list and replace them with someone else. This means that we will need a list of 'Angels' who are willing to jump in as replacements. As a replacement, you might come in after a package has been sent to the person you are replacing. This means you might not get 100% of the packages you normally would receive.

Final Note
And it's important!
Please keep in mind that we are *volunteering* our time to run this event. We have all participated in past Secret Pal events and know how much fun they can be and wanted to help continue the tradition - but it does take a lot of time and effort. While we're perfectly open to constructive criticism if you think something is a bit amiss, and we will gladly respond to any civil and respectful queries, please check your attitude at the door. Thank you.

Once you have agreed to these terms... and we will assume that you have agreed. Send us an email starting April 1st to:
sp8hostesses@yahoo.com

THIS INFORMATION MUST BE INCLUDED IN SIGN-UP E-MAIL
1) Your full name
2) Your main email address
3) Your mailing address
4) Your blog/website
5) Your anonymous email address that will be used to communicate to your SP buddies
6) What are your hobbies/interests other than knitting/crochet
7) Would you prefer to send to a pal who is either in the same country as you are OR on the same continent
8) Do you like giving/receiving handmade gifts
9) Is your home smoke/pet-free? Do you have any allergies to pets or smoke?
10)Please indicate if you would be willing to be an Angel and jump in as a replacement

We look forward to hearing from you! Let the sign-ups begin!!

tentative timeline

2006-03-18T10:05:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I see there have been a lot of comments, and e-mails to the SP7 hostesses on what's going on with SP8. Here is the tentative timeline of what is going to happen.
Signups will begin as SP7 ends- on April 1, 2006
Deadline to sign up: April 30, 2006
Matches will be Distributed: On or before May 15, 2006
Secret Pal 8 Dates: May 15, - August 31, 2006

If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail us at sp8hostesses@yahoo.com

SP8 blog

2006-01-18T06:26:00.000-08:00

This will be the blog for Secret Pal 8. Secret Pal 7 just began, so it will be a month or so before we start thinking about SP8. We'll keep you posted!