Do you participate in any swap groups?

I participated in a recipe swap on the old board. So much fun and people made the most beautiful 6x6 recipe cards!

I was in a few swaps years ago for swapping embellies of different sorts- ribbons, inchies, color swaps, etc. I tried a few, but so often someone would send something that was terribly made, not in keeping with the rules of the swap, etc. I wasn't worth my postage money to keep doing them.

I'd love to do a Project Life swap, since the cards are small and easy to mail.

I used to do a lot of swaps but found I was super disappointed in a lot of the stuff I got back. The 2 exceptions to this was the recipe card swap I did several times and purse charm swaps I was in. All the rest really sucked and seemed like swappers just slapped shit together and used their oldest most outdated crap they could find in their scrap room ugh.

Yeah so no more swaps for me and besides all that it was super expensive to ship stuff too.

Yes, I participated in the 2Peas swap board, and still do some of the swaps with the groups that continued on. I also have done lots of non 2Peas related swaps over the years, either with groups or one-on-one. 

It is disappointing when you get something not so great back, but the groups I participate in are open to all skill levels and styles. For gift swaps, minimum budgets are set so that most everybody can participate. Some swaps I get a "WOW" project or package in return, some swaps I get a "meh" one. I'm sure I've sent out my fair share of "meh" over the years because my style of crafting is very simple, so I take it as it goes. I put swapping on hold for a while after I got flaked on twice in a row, but decided to go back to it with the mind set of not expecting anything in return, and being pleasantly surprised when I get something good.

I got invited to submit an application for a private ATC swap group that adds new members at certain points over the year, but I haven't decided yet whether or not I want to do it because it requires committing to attending their physical meetings and they meet in a town close to an hour away from me. 

It's fun to do though. I like when it's a project I haven't ever done before because it challenges me. I just started swapping pocket letters and have really enjoyed that. 

I used to do quite a bit. I was in an ATC swap but it wasn't run very well and then I had family issues so I dropped and ended up getting most of my stuff back because of so many people not following through with the commitment.

When I first started scrapping I joined a lot of embellishment swaps where you purchased the items new and split them amongst all the participants. Example - you would buy a package of black brads, split up you package into smaller amounts, send them to the host, and you would get back small amounts of brads of every color. It was a good way to build a stash.
I also participated in a 6x6 calendar swap that was great, lots of recipe swaps, and one year a 6x6 Father's Day book swap. I also tried my hand at ATCs a few times. I haven't swapped in ages, but in the past I mostly had good experiences.

I think I've taken part in one over the years. I've seen them offered more recently but I'm international so postage costs make it uneconomic. Plus, I'd rather just make something I want from the outset

Like tracyarts, I participated in the 2Peas swap board a couple of times a year, and have done a few with the facebook groups that continued on. My favorite swap is an 8x8 calendar swap and I did that one every year. Card swaps are fun too. For items that get used on projects, well, sometimes you just have to realize that you won't get to use every thing you get back because of everyone's style is different and their levels of expertise are different. I think it's a great learning tool and don't worry about it when I join in. Hopefully when my kids are grown I'll have more time to swap as I could see joining in more often then.