Support Our Troops - Holiday Cards in October!

This is my first time attempting a swap like this, so any suggestions or comments are very welcomed!

I got the idea from a dear friend's blog - check it out: http://kcpaperlady.blogspot.com/ - she's collecting cards to send to the troops this holiday season. I thought what a great idea to do the same sort of thing. (She's in Australia, sending to Australian troops abroad; we'll send to US troops abroad. Though I support ALL military personnel everywhere!!)

Then, after looking for where/who to send to, I found a site that suggested "Christmas in October" because of the overwhelming number of packages & letters received during the month of December. (Mail actually gets backed up over this time & not everything makes it to its destination.)

So, for this swap, we will each make 1 card to send to our troops in Afghanistan! This can be a holiday-themed card, or a general thank you/we appreciate you card. You can write a message inside the card as well to make it even more meaningful. Consider saying something like "With gratitude & appreciation of you this Holiday Season", or "Thanks for All You're Doing for Our Country", or some other non-denominational note. Again, we don't know who exactly these cards will go to, so its good to be respectful of all possible religions.

Other than your time, this swap should not cost more than a stamp or two, depending on the size of your card. You will NOT have to send your card overseas - I will personally send all cards in one box, and pay for postage myself. Feel free to make more than 1 card if you want or have the time! Please include an BLANK envelope for your card, since I don't have the names yet of who the cards will go to. (I also don't know how many people will join the swap & how many cards we'll end up with.)

The "partners" thing - since partners have to be assigned, this is what I was thinking - instead of sending/making 2 cards & sending out 2 envies (one to your partner & one to me, to send abroad), you'll just send 1 card to me. When I receive your card for the troops, I'll PM your partner & then they'll rate you. I'm hoping everyone will give hearts automatically, since this is an unselfish swap! (According to Swap-bot rules, I'm not allowed to require hearts to be given.) To hold myself accountable to everyone joining the swap, I will post here, on my profile page & on my blog WHEN I send the cards abroad & WHERE/WHO I send them to, as well as sending a mass e-mail to all joiners, with the delivery confirmation number of the box of cards, to prove that I sent it! I plan to send the box in early October to make sure to beat the holiday rush :) I'll edit the swap before the send deadline with the specific date of when it will be mailed.

Once again, make 1 card, holiday or not, enclosed in an unaddressed envelope, in another envelope addressed to me (will e-mail my address to all who join), to send to our troops in Afghanistan for Christmas in October!

Though we are sending to US troops abroad, I purposely made this swap international. Anyone who wants to make cards to show their appreciation is welcome to join!

Open to ALL Swap-bot members with no recent no-sends (say, in the last month). This swap is for the benefit of others so DON'T FLAKE!!! Of course I can make more cards to send, but if you flake, I'll post it all over Swap-bot, anywhere I can! Flakers aren't cool - ever heard of karma??

PLEASE NOTE: I DO NOT SUPPORT THE WAR IN IRAQ OR AFGHANISTAN OR ANYWHERE ELSE OUR BRAVE SOLDIERS MAY BE! THIS IS SIMPLY TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR THE MEN & WOMEN WHO ARE SERVING IN THE MILITARY, AWAY FROM THEIR LOVED ONES. I MEAN NOTHING POLITICAL BY THIS SWAP.