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Junque Swap Rules & My Picks

As I shared yesterday, we had a great time at the Swanky Junque Swap.  I received some questions about how we ran it, so I thought I would share our “rules” and an explanation of how the swap would work.  This was my first swap ever, so Karen and I just went with what sounded good and seemed to make sense.  Here’s what we came up with…
Swanky Junque Swap Rules

We all want to leave the swap with something really cool, right? In order for that to happen, we all have to bring something really cool, so here are the guidelines…

• Bring two items with a minimum value of $20, but the sky is the limit. An “item” can be a group of smaller items to make a “lot.” Minimum value can be estimated and it’s what the market value is, not what you paid for it.

• Items can be a piece of furniture or a small collectible. You can bring textiles, books, glassware, costume jewelry, anything that’s cool! (…and you can definitely bring some ironstone!)

• All items brought must be vintage, antique or have an antique feel. For example, I’m considering bringing the grain sack ottoman from my guest room. It’s new, but has a vintage feel.

• Items can be “junk” that needs some work; it just has to have good potential.

These are the pieces I brought to the swap…
…a refinished and painted two-tiered table (selected by Candace)…
…and this egg study in a custom mat and gold leaf frame (selected by Karen.)
Here’s how we ran the swap…

How will the swap work? Do I have to arm wrestle or throw elbows for what I want?

Yes. It will be a throw down and whoever gets the piece to their car first wins it. Just kidding!

We will draw numbers and have two rounds of a draft. So, if there are 10 ladies attending, we will draw numbers 1-10 and pick in order for the first round. In the second round, we will reverse the order, so everyone gets a good pick in one round. Example: If you draw #1, you will pick #1 in the first round and #10 in the second round.

So, what did I pick?  You can read the story of how I picked a grocery scale, but I was afraid I would make a very sweet pregnant woman cry, so I picked something else. 

This bird cage and milk glass vase (brought by Stephanie)…

…and my second pick was this vintage solid wood desk (brought by Holly.)  This is going to be a great project!

In other news, I am feeling a strong desire to continue work on my own home and this is a terrible time to act on that desire.  I was actually moving furniture around in my family room tonight, only to move it back again.  I warned my husband that all of the pictures were going to come off the wall in the living room and I would need help moving them around.  I just get to a point when I’m tired of things not being done.  I’ll take a little time for some small projects, but I know this will pass and I can get to work on the things I really need to do. 

Sigh.

Miss Mustard Seed

Marian Parsons 

Paint Enthusiast | Writer | Artist | Designer

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17 Responses

  1. This is such a great idea – and you walked away with some awesome pieces! 🙂 This is giving me ideas…thanks for the inspiration! 🙂

  2. Sounds like the same game you play at Christmas for a gift exchange party. How fun! Maybe it is the jitters you got, isn't tomorrow the True Value reveal of the winner? I am on pins and needles I tell ya! I can't even imagine how you feel.

  3. I just want you to know how much I enjoy your blog. I haven't commented before but you are the first blog I check when I can grab a few minutes!

  4. Thanks for the details! I think a swap like this would be so fun. True story… I just got that EXACT same milk glass vase at a thrift store today for twenty cents?! Woohoo! Glad I picked something you would have picked! 🙂

  5. I love this idea! Thank you for sharing your awesome ideas and the how-to's! I also really want to work on my own home right now but seem to have too many outside projects. One of these days!! Thanks again!

  6. LOVE that desk and birdcage. I think you should should paint the desk white, distress it, add your chalkboard top and bring it to the next swap and rig the swap so that I get first pick. Just saying. 😉

  7. This is the same system we use for our plant swap! For us, the Host gets #1, and everyone else draws numbers from the hat. One round forward and one round backward, with each person choosing one item. Following that, same system with each person choosing two items. After this, it's a free-for-all, and we choose whatever we want. There are always a lot more plants at this kind of swap, and it's so much fun!

    You have inspired me to do something like this at my place next spring. I already have vague plans for a blogger gathering, and I think it would be so cool to include some sort of swap in the festivities.
    Connie

  8. Wonderful to see the 'rules' you used. It sounds like such fun! There's just never enough time, is there? Especially when you run your own business. Do you have a weekly schedule you try to stick to?

  9. Sounds like you had a ton of fun. Great picks too, especially the wood desk. I'm sure you will make it beautiful.
    In case you're interested, we're giving away a $25 HOME DEPOT giftcard this week. Thought maybe you could use it.

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I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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