Latest Promo Video!

Awhile ago I had talked to Kerry about how we should make a promotional video. The visual element, music, and text could really enhance our ability to show what a free swap is.

Problem was: neither one of us had training/experience in video editing.

I tried to teach myself for awhile, but life happened and that tutorial got put on hold.

But Kerry came through! She grabbed some of the time-lapse video her husband had recorded last year and put it to music, some still shots and some text, and bam! Video.

So check out our new YouTube video and share it around!

Free SWAP Lehi--Tomorrow!

Saturday, August 15th

8:00 a.m. to noon

Wines Park, Southeast Pavilion 

100 E 500 N, Lehi

Lehi Main Street exit from I-15

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Volunteers are welcome to help set up starting at 6:30 a.m., taking and sorting donations during the event, and with clean-up starting at noon. Call your friends--make it a fun group activity. 

*Volunteers can also shop while working.*

Introducing the Free SWAP Logo Design

Earlier this year we were approached by artist/designer Kim Bateman (my brother-in-law) with his proposal to design a logo for the Free SWAP. Kerry and I heartily welcomed the idea. We knew that creating a brand identity could greatly further our efforts to spread the message of community sharing.

It was a very interesting process, to say the least. He met with both me and Kerry to ask us about how we came to be involved in this idea of the Free SWAP, about our values and interests and where we find inspiration. This is important for a designer to know his client so he can tailor design choices. Otherwise he could take a logo in a million different directions and still not find what speaks to the client.

Interviews done, he started sketching up pages and pages of ideas--from bold and graphic to fluid and organic, from text-based to image-based. It was all so fascinating to see the process unfold and see the diversity of logos he came up with.

We wanted to include so many concepts in the design but we knew we wanted to keep it fairly uncluttered. Symbolism, colors, shapes all have meaning when create a brand identity--we talked a lot. 

It was very much a collaborative effort (all the adults and even some suggestions from some of my kids) and in the end this (above) is where we all landed. We are very happy with the results.

• The symbolism of circles supports the idea of both community (circle of friends, circle of influence, circling the wagons--Utah pioneers know about that, for sure) and also the planet earth. 
• The hands forming the "S" reinforce the concept of sharing--giving and receiving. So the hands can be seen both as sharing an item and as cradling the planet.
• Green is often associated with the environment and with prosperity--both concepts that fit well with the Free SWAP philosophy.
• If you look at the hands upside down they look like stylized half-arrows which hint at the well-established recycling logo. 

We have registered our trademark with the State of Utah and everything. We are official. Now for incorporating it into our work.

Aside from this blog, our latest printing of business cards (in English and Spanish) and our Facebook page also feature the new logo. Yet to come are vinyl signs to be used at SWAPs and for promotion at farmers markets.

Thank you, Kim, for your experience, your professional, courteous nature and your creativity. It was a pleasure to work with you and we are delighted with your design.

If you are interested in seeing more of Kim Bateman's work or to contact him, please visit: 

http://kimbatemanportfolio.blogspot.com/

Promoting the Lehi SWAP at the Wasatch Front Farmers Market

{Our little helper demonstrated the concept of Free SWAP by handing out free suckers. 

She loved her job; and was very good at it}

Since we're opening up our first "franchise" this year--in Lehi, Utah--we thought the Wasatch Front Farmers Market (Thanksgiving Point location) would be a great choice for promoting the upcoming swap.

Lovely day to be out talking with folks. Pleasant booth neighbors. Yummy food from the Taiwanese place across the way. And Kerry and I both went home with luscious fresh produce to boot. (We'll see if enough berries survive long enough to be turned into a pastry; I keep eating them.)

{our booth--homegrown fun with a couple of women who love to do this}

{Kerry with the finished set-up}

 Some of the things we heard today: 

"I have about 8 bags of clothes that I've been meaning to take to the thrift store." 

"We just bought a new couch and now the old couch is just sitting there in the garage."

"We have *so* much stuff."

"We have a dryer we could give away."

Perfect. Bring it on down to the Free SWAP next Saturday!

Saturday, August 15th

8:00 a.m. to noon

Wines Park, Lehi, 100 E 500 N

(Main Street, Lehi exit from I-15)

{Kerry and the Sugar Dealer in action}

Thanks, Wasatch Front Farmers Market, for letting us join the gang this week! And to the folks we chatted with today, hope to see you Saturday!

Promoting the Fall Free SWAP at the Provo Farmers Market

{Big-time Cougar fan Kerry F. and I spread the Free SWAP word before she headed to the stadium.}

Yes, our canopy looks a little bit sad in this display. But don't let that fool you; it houses all sorts of goodness. (It turns out our canopy was too large for our allotted space, so, uh, we had to modify it a smidge.)

Ahem.

We had chairs but we hardly sat. We were actively on a mission to invite as many community members as possible to the Free SWAP on Saturday. It was truly a delight to connect with folks who love the idea.

Couple of observations.

One. Next time we will just use photos and signs in our display. I had brought a few items of clothing to hang on the line to, ahem, "add" to the display (okay, okay, I'm not a merchandiser). Turns out it just confused people. "Everything is Free" is a great sign to grab attention. But when some people quickly glance and see a meager selection of 6 items of girls' clothing, they get a quizzical look and move on. Next time, just signs and photos. Got it.

Two. "Everything is FREE" gets attention. But it also gets skepticism. Understandably so. I've had more than one lesson teaching my children the adage, "There's no such thing as a free lunch." There's always a catch, kids. Be wary. Keep your guard up. Uh, that is except this time; this time there really *is* no catch. Really. We had to try to convince a couple of folks that there was no gimmick, no bait-and-switch, no corporate advertising or sign-ups for spam. 

On a couple of occasions folks asked us, "So what's in it for you? How do you get paid for your time?" Our answer: well, we get paid in sunshine and rainbows and unicorns.

(Added bonus: that kind of payment is completely non-taxable. It's all under-the-table goodness that we get to take straight to the bank. Cha-ching.)

Overall, we felt the Provo Farmers Market was a great place to promote Saturday's SWAP. Beautiful day. Lots of people out enjoying all that the market had to offer. And a fantastic place to meet others who were eager to join with us in passing the word along. We loved hearing, as we handed out our new two-sided business cards, "Can I have a few more to pass around to friends?" You betcha.

See you Saturday!

{Next round of printing will see a little bit larger print, but overall, we are loving the cards.}

Fall Free SWAP Coming Up! Spread the News and/or Come Volunteer

{flyer posted up at my youngest's school}

The next SWAP is coming up soon. Help us spread the word. Below are links to downloadable color/photo flyers like the one in the photo above. Print them out and post them up. Or pass them around electronically--email, Facebook, Twitter, you know the drill.

Community Free SWAP flyer--English

Community Free SWAP flyer--Spanish

c o m m u n i t y   f r e e   s : w . a . p .

for everyone and anyone

Saturday, September 27, 2014

9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Orem City Center Park—Rotary Pavilion

North side of Center St. midway between State St. & 400 E.

It’s like a yard sale where everything is free.  Clear out clutter, pass along items you no longer need.   Item donations are welcome—from furniture to home décor to sporting equipment, with special consideration for seasonal items and cold weather gear.  Please limit donations to items that can be carried by one or two people; nothing that needs special moving equipment—i.e. dollies for refrigerators, etc.—unless you can assume responsibility for transport to its new home.  Simply bring items to the community free s:w.a.p. and then stay and browse the rest of the selection for anything that you could use. 

Note: NO DONATION REQUIRED; feel free to take what you can use.

There will also be a collection bin for any food bank items guests wish to bring which will later be delivered to the community Food Bank in Provo. 
Again, NO DONATION REQUIRED

Volunteers needed! 
Get together a group of friends and join us!  
Email desertgreengoddess(at)gmail(dot)com

Any other questions can be emailed to above address.

Facebook group: 
Community FREE S:W.A.P. (Sharing: We All Prosper) - Utah County

s h a r i n g  :  w e . a l l . p r o s p e r .

Channel 4's Good Things Utah--On TV to Promote the SWAP

{me, Kerry F. and Good Things Utah hosts Nicea, Gretchen, and Troy--aren't they gorgeous?!}

Pant, pant . . . okay, my heart can slow down now and the butterflies will please vacate my stomach. We are done with all the pre-swap media promotions.

Thank you, thank you to Good Things Utah for inviting us to share what we love on your show. Thanks, so much, Megan Bowen, for extending the invitation; we appreciate your seeing the value in the swap. And a special thanks to Chris who got us hooked up with our microphones and for our post-show chat at the end. (You are a cheeky one, aren't you?)

Nicea, Gretchen and Troy are so good at their jobs. I tip my hat to you, folks. Really. Wow. That's tough work. Thank you for helping to amplify our voices. You made it fun. We were glad we could, for a brief while, be a part of your specialness (is that a word?!).

To watch our segment of the show click here.

Radio Promotion of the SWAP--Thanks to Dan Bammes of KUER

Thank you to Dan Bammes, Morning Edition Host/Reporter at KUER, for your interest in amplifying my voice and helping me share this community event I love so much.

For my first time in radio, I must express profuse gratitude for the miracle of editing.

You can catch the minute-long spot here.

Summer Free S:W.A.P. Coming Up!

c o m m u n i t y   f r e e   s : w . a . p .

for everyone and anyone

Saturday, June 7, 2014

8:00 am to 12:00 noon

Orem City Center Park—Rotary Pavilion

North side of Center St. midway between State St. & 400 E.

It’s like a yard sale where everything is free.  Clear out clutter, pass along items you no longer need.   Item donations are welcome—from furniture to home décor to sporting equipment.  Please limit donations to items that can be carried by one or two people; nothing that needs special moving equipment—i.e. dollies for refrigerators, etc.—unless you can assume responsibility for transport to its new home.  Simply bring items to the community free s:w.a.p. and then stay and browse the rest of the selection for anything that you could use. 

Note: NO DONATION REQUIRED; feel free to take what you can use.

There will also be a collection bin for any food bank items guests wish to bring which will later be delivered to the community Food Bank in Provo.

Volunteers needed! Get together a group of friends and join us!  Email desertgreengoddess@gmail.com.

Any other questions can be emailed to above address.

Facebook group: Community FREE S:W.A.P. (Sharing: We All Prosper) - Utah County

s h a r i n g  :  w e . a l l . p r o s p e r .

Community Free S:W.A.P. goes to BYU Women's Conference

To do: Update resume. Add "Booth Babe."

Several months back I contacted BYU Women's Conference to apply for a booth at its Sharing Stations. My colleague Kerry F. and  I thought it could be a great place to spread those dandelion-seed wishes to other communities around the country, and to tell local folks about our upcoming event. I was told that the conference normally didn't accept outside applications--that it was all done in-house--but that our idea fit perfectly with the theme (service/community) and therefore extended an invitation to us to share our idea.

{Showed how our past Free S:W.A.P.s have gone}

{Included last summer's debut appearance in Utah Valley Magazine, 

"Down to Earth Angels," by Britney Shiflet.)

We were excited to participate in an event that draws thousands of people each year. Though most of the attendees come from the western United States, there are people from all over the world who come.

{Tiffany D., me, and Kerry F. after the opening session of the conference.}

Kerry F., Tiffany D. and I had an exhaustingly great time preaching our love of the Community Free S:W.A.P. And we got love in return.

{Preach, Kerry!}

Near the end of the night we invited guests to shop our display for free, so they could see the free swap in action. It sure made packing up a bit easier.

{This is a group quilt that I had organized years ago. Several rounds of cutting and sewing and tying. It has been sitting *almost* finished--missing the binding--for YEARS in my basement. This young woman was eager to have it and finish it. 

Thanks to all those who have worked on that throughout the years!}

{Sharing: We All Prosper}

{We love seeing things we don't use any more finding new life with someone else. It works!}

So the grassroots efforts continue.  We are hoping our few voices can be magnified by communities near and far. Help us spread the word to local Utah folks. And for those in other communities around the country/world . . . join us in spirit! Organize an event where you are* (or get a friend to do it!) and see just what it can become. Feel free to promote using #freeswap and/or #sharingweallprosper. Let us know about events you are planning. Ask us questions. Share with us your great ideas of what has worked for you.

(*I understand that this concept is not a universally-accepted cultural practice. So it wouldn't work everywhere. But wherever it can . . .)

s h a r i n g  :  w e   a l l   p r o s p e r

Fall Free S:w.a.p. Coming Up! Spread the News and/or Come Volunteer

A common question at the last event was, "When's the next one?"  Well, folks, it's just about time for another one: Saturday, September 28.

{Volunteers wanted--see below--trust me, it's such a feel-good community event, you'll love being a part of it.}

The fall swap is particularly great for sharing winter gear (especially children's coats, boots, etc.)--families are getting the seasonal clothes out of storage and discovering that the children have out-grown some things. Another thing to keep in mind is possible gift "shopping" for Christmas (or birthdays, etc.)

Below are the details.  Feel free to pass this around electronically (email, facebook, twitter, blogs) or print out the information and post it up at work or church or where you like to shop or play.  Remember to get permission first, though.  ;)

c  o  m  m  u  n  i  t  y
F  R  E  E     S : W . A . P .

s h a r i n g  :  w e . a l l . p r o s p e r .

for everyone and anyone

Saturday, September 28, 2013

9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Orem City Center Park—Rotary Pavilion

North side of Center St. midway between State St. & 400 E.

It’s like a yard sale where everything is free.  Clear out clutter, pass along items you no longer need.   Item donations are welcome—from furniture to home décor to sporting equipment.  Please limit donations to items that can be carried by one or two people; nothing that needs special moving equipment—i.e. dollies for refrigerators, etc.—unless you can assume responsibility for transport to its new home.  Simply bring items to the community free s:w.a.p. and then stay and browse the rest of the selection for anything that you could use. 

Note: NO DONATION REQUIRED; feel free to take what you can use.

There will also be a collection bin for any food bank items guests wish to bring which will later be delivered to the community Food Bank in Provo.

Volunteers wanted.  Email desertgreengoddess {at} gmail {dot} com.

Any other questions can be emailed to above address.

{sponsored by desertgreengoddess.blogspot.com}

Summer Free S:w.a.p. Coming Up!

{Image from the talented Heather Ellis Photography}

When I learned that we were going to be moving to Singapore, one of the first questions that came to mind was: how can I keep the free swap events going?

I asked a friend of mine if she wouldn’t mind being my local deputy.  Thank you, thank you, Kerry F., for your willingness and talents, for helping me keep one of my dreams going.  I definitely owe you one!

Below are the details.  Feel free to pass this around electronically or print out the information and post it up at work or church or where you like to shop or play.  Remember to get permission first, though.  ;)

c o m m u n i t y   f r e e   s : w . a . p .

for everyone and anyone

Saturday, June 1, 2013

8:00 am to 12:00 noon

Orem City Center Park—Rotary Pavilion

North side of Center St. midway between State St. & 400 E.

It’s like a yard sale where everything is free.  Clear out clutter, pass along items you no longer need.   Item donations are welcome—from furniture to home décor to sporting equipment.  Please limit donations to items that can be carried by one or two people; nothing that needs special moving equipment—i.e. dollies for refrigerators, etc.—unless you can assume responsibility for transport to its new home.  Simply bring items to the community free s:w.a.p. and then stay and browse the rest of the selection for anything that you could use. 

Note: NO DONATION REQUIRED; feel free to take what you can use.

There will also be a collection bin for any food bank items guests wish to bring which will later be delivered to the community Food Bank in Provo.

Volunteers wanted.  Email desertgreengoddess@gmail.com.

Any other questions can be emailed to above address.

s h a r i n g  :  w e . a l l . p r o s p e r .

Orem Fall Free S:w.a.p. Coming Soon

Because the response to the June Free Swap was so positive, I decided to organize one more before the cold sets in.  (My plan—at this point—is to organize two free swaps each year, the first Saturday in June and the last Saturday in September.)  Though, as before, pretty much anything goes, I would like to place a special emphasis on items like children’s winter coats, boots, and other cold-weather gear.  Children usually grow out of their winter clothing before those items lose their usefulness.  If you have winter gear that can still keep a child warm, please consider bringing it to the swap.

I talked to one woman at the last event who said that she found some items that she would save for the children’s Christmas presents.  So, gift ideas could be another motivation for participants—either as they clear out possible gifts to bring to the swap or as they look around at what others bring.

Here’s the information for this next event:

Saturday, September 29, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Orem City Center Park Rotary Pavilion 

(on Center Street, midway between State Street and 400 East) 

Donations are welcome—from furniture and home décor to sporting equipment and winter gear.  (Please limit donations to items that can be carried by one or two people; nothing that needs special moving equipment—i.e. dollies for refrigerators, etc.)  Simply bring them to the free swap and then stay and browse the rest of the selection for anything that you could use.  

NOTE: There is *no* requirement to donate to benefit from the offerings—please take what you can use.

All shoppers are welcome, but not required, to bring food bank items to be collected for later delivery to the community Food Bank in Provo.

Looking to volunteer?  Please contact desertgreengoddess@gmail.com.  

Or simply show up and be ready to work.

8th Annual Free Community Swap Meet—a Flash Mob of Exchanging Free Stuff

Up until this point the “Free Yard Sale” has been a modest neighborhood affair.  This year I am expanding the scope of this mutual-sharing event to include any residents of the extended community.  The process has included a visit to the City Council, talking with the City Manager and the Neighborhood in Action Chair, writing my first press release, interviewing with a newspaper columnist, reaching out to organizations such as the United Way of Utah County and the Community Action Food Bank in Provo, and a few more things that I haven’t yet done. 

It has been a challenge, but one worth doing.

As for physically planning for it, that is another challenge.  Because it is kind of like a flash mob of giving and receiving stuff, it’s hard to tell if I should plan for 50 people or for 500 people.  I have 4 volunteers who have signed up to help, but I need more.  The pavilion has several aluminum picnic tables, but I hope participation is high and imagine we would need more display tables.  And who knows what the weather forecast will be . . .

So, below is what the flyer looks like.  Feel free to copy it, email it around, print it out and post it up at work, school, church, or ask a favorite business if it would be okay to post it up for customers to see.

Come.  Dream with me.

Free Community Swap Meet

for everyone and anyone

Saturday, June 2, 2012

8:00 am to 1:00 pm

Orem City Center Park—Rotary Pavilion

(North side of Center St., midway between State St. & 400 E.)

It’s like a yard sale where everything is free.  Clear out clutter, pass along items you no longer need.   Item donations are welcome—from furniture to home décor to sporting equipment.  Please limit donations to items that can be carried by one or two people; nothing that needs special moving equipment—i.e. dollies for refrigerators, etc.—unless you can assume responsibility for transport to its new home.  Simply bring items to the swap meet and then stay and browse the rest of the selection for anything that you could use.  Note: NO DONATION REQUIRED; feel free to take what you can use. 

There will also be a collection bin for any food bank items guests wish to bring which will later be delivered to the community Food Bank in Provo.

Volunteers wanted.  For those interested in helping with the event, please email information to desertgreengoddess@gmail.com.

Portable display tables needed.  If you have a table that you are willing to loan for the event, please email information to above address.

Any other questions can be emailed to above address.