1 .At this bead exchange, NO MONEY is to change hands. You bring your beads and trade them for different beads that other participants bring.
2 You can bring any bead you wish to swap. The better the beads, the better the Exchange. It is best if you know what type of beads you have, as fellow beaders will ask, but you may not know, and that is ok too!
3 It is ok to bring individual beads. Your last bead might make a wonderful centerpiece for another artist's new necklace.
4. You must register for the bead Exchange in the store. A minimum $15 cash donation before Sept 5th or a $20 minimum donation the day itself is required. This fee will be donated to the MS Society. An entry ticket will be given to prove your registration.
5. After you have your ticket showing that you've paid your entry fee to get into the Bead Exchange, you will be given a tray and 2 name tags. One of the name tags goes on your tray, and one needs to be visible on your shirt/blouse. At this point, you may display all of your beads to swap on your tray in any arrangement you choose.
6. Now, you are ready to walk around to other trays and pick out items of interest to you. If you find something on a tray, you may either call out to find that person, or walk around and find them. You will then take them to your tray and see if they would like to swap with you. Remember, no money is to exchange hands. While you don't need to know the exact cost of every bead you have, you may want to have a rough idea. (But sometimes, if you are trading for a bead you really, really want, price doesn't matter). You may elect to stay with your tray if you prefer, or you may elect to walk around.
7. If someone wants to swap with you but you are not interested in their stock, you are not required to swap with someone just because they want something of yours. You can elect to do one of many things. You could involve a third party (or even fourth or fifth). You could have that person check back with you in 30 minutes to see if you still have the items, and then swap then. You could opt to just give the person the item. Remember, you could be in their shoes too - wanting a bead(s) on someone else's tray when she doesn't want anything on yours. Remember, this is a good-hearted, fun event, and these are your fellow beaders... You can earn some good beading karma!
8. If more than one person wishes to swap for a specific bead, well this is your lucky day! You may elect to trade with whomever you wish, and hey, if they ante up, you can trade for anything you want, most likely worth more than the bead you wish to trade in the first place!