GS SWAP Guide Bag SWAPS

Girl Scout SWAP Guide Bag SWAPS Girl Scout Troop 2702 Volume 1, Issue 1 GSTROOP2702.WEBS.COM Lindsay Foster & Rachelle Whiteman, Co-Leaders

Table of Contents
The Purpose of SWAPs
What is a SWAP?
SWAP Etiquette
SWAP Tips
Bag SWAPs

The Purpose of SWAPS
SWAPs should tell something about the givers or their group (girls may include their address or email information so others can write to them) and represent the givers' country, community, or local Girl Scout council.

What is a SWAP?
There are several meanings for the term, but these are some of the most common ones:
Special Whatchamacallit Affectionately Pinned
Shared With A Pal
Sharing With a Purpose
It is likely that the idea for Swaps came from the potlatch ceremonies of the Native American Tribes of the Northwest coast. Potlatch ceremonies involved the trading of colored feathers as a sign of friendship. The ceremony is said to have developed in remembrance of two Native American girls who gave colored feathers plucked from a magic bird to colorless birds, thus ensuring all birds would have colored
feathers. Potlatch ceremonies commemorated their gift and were held in conjunction with other family and tribal celebrations, such as births and marriages. The traditional invitation to a potlatch ceremony was the arrival of a messenger bearing the news and a bundle of sticks, one stick for each participant expected to attend.
It is believed that the very first SWAP was exchanged by Lord Baden Powell at a Jamboree in 1924.
“ Girl Scouts began trading SWAPS at the National Roundups.”

SWAP Etiquette
Never refuse to swap with another person.
Swap face-to-face, especially if exchanging addresses or email information.
Avoid using glass and sharp objects in swaps.
Follow all Safety-Wise guidelines.
Avoid using food products, unless they are individually wrapped.
Do not include your entire name on your SWAP. Instead use first name/last initial, a Troop number, or first initial/last name.

SWAP Tips
Think about the kind of swap you would like to receive from someone else.
Try not to spend a lot of money. Consider making something from donated or recycled material.
Be creative, and take time to make hand-crafted swaps. (Include directions for making the swap if it is a craft project that can be replicated.)
Try to have one swap for each event participant and staff member. Plan ahead so there's time to make the swaps.
Make swaps that can be worn, used, or displayed.
Ask your Troop, group or service unit for help, if needed, in putting swaps together.
Make swaps portable. Remember: Swaps must be carried or shipped ahead to the event, where other girls will be carrying them away
Note: Do not use food materials that will disintegrate or attract insects or animals. Also do not use liquids in SWAPs.

Author’s Note: This presentation is not meant to be comprehensive as a guide to SWAPs making. Please use your imagination and adapt the ideas to your personal tastes.

Holds items that are “loose” such as glitter, sand, confetti, or beads Allows you to combine multiple elements Holds “instant” or “mix” type SWAPs (examples: instant snow, instant snowman, instant cold, hot chocolate mix, etc.) Holds items that otherwise are not easily held on a pin

Bag of Magic Tricks SWAP
Materials:
Mini Top Hat
Gold Glitter
Mini Zip Lock Bags
Foamie Rabbit
5mm Wiggle Eyes
wooden Skewer
Black & White Paint and Brush
Safety Pin (not shown)
Instructions:
Glue wiggle eyes to rabbit foamie. Cut a 2" piece of a skewer. Paint skewer black except both ends paint ends, paint them white. Place rabbit, a mini top hat, mini magic wand and a pinch of glitter.

“Instant” Snowman SWAP
Materials:
Black E Beads
Black Craft Foam or Mini Top Hat
Orange Craft Foam
White Crystal Glitter
Mini Zip Lock Bags
Scissors
Safety Pin (not shown)
Instructions:
Cut a 1/2" piece of black craft foam into a hat shape or use a mini top hat. Cut out a small piece of orange craft foam into a long triangle carrot shape. Add both pieces to mini zip lock bag with black e beads and a small scoop of white glitter. Add a pin and a tag that reads "Instant Snowman -- just add water.“
Tag hint: Use Avery labels template 5195 (60 per sheet)

Ghost Poop SWAP
Materials:
Mini Zip Lock Bags
Low Temp Glue Gun
Orange Card Stock
Scissors
Safety Pin
Ghost Poop Poem
Wax Paper
Instructions:
Print poem on orange card stock. Cut out into squares and place slip a poem into each mini ziploc bag. Squeeze out small dollops of hot glue on wax paper. Let dry. Peel off and place several inside each back. Add a safety pin.
Ghost Poop Poem:
I bet you'd like some candy but listen, here's the scoop... The only thing we're giving out is bags of weird ghost poop!
Hint: Use Avery labels template 5876 (10 per sheet) for business cards and then cut with a paper cutter or scissors.

Mini Dunk Bag SWAP
Materials:
Pocket Ribbon
Circle Woodsies
Barrel Beads
Safety Pin
Rat-tail Satin Cord
Tacky Glue
Paint & Glue
Scissors
Instructions:
Glue a 1/2" woodsie circle to the bottom of a barrel bead. Paint it. Let dry. This will be a cup. Paint barrel a few assorted circles for plates. Let dry. Cut ribbon into individual pockets. Trim ribbon close to pouch at the top and bottom. Place plates and cup inside. Cut an 8" piece of satin cord. Tie tightly around the top with a double knot. Securing it with glue. Slide a pin on the cord, through the loop. Tie ends together in a double knot. Trim. Add tag for swapping.

Nature in a Sack SWAP
Materials:
2" Mini Zip Lock Bags
Safety Pins, Size 2
Natural materials – please make sure that you are using twigs, leaves, acorns, shells, etc. that are dead and on the hiking path. Also do not remove materials that are protected or are used for erosion prevention.
Instructions:
It's easy! Add a bit of sand and a seashell from your local beach or some twigs and seeds from your camping trip. Don't forget to add a label to the back so everyone will know where it comes from!

Simple Machines SWAP
Materials:
mini bag
square dowel rod
mini bolts (not screws!!)
wire
safety pin
Instructions: First a word of caution: You'll need either a band saw or a jig saw to cut the wedges from the dowel. Try as I might, I couldn't find any as small as I needed them. Also, again, please do NOT use screws. Screws have the POINTY end, and you can get the same idea across with the blunt end of a bolt.
As for the wire: it was MUCH cheaper to buy wire than itty bitty springs - MUCH. Just wrap it tightly around a pen, and use wire cutters to clip it to a non-lethal point. Put them in the bag, and add the safety pin.
You can also use the spring from a hinged clothespin if you are making another SWAP with the other section of the clothespin.

Rainbow Seeds SWAP
Materials:
Mini bag
sticker tag
pony beads
crystal bead
safety pin
Instructions: Put the beads in the bag. Stick on the tag, and add the safety pin.
Tag:
RAINBOW SEEDS
Plant after a shower.
Also included: 1 cloud seed.

Diamond in the Rough SWAP
Materials:
Mini bag
Black acrylic paint
Aquarium gravel
Crystal bead
Tag
Safety pin
Instructions:
Paint the gravel using the black acrylic paint. Allow to dry. Put the painted gravel and crystal bead in the bag. Add the tag, and attach the safety pin.
Tag:
A Diamond in the Rough: A diamond in the rough, an unpolished or inexperienced person who shows PROMISE!

Friendship Ball SWAP
Materials:
Mini bag
Small pom-pom
Safety pin
Instructions:
Put the tag and the pompom in the bag. Add the safety pin.
Tag:
The Friendship Ball A ball is a circle No beginning, no end. It keeps us together Like a circle of friends.

GS SWAP Guide Bag SWAPS

by Lindsay Foster

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