+ instagram handle // @caraboxexchange+ email address for any questions or comments // caraboxexchange (at ) gmail (dot) com
cara (car-rah) noun : beloved friend
Cara Box is a quarterly box swap among women. It was created with the intention of connecting ladies, allowing them to truly get to know and encourage each other. This swap is primarily based around Instagram. Both bloggers and non-bloggers may participate, but being an active user on Instagram is a must.
"Why Instagram?" you may ask. Instagram is a quick and easy way to connect with other people. It gives us the ability to share glimpses of our lives and provides a platform for us to interact through short, encouraging comments or even a quick little "hello". By following your partners on Instagram, you are able to see things that they love, activities they like to participate in, and discover little details about what makes them who they are.
Cara Box sign ups will open at the beginning of these months:
September
December
March
June
If you are interested in participating, you must:
+ Have an active Instagram account
+ Post photos at least once every three days
+ Share a photo of your box once you receive it
That's it! Updates, important dates & photo prompts will be posted to the @caraboxexchange Instagram account to give you ideas on ways to connect with your partners.
Cara Box has grown into something much larger than I ever thought it would be. There are over 500 women who sign up for each exchange. Because of this, I created a team of wonderful ladies to help me out with the exchange.
jen // jenni // megan // stayc // stephanie // hayley
I am still involved in all aspects of the swap, however if you send a comment or question to the Instagram or email account, you may be speaking to one of the lovely ladies above. Any personal messages are always forwarded on to me.
From this point forward, please direct all email inquiries to caraboxexchange (at) gmail (dot) com. Also be sure to follow @caraboxexchange on Instagram to receive all notifications and announcements!
Lastly, there are a few things you need to do once you decide to participate.
All women are paired by "decade". This means you will be paired with other ladies in their 20s, 30s, 40s, etc. I will try my hardest to make sure you are matched this way, however, if no one else from your decade signs up, I will pair you with the next closest age range.
Once you click the link at the bottom of this post to sign up, go on to Instagram & post the Cara Box Image (first image in this post). Tag @caraboxexchange & add #carabox. You can get creative in what you write if you want to - i.e., "I'm so excited to participate in #carabox with @caraboxexchange". Also, add the hashtag below that applies to you:
#20sCaraBox
#30sCaraBox
#40sCaraBox
#50sCaraBox
So if you are 26 years old you would go onto Instagram and:
- Post the first picture in this post
- Tag @caraboxexchange, adding #carabox and #20sCaraBox
- Go to the "Verify Your Post Below" image on the @caraboxexchange Instagram feed & comment that you re-posted.
This is VERY important. Once you post a comment on that image, I will verify you on the sign up list and add your name to the pairings. This allows me to make sure all women participating have a legitimate Instagram account & are an active user. By adding the #YourDecade + carabox, it connects you to all the other women in your age group who are participating.
You will have until Wednesday night, 11:59pm EST to sign up & post to Instagram, before matches are made and the pairings are posted on Wifessionals. Anyone can participate. Women from around the world are welcome to sign up! There will be some sort of theme for every exchange - anything from a season, to a color, to a topic (like fashion or childhood).
You will get paired up with two other women, follow each other's daily lives through Instagram, and build relationships with one another. Each exchange will last for three months. By the end of the second month, you will create a box or package, specifically for the woman you were paired to send to, and ship it off to her. Your other partner will do the same for you. Feel free to exchange longer messages and swap details (such as addresses, etc) through your personal email accounts!
You can participate as much or as little as you choose. Need a pick me up this season? Come and join in! Don't have an extra dollar to spare right now? Come back whenever you want! Since you are re-paired each exchange, you can come and go as you please (:
Rules Recap:
All of these rules are mandatory. Failure to follow all of them will result in your exclusion from future exchanges. This is not to be mean or harsh, but to make sure that everyone has the best experience possible from participating. If you feel that either of your partners is not or did not follow these rules, please let me know.
1// Signing Up
- First, you need to click the link at the bottom of this post to sign up. Remember: having an Instagram account is a requirement to participate.
- Go on to Instagram & post the Cara Box Image (first image in this post). Tag @caraboxexchange & add #carabox and #YourDecade + CaraBox . You can get creative in what you write if you want to - i.e., "I'm so excited to participate in #carabox with @caraboxexchange! #20sCaraBox".
- Once you post a comment on the "Verify" image, you will be verified on the sign up list and added to the pairings. This allows me to make sure all women participating have a legitimate Instagram account & are an active user.
2// Matches
- Matches will come out 1 week after sign ups open for each exchange. They will be posted through a post on Wifessionals. There will be instructions and a link in the post.
- You must locate both of your partners on Instagram, follow them & introduce yourself within 72 hours of receiving your matches. Immediately following the 72 hour limit, any girl who has not heard from her partner must email caraboxexchange (at) gmail (dot) com and will be re-matched and the girls who did not respond will be dropped from the swap.
- If either of your partners becomes unresponsive, send an email immediately! This can be anything from them not posting for a week to them not really interacting with you during the swap. The sooner you let me know, the greater chance there is that I can re-pair you with a new partner!
3// Packages
- $20 minimum. They need to be at least $20, but if you want to spend more, feel free!
- Include 5+ items per box. Who wants to open a box with one item? Get creative! Not everything has to be purchased. Get on Pinterest...find something awesome to make!!
- Must follow the theme. Do not go off and create your own theme.
- Items must be new. Unless you are crafting something on your own, all items should be brand new and purchased specifically for your partner. I have seen old, dusty or used items sent before and that is not acceptable. You wouldn't want to receive things like that, so please don't send them.
- Include a letter of encouragement. After getting to know the woman you are sending to and finding out about her life, make the effort to include a note of encouragement. This is not optional. It's great to get items that put a smile on your face, but kind words will last in your heart forever.
- Get a tracking number. If you do not get a tracking number and your partner never receives a box, I will not be able to verify you actually sent a box and you cannot participate in future exchanges. (I am in no way personally responsible for anything that occurs after I send you your swap partner. I also cannot be held accountable for lost or damaged packages)
- Must mail package by the end of the second month. If the swap sign up was September, you must mail by October 31st. This will give you about 6 weeks to get to know your partners. By mailing at the end of the second month, your partner should receive their box within the first week of the third month.
4// Receiving Your Box & Linking Up
- REQUIRED - Take a photo of your box & post to Instagram.
- You must take a photo of your box and post it to Instagram, including:
- #carabox
- @caraboxexchange
- and tag your partner as well
- This is required and must be completed after you receive your box.
- OPTIONAL - Create a Reveal Post & link your post to the main Reveal post featured on Wifessionals in the middle of the third month. There will always be a Reveal post on Wifessionals in the middle of the third month (if the exchange sign up was September, the Reveal post will go up mid-November). You can go to the linky and submit the link to your personal reveal post. The linky will stay open until the next exchange starts. This is now optional, but it a great way to show off your box or drive traffic to your blog.
Have fun!
Grab A Button!
<br /><div class="Wifessionals-button" style="width: 200px; margin: 0 auto;"><br /><a href="http://www.wifessionals.com/p/cara-box-exchange_4.html"><br /><img src="http://i1161.photobucket.com/albums/q501/Wifessionals/CaraBoxButton_Black_zpsd13952de.png" alt="Cara Box" width="200" height="200" /><br /></a><br /></div><br /> Spring 2014 Theme: Hometown
This is one of the favorite themes from the past. It was so fun the first time around, that I decided to bring it back again. For this swap, you will send your partner a box including things from your region and hometown, so they can get a taste of life in another star (or country!).There was a little confusion for some last time around. If you are from Boston, you will SEND a box filled with items from Boston and Massachusetts. If the girl sending to you is from Orlando, you will RECEIVE a box of items from Orlando and Florida. That way you are getting a box filled with items from a different region and you are sending a box from your region.
Please keep in mind that even though you are sending items from your area, the items should still be themed around things your partner likes. So if your partner loves coffee, one gift could be a mug from your local coffee shop. If they like to party? Maybe a shot glass from your state. If they love to run, you could always send them a cool tshirt from your area as well. Do they love food? Include a local snack or treat! Make sure the items are things your partner could actually use and enjoy.
Please be sure that if you want to send food, the items are either store bought or that your partner is comfortable with receiving home-baked items.
Important Dates:
March 3 - March 5: Sign up to participate in the swap
March 5, 11:59pm EST: Sign up closes
March 10: Matches posted up on Wifessionals
April 30: Last day to mail your boxes
May 21: Link up your Cara Box reveal post (if you are a blogger & wish to do so)
If you post additional pictures throughout the month, I would love to see them! Please use #carabox to tag any photos on instagram and twitter.
One last thing I want to stress, if either of your partners become unresponsive, contact me as soon as possible. Do not wait until the date passes for people to ship their boxes to notify me of the situation. I can't re-pair you if I don't know what is going on (:
