Giveaway ponderings (input wanted)

I've been saying for some time that I want to do a giveaway, but for different reasons I have so far not had even one measly giveaway on this blog. I know I don't have to do it. There's no law or code that says I must. And I don't have the money to do something big or spectacular. Nor do I know at all what I want to offer. But I want to give away something.




There are two main reasons for this: First, I like giving. It's at least as fun as getting a present myself. Second, I believe pretty hard in giving back and that if you get, you should also give. Now, I know some of those that read my other blog think that I'm doing a lot of giving back to the bead community already. That I'm probably in fact giving more than I'm getting. I really appreciate that they think so, it's very flattering and I'm so glad to get that kind of appreciation for my work and devotion to that blog, but I feel a giveaway is something else. And this giveaway would also be on this blog, not my daily bead blog, which has a partially different audience that might or might not read Manekis Pärlblogg (considering most my followers and visitors here don't speak Swedish as far as I know). The giving back I do is mostly within a Swedish-speaking community while this blog is my window to the international community of beaders and jewellery makers. And as it's mostly from that group my giveaway and contest prizes come from, it's natural that I want to give back to that group too.

Every time I win a giveaway -- not something that happens that often, but I can't say I never win either -- I feel like it's my turn to give now. Not in a guilty way, feeling I have to do it because I won, but because I like the idea of doing it. It's fun and that's my motive more that my idea of fairness when it comes to giving and getting.

But here's the thing: I don't know what to give away! Something bead related or jewellery components of some kind, yes -- but what? Because of my financial situation, I can't buy anything spectacular, nor do I want to give away anything heavy due to the postage cost. I know that I could in principal give away a small plastic button if I want to, but I want to give something nicer than that.

One thought have of cause been to do a frosted stone pendant, tumbled glass pebble or vinegar-etched MOP heart. Something made my me. There's an ulterior motive there too: I'd love to see what someone else would do with a component I've made. Alas, I don't have many pieces that aren't test pieces so I'd have to invest in new materials for that to happen. I do have a butterfly pendant that's slightly so-so. Not sure anyone would like it. I've also thought about doing an ugly duckling giveaway, giving away a pendant I'm not that satisfied with but which might find a better home with someone else (I'm pretty critical of my own work so someone else might see good qualities in it that I don't).

Why am I writing about this now? Well, initially I wasn't interested in doing a birthday giveaway for several reasons. Like I'm turning 30 and I'm not looking forward to it (I won't even go into why) and it feels like I'm bribing people into coming here and congratulate me (because while I don't want to be celebrated I don't want to be forgotten either and with so few friends and family that's kind of what it usually is like). But at the same time I kind of want some attention on that day -- it's all really conflicting -- and there's a very practical side to it as well: it'd give me a set date. I wouldn't just go "oh, I'd like to do a giveaway some day" and then just let it go as things happen and life passes by. Moving it from being a vague thought and spur of the moment to a real goal, to actually do it instead of just talking about it. And now that I'm blogging about it, I have to comit, right? There's be a giveaway on this blog November 3rd 2011 -- period!

But that means I'm back to my original problem: what to give away? What would I like to give that people would want to go through the trouble of commenting to get -- and is still within my budget? Is it presumptious to think people would like to get a pendant or bead I've made myself, given that I'm just an amateur beadmaker?

I've been asking myself those questions, but haven't yet found the answers so now I'd really love to get some input from others. What do you think would be a good idea for me to give away? It should be some sort of component, bead or unusual material. Have you seen something on my blog that you think someone would like to get (not finished jewellery, sorry)?

Any suggestions? Or tips in general about giveaways? I'd love to hear it, be it in a comment here or in a private message. Feel free to e-mail me -- about this or anything else -- info can be found on the contact page.