Giveaways

I enter a lot of giveaways.  I like them, because who doesn't like free stuff?  Now, I don't enter ALL giveaways, but if it has anything to do with fabric or sewing supplies, I am definitely on that.  I'm lucky and I win a lot of giveaways.  A lot of bloggers do the monthly sponsor giveaway or giveaways every Friday, and some bloggers giveaway stuff for an entire week for their Birthday.  A lot of the time there are a lot of good prizes, like gift cards to Starbucks, Target, Shabby Apple (YAY!!), Sephora, and you name it, I've probably seen it.  I've won a $50 GC to Anthropologie and Shabbby Apple.  I've been filling out Shabby Apple giveaways like crazy, so I can win another one so I can buy the Heart of Me dress.  So beautiful :)  I've won over $100 last year in Starbucks GCs and $80 in Amazon GCs.  I also win a lot of cool stuff, like nail polish, fabric, sewing supplies, make up, an eyebrow kit, a spa kit, and other things I can't name of the top of my head.  And I am grateful.  I LOVE getting packages in the mail.  It always brightens my day.  I've also won a lot of store credit to some Etsy shops.

Let me tell you what a giveaway is NOT, in my opinion.  A giveaway is NOT a store credit for $10 for your Etsy shop when everything costs $15, and you have to pay for shipping.  The point of a giveaway is your generosity of giving something to another person.  If you cannot fully give something, then don't half-ass it.  There is nothing more annoying when you win something and have to pay for it.  Especially in a group giveaway when you don't have any control in what you win.  Now, don't get me wrong, I love to win handmade gifts, and I have gotten a lot of cool things.  But I didn't enter a giveaway to pay $5 everything I win something.  I have about 6 store credits in my "Contests" folder in my email box, waiting around, until I find something I really like, or have the extra money to splurge on my "winning".

For example, I won a $10 store credit to an Etsy shop.  Well, they only sell 3 different items.  One item I could buy for $8, but it is for a baby.  I don't have a baby, or know any girl babies.  The other item is something I don't like.  Then they have a bag I could get for $15, but then I would be getting a bag for around $8.  I know I sound like Scrooge, but I don't have $8 to spend on a bag I wouldn't buy for any money in "Real Life".  I wouldn't buy that bag for $8 if I was shopping for a bag.  I would buy a $2 store bag from what ever store I was in.  I hate it, because I sound so rude, but it's my reality.

Another thing that gets to me is the person that doesn't mail or email your prize for over a month from when the giveaway was.  I hate begging for my free winnin's!  I feel so cheap and it feels so degrading!! Oh, by the way, can you give me my free shit? UGH!!  Another thing I HATE, is when I have to beg my winnings and it never comes.  DO NOT have a give away if you can not follow through or have the means to give away what you made a promise to give.  I won one of those bubble necklaces from a well known fashion blog, and NEVER received it.  Every so often I go through the magic folder to see if I have received everything I won.  She did note in her original email that it may be a few weeks before I receive my necklace, because they were on back order.  So after a month, I got in touch with her and asked her what the status was.  She said she just mailed it out.  So after a week, I emailed her again, and told her I still haven't received it.  She emailed me back, and said it was delivered to "my house" the day after I emailed her the first time.  I responded and asked her what address she sent it to.  She didn't respond.  I sent out a second email Just In Case she didn't get the first one, and no response.  I hope this doesn't happen to anyone else.  There was a million giveaways for those necklaces that I never won ALL summer.  I was really ticked off about that!!!

I'm done ranting ;)  I wanted to post a ton of pictures today, but my iphone isn't working.  I have to take it to a dealer and see what's going on with it.  Thank God I have good insurance on it!  I hope everyone has a lovely Saturday night.  I think I'm taking it easy tonight.