Craft it Forward

A couple days ago, I replied to a friend's 'Create it Forward' post on Facebook.  Her challenge:  in exchange for a handcrafted item from her, I'd pledge to make something handmade for another five people as well.  And those who accept my invitation agree to make something for another five people.  And so on and so forth...  Hence "Creating it Forward".

Naturally, I responded immediately!  A handmade item from someone I know does gorgeous work?  Yeah, I'm there.  And then I started getting excited about what I, in turn, could make.  Lots of ideas running through my head.

Then I started to wonder what other people have done, so I turned to google and did a web search.  The more interesting posts I found include:

• Draw it Forward, where participants create cartoons from templates provided and other participants' cartoons.  Seems rather tangled, and some of the submissions seemed to be purely random, but it was kinda fun.
•  Unleash: A Wandering Journal Back in 2009, an all-female group of students at Zayed University started this project by printing and distributing 1000 blank journals with 10 pages each.  The idea was for each recipient to fill one page of the book any way they pleased, then pass it on.  When the book was full, it was to be returned to the project organizers.  While the link from the blog article didn't work, I found a short video about the project, and a Facebook page indicating the project is still alive and well.
• Craft it Forward, a  Facebook page.  Recent posts promise everything from handcrafted gift tags and cards to baby tutus to be sent to the first x people who respond to each post.   Baby tutus?  Huh.  Wouldn't have thought of that...

My strengths tend to circle around beading, stitch and surface design.  So if you respond to my Facebook post, you're likely to get something along those lines. I've set the deadline to post as January 21st, and will select five people randomly (assuming I have more posts than that) for whom to make something.  I'm thinking a beaded bead, beaded ring or a hand-stenciled t-shirt.   Just don't expect any baby tutus!  We're not going there. 

And since I'd love to know who's reading my blog, anyone who comments on this post by January 21st will be entered into a random drawing to win either a surprise package of beads sufficient to make a freeform beaded bracelet - the package will contain a mix of seed beads, accent beads and at least one focal "bead" - or a signed copy of my book, Freeform Peyote Beading.  Their choice (yes, shameless self-promotion, I know).  

I'd love to know if you've ever participated in a similar endeavor, and what your experiences were!