Answers to Questions

Hi everyone - I want to thank you all for your comments on my last post.

Here are the answers to some of the questions in the comments section -

Yes, I did convo the person in question. She did reply to let me know that she had no idea the images were stolen - that she did indeed buy the banner and avatar from someone else on Etsy. That person's Etsy name is Tartsie, and it looks like their shop is empty.

I've contacted Tartsie, and I plan on contacting Etsy about it. However, I imagine Etsy can do nothing other than possibly kick Tartsie off Etsy if I can prove the banner/avatar came from them. I am not sure I can do that because the banner/avatar was a custom order.

To Alan - yes, I understand completely what you are saying. If someone bought my beads and took their own photo to use on their website, I would have no issue with it, unless they were insisting they made the beads themselves. That's still misrepresentation. I've only ever had that happen once, though. For the most part when this happens, people are using my own images to promote either their sales venue or their career as an artist.

Of course, if people are using my beads in their own work, that's completely different.It's an honor for me when I see my beads used in jewelry or other art.

Su - thank you for deciding to post about it on your blog - I appreciate that!

As for Jewlz076, she has asked for time to get another banner/avatar up, and I have decided to give her that time. It's not her fault someone was so unscrupulous as to sell her stolen images. It's my hope that she will ask whoever creates her banners to use images of her work - that would make the most sense.

And a heartfelt thank you goes out to the person who reported this to me - Angela. I really appreciate the time she took to look out for me. It was really kind of her.

A Heartfelt Plea

This plea goes out to anyone who creates and sells handmade items online.

It's simple, really. Please use your own images to represent your work. Don't lift images from other artists, unless you have their express permission. If you do, you're hurting them and misrepresenting yourself!

Case in point - something that happens to me all too often - I was informed by a very nice person who is a member of Etsy that another Etsy seller is using my images in her banner and avatar for her shop. The image is of a bead set that I made and sold years ago to someone other than the seller who is using the image. The seller, whose Etsy page is here, appears to be a jewelry designer. Her shop looks relatively new, as she doesn't have many sales or any feedback from buyers.

Those beads were very special to me - as all my beads are. They are pieces of my soul.
It might be different if this were a customer of mine who made jewelry out of beads she bought from me, and had asked to use the image, but this is not the case. She is using my work to represent herself and her own work. This is misrepresentation and copyright infringement.

Here are the beads as I photographed them. You can see that her image is directly lifted from my own. The set is called Moonlit Magenta.

Please, people, when you do this it hurts. Take the time to learn how to take good pics of your own work. Don't steal images from someone else who has already put in that time and effort.

Also, please don't comment and tell me I need to watermark my images. I have done that and it doesn't deter the thieves - it just makes my pics look bad. They can find a way around it - believe me.

Anyway - there you have it again. Just another installment of Kandice's Seemingly Weekly Copyright Infringement Notification Service and subsequent gnashing of teeth.

Too Dark For Summer?

I just pulled these lovlies out of the kiln this morning, and was a tad surprised to see how dark the colors turned out to be. Normally in the summer I like to work a little lighter. I still like the color combo though - so I listed them on ebay. What do you think? Take the poll below! :)

What do you think of the color scheme on these beads?

• It's too dark for summer - I wouldn't buy them.
• It's too dark, but I would buy them and use them in fall or winter.
• It's not too dark - I would buy them.
• It's not too dark, but I still would not buy them.

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I Made More Beads - Finally!!

Geez, it took me long enough! I've been in a creative slump lately, but have been clawing my way out this last week. I'm pretty happy with these sets, which you can check out on my website if you would like to purchase.

Fine print: They're all realy small - approx 10-12mm along the holes - don't let the huge pics fool you. These are bead sets, not bracelets - they are just strung on wire with crystals for presentation. :) A few people have commented on my bead sets as if they're jewelry, so I just wanted to clear that up. And yep - you get the Swarovski crystals with these, too, if you purchase them. And each set is one of a kind.

Cherie Blossoms sets 1 and 2 - pink and green, yey!!

Glowbug - I love how the lavender color is translucent and kind of etherial looking.

Luna - my take on that pretty grey/purple coloring that I posted about earlier from the automobile ad in InStyle.

What do you think of them? :) You can also check out my Gallery Pages to see my earlier work, if you like.

Respond and Rework

I got this idea from the BeadedLily's Sketchbook blog - sounds like a fun meme!

THE RULES:

Rules of the meme: Respond and rework. Answer the questions on your own blog; replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention; add one more question of your own.

THE QUESTIONS:

What is your current obsession?

I'm currently obsessed with knitting stuff for my niece Morgan. Any excuse to knit, and I am taking advantage of that. :)

Which item from your closet are you wearing most lately?

A light purple peasant top I bought from Avenue a few months ago. It's so soft and pretty and feminine.

What was the last thing you bought?

A baby shower gift for my friend Heidi.

What are you listening to right now?

My Pandora station, which at the moment is playing "Blow by Blow" by Magnet.

What are you reading?

"Breaking Dawn" by Stephanie Meyer - the 4th book in the Twilight series. The series is tons better than I thought it would be, and not just for teenagers. Wow!

What 4 words would you use to describe yourself?

introverted, creative, sarcastic, soft-hearted

What is your current guilty pleasure?

World of Warcraft. Oh, shame on me. :)

What would you do if the internet was irreparably damaged and you had to find another way to connect?

Pffff I would probably just stay unconnected and read a book. :) I'm not a phone person.

Where would you go if you could travel anywhere right now?

Murano, Italy - I want to see all the glass!

What was the best thing you ate or drank recently?

I've had no appetite lately, so I would have to say the Starbucks blueberry scone I had a few days ago.

What flower are you most anxious to see bloom this spring?

Oh, the cherry blossoms and daffodils I love have already bloomed and are just gorgeous! I also love seeing the roses and gerbera daisies.

What are you most happy doing?

Taking long drives with my husband to nowhere in particular.

Care to share some wisdom?

I have wisdom? Hmm. Well, one pearl of wisdom would be that we never really know anything.

If I walked into your work space today what would you want to show me? What would you want to hide?

I love showing off my glass cabinet with all the colors sorted out. Can't say I would want to hide anything, though - I'm disgustingly organized according to my peers.

What make you laugh out loud?

Reruns of Friends and the ICanHasCheezburger website.

Want to do the Respond and Rework meme? Post it on your blog, then come on back and do the Mr Linky below!

Tag, I'm It!

I've been tagged! So, as usual, I made a graphic. Please feel free to swipe it for your own tagging pleasure. :)

Cen over at Cen's Loft tagged me today with some fun questions. The game is to answer the questions and then tag other blogs to do the same.I love stuff like this. Don't forget to let the other blogs know you tagged them, and to link to whoever tagged you!

Here are the questions -

8 Things I'm Looking Forward To:

1. Seeing the new Star Trek movie

2. The new Harry Potter movie!

3. Autumn

4. Finishing the dress I am knitting for my niece Morgan

5. Morgan's first birthday!

6. Not having to worry about money (okay, that's wishful thinking)

7. The ISGB Gathering coming to Seattle (wishful, again)

8. No more war

8 Things I did Yesterday:

1. Worked on my new website (more on that another day)

2. Dropped Entrecards

3. Played World of Warcraft for a little while

4. A load of laundry

5. Made beads for the first time in awhile - in light purples, greys and blacks

6. Listened to Pandora while working

7. Petted my kitty Ember while she played with my feet

8. Hugged my husband

8 Things I Wish I Could Do

1. See my family more often

2. Create without worrying about selling

3. Have a baby (yes, still)

4. Travel - all over!!

5. Play the piano

6. Get rid of guilt

7. Keep Ember from peeing all over everything (Thank goodness for Nature's Miracle!)

8. Fly

8 Things That or Shows I have Watched

1. American Idol

2. Dollhouse

3. Bones

4. Friends

5. Fringe

6. Ghost Hunters

7. Storm Chasers

8. Mythbusters

Now, to tag 8 people and their blogs! :) Man it's hard to pick just 8.

1. Sand & Sea Designs - Oh, her jewelry is luscious!

2. Lampwork Beads by Lara - a blog by a local beadmaker and friend

3. Dogmaw Blog - another beadmaker favorite

4. Deronda Designs - and yet another!

5. 2 Witches Blog - one of my faves on Entrecard

6. Split Rock Ranch - another fave!

7. A Rose By Name - lovely beadwork!

8. Gregorio Art Studio - a very interesting blog

My Favorite Color for May

Yey, it's May! Happy May Day and Happy Beltane, everyone. This midpoint of spring makes me think of lovely, cheerful spring green hues that are just a shade or two away from yellow and lime - the perfect color for the fresh new blooms of the season.

In glass, Effetre 071 Transparent Yellow Green is the perfect color. I adore this color - it's light enough to encase with and lends a crisp, vibrant aspect to the beads I make with it. It's one of those versatile glass colors that will go with anything, I think - especially purple!






Try layering this easy-to-use color over Effetre Uranium Yellow (as shown in these beads), or CiM Dirty Martini. For darker shades, try Effetre Copper Green, or layering it with other, darker transparents such as Effetre Grass Green for lime-ier hues.

Have fun! :)