Maddening, disappointing, unsettling, frustrating news this morning: I discovered my art has been infringed upon.
At first, I thought this was a fan-based post. But then I quickly realized that I'd come across a social media vulture-stealer-infringer-seller who is selling my designs and many, many others, through their social media outlets.
 |
| Beaumont Stuffs Instagram account: Now Private! |
Of course once they got called out by me, most of their accounts are suddenly private... Guilty!!!
(As of this writing, their Twitter is still public - so feel free to
tweet them...
 |
| Beaumont Stuffs Facebook account - Now Private! |
The ONLY place that had access to these exact same designs other than myself is
Society 6, so I'm going to be contacting them as well. Really, REALLY disappointing. I joined S6 last summer and actively had a shop/presence there for about a month or so, until I decided to go indie with Case-Mate Aug./Sept. 2012.. Of course, I *trusted* Society 6.. But my designs leaked out into the underground illegal art trade. So, nice. Now that's a sad state of affairs. When you join Society 6 and sell through there, you are in business with them and entrusting them with your work. It's such a violating discovery to find that the designs I made specifically for my Society 6 shop were leaked. I do not think Society 6 is *directly* to blame for this. But I *DO* think they need to take some responsibility. It is clear that they have a security leak (or more than one?) and they need to get to the bottom of how this happened and figure something out so that it does not happen again. They have GOT to treat this SERIOUSLY. I have read about this happening in the past with Society 6 and I have heard that they were unresponsive to infringement claims such as this. Well, now I am about to find out for myself.
I'll be contacting every social media outlet and every avenue I can to stop this. Please comment if you know of any resources that might help me, if you can spare any advice, or if you just want to offer support!! I truly appreciate it ALL.
Oh... and also: feel free to "friend" them and screenshot any pages you gain access to, and send them along to me. THAT would REALLY help a lot!!
What do you do when you have yet to complete your jigsaw puzzle, but you find yourself in a pickle, temporarily needing the space of your dining room table? You don't want to undo all of your hard puzzle work, so storing the partially-finished puzzle becomes a necessity. But where, and how? With limited space, it's time to get creative.
First, place your puzzle on a sturdy base. Here are some ideas:
•
Puzzle mats (you can buy 12x12 sized pieces at any super store)
•
Foam core (20" x 30" single pieces available at Staples and other office and craft stores)
• A large, low-walled box (such as the type that cases of soda can be purchased in)
Something to cover and protect your puzzle is necessary, so it does not get damaged or grimy. Any of the above can also be placed over your puzzle to protect it. As long as your puzzle is resting in a space safe from activity or potential harm, you could instead use a large piece of heavy paper or kraft paper weighted on the edges, a folded sheet or towel, or a section of an old yoga mat large enough to cover the puzzle.
Places to temporarily store your puzzleSome flat, larger spaces that might not get a lot of play are a great potential puzzle-layover places:
• On top of the fridge
• On a top shelf in the pantry, kitchen or storage room. Since the puzzle itself is light in weight, it will be safe on a high shelf, provided the air up there does not knock it around.
• In a flat file. Flat files can be found at
Ikea or architectural and
art supply shops. These days, you can probably find some at craft shops as well! And don't forget to try
craigslist.
• Under a couch or bed
Congratulations! You finished your puzzle! Now it's time to put your puzzle away for next time.• Here is a short
ehow article on ideas for ideas for safe long-term puzzle storage. There are some good tips here, just make sure to skim over the sponsored links.
• Here's a short, tip-laden article on
Helium.comFor more cool options for storage and transporting, check out:•
Portapuzzle•the
Puzzle StoreEnjoy your puzzles!
Looking for my puzzles? You can buy them here:
Witches' Wardrobe puzzle
Community Bridge puzzle
Jive Cats puzzle
That's right... Start 'em up!
Have a happy Tuesday!
Here is my little happy meditation for you this Friday.
When you're having a stressful day, when you had to deliver something yesterday, when you feel like you're moving in slo-mo no matter how hard you work, whether you have someone breathing down your neck, or someone put fish in the microwave, or say you are tasked to do something that you might be flogging your way through, just remember this:
the sky isn't going to fall. (Isn't that great news?) Get up, go get yourself a cup of coffee or tea or water, a little nutritious snack, take a short walk, and, if you have a minute, visit
this tumblr blog, if even for just one minute. It is positively medicine for a stressed out day, I promise! :D
(Here is my recent favorite post—I cannot look at this without laughing, no matter how many times I look at it.) LAst but not least, just remember that, no matter
how challenging your day is:
Today is Friday! (Did you smile?)
This one says it alll..... what is not to love! I am pretty much addicted to my Starbucks. I used to roll my eyes at my friends' admissions to Starbucks addiction. Well, here I am, years later, and completely a slave to my beverage of choice. I do love the Clover machine, I also love a decaf iced Americano. But my all-time favorite beverage is a venti iced green tea latte: soy, no classic (sweetener), 6 scoops of matcha. Yes I am addicted. I am completely whipped. Maybe that's why I made a nice matcha-flavored zebra background to this piece, tinged with the glowing, rosy pink of my happy heart and cheeks when I have a freshly made iced green tea latte straight from Starbucks. (By the way, they're good hot too, but only with skim, not soy. The soy gets sweeter when it's hot and it unbalances the delicate formula for blissful sipping.) Art print, iphone case, laptop.ipad skin, t-shirt available
here
Is it possible to be mannerly but to still be truly honest and forthcoming when the situation calls for it? I think so... and that's what I —and most people, I hope— strive for, on a regular basis in our own personal situations. But, sometimes, you just need to get to the point, right? No sugar-coating. Just tell it like it is. Especially when your well-mannered pleas seem to fall on deaf ears... but that's another story for another day, isn't it. :D .
Well, that's the feeling that inspired this illustration Pretty Please. But, I wanted to deliver the message with a tiny bit of sass. Not "sweetened up" per se, just devoid of any overt sour notes. Maybe even served up with a cute wink (and a little dash of lip gloss.)
 |
| Pretty Please, do NOT tell Daisy I said what I said. |
Personally, I think it's a
much easier pill to swallow to see the sentiment writ larg with cute little lady kitty cats all over it being silly (the toe-tapping and dramatic sighs are practically audible), than it is to actually
verbally deliver this type of message to someone who might
need to hear it... (or—GASP—to be on the receiving end yourself! Eek, now
that would be no fun!) You know what I'm saying? (That last bit would
never happen.. I just used it for argument's sake. ;D)
So, maybe this art deserves its own
sticky note set. That way, you can leave one on
someone's chair when
someone pops out for a cup of coffee...
Hypothetically speaking, of course! But, until
then, the art
IS readily available and thoughtfully designed on a few choice items here at my
S6 shop.
I am particularly happy with this iphone case. Ok, ok... I'm actually trying to downplay my feelings about this iphone case so as not
What do you think...
Blue...
...or Pink?
Available
here (t-shirt, iphone case, art print, canvas, cards).
I have a brand new piece I want to introduce you to... Here's
Dashing Lads! This piece features two very handsome and very stylish kit-cats who apparently take their time-management skills —and accessories— very seriously.
:D
I wonder if kit cat on the left is thinking that it is TIME... to go shopping for another dapper hat!
And kit-cat on the right looks like he's hiding something... maybe his wallet? (Good intentions!)
The art is available on 100% rag
art prints (framed, if you want), museum-wrapped
canvas (nice, thick 1 1/2" cradle - no frame needed), American Apparel
t's in a variety of colors, note cards, laptop, iphone and ipad skins for both Mac and PC's, and hard iphone cases, made by Case Mate. (I have one. They're great quality.) See everything
here.
I designed certain items with revised lettering or removed the lettering altogether, so each item is designed specifically for the product's dimensions and in the best way to showcase the art!
I opened a
Society 6 store a couple of weeks ago. I love the concept of
Society 6 and the product offerings are nice. I like that they offer a few thoughtful products and don't try to be all things to all people. And, from all I've read, the quality is excellent. So I took the plunge. I did also want to try the product, and I also happened to be in need of a
new iphone case...
So let's play a game... Can you SPOT the Jive Cats iphone case?
This case is the Cat's Meow! I love it!!
I also put the Jive Cats on my lock screen and wallpaper!
Now, I have a real Jive Cats "optical illusion" iphone. :D
If you'd like a screen for your iphone too, simply leave a comment on this post and I'll be happy to make one, free for all and easy to download . :D
This is not part of the fabric collection, just another Jive Cats illustration I did. There is final art based on this drawing. Maybe I'll post it some time..
Here's a peek at the beginning sketches for the feature pattern. This is a really loose sketch but it is fun to see things half-done and then in a completed state, isn't it?
Several of the cats are the same little cats and even in the same places. Some of them have been switched out for other cats. (Note: The top sketch is all gents, while the below final is now co-ed!)
Voila! Cats!
Happy Friday. (More coffee, please!)
Just a little doodle of a city kitty under the sea.
Here's a little jazzy Jazz Cat. I've always thought of the
color of
Jazz to be blue. How about you?
I know blue is the
obvious choice for the
Blues... but can't the Blues share?
(Or, do you think Purple is more fitting?)
Just having a little fun in Photoshop.
Here is the original sketch.
The weekend is a really good time to... have a little fun with your blog template! :D So, what do you think of my new look? I'm trying out blogger's new
Dynamic Views.
I'm pretty happy about the new offerings. There's lots of ways (7, if you're counting) to keep your blog looking fresh and fun! You can check out all the latest on the new templates at the
Blogger Buzz blog.
So.. aside from cleaning up my blog template a bit, I'm going to take part in a few of the activities listed above! I will draw, I will finish a work project
(which is not listed above... hmmm..) I will have a nice lunch or brunch, I
already saw a movie
(21 Jump Street, and I highly recommend it. I'm being completely honest! it is GREAT!), I will sleep, do errands, draw, have dog time, watch a video, and maybe even try to finish the (hilarious)
book I am reading. Is all that asking too much? Hmm... maybe, we'll see!
What are you doing this weekend?
One teeny tiny little detail I left out of my
inability to sew story is my relationship with
the scissor at large. I have always had troubles with scissors, ever since I could hold a pair. I cannot cut a straight line to save my life. This has always been an impediment. I am the epitome of scissor-challenged.
Here's my theoretical breakdown as to why:
25%: left-handedness
20%: small, crab-like hands with big knuckles
30%: complete inability to cut a straight line
25%: irrational, paralyzing fear SO... I received some of my fabric from
Northcott. The fabric arrived in large, one-piece swaths. I needed to break them down into single yards in order to send the fabric off to people who have the magical talents to transform them into
stuff. (From now on, I will refer to these people as
genius sewing fairies.) I dreaded this task. All week, every night, I wondered how on earth I was going to section it out without butchering it beyond recognition. I had no idea how my poor fabric would fare under
Kathy Scissorhands.
Today, it was time to face the scissors. I broke out my scissors. |
chorus meow meo
Hello everyone! I've been MIA for awhile now, I know... I promise that is not because I've decided I hate blogging, no sirree! (I love blogging!) I have just been SO busy over the past three weeks I literally have not been able to make the time to blog. I've also been on a break from the Picture Book Junkies blog as well and will be until April (but they've lined up a bevy of amazing illustrator guest bloggers to pick up the slack so you might want to head on over there and check out all the talent!) I'm actually checking in today because I JUST (FINALLY!!) received a box full of Jive Cats fabric - my first look at the entire line on actual fabric - and I could not let this moment pass without sharing it with you. So while I don't have time for a "propah" photo shoot, I did snap a couple of photos on my phone. I will not be sending the fabric away to my totally awesome sewing friend without taking some real pictures of it, so in the near future I'll post some REAL shots. But for now, it's Instagram or bust! :D And just in terms of mini-work update, I'm hoping to have some more news to share with you soon. Thanks for continually checking in with me... XO, Kathy 
In my family, this is a special birthday week. My mother and One of my sisters each celebrate birthdays three days apart, and this year, it's happening this week! CHEERS and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to BOTH of them!!! XXXOOO!!!
I received the first fabric sample of Jive Cats! The feature panel came in the mail a few weeks ago. It really is something to have the work you breathed, slept and ate and put your heart into for such an intense period of time, right there in tangible form. I am so happy to see it, and yes I am bursting at the seams! I actually did tear up a teeny bit when I saw this in person. Colors look rich and deep—so pretty!
I showed the panel to my friends' three-year-old daughter this weekend. She went pretty crazy for the ice cream cone kitty—so funny! I am so looking forward to having some stuff for her whipped up from Jive Cats fabric. It's going to be just perfect for her.
Here is a "sell card". There is one for each colorway. These are large (11 x 17) heavy card stock, accordion-fold printed pieces with four panels containing images and information about the line. The Northcott Sales team will use these to introduce the line to their clients.
The printed piece features all of the pertinent information about the line.It also includes quilting patterns created exclusively for Jive Cats—very neat! The talented quilt designers at Northcott came up with some fantastic quilt designs for the collection. You can see the beautiful quilt designs here in the right rail. (I'm so tempted to commission someone to make a Jive Cats a quilt!)
1 Comments on Jive Cats: First Look, last added: 9/26/2011
I love rainy days! Rain drops are mesmerizing, puddles too, and the big grey sky. Does life move slower on a rainy day, or is it just me? The kitty above certainly seems to think so...
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so sad. I'm really sorry that this is happening to you. On the plus side, my friend posted this to Facebook (Maurie Manning) and because of this incident I have discovered your beautiful work! I love it all!
Thanks so mucb Ashley! That's so awesome ! I am so happy you discovered my work through this awful incident! Silver lining :) :D
I click on your "My name is Kathy..." link above and I see your first mistake: a huge, high-resolution image of your artwork loads. It would be a simple matter for anyone to capture that image and use it on anything to produce a high-quality product! Keep all of your online images relatively *small* to prevent theft/reuse.
Next option: hire an attorney. Even if it's just to send out cease and desists. It sounds like an open and shut case.
Your name is even in the drag and drop photograph on the cases! Very clear in the top two...Anger doesn't even begin to cover it! I hope this is resolved soon, girl!!
a : )
*many hugs*
Hi Anonymous -
yes you are right - that one image is very large. My home page template supports dynamic views so they really shouldn't show up as LARGE as they do, but they do and it's been an issue that I need to fix.
However that is only one image and actually the stolen images are directly lifted from the art I was selling on products on Society 6.
I already contacted an IP attorney. I don't agree that it is open and shut. U.S. copyright registration is very often blatantly and brazenly ignored by countries particularly in Asia and South America. Though they are OUR laws they are not necessarily followed and complied with by some dubious sellers that are not in the U.S.A.
Thank you for your comments! I wish I knew your name so I could put a comment to a name!
Andi, thank you for chiming in! Do you not love that? I do. It's a good little bit of funny in this mess, huh? :D
Technically it's your copyright (of your art) that's been infringed upon. Hope you can sort it out! x
I *just* opened an S6 page yesterday and just took the leap today and started adding my newest work. When I shared my big news on IG, a follower/fellow artist clued me in to your troubles. What a mess! I took down my artwork from there and read the "copyrights" section of there "help", which basically says that they are not in the business of protecting our copyrights from anyone else, they don't prevent right clicks and don't intend to, they don't allow watermarks and don't intend to, good luck and have a nice day. :(
Although the pillows looked adorable on the screen, I'm going back to etsy. Your website is beautiful. I'm glad you are no longer there and you caught them and at least slowed them down. And thank you very much for announcing this and perhaps protecting others from virtual pickpockets.
Blessings to you!
Lori Leissner
Kathy,
awful news! I'm really sorry.
These seem to be the often bad news from designers who decide to sell their lovely work through society6, and they still take no action to protect who really keeps them on business... just very frustrating! This is the reason I opened and then almost immediately closed my shop there. I really hope there's something you can do. Good you caught the bastards! I'll spread the news...
BTW... your work is SO ADORABLY FANTASTIC!!!
This makes me so angry for you. I adore your style and have seen you via instagram.
Having had my work copied, my images lifted, people selling my art and even taking pictures !!!can really understand how awful this is.
Your creativity, hard work, talent being Stolen by this company...i can't find them now so maybe they have removed themselves.
People say when i am copied it flattery !! how is theft flattery.
It's disheartening too to learn that your images where taken from society 6.
I can only hope you can get some resolution to this.
with best wishes
Heidi
Hi Kathy
This Facebook group I belong to could be a good place to post - Copyright Infringement Cases - or if you like I could post a link to your blog.
I can imagine how upset you must be. I only have to think of someone stealing my work and feel sick to my stomach. Hope you get it sorted. :) Carla
Their Twitter page is gone now and it says that their FB page doesn't exist. I hope that the fact that they were caught shamed them into pulling everything!!!
I'm so sorry this happened to you. You're art is wonderful! It should remain yours!
Kathy, this stinks. I just saw your posting about it on FB. GO GET 'EM. Businesses like these drive me INSANE. How dare they.
I'm thinking of you!!
xo
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sorry for the report--I wanted to included the name of the WA company. Here's the revised comment:
This is so scary! You know, I created an account at Society 6 last summer from the recommendation of a well-known male artist. I guess for once I can be grateful to my procrastination, because I never did log anything onto it. I am so, so sorry this has happened to you. )-: There's a small, but prominent, Seattle Design shop--MODERN DOG--that's been fighting Disney and Target for almost 2 years for copyright infringement. They said they may never win, but they're fighting on principle. They took donations on their website for a small amount of time to help fight legal costs. Already your actions of principle have affected them to remove social media sites and helped spread the word to so many others. Thank you for being an art crusader! Also, I will add that this issue led me to your art as well--which is adorable!
Here's the link to that story--I hope it helps you: http://www.king5.com/news/cities/seattle/Seattle-designers-sue-Disney-claims-copyright-infringement-179754381.html
Oops! I meant "repost." (-:
Hi everyone,
Apparently the pages of "Beaumont Stuffs" have been taken down..
I still do not understand why people do not make their OWN ART.
Shame on "Beaumont Stuffs"!!
Juju - THANKS for the link to the Modern Dog case (I'm a fan of theirs & I have a Modern Dog book of their design work :D ) Love the fighing on principle, though it is such a hard way to go... the stress... takes a steely will and an iron gut! ;) I'll check that link out, thanks!
Elizabeth - Thanks! Yes I noticed that... and POOF they are gone...
Vita - THANK YOU!! XO
Carla-Thanks for the name of the FB group! I'll visit there, but please feel free to post my blog link there if you like! :D Absolutely :)
Heidi/Little Nore - thanks so much! We will see what happens. They have disappeared into thin air but the one thing I can say is that they know I'm watching and that you all have rallied too! For my part, next time... oh there is many things I would do differently... I will be a silent ninja and I will be able to contact the other infringed-upon artists (things happened so fast I saw art I recognized but I did not get adequate-enough screen grabs..) NOT that I'm looking forward to a "next time"... just that I'll be better prepared. That's for sure. ;)
MaJo BV - THANK YOU for your support!! (And for your compliments of my work!! :D ) I greatly apreciate your nod to other artists, formerly with S6, who have had similar experience. That is really on my mind right now. (I'm about to post the letter I sent to S6. Please stay tuned for that one!)
Lori, Good for you for making an informed decision. I believe in making a decision based on information that is available, no matter what. What is important is that people share honest info from experience and that can factor in (or not, as the case may be) to another person's individual decision! :D Sharing is caring (and is good karma too!)
Juju - THANKS for the link to the Modern Dog case (I'm a fan of theirs & I have a Modern Dog book of their design work :D ) Love the fighing on principle, though it is such a hard way to go... the stress... takes a steely will and an iron gut! ;) I'll check that link out, thanks!
Elizabeth - Thanks! Yes I noticed that... and POOF they are gone...
Vita - THANK YOU!! XO
Carla-Thanks for the name of the FB group! I'll visit there, but please feel free to post my blog link there if you like! :D Absolutely :)
Heidi/Little Nore - thanks so much! We will see what happens. They have disappeared into thin air but the one thing I can say is that they know I'm watching and that you all have rallied too! For my part, next time... oh there is many things I would do differently... I will be a silent ninja and I will be able to contact the other infringed-upon artists (things happened so fast I saw art I recognized but I did not get adequate-enough screen grabs..) NOT that I'm looking forward to a "next time"... just that I'll be better prepared. That's for sure. ;)
MaJo BV - THANK YOU for your support!! (And for your compliments of my work!! :D ) I greatly apreciate your nod to other artists, formerly with S6, who have had similar experience. That is really on my mind right now. (I'm about to post the letter I sent to S6. Please stay tuned for that one!)
Lori, Good for you for making an informed decision. I believe in making a decision based on information that is available, no matter what. What is important is that people share honest info from experience and that can factor in (or not, as the case may be) to another person's individual decision! :D Sharing is caring (and is good karma too!)
So sorry to see & hear about this and I hope Society 6 can do something helpful towards resolving this issue for you. They really need to step up their game!
I am a textile designer and have thought about putting some designs up with them. Been dragging my feet about it as I was focusing on other projects. Now I think I may pass altogether on them.
Best of luck - I really like your work!
Hi Modern! Gee, I wrote a very detailed message to you a few hours ago on my iphone, and I lost it. So here is a new one...
Thanks for your support and comments! I know that S6 will do nothing for me but I really hope they make the decision to reinvestigate the model they have built on the intersection of business and community, and how they need to support each other, genuinely, literally.
Another issue is available information. They seem to keep cards so close to their vest when it comes to process. There is so painfully little on their web site about how things are actually made.
We are all artists, we understand printing process, dpi, color processes and the like.
Before I joined S6, I emailed them to find out further technical information regarding their process. They never really gave me a straight answer to that question.
(actual email exchange follows)
------------------------
Me:
Hi there!
I have a couple seller questions:
1) I have a detail of the larger image used for the iphone. That same image is used for the greeting card. Is it possible to instead choose the full image for the greeting card, and not the iphone-specific detail from the print?
2) My original art is 27.5" x 20.5", 300 dpi. The larger prints are larger than that size (22 x 28 and 36 x 28, with no option to remove the larger prints from sale). How can you get a good hi-res print that is larger than the original art without the quality suffering? Please let me know the answers to the above.
Thanks!
Best regards,
Kathy
------------
Society 6:
Thank you for contacting Society6 Support.
We use the asset you uploaded for the iPhone Cases/Skins to create the Stationery. If you need to EDIT these, just click "Add T-Shirts and More" at the top of any post to easily edit/delete other products that accompany your Art Print.
Our system automatically determines your available sizes based on industry standards and the amount of pixels in your file. These sizes created by our system can not be edited or changed. You are able to EDIT and replace the file at any time.
I hope this helps!
(name of Society 6 Support person here)
----------
They are simply not transparent about their process. I should have seen this as a red flag. And I guess, on some level, I did, after all.
I really hate that this happened to you, Kathy. I wish more people would realize that taking someone's art without permission to make a profit is THEFT not flattery. I'm so glad I did not upload any work to my S6 shop yet, especially after reading this part of their stance on copyright protection that you posted:
"Please remember, finding your artwork on another site is usually a good thing!...You won't make any friends if you're issuing unwarranted DMCA takedown notices to someone trying to give your work more exposure because they admire it!"
Yes, exposure is great, but finding your work on a site that is making money off of your designs without your knowledge or consent is horrendous (I know, it happened to me for the first time this Summer and it was a TERRIBLE feeling)...
Well...keep on truckin', Girl! Your artwork rocks- here's to lots of awesome *legitimate* deals coming your way soon!!!
Genevieve, THANKS SO MUCH for your support!! :D XO Seriously that sentence gives me shivers, too. Again, they are so vague. If pressed they will surely say that what they mean is that if people are promoting your work on their blog, who are you to argue with the exposure. Of course, two wrong things with that. 1) People need to get in the habit of asking permission before posting work that is not their own regardless of the situation. This is just a given. 2) That sentence itself is so dubious, shady, and opaque and it is clear that it's that way on purpose. It was probably written by their lawyers.
Hugs!!
kathy