And the sun’s back out again!

Happily, here’s a positive update from yesterday…

When contacted directly, Mary Rabakon was swift to take action and responded very pleasantly to my request.  She’s temporarily removed things from her Etsy store, MaryT Designs, and requested clarification of what is and is not expected.  This is what any ethical beader should do!

To summarize the basics, which Mary will be implementing shortly, I am happy to have beadweavers sell their own, handmade items that reference my designs, PROVIDED they include a clear attribution, including the book, Contemporary Geometric Beadwork, where appropriate.  For example, something along the lines of “this work is based on a design by Christina Vandervlist (www.spiritbead.net) as seen in ‘Contemporary Geometric Beadwork’ (www.beadmobile.wordpress.com)”.

When listing your work for sale, whether in a gallery, shop, online or festival, it’s ALWAYS appropriate to credit the source.  When unsure, contact the designer directly; many are quite content to have you sell your work (as we all need to feed the bead habit!) as long as they receive recognition for the design.  However, since many bead designers are active teachers and / or authors, few are pleased if you sell directions or tutorials that closely follow their own design.  It impacts on our living as this is, after all, a way we seek income, selling the fruits of our brains and hands.

In short, I am currently pleased with the resolution of things, and hope that my happy little island will once more be full of only happy pretty for the foreseeable future.

Happy Beadsday, all! *G*

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So very, very sad…

…when things are going SOOOOO well, to discover that another beader has decided to make their living from others’ hard, hard work.

The Etsy store “MaryT Designs” run by Mary Rabakon, is selling instructions for work not her own.  Many items are rip offs of work from Contemporary Geometric Beadwork’s various volumes, Jean Power’s gorgeous work, etc., as well as work by other artists I instantly recognized.

When you work as hard as we all do to respect others’ efforts, be original, attribute fairly, and conduct ourselves honestly it’s disheartening to see rip-off artists spit on your rights and make their income dishonestly.

I’ve been so busy on so many fronts I haven’t published for some time, but that doesn’t mean I’m not active and designing and selling; just that I’m not POSTING.  This person has never contacted me to ask permission, discuss possibilities or any other communication.  The instructions are highly exacting and, although I’m bloody well NOT going to pay for instructions just to see, I’m forced to conclude she’s either completed lifted my own instructions or painstakingly reproduced the same.  Again, that is NOT original work, lady!!!!

Does anyone else out there find this behaviour as repugnant as I do?

Happy New Year 2014!

Wow!  Talk about starting the New Year with a bang!

Now, of course I knew this was coming up, but it’s been back-burnered in my mind for ages as it was in the polishing and publishing stages.  Imagine my surprise when I got home late yesterday evening to find a huge brown box waiting for me…from Sterling Publishing?  At first I thought it was something Kate McKinnon is sending to me but then it clicked!  OMG – Marcia DeCoster’s new book is out!!!

Tearing into the box I found my copies of “Marcia DeCoster Presents”; I’m on pages 102-105!  FOUR pages of my work showcased with some of the most interesting, talented and visionary bead artists on the planet, and included at the specific request of Marcia herself!

I am so high with delight, awe, fascination, humbled amazement, joy and gratitude…

So many delightful feelings are tumbling through my mind right now!!!  Contemporary Geometric Beadwork Volume 2 is in the final stages of preparation and will join this lovely new book, as well as Volume 1, on my bookshelf soon…

When I’ve had time to assimilate the shock and awe I’ll post more about this lovely book; oh, and I will be resuming teaching this Spring, too!…so much to tell…”see” you soon.

Happy Beadsday!