the original, as published here in March, 2010
Since I saw this picture this afternoon in my reader (via Sewing Craftgossip) I have been feeling slightly upset and miserable. Really: I couldn't believe my eyes. I was yelling at my screen. Did my Quick Fix Grocery Bag become an Eco-chic Shopping Bag without me knowing? I'm not sure what to think of this. Should I give this the benefit of doubt and just consider it a coincidence or are there too many similarities for this to be even possible and has someone at Good Housekeeping who was short of ideas and looking against a deadline simply copied my idea?
This particular tutorial is one I am really proud of. The idea is genuinely mine - it happened while I was putting away grapes we had earlier that day and I saw the bag they came in lying on the counter - a plastic bag with cuts. This particular tutorial has been a big hit in the craft community ever since it was published and it still is, with referrals and links showing up everywhere. This particular tutorial made it even to Design*Sponge. And now, apparently, to Good Housekeeping too, only did they forget to credit or put up a proper link!
It makes me wonder if I'm an idiot and incredible naive by posting tutorials and pictures of things I made just like that, for free, accessible to everyone, everywhere, assuming - or, as of now, hoping - everyone will stick to the rules when it comes to copyright and intellectual property rights. It also makes me wonder whether I should continue doing so the way I do. You see, there goes a lot of time and effort in everything I make, in every tutorial I write. I know, that's a personal choice - no one ever forced or even asked me to do so.
So far, I kept my blog deliberately commercial-free, add-free, sponsor-free - there's no financial gain or whatsoever for me in this entire blogging business - that's a choice too. My reward is in your comments, your encouragements, seeing a traffic increase or a steady increase in the number of followers and subscribers, a referral here and there...
All of this was a choice.
But maybe the wrong one...
So I'm asking you, am I an idiot or should I be happy it happened just this once - that I know of...
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Comments are closed now - Good Housekeeping has acknowledged its mistake and credits and a link to the original post have been added.
Thank you for your comments, e-mails and support!
xo, P.
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