Feel a bit strange about this

[Dips]

I've been dwelling on this and it's something I feel a bit strange about. What would you feel in my position?

I am fairly certain that someone has used an element from a card I sent them in as part of a card swap. So far, no drama, in fact how great, what a compliment! However, they've blogged this card and entered it into challenges, claiming the entire work as their own.

I have to admit that I do feel uncomfortable about this last bit. If the blog entry had said something along the lines of "Look at this great idea of how to take a card you've received and then break it up to make new cards" then ok. Or if they had contacted me in advance.

What do you guys think, am I being over sensitive? Would be good to know your thoughts.

[LynneH]

If it's something like one of your hat pins I think it's a bit cheeky, if it's a coloured image (or something like that) I think it's not on. They certainly shouldn't be claiming credit for it.

Your cards are gorgeous Dips and if you sent one to me I wouldn't be chopping it up!

[Millburn]

I agree with Lynne, I have all the cards I've been sent from here and the idea of using a part of one; for either another member or worse challenges and blogs; nooooo way

I have one card from here that I know if I gave it a friend of mine she would adore it, saying that I adore it so she's no chance

[Summer]

Personally, I don't think its right and I couldn't do it - (break up a card that someone has made for me)

If the person's blogged about the 'making of the card' knowing that an element of it was crafted by you, they should have credited you for it.

[Rentochops]

I think it's out of order, I'd contact them and remind them about copyright (not to mention swaps are meant to be for crafty friends)

[Dips]

If it's something like one of your hat pins I think it's a bit cheeky, if it's a coloured image (or something like that) I think it's not on.

It is the main image, Lynne


I agree with Lynne, I have all the cards I've been sent from here and the idea of using a part of one; for either another member or worse challenges and blogs; nooooo way

I have one card from here that I know if I gave it a friend of mine she would adore it, saying that I adore it so she's no chance

I really don't have a problem with all or part of the cards I send being used or reused, I think it is a great compliment, and it's lovely to think of something I've created giving pleasure again, so that wouldn't have worried me at all.

Glad to know that you both have the same sort of thoughts as I've had, wasn't sure if I was just being very sensitive and diva-esque!!!!

[Teacherspet]

You say it's the main image that's been used....... well one of two things stand out here, if it's an image from a cd or printed topper sheet then no problem as far as I'm concerned. BUT if it's an image that you have stamped and coloured then it's your work not theirs and they shouldn't claim it is but give you the credit - afterall it's cheating to say it's their own work and I'd be a bit miffed too.

I have recycled a few cards over the years but never claimed they were all my own work and no way would I enter them into a challenge or competition.

[Kate's Cards]

Seems dishonest to me.

[Little Jan]

Thats a bit off,
I did recycle swap cards but I did ask on here first.
After over 7 years of cardswaps I had boxes of cards just sitting in the loft area I would often get them out to look and and get some Ideas,In the end I asked the forum members if they minded me rematting the toppers and donating them to the local charity shop to sell. But I would never do it without asking, and never use the elements in a chellenge and pass them as my own work

[budgie]

How rude! If they were going to recycle your card, they should at least have the decency to acknowledge that it is your work, and not claim it as their own, especially if they are entering challenges.

[Lioness]

This a difficult one - in reality once you have sent someone something, it then belongs to them so they can do whatever they want with it (cherish, admire, bin or recycle it). I seem to remember a post on here, where a member could no longer store all the cards they had swapped/received over the years and they had asked whether anyone minded if they (the swapped cards) were recycled. I think the member concerned made them into toppers, created cards and gave them to a charity. I don't remember the exact details so apologies if I have got this wrong. At the time people were quite happy for this person to do as they wished. I also don't see anything wrong in recycling elements of cards which you have received.

The difficulty is I suppose in the fact that the person concerned has claimed that this is all their work. Do you have a photo of your original card and, if so, have you compared it with the pictures on the blog? Could it be that the person concerned has used your card as inspiration and therefore genuinely feels that this was really all their own work? We've all used images which have been commercially created by others and have incorporated them in our cards which we feel are all our own work, so maybe that is how this person has interpreted it too.
If on the other hand they have used your work and passed it of as theirs, ie made claims that they coloured in an image which they have not, then it is wrong.
Hope you manage to get to the bottom of this without it causing you too much grief.


I took such a long time trying to word my post so that it wouldn't be taken the wrong way, that several other members, including Little Jan, managed to post before me!

[englishminx]

I might be a bit controversial with what i am going to say, I think it is not very polite for anybody to use any part of a crafty card sent to them, without prior permission, but at the same time, i have never seen anything on this site saying you cant, so therefore in the persons eyes they are not doing anything wrong. I personally would never do it, as I adore every hand crafted card i receive, but perhaps in light of this, it might be an idea to set some short rules for the card swaps that includes not putting the cards on a blog, entering into blog competitions or reusing parts of the card without the originators permission,

[Dips]

Just to answer a few of the points being made:

* I am not upset in the least about my cards or parts of cards being used in whatever way is wanted by the recipients, I send the cards to please. I would be delighted, for example, if one of my cards was passed onto to someone else who loved it or sold to raise money for charity. I generally add my own handmade hatpins to my cards and I'd love for them to be reused - they're so pretty, it would be a shame for them not to be. What I'm upset about is that they've claimed the work as their own and then entered it into challenges (ie they are passing off my work as entirely theirs)
* The bit that they've used is an image that I stamped, coloured, accented and cut-out in such a way that if they have used my original as inspiration, then they have been able to recreate it with such accuracy that they appear exact duplicates
* I do have photographs of my orginal. Before posting this, I did look very carefully to see if I was being paranoid, I don't think I am.

There is any even worse element to than just entering it into challenges, but I won't say as this would make it very easy to identify the person.

Thank you for all your responses to this thread. As I say, this had been bothering me, and I just needed to say something to see what others thought.

[Julie]

If someone has removed a handmade/hand coloured element off a card you sent them then submitted it as their own work for a comp or challenge, I would find that extremely rude. I would also consider it cheating !

[Waterlily]

If someone has removed a handmade/hand coloured element off a card you sent them then submitted it as their own work for a comp or challenge, I would find that extremely rude. I would also consider it cheating !


Me too. Not very nice at all.

[morgana123]

I have never entered challenges etc but I thought the whole point was it had to be your original work and if they have taken something you have created then it isnt theiir own work. No two people colour the same so you would know your own work and they certainly wouldnt be able to recreate the colours without you giving them a menu of what you had used. So to me this is out and out cheating and I would have thought broke the challenge rules.

[vampyre]

I suppose there's no chance it could have been replicated a bit too well but it isn't your original? Even so that wouldn't be right in my eyes but I know you're certain of your facts Dips and it is your work. I'm sorry this happened to you, you have a truly generous spirit and this abuses it.

[Spendsloads]

Gosh Dips, I'm not surprised you feel uncomfortable. I agree with the others - recycling is one thing (though i couldn't bring myself to cut up one of your beauties) but passing your work off as their own really isn't on.

[Mistyblue]

I agree with others that if it is your work Dips, then it is cheating if it's been entered in a challenge. Having said that I couldn't remove part of a card that someone had spent time on, making for me especially, and then reuse it. I would feel very uncomfortable about it actually. So, Dips, your beautiful cards and those I have received from others in swaps, will remain intact and then I can take them out now and again and enjoy them all over again.

[jube]

From my piont of view I myseld couln't use anyone elses work and claim it to be my own, I think at least they should have given you credit if they had used some of your work.

[suban]

It's cheating - SIMPLES!!!! Then to blog it is just plain rude!!!!!

Can I asure the folks on here that the only recycling of their cards that I do is to put their fab cards out on display at various times of year - Christmas cards coming out every year, birthday cartds etc! BTW my secret Valentine is still on my windowsill as I can't bear to put it into storage yet and still haven't managed to find an appropriate frame to put it in to hang on the wall!!!!

[LorraineJ]

I also think what this person has done is out of order. Taking your work and passing it off is her own is wrong. I couldn't and wouldn't do this.

[Dips]

Thank you everyone for your responses and your kind words. I've thought about this a lot since yesterday and I've decided that I'm not going to confront the person.

We have had enough upsets on here over the last few months and I don't want to start another war, CraftTelly is more important to me than a card I spent a few hours making and sent in friendship. No-doubt, they would strenuously deny "passing-off" and then my lovely friends on here would feel very conflicted as to who they believe, and things could get vey nasty. I don't want that at all.

As this is someone that I have quietly helped in the past, at the end of the day, they have got to look at themselves in the mirror and decide if they like what they see. I know that I can do that without having to look away.

Once again, thank you for all kind words, I feel a lot better having talked about it and I'm now going to put this silly episode behind me.

[LorraineJ]

I think you have made the right decision Dips.

[luvtocraft]

I wholeheartedly agree with you dips on every thing you have said and although I don't join in swaps at the moment I have done in the past and have taken great delight and inspiration from the cards I received and still have intact. I also think that you have come to the right conclusion and hopefully whoever it is will understand the upset and hopefully may not of realised the hurt it would cause you. You never know you may get an apology without having to say anything.

[agelesscraft]

I also agree with your actions Dips, I have all the cards received from the swaps and treasure them all .Have learnt a lot from them,and as I have said before I sometimes copy/case cards from the internet always changing little bits but they help me a lot when inspiration is on holiday.

[Dax]

Not sure I would be so forgiving Dips and hope the person concerned reads this thread. As Susan has put it is pure and simple CHEATING!!!!!!!, to enter it into a blog competition without some acknowlegdement to you. It's not fair to others who have entered the blog if that person wins as it's not all their own work.

[Lioness]

As Dips has chosen to drop the matter for the sake of the forum, maybe we should all just leave it there and respect her wishes.

[jr77]

What a dilemma! I think it is very generous Dips to let it lie and I suppose that you can take comfort from the fact that it is a sort of back handed compliment but I'd be upset too if it happened to me. It is cheating and more than a bit disturbing that someone who joins in swaps here would stoop so low. I am also a bit surprised because all the swaps I have seen on here have been so good that anyone should have enough faith in their own talent and not feel the need to pass off your work in this way.