loaned items...big promises...not credited? :0(

[Former_Member]

Ok, so, how do I start? I previously posted how excited I was to receive an opportunity to be featured in Southern Bride Magazine along with several popular bridal blogs in exchange for 3 loaned pieces of mine for the shoot.
I promptly wrote up a loan contract and sent off the pieces after the contract was signed and waited to hear news. I was so excited when I received a sample photo from the shoot as to what would be in the magazine. I received that image about a month and a half ago and hadn't heard anything so I inquired with the bridal planner that contracted with me to basically get an update where everything was at..... No response.... 2 weeks later I sent another email with almost the same inquiry....... No Response........ then the final email I sent was reminding her of the terms of our contract and that I would really appreciate a response.
After this email I was a little uneasy as I felt I was being kind of firm but then realized it had been a month and a half.....I don't think that's indecent to inquire after a month and a half. Later that same evening I was browsing blogs......lo and behold ....their was my headpiece.....in photos I haven't seen before.....with everyone else's items credited BESIDES mine. At 1 in the morning I was sitting their staring at the computer screen with a pit in my stomach as I saw my work on a very popular blog, on a very beautiful model, a very beautiful picture....and no credit for my work. I literally was heartbroken.
I emailed the wedding planner I made the contract with notifying her that my headpiece was not credited in the photoshoot she contracted with me and would appreciate a response. FINALLY I got a response from this woman and it wasn't a nice One. She made me feel bad for inquiring with her as she is a wedding planner and literally told me " I'm sure you don't know what its like preparing for 15 brides and you don't want to " ......it was almost like a rant as if she was far to busy to answer an email. She later responded to the email about my work not being credited and simply said "I'd like to close this transaction, please set me up a listing with the three items I borrowed and I will purchase them and you will send them to me like a normal etsy transaction"........ I did set her up a listing, she did pay for the items, but now I'm seeing my work pop up on different blogs without being credited. I understand she is probably a very busy woman, but at the same time I feel kind of cheated. My work was being featured even before she paid for the items without a credit for them. Also, was it in-decent of me to inquire? She made me feel so bad for asking a question it almost made me question if it was ok? I just feel cheated, I would have much rather her follow through with what she said she was going to do and be featured over the money for my items anyday :0( input! Please!

[JeannieRichard]

We are so sorry that you had to go through such a horrid experience.

What cheek she has to make you feel chided and an added slap of insult to pay you after publishing your hard work of creation without a hint of apology to say she would credit you in the next issue as an apology!
From a fellow handmaker to another, we feel very furious for you.
We would retell this incident to everyone to blacklist such ungrateful behavior.

Urgh this is very despicable, this stealing of your creative rights.

What you have done is your right to do so, you have done no wrong.
Be confident, be bold.
It is your work and deserve proper recognition.

Personally, we would go legal as anything created by one has creative intellectual property rights as a default.
And emails are recognized in court as advised by our lawyers.

And of course, as the old saying goes, what goes around, comes around.
God is watching!

[Former_Member]

Wow. She sounds like a very unprofessional lady. She's become a bridezilla by working with them for so long : )

I say take the high road. Every time you see them posted on a blog, make sure you leave a comment thanking them for posting it and letting them know where they can purchase it.

[Former_Member]

I would write a letter to the editor of the magizine and blogs that featured your work and let them know what went on. At the very least you may start getting credit from them.

[Former_Member]

I'm sorry to hear about this.
I am not in the business so I can't provide an insight on this but from what you detailed out here, I think you did nothing wrong. It was a series of unlucky encounters with an irresponsible person. It's depressing to have literally been striped from your glory, but I'm sure you are not the only one she treated badly to and eventually she'll get herself into trouble. Honestly, if your contract stated that she must provide credit to you for the headpieces, you could have sued her for what she did to you and I'm sure someone else will in the future.

[SouthernSeamsKids]

Send us a link to the blog, we'll join in commenting on your beautiful pieces!

[Former_Member]

I agree with nickeldesign. I think this is an opportunity to take a bad situation good. Leave comments thanking them for using your items in their photos, with a link to your site where people can purchase more. Promote their pictures on your network sites with the "recently featured in" tags. I'd try to use it to your advandtage any way you can.

[Former_Member]

Wow, what an eye-opening experience and so sad really. Thank you for sharing this here and I think you gleaned some really good advice especially the one of contacting the magazines to let them in on what happened and how "your" work is being presented within their pages of their magazine.

Kudos on the great work. I hope you get the proper compensation for the work you've done and the continued exposure it's receiving. I sincerely Wish you all the Very Best with everything.

~ Paula
RingsHandmade.etsy.com
FineEssentials.etsy.com
AffordableFUN.etsy.com
UxCritter.etsy.com

[Former_Member]

Oh bless your hearts guys! I seriously spent a couple days with a pit in my stomach over it. I actually did leave a comment on the bride room blog where I saw the link http://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fthebrideroom.com%2FBlog%2F%3Fp%3D2109&t=Sum... this is the Facebook link to the shoot. If you notice on the Facebook page everyone else is credited and I had to dub myself......sad :0(

[Former_Member]

P.s. the pink ruffled headband is my creation.... I should have mentioned that earlier. Lol

[Former_Member]

Hey is this the specific post?
http://thebrideroom.com/Blog/?p=2109

[SouthernSeamsKids]

Okay! I commented it. Shared it on FB (with a note!) and tweeted your shop with their blog! Some people are just rude!

[Frecklesoriginals]

The silly woman should get down off her high horse. I think you were very polite and patient which only makes her look even more rude. I hope all this has given you the recognition you deserve. Pam

[Former_Member]

Nikisha its the shoot at south Eden hall with the ruffled pink tiara headband! @ southern, thank you so much! Its really nice to be surrounded by kind fellow etsians who care. I really do appreciate it! Thank you too nikisha and everyone else with encouraging words, it means more than you know. ;0)

[Former_Member]

Just commented ;)

[Former_Member]

very sorry to hear about this shoddy treatment. Your work is lovely and you should receive full credit for it!

[Former_Member]

Thank you grim. I work very hard on ever piece I make as I know all my fellow etsians do. Its a shame when something like this happens. It especially is hard when your new to opportunities such as this and are not as "mindful" I should say about how something like that should work. It was a very unpleasant experience and I feel sorry for the brides who have this woman as their wedding planner, she certaintly wasn't a nice person to deal with :0(

[WildWildernessPhotos]

Wow, how frustrating! Not sure what I would do, as I am not creating the same items as you are. Is a loan contract something that most artists do? I noticed on other forums that once people sell the item, the person can do what they wish. I think loaning would scare me. That is weird that she didn't give you any credit. I will check out the links you put on here. Best of luck!

[Former_Member]

I went and left a comment a couple others have as well! Hopefully this will turn into positive attention for your shop! You are very talented.

[WildWildernessPhotos]

I left a comment too!

[Former_Member]

I would give all of you a hug if I could, its really sweet of you all to take the initiative to comment. I feel alot better about the situation knowing I have others who would feel just as hurt as me if it happened to them. @ wild, Yes loaning items for print work is a common practice among "professionals".....I'm not quiete sure how professional this woman was but artists do loan pieces for photoshoots in exchange for print credit. However.... I'm not sure if I will do this in the future given this experience. Before I even loaned the items I checked out the woman's website, she's very established in the Nashville area that's why I felt comfortable enough contracting with her.
I forgot to mention too as soon as she purchased the items she used she sent me a message via etsy to take down the picture of her model in my headpiece. Just to avoid conflict I sent her a message back saying "no problem" and took it down. But then I got to thinking..... I sent the photographer an email almost a month prior introducing myself and she thanked me for having her photo up and crediting her on my etsy. However, I wasn't going to tell the wedding planner this as I don't want to look unprofessional myself so I just removed the picture to avoid any conflict. :0(

[Former_Member]

I just looked on the blog and she has added you to the credits. The way she acted though was very unprofessional. One word, Karma and as a Southern woman myself, she did not represent Southern grace. Mama did a bad job.

[Former_Member]

I commented too and left a link to your shop.

[Former_Member]

Oh my goodness, so my fellow etsians must have created a stir! Well I didn't want to be dramatic about this or anything but it does make me feel better that after this post something was done for the better. Who knows, maybe one of you will be offered the same opportunity one day and this will be a reminder to be mindful of who your dealing with. Learn from me! Please! ;0) @ halles, thank you for putting YOUR southern grace into the mix ;0)

[Former_Member]

Mmm, "that woman" was everything except professional, I tell you.

A similar story happened to my way before the Internet. I worked around the clock non stop for two weeks preparing nice sweaters for a photo shoot for a well published magazine here in Québec and pouf! lost everything, never got my items back and they never got in the magazine.... just a long complex story of theft.

Fashion and bridal industries are <put any work you want here>.

An email, even very short, takes only a minute and would have saved both parties a lot of grief. She could not put the blame on being too busy.

From your story and mine and countless others, I am felt with a sour feeling, and I am not interested in participating in such adventures again.

I much prefer the direct contact with my buyers and fellow sellers here on Etsy.