Testing...Testing...

(Photo by me)

So today I am off to the Dr. for a myriad of tests (try not to be jealous).  I've had some long-standing symptoms that I am finally going to have checked out (no more pretending like it will just go away).  I'm rather terrified of needles, x-rays and the like, so I will be willing myself to think of pretty, happy things while I'm being poked and prodded at.  Please cross your fingers that the nurse will have a deft hand with the syringes.  I can't even tell you how many horrid experiences I've had in the past.

I promise I'll update when I have more info.  Hugs, Ez

Thoughts: What to Do When Your Work is Copied

I had another post planned for this spot today, but I decided to bump it into tomorrow because there is something a bit more important that I'd like to post about.  I hope you won't mind.

Copyright infringement, intellectual property theft, counterfeiting, copying...whatever you want to call it, it bites the big one!

As a blogger; travelling around the web is my job.  A job that has brought me face to face with more copycats than I can stomach.  Today was the last straw when one of my sponsors and someone whose work I find to be exquisitely unique and lovely reached out to me to see if I had any advice to share with her regarding a seller who is copying her designs.  The sadness in her letter was palpable and it broke my heart.

I'm not a lawyer and certainly don't know all the copyright laws (I still have a lot of questions myself)...but I do know that it is wrong to steal another person's ideas/designs and play them off as your own.  Copying takes on so many forms (from blog layouts, product packaging, full design copies, etc) and when you see it happen or it's done to you it really hurts.  And not just the original artist, but the design community at large.  I really love this independent design community...but time and time again I see this sort of underhandedness go on from within the very community that should be fostering originality and inspiration amongst one another, and it really upsets me.

So, what I wanted to have in answer to my lovely sponsors plea for help was a novel of fighting words and copyright law jargon for her to use to right this wrong, but ultimately I told her what I have learned myself (yes...there are copycats of my work out there too)...and that is this:

Anyone who knows and loves your work will recognize the care and true talent that you put into creating it.  Of course this doesn't really help to make it hurt any less.  But it helps me to remember that imitators are simply small people without the talent to come up with their own ideas.  I have been copied (in all of my businesses) countless times.  Each time it does sting, but then I try to allow their wrong-doing to become the fuel for my continued growth as an "artist / designer."  It's a great way (though probably not the most fun) to motivate yourself to always strive towards creating new and better things.  I'm not perfect...and it is a challenge to keep my chin-up in the face of blatant copycats, but it is possible.  Don't let thieves rob you of your passion for creating unique and truly wonderful work.  There may be a thousand other imitators out there throughout the years...but you have to remember that YOU are the original!

And finally I want to share a favorite quote of mine that has helped me through so many tough times: "Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die." (Carrie Fisher)  So please if you've been copied or wronged, be as proactive as you feel you need to be to find resolution, but I hope you won't let frustration and anger take you down.  I've been there, and it's not a pretty place to be.

So, now I will climb down from my soapbox and would love to hear from you lovely readers.  What do you think about knock-offs and copying?  Do you believe there is a difference between copying and inspiration?  I can't wait to hear what you have to share. 

*A small request: please don't use the comment section to call out the name(s) of those you may have been wronged by.  I understand the desire to do so, but I don't believe it is a healthy way to bring about positive change...especially not through this blogging platform.  Thanks for understanding!

Some additional reading:

• Copyright 101 for Designers by Design*Sponge
• Laws and more from the U.S. Copyright Office
• An incredible wealth of knowledge and wonderful creative community of women can be found at The Switchboards
• Helpful article: What Do You Do When Someone Steals Your Content

Edited to add your article/site recommendations:

• From Molly/Charlotte's Fancy: Copycats by Poppytalk
• From Anna E: Copyright, Trademarks and Pattents by Crafting and MBA
• From Maria-Therese: Copycats
• From Brigitte: More Thoughts on Copyright and Creativity
• From Michelle Watson: Knock if off
• From Caroline: DIY is not Duplicate it Yourself by decor8
• From Amy/Living Locurto: When Logos Look Alike by Logo Design Love

It Doesn't Take Much

It doesn't take much to make me feel utterly content.  Scrumptious mini cupcakes topped with wild violets from our yard, the most exquisite custom swan soft sculpture created for me by Lemmikkiapina, a stack of inspiring magazines...and a fair dose of ambient light.  Ahhhhhh.....

We Made It

REDBUD TREES SEEN EVERYWHERE

Hello lovelies!  Well, we made it!  We couldn't have made it without my Mom who so generously flew out to New Jersey a few weeks ago and then drove us for three days until we reached our new home here in Tulsa, Oklahoma (my license had expired without me realizing it, so she was stuck with the driving.  Thanks a million Mom).

FREE BIKES FOR RIDING AT THE RIVERWALK PARK

I am so happy to be able to say that we really love it here.  Our rental home is perfect...exactly what we were dreaming of, our neighborhood and neighbors are lovely, and Tulsa has done nothing but surprise us with good things.  Honestly it's not a city that looks like much from the interstate, so you could easily miss all the beauty and charm if you never venture past the freeways.  But we've discovered so much already.  We love the friendliness of the people, the care that has gone into making the parks truly worth spending your days relaxing in...and right now (since it's Springtime) all the glorious flowers and trees blooming everywhere!  I'm sure I'll have lots more to share about our new home in the coming weeks and months.

RIVERWALK PARK - MILES OF BIKING AND WALKING TRAILS, PLAY AREAS + A FRISBEE GOLF COURSE

Thank you all for your wonderful supportive words of encouragement.  I can't thank you enough for your kindness!  xo Ez

Curveball

Hello lovelies!  I want to fill you in on the need for my emergency blog break last week.  I won't be able to share every single detail because of time (and I really don't want to bore you all), but will do the best I can to explain.

To begin with, my daughter and I are moving again...in 7 days!  We only found out just last week and I've been frantically trying to throw everything into boxes and tie up ends that I thought I'd have another 4 months to tie up.  The background story is this:

Last Summer we moved across the country from our home in California to start what we hoped would be a fun and fresh start for us here on the East Coast.  From day one things started to go wrong.  First it was the black slime coming up into our kitchen sink making the room unusable.  The fridge gave out shortly thereafter.  Next it was the bathtub drain, and then nasty stuff started to come up our bathroom sink as well.  From outside appearances this place is not a dump, so we had no idea what we were in for when we rented the place out.  I wish that was the entirety of the situation.  Unfortunately our apartment is also sandwiched in between two sets of unsavory neighbors that I wouldn't wish on anyone.  On one side we are assaulted by the daily barrage of their screaming fights coupled by the strong scent of marijuana and cigarette smoke that seems to seep through our walls.  Second (not as bad) is our neighbor who likes to wake me up early in the morning by ringing my doorbell incessantly until I answer...and then proceeds to go into tirades about the alarm system in her unit...asking if I ever hear it go off, etc, etc (completely nuts).

Next, I've been having some health issues that are making blogging/work very difficult and painful for me...and I strongly suspect that these are in great part due to the growing stress I've been under over the past 8 months.

Finally...and the reason for this sudden acceleration in our moving schedule (we were already planning to get out of here when the lease ended in July)...is that my daughter has been suffering from horrible bullying at her school.  If you follow me on twitter then you know a bit about what has been going on for her.  I've also just posted a more detailed infor in this post earlier today.  Basically any attempts I've made to have the threats, verbal and emotional abuse stopped by the school went nowhere.  The last straw came this past Tuesday when my daughter was thrown against the wall by a girl in her class.  After she crumpled to the floor in pain a lunch aid came over to see what had happened and told my daughter that she would report the attack.  She didn't.  I only heard about the incident from my daughter when class got out that day.  I just could not wait around for another more violent act against my daughter to take place and I went into the office and withdrew her from school immediately.

So dear ones...I am packing up my life again and moving to Oklahoma.  Yes, it sounds crazy even to me.  But my family lives there (after relocating there last year) and I really feel the need to be near to them once again after such an ordeal.  We have found a sweet little house that seems the perfect place to find the peace and happiness that we were so hoping to have here in New Jersey.  I will be sad to leave behind the friends I have made here but know that this is the right step for me to take in my life right now.

This week I will be doing my best to keep regular posts up here on Creature Comforts and then some incredibly generous blogging friends of mine will be writing a few guest posts to get us through the following week as I pack the moving truck and drive to Oklahoma.  I thank you all in advance for your support and understanding.  I will try my hardest to keep everything flowing as smoothly as possible here on CC during this process.  xox Ez