Copyright Infringement and BIG SURPRISE!

I just wanted to let everyone know about what happened with my hijacked blog content the other day.  First, BIG THANKS to Michelle Ward for becoming aware that something was amiss!  From what I can tell, someone in Spain, or who knows exactly where, was playing a joke on another blogger that he/she knew and he/she had literally copied the content right from my blog and pasted it into his.  Then, must have added a little blurb about porn.  Needless to say, I was horrified and freaking out because I started this blog Memorial Day Weekend in 2008 when I submitted my first article to Quilting Arts Magazine.  Everything that I had accomplished to date was being strewn across who knows where by who knows who with not a care in the world for the impact that they could be potentially making on my little world.

It's a very scary thing to realize how easy it is for someone to destroy everything you've built in a matter of minutes and as much as I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, I have become a little more cautious these days.  The owner of the other blog has taken down the stolen content and apologized for the inconvenience.  Here is what I did to attempt to solve this issue:

First, I had e-mailed the contact that was on the blog asking if the blog was hacked.  I got no response.

Second, I got on Blogger's help area and posted a question about what to do.  The person from Blogger who answered my question for some reason could not see any duplicated content (ignoramus).

Third, I found this link on the web:

http://www.devtopics.com/how-to-file-a-dmca-complaint/

and sent another e-mail (using the exact wording found on the link) for a Cease and Desist Notice to the contact e-mail on the site.

Fourth,with a recommendation from a friend, I found information on Google for filing an on-line claim.  See the link below with information on where and how to file it.

http://www.ecreativeim.com/blog/2011/12/report-stolen-content-to-google/

When I woke up this morning, I had received an e-mail response back from the owner of the blog saying something to the effect that he knew who had done it, he had removed my content and apologized for the inconvenience.  Ugh.  That's it??????  LOL I had to be happy with that.  I'm just glad it is solved without hopefully any damage being done (hopefully).

Google also followed up today on the claim I filed last night so if this does happen to you, or something similar or WORSE, definitely file the claim with Google.

Now that I have preached and shared, did everyone know that you can screen-print with Jones Tones glue for foil embellishments?????  Yes you can!  You should try it if you have not.  I recommend washing that screen out immediately since the glue dries fast.  I managed to rinse it all out.  Here is a bad picture but I used one of my border screens to add the foil on top of my already screen-printed fabric.

So...ARE YOU READY FOR THE BIG SURPRISE??????

Cloth Paper Scissors magazine has invited ME to tape another Workshop DVD!!!!  This time, it will all be about creating imagery for the screens I make and creating layered collages with screens and paper and paint and all the good stuff I've been playing with!!!!  Yahoo!!!!!!!!!

AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS??????

I won't need to video the entire first part of Creating Personal Imagery 101!  It will be available on DVD and download through Interweave/F&W Media!!!!!  The CPS Workshop DVD will show all of the easy ways I create my personal imagery, then I can follow up with all of the Photoshop Elements instruction separately!  I am over-the-top excited about this and will be heading out to Colorado once again mid November!!!  

Ok, there are only a couple hours left before bed and I am BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!  Save those links above in case someone steals your blog content!!!!  I'm headed down to Connecticut to take a workshop with Seth Apter at the Art Is retreat.  Sunday I will open my studio up to the public as all weekend it is Lowell Open Studios!!!  If you are local, come visit!!!!

Margaret