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Hi there, nice to have you visiting! I'm Heidi and this is the blog for Heidi Bears. Here is where I post all the happenings in my work and daily life. Here and there you'll find info on things that have caught my attention as well as the odd tutorial. I hope you enjoy your visits. I love to have feedback, so leave me a comment!

Monday, January 9, 2012

African Flower tutorial theft....and Weekend Recap


Well...I guess it had to happen. I have been seeing a lot of this going on in the Blogosphere, and was wondering when I would have to be the one to write rude comments and emails ...

I received a lovely, kind email from Sam (thank you very much Sam, for letting me know :) ), asking if I had two blogs or if someone had copied my African Flower Hexagon Tutorial onto their blog. I went to take a look...Hey Presto! There is was...VERBATIM!

Now I know that there are some people out there who have dodgy ideas about what constitutes nice manners, but I have to say that I am pretty bleak about it. I know that this has happened to people's handmade items as well...someone blatantly copying their work and representing it as their own, and sadly they haven't had much by way of recourse. The only thing that I have seen happen to keep the Blog world accountable, is to bombard the offenders with messages and comments until they remove the stolen work. Have any of you had something similar happen? How did you manage to resolve the problem , if at all? What do you think I should do?
I have left a comment (very strongly worded I might add), as there doesn't seem to be an email or contact on the site, and I will try to email Blogger as well...

Folks, any helpful suggestions would be very much appreciated :)

The Tutorial is posted in it's entirety on the "makehandmade.blogspot.com" site and here is the link...



We had a lovely weekend. Gerry's stand-in doctor covered the ICU on Sunday, so we had the whole day to ourselves :) After work on Saturday, I spent (more!) time sorting out the vegetable garden. It really defies belief that the whole world as I know it can deteriorate into a uncontrollable mess in just 12 days!!!! It's kind of like "Lord of the Flies" thing! After a week of hard work, I finally feel like the worst is over and I have started planting some seedlings...


Where we live in South Africa, we have heavy summer rains, which is a bit of a challenge, as eventually everything gets attacked by Powdery Mildew. I use an excellent organic fungicide (Margaret Roberts'), and after just one application, the difference is visible.

Now is the time to plant / sow for your Autumn/Winter crops. I am planting more potatoes, beans, cauliflower, carrots, peas, red onions, baby marrows and some other odds and ends. I am going to experiment with constructing small greenhouse-like covers for my boxes to protect them from the frost (which is severe in winter), so let's see how that goes :)

Yesterday I worked on the footpaths between the bed boxes. At present, there is grass growing between the boxes, and in some places , just soil, which with the constant rain, is just a messy, muddy swamp. I found some pre-made concrete cobbles at a local nursery, which are just perfect for a walkway. I pulled out all the grass, laid down some weed control cloth and put the cobbles on top. I convinced Aliki and Gerry to go and buy some pretty white garden pebbles for me, and scattered some in the spaces that weren't well covered by the cobbles. What is really nice about these cobbles...they are all held together with wire, so you can cut a row free when you need just an extra bit. I am pretty chuffed by this...however, I have only just managed to work on a small section as yet...hopefully the rest will be done by the weekend :)

I finally have a small head of cauliflower. Really, this is a winter crop and I shouldn't have expected much by way of a harvest, but there it is!

There is a also one meagre little purple cauliflower head, more decorative than anything, but I am quite happy to be able to see the colour...it's the first purple cauliflower I have seen :)

Flashy had a bath on Sunday. Initially bath times were a nightmare with him fighting and thrashing, but he has come to really enjoy them now. Of course, the spoiled dog gets a massage and back scratching, so now he stands quite still. I wash him with a lovely organic Tea Tree Shampoo, which also makes him smell nice :)

Have a happy Monday folks!
♥Heidi

21 comments:

Unknown said...

Heidi, that theft is terrible, really awful!!! They should feel ashamed but obviously have no conscience so won't! Do you want us all to leave rude messages on their site - I'm game!!! Glad you're getting to grips with your veg jungle!!! Cobbles look great. On the frost front, try a couple of layers of frost cloth. Each layer increases temp by 2 degrees - we used it on our solar panels last year to stop them freezing and it worked!!!! I sewed three layers together then used sticky backed velcro to attach them to the panels. Could work on your veg plots and cheaper than making cloches! lol xxx

icebear said...

i tried to find your stolen tutorial so i could leave the thief a piece of my mind. i was unable to find it, hopefully it has been removed?

how rude of them to copy your work without proper credit.

San @ Made in Hem said...

At first I thought they might not know of your blog and thought of the same idea, you know I like to see good in people... But they even used YOUR PHOTOS! Wow, don't know what to say about that... Rude is an understatement!
Big hugs to you!!!!

Kate said...

I have left a message supporting you. Some people are very arrogant. The tutorial is still there

Moos said...

I have posted al few words at the blog of the people who are stealing your hard work.
I hope they will get the message.

tute-bot said...

You should definitely contact Blogger. It would be easy for them to see that yours was up first and this goes against the terms of service. I'm pretty sure they'll remove the offending blog.

It sucks that this happened to you but I'm so glad that you found out about it.

French Nanny said...

A bizarre blog - seems to be just bits of information, patterns etc. I guess all of them are someone else's work, but why?

Could it be a way of making money - from the Google ads?

French Nanny said...

Also - would this have been avoided if you had water-marked your pictures with your site address?

Marjo said...

How sad....try to make pictures with your name on it ....I saw it somewhere on a blog ...than copy is a problem ....

Love
Marjo

Baban Cat said...

There are very weird people out there. A friend had her entire blog duplicated by somebody. They even copied the photos of a wedding she went too.
You have great supporters so chin up. You're copied because your work is great!

Heidi said...

Thank you very much to all of you ! I appreciate your kind support very much :) I think I will have to add a copyright name watermark to all my future tutorials...I wonder though if the offenders really care? My husband (who is the very calm, level-headed one in the family) feels that the people who do the copying don't care at all about whether they have acted wrongly, and that I should do what I can to make them aware that I know and want the tutorial taken down, but then should just keep on blogging and not worry about it further...the people who read my blog are the only ones I should pay attention to...he says things have a way of working out...I just have to do what is right and good, the rest will follow :)
Thank you again for your support...you are all wonderful people ! Love and Big Group Hug to all of you!!! ♥♥♥Heidi

French Nanny said...

Heidi
There are some major copyright breaches on this site - books like Nicky Epsteins flowers among others. I suggest you contact the publishers - they will have lots of legal 'clout'...

Scattychick said...

I left a strongly worded comment of my own Heidi how disgusting and how upsetting for you ((hugs))
I haven't managed to get pictures of my hexagon's for you yet but thank you so much as soon as I get a second and remember (4 kids makes an absentminded mum lol) I will do. You are such a generous lady thank you for everything you share with us x

Sue Niven said...

I am sorry this has happened to you, I have left a stongly worded message as i think this thing spoils what blogging is all about. Sharing and caring in the crafting world not stealing. I hope this site gets bombarded and it makes me question the rest of this site. I hope it gets removed and the owner gets the message. Love your veggies by the way!

Helen said...

I'm really sorry to see this happen to you and indeed it appears your hubby is quite right.. its negative energy in trying to understand the mentality of these people...perhaps they're just ignorant!!! Anyway, rest in knowing that you have us all here behind you all the way regardless.. OK!!! :-)

☼ Carolina ☼ said...

nice!
from Chile
c@

K said...

It appears as though the problem is solved. This person has replaced what evidently was your excellent photos with a slide show of her own - which would never be mistaken for yours, and which will not help anyone much. The name of your blog shows up on the first couple of slides. And the comments are all scathing. The point has been made.

We all borrow from one another. One concept begets another. But to lift photographs and words from the intellectual rights holder and stick them on her own as though her had shot the images, come up with the idea and the words to explain (which are very difficult to frame as anyone who has ever tried technical writing will know) is unethical. But then, many countries don't recognize intellectual property rights. Reactions such as the one this woman got will teach them otherwise pretty darn quick.

Heidi said...

Thank you very much to everyone who left kind and supportive comments! I am happy to say that the tutorial has been taken down from the other blog! I am totally convinced that it is because of all the messages left on the other blog by all of you kind and generous folks :) that put pressure on this person to remove the post. Know that I am sending a huge hug and kiss for each of you on the ether...you are all very much appreciated!
♥Heidi

Carol said...

Recently read on Ravelry that Lucy's (Attic24 blog) photos were being used on ebay by someone who was selling CD's of "crochet patterns". Like you say, I guess it is a risk for all who post their original ideas on line. I'd be very upset in your place.
Carol xx

jenatleisure said...

hey Heidi, I just wanted to say I found your tutorial yesterday and have been following it today to help with the ravelry cal for potholders. Without your clear photos and descriptions I would be lost so please dont get disheartened by the little s**** who copied your hard work. Just remember that they are the minority and we all appreciate how long it takes you put together such a comprehensive tutorial. I certainly wouldnt have the patience or the knowledge so on behalf of all us lurkers I thought I would say thank you , jenatleisure

jenatleisure said...

Heidi , your comments have made me realise that I often lurk and read peoples tutorials but I dont often say thanks.. so just to say a big thanks I found your tutorial for african flowers last night and have been following it today to help with my january ravelry cal.
Until I found your pictures I was a bit lost.
The hard work you put in is much appreciated and I am glad that the little s**** who stole your work has been shame faced . Please dont stop your tutorial was really good and if I can get it finished I will post a picture on ravelry and a link to your lovely pattern thanks jenatleisure