You Look Nice Today

This is a sign created by a US artist called Tori LaConsay in and for her local neighbourhood. The reason I know about it is because I was sent an email from another blogger who wanted to get the word out about what happened to this artist. So, this last week I have been following this drama with dismay and interest.

The original sign beside H&M's copied goods

It happens that the major store H&M designed several items almost identical ( I would say identical) to her design and claimed the design as their own. Then branded a doormat and towel set with the design.

Tori LaConsay contacted H&M directly. Their response?

"We employ an independant team over over 100 designers. We can assure you that this design has not been influenced by your work and that no copyright has been infringed"

So then ordinary people began contacting H&M with their concerns.

Word quickly spread and in response to literally over a thousand comments, H&M responded as below:

"..we have merely been inspired.."

As it stands now, I have heard no more updates concerning how H&M will be compensating Tori LaConsay, hopefully there will be further progress on this during the next week or so.

For the record, these shots have been provided to me - I didnt go out and source them. I did, however, visit H&M's Facebook page to verify the above was actually occuring...and yes it is all unfortunatly too true.

What has been really interesting to me, is the flagrant abuse of someone's copyright. Do people understand what copyright means? How could a designer for a major brand like H&M think it was possible to get away with this? How many other designs are stolen...and get onto the maket without recognition to the real artists work?

Unfortunately, if thousands of people had not left comments on H&M's Facebook this would never have been (on it's way to being) rectified. I say unfortunately because it's a real problem when it takes this kind of effort to have existing Copyright laws observed. It shouldnt be like this.

Are we living in a culture where other people's work is simply up for grabs? A few tweaks (or not, as the case may be!) and it's a 'new' piece?

As fellow bloggers, I'd love to know what you think?

WOW: Waiting for the Postman

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

Today my favourite washing machine broke down. 1 month out of warranty! I sometimes wonder if machines these days are programmed to self destruct as soon as the warranty runs out.

I am still waiting on the postman and my parcel. I was in two minds about posting my last post, but I am glad I did, as I now know another Melbourne Quilter (thanks SoozeM!) received her package which was sent out a week before mine...(Nov 21 2011) just last week. So I have hope it may just arrive...soon.

In the meantime, I am considering other colour options and ideas because I feel like I have to be prepared either way.

 It's been very hot here, 35c yesterday and already climbing today. The chillis are loving it  and when it cools down tonight I will be picking these for my DH!  

PS.

I visit each and every linky posted here - if you dont see a comment from me it's because I was unable to comment. I have been having trouble with Blogger again regarding posting comments. Reading blogs, I hear that this is happening quite a bit at the moment. Please dont feel neglected!

Mystery BOM Colour Scheme...hiccup

This is a picture of an Australia Post Van. It plays a somewhat important role in my day to day routine. Especially lately. You see, I've been looking out the window for it... spending the morning wondering about it....reaching the afternoon realising it wont be coming (again) and just generally being on the look out.

Why?

Because on the 27th of November 2011, Hanock's of Paducah sent a rather exciting parcel my way - a package full of new fabric purchased especially for the new Mystery BOM 2012. The fabric had to be new, it had to be special and it had to be available for any BOM Quilter who might happen to want to buy the same fabric range as I used.

So what's going on? It's not here yet! Yes I've made all the right calls and done all the right things and Australia Post is as unreliable and tardy as ever. I am not surprised that they have managed to not deliver my parcel. I've been informed that they are hearing this alot from Australian buyers. Interestingly, a parcel was sent out on Jan 04 2012 and arrived just fine this week. But it was only batting.

So now I have a dilemma. Do I wait? how much longer can I wait? The pattern is finished, the tester is done (and yes, it's beautiful), now I'm ready to jump in with the New Mystery BOM...which I love and which I happen to feel needs exactly the fabric I purchased. I am feeling like I will have to now buy another range...but have not been able to face that thought... until today. Now I am pressed with a deadline and a fabric crossroads.

For those of you who will be taking part in the Mystery BOM starting FEB 15th, I will be showing my full chosen pallette along with what fabric combinations will be paired together so that you can make a choice regarding your own selection of fabric for this BOM.

The only question now is, will it be my original colour scheme

or a whole new one

?

WOW: Pinning when I should be Wipping

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

This year I have decided to really enjoy the Mystery Bom and this means running it longer that 6 months (which can be intense when applique is involved) and it also means I get time to finish some long outstanding WIPs and bits and pieces. It just feels like it's time to get a lot of my projects done.  A great plan for a great quilting year.

So, what’s the problem? Pinterest.

When I should be Wipping, I am instead spending hours Pinning.

Pinterest is not new, but when it was new I decided to avoid it as I feared I would end up a seriously dedicated pinner. And now it’s all too late. I pin every day.

I have concerns about Pinterest, on the one hand it feels instinctively rude to pin someone else’s work onto your own board, just because you feel like it.

And I worry that it encourages theft of original ideas and encourages an attitude of borrowing other people’s talent on a whim.

On the other hand, it’s interesting and a great way to come across useful things. And as each image links back to the original source, it increases traffic to it's original source. At least I think that's the idea. Whether or not it's just being used as grab visuals for new ideas... I dont know. I do still feel mixed about it, I must confess.

I am quite fond of these fancy cakes ...and never get tired of doors either. All these pins are on my Pinterest boards if you would like to pin or source their origin.

For me at the moment, it's far too hot to get any serious Wipping done, so it's been a nice distraction. What about you?

Do You Pin?

NEW Mystery BOM 2012

Feb 15th 2012 is the start of a FREE New Mystery Bom

What will it look like?

Where are we headed?

Here's what I can tell you:

It's an applique quilt

It's a floral quilt

It's a wall quilt

No 2 quilts will be alike....

Stay tuned...

Peaceful Pathways Last Block!

Part 6 is launched!

Today we arrive at the end

of our BOM Peaceful Pathways

with this final installment, Part 6.

Looking at it now, yes I love it as much as I did when I first designed it. It’s the perfect bed quilt…and as for red and white, well who could tire of having another classic red quilt in the house?

I’m really looking forward to seeing these quilts in the Yahoo Group as they get finished and quilted. As for me, well I’ve been clean short of time and haven’t managed to quilt it yet. That’s next on the list.

How is your Peaceful Pathways Quilt coming along?

Where can I find it? All my BOMs, patterns and blocks are available via my website and Yahoo BOM Group only.

WOW: My Travelling WIP

WOW = WIPs On Wednesday

My Travel WIP

This is one of those projects that I don't intend to finish any time soon.

It's so satisfying, time consuming and travel sized that I like knowing it's there. I love looking forward to getting some more of it done...without wanting to finish it any time soon. It's a long term WIP.

I will be a little disappointed when I finally do finish...because then I'll have to find another one of these special on-going projects.

I won this fabulous little hex stamp from the talented and lovely Bobbie Ashley (1 year ago? 2 years ago??) and I stamp my fabric leftovers and then hand sew them into these flower blocks above, I really enjoy it and it's slightly addictive. I think that I will make the quilt double sided so I will probably be finished in 10 years or so at my current rate. There's something just so wonderful about hex's!

This is my no sewing -travel sewing kit below: I have a lap table, my sketch book, some quilting magazines and an old makeup purse. My whole hex kit fits neatly in there along with thread, scissors and sewing needle and stamp. Easy and so portable! I can whip it out anywhere.

Blogger, I'm Home!

How did it get to be Monday the 9^th of January 2012 already?

It feels like the year has started with a leaping run and I am only just deciding to get out of bed! I have had a kind of post festive season slump these last two weeks. It’s been so hectic and then so suddenly over …(and then we had the flu in our house in the middle of a heat wave. Exhausting!).

Oh 2012, it’s going to be a good year full of exciting projects. Now I just have to get a move on with my Quilty To Do List. And get busy. And stick to a daily schedule.

So no more of this:

which I really enjoyed over Christmas, which is unusual for me as I rarely drink

and there'll be much less of this 

as my DDs have lost their festive 'motivation' to do all the cooking (sigh)

and no more indulging in those by the dozen...

and there'll be no more birthday morning teas like this...

or relaxing on the beach like this.

Phew! December - January in our house is really busy.

Just last night my DH and I returned home from a short break by the sea. We celebrated our 37^th Wedding Anniversary.

We went to Apollo Bay like we do every year. There are nicer places along the Great Ocean Road, but we are always drawn to Appollo Bay – I think it’s because of the visual impact of mountains and sea.

Every year we have our favorite spot, but because we were in Europe in October, we didn’t book it in time. So, we booked an unfamiliar hotel opposite the beach. We went for the ‘deluxe spa suite’ in a 4 star rating in the only free vacancy left in the area…which turned out to be somewhat less deluxe than we were expecting.

The bathroom was rather more 'run down suburban' than deluxe, with a child sized spa (I didn’t know they made them this small), grotty bathmats and DIY look renovation details and a hard, hard bed!

Look at this disgusting bathmat!! I couldn't believe it!

I was tempted to put it in the bin but worried that they would charge me for another one....

so I left it alone.

Instead of being on the 1^st or 2^nd floor as advised when booking, our ‘private balcony’ overlooked a lovely stretch of main road which was frequently visited by traffic and deliveries.

Maybe I'm just too fussy?? But I thought star ratings meant something?

Don't get me wrong, it wasn’t all bad news. Luckily the sea (directly opposite our room) was 100 metres away and it was so nice to be able to go back and forth and this made up for our lackluster accommodation.

I miss gazing on this already

and how, (after the festive season of indulgence),

am I going to get used to cooking healthy meals again??

Look at this beautiful dish served straight in the frying pan in a lovely restaurant- delicious.

Most days we were dressed for breakfast, then dressed for the beach, then changed at lunch and then dressed again for dinner -holiday outfit changes can be so time consuming and tiring.

Other than that, our other daily routine was waiting for the cafes to open at 8am each morning so that we could enjoy our first morning coffee. You see, I have spoilt my DH and he is accustomed to having his short black at 6am. So like clockwork, he was awake for his coffee. Now, I have been known for taking our coffee machine with us on holidays - but my DH declared that I shouldn't and couldn't as were 'on on a break' and would go to cafes.

And I made sure to remind him of this each morning as we waited for opening time.

On our last night, we couldn't be bothered getting dressed for dinner. So still in our beach attire, we went down to the local shops, and what the heck- we had a casual 'private balcony' meal of fried fish and chips wrapped in butchers paper. With streaming traffic for entertainment.

Eating off paper always feels like a holiday to me!

Well, the holiday is over and 2012 has begun!

No more eating out for all meals. It's high time to remedy some of my festive season excess with a diet I think. And then there's the shopping to do, and the dinner to cook and my WIPs to pull out. 

See you tomorrow! Hope you're all back to routine!