holy doo dad derby! i thought we all decided we weren't going to do this drama into double digit days! i think the only way to achieve the desired deadline for dropping this discussion is to dispense the maybe half dozen definite facts down here. i had hoped it wouldn't be left to me to do but here goes:
• the most recent art with the candies has not been put into the store yet so it cannot be judged for likeness to the one in the store
• the current responders can't compare the two designer's art because the other art in question was removed when the brouhaha was at it's peak but will return shortly.
• the current responders won't be able to compare when it returns as i have been told the samples will be re-done.
• they could not have seen that the pieces from the other designer's various sets, that when placed on top of mine (created long before her's), are somehow almost exactly alike - because if they had they would understand this is about more than 'three candies' as mentioned by one, but that this has been an ongoing concern by not only me. other designers from this store have also had the same concern but have been afraid to bring it up.....i wonder why......or if they did once and were told it wasn't an issue for the store owners, they never tried to address it again.
• they did not know that when i was advised of these similarities by customers at the beginning of the year, i purchased the art to see for myself and then got the opinion of three professionals before making my inquiries to the store.
• the store didn't see this as a problem, even in light of carefully gathered information, though they did give me their consideration. it became more clear to them because of the customer driven brouhaha - that started when i wasn't even around. me blogging it was my way of answering the (now over 300) inquiries i was receiving in support of something i didn't know was happening.
• without the store's support and encouragement, i could not contact the designer privately - talk about brouhaha if that had happened!
• i have asked that my oh so completely all mine primitive photography be removed from the oh so crowded store shelves as i would hate for anyone see it and think it was inspired by the other artist. if removed, i will be giving it out for free to whoever i think can appreciate the originality and hard work that it took to create it. but i will leave the decision up to the store owners. i have told them to do whatever will make this new blip calm down for everyone involve, even if their decision is to remove all of my items.
• if i knew that the store encouraged competition for sales in this way, i would not have chosen them to represent my art. this store says it does not want this to occur and therefore should change their policy to reflect the merchandise allowed so that prospective artists know before hand or approve the previews before they are released - which is, after this customer driven brouhaha, what they are going to do. it is a learning experience for all involved.
those are the honest facts and no one should decide to dole out a description of the duplicatin doo dad dilemma without them. and if you have 'em and still prefer the other designer or decide to desert digital doo dads altogether or deem it all just too much drama to deal with, do it. but don't be damning other deciders who had this information before they doled out their decision.
and to all those who have stood by me loudly or silently or bloggedly - i thank you for doing so and i think the best thing to do now is let these others and the designer have their time in the spotlight to rip me apart however they choose where ever they choose because we know how this came about and we are also a class act and sticks and stones and all that......
in the end, if you do not approve of my feelings or my sharing of them, don't come back and visit my blog where i have enjoyed sharing my thoughts with my customers and my friends. you now know you don't approve of how i see things so i do not want you here. do not return only to have something to take away to cause trouble with at another location. if you want to cause trouble concerning what is said here, do it here. i didn't start this debacle. but i will gladly take the blame if everyone will stop attacking people. while mistakes HAVE been made - but still go unaccounted for by those who made them - there are no bad people involved in the situation to attack.
p.s. i had no idea there was a scanner available that could scan items and the outcome would be the same as what it takes me days to do! i hope that responder will share the name soon! i can't wait to get in my mercedes - oops - forgot that was found offensive...i can't wait to send a member of my household staff to go pick one up for me (hope that's better!).
