thank you, internet
The image is down.
I am a great big puddle of relief and thankfulness. You guys. You are a FORCE to be reckonned with. I didn’t ask you to do anything but you did anyway.
I want to do something to thank you and to mark this turning point in history for me. Make a t-shirt, make a logo, make something that says “Never underestimate the power of the internet” or something. I don’t know yet. I lay awake all night trying to think of some way to say something about this issue. I want to start a movment to protect other photographers and artists and small websites who don’t have an army of commenters like I do.
Stealing isn’t cool and sometimes the internet feels like the wild wild west. But it’s not. It’s an amazing community of friends that I couldn’t pick better if I tried. You guys amaze me. I owe you. Thank you for fighting for me. Thank you from my heart. If you listen you can hear all my little illos jumping up and down and cheering in little mouse voices.
As soon as I figure out some way to give back, I will.
Update: A public apology has been made. It’s getting better.
52 Comments
bluejaye
YEA!!!!!
It’s not like you didn’t have hundreds of witnesses of when you first introduced that illo.
Way to stick in there. I’m glad it was over so soon.
Roz
We owe YOU for not taking this lying down and for doing something about it. This is an important issue!
You rock. And so does your art. And so does BB. And Toby. And…
Bethany Actually
I think whatever design you do should involve some version of your illos jumping up and down and cheering, because that just cracked me right up. SO SO SO glad this is over and that you have been reminded you have many friends ready to go to the mat for you. :-)
Zoot
I’m glad you had a relatively easy resolution although it still pains me that it happened in the first place. It bothered me so much I was talking to my family about it over dinner last night.
I’m often amazed by the outpouring of support the internet can offer bloggers when they need it most. If you can find a way to make a product or an image proclaiming that? Consider me in line for it.
Gramma
Glad Internet has gone to bat for you!
Prisca
You don’t need to thank anyone. You are gift enough to all of us! Just keep doing what you do and don’t let anyone hassle you online.
Heather
I wonder: did the offending site offer an explanation or even an apology? They should have offered to pay you. At any rate, I’m glad they took the illo down. I hope they didn’t sell any merchandise in the time that it was up.
andrea from the fishbowl
It’s good they took it down, but me: I’m still mad and I want a public apology.
Pedro
I’m glad that things worked out as they should have. Too bad you had to go through it, but the response time was at least semi-commendable.
Michelle
UNITED WE STAND, GIRLS! No thanks are necessary, B.P.! Someone else mentioned in their comment that you are a gift to all of us, and I second that. Your gal pals are a force to be reckoned with. I was more than happy to help you out and be supportive :o)
Hugs,
Michelle
laura @ Laura Williams' Musings
Woohoo!!!
BeachMama
No SAJ, thank you for sharing your talent and bringing joy to all of us. I hope it doesn’t shy you away from your computer.
sizzle
you already give back every day just by being you. feel the love!
silver
I’m sure I’m not the only one that emailed their sponsors as well. And they now only have two of the previous three. http://www.mommytrackd.com is no longer listed.
I’m guessing that missing the favicon.ico was an accident, as it’s so small, but maybe someone ought to give them a nudge?
Lin
I think your thank yous are sufficient, Miz B. You have given generously to your readers and their response to your plight was their way of saying thank you for all you have given them (us).
nikkapotamus
I’m so glad you had the guts to stand up to those people! You hear about this often, but not always does it have a happy ending. You should make them donate all the proceeds from the sales of the merchandise to your favorite save the whales/beaches/baby bugs organization or something. Just because that’s what’s right. When I read that post, I was so angry for you. And the merchandise thing just got me going on a rant that you wouldn’t believe! It’s one thing to enjoy something on an individual level and say, “I could make that!” and then make one for yourself to enjoy, but totally another thing to make hundreds of said knock-off and sell it for a profit. (I feel the same way about handbags and other people’s art as well). Totally uncool.
But you! You are super cool for taking them on! Way to go SAJ!
familymclean
big smiles, sending a few upstairs too!
Kami
YAY! So glad it’s down and thank you for being you.
A visit to SAJ is always delightful :-)
DaniGirl
Just delurking to say I’ve been an admirer of your blog and artwork for years and was horrified to read about this happening to you – and am now thrilled to see that they’ve done the right thing and taken the image down. Too little too late, perhaps, but this is a good start. YAY internets!
Angella
Hooray!!
The visual of your little illos jumping up and down made me grin from ear to ear.
So, SO HAPPY this is done. xoxoxo
greenbeanbaby
hey, this is soooo awesome to see such support from the blogging community! and i am so glad they took it down… i worry [and went thru something a tad similar] about people stealing and tried to watermark all my stuff… but i also hope that if others saw my work misused and stolen they would let me know too!!! its nice to have people get your back :) big hug to you and your awesome work! i just discovered your site!
OMSH
I’m just glad it is no longer available on a thong. Blech.
SmocknMama
Thanks, OMSH, now my computer has cherry coke on it.
SAJ, you are love!
Amy
Oh, and just an FYI, when you go to this site http://www.momsbuzz.blogspot.com/ and view their complete profile, when you click ‘contact – My web Page’, it takes you straight to the other site http://www.themomsbuzz.com/ – so they are definitely one and the same.
Kristine
I’ve been rooting for you, and I’m so sorry you had to go through this. Glad they took it down! I’d love to hear the explanation!
Keely
You do so much already…. but I always look forward to what SAJ will do next. I talk about you frequently to my husband, usually with the words “awesome” and “talented”. :)
Laura
I’d like to take credit since minutes after my ‘you are a rotten thief’ message it was down LOL
Roz
Your image is still not off of her blog site…
http://www.momsbuzz.blogspot.com
Jennifer
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that all is well. I love your description of the happy illos, haha. I haven’t commented in a while but I’m still reading daily. I’m over run with kids over here. You’re the bright spot of my day :)
Jenna
That’s great news! (Other than the comment above mine from Roz.)
phyllis
one small step for internet-kind:-) now we need the giant step — i sent them an email demanding a public apology. anyone else? info@themomsbuzz.com
adrienne
No, THANK YOU for all you (already) have given to us. My whole family’s in love with your alphabet series which you generously offer to everyone gratis.
Nicciwill
As the proud, rightful owner of an SAJ original, I must agree with the others who said that you are a gift and a treausure to us! I have the pleasure of talking about you all of the time because EVERYONE who sees my graphic wants one so I can understand the desire of the poor, misguided thief to want to be associated with your talent, but I’d bet money she’ll never mess with a secret agent again ;). You are totally awesome!
aunt kathy
http://www.momsbuzz.blogspot.com/ still has your logo!
mar
Roz is correct, it’s still on http://www.momsbuzz.blogspot.com – yes, that blog hasn’t been updated since February, but it is still there. Time to get after that one too, internet posse!!
Kristine
So glad they took it down. Yay!!
eticket
If Brenner will let me, I can give you a couple of alternative methods to contact mombuzzkill and you can voice your ummmm dissent yeah dissent to a real live person. How cool would THAT be.
Amy
the blogspot blog and the main mom buzz site are obviously the same person. She knows it should come down and I’d be willing to be she’s reading every bit of this, so its not like she doesnt know.
probably still too busy cleaning out her undies to get around to that place yet though.
Amy
and actually it is still on the main site, http://www.themomsbuzz.com/moms_buzz/…in the left sidebar, the sun emblem for her ‘hot picks’, it is in the center of that sunburst.
SAJ, I would still be very interested in how much she may have profited at that cafe press site.
josephine
You guys kill me with your humor and loyalty. I’m happy with what’s done. I think I’ve gotten the best revenge because now her site looks pretty crappy.
Some sick side of me almost wants to make her a graphic because I love giving bad sites makeovers. But I don’t think being nice works with her. It’s too bad too. If she had taken it down right away, apologized… anything like that, I might have worked with her. The artist who did the ripping off herself (someone Adriana hired) actually apologized to me in two emails. I have more respect for the poor theiving artist than I do of this momsbuzz site.
But that’s an ugly side of me and I don’t want to stoop. I’m done with this and so very very happy it’s over.
The Chatty Housewife
I am so glad! What a relief!
Jennifer
Yay! Congratulations!
I knew that the internet would come through for you. Isn’t it amazing what people are willing to do for each other? Even if they only know each other through some cables and a screen? Amazing.
nina
Oh, I am so glad you won this battle SAJ. I always look forward to your posts, the next adventure, the clever illustrations- a real day brightener for me.
Glad you taught them over at The Website That Shall Not Be Named, “No. Not Yours.”
lindsay (aka sassylittlepunkin)
it’s still on their site, SAJ! (i just HAD to go look to see how they handled it.) not well, it seems.
Kuky
Yay! So glad it worked out.
But an artist stole it?!?! That is so low! I have no sympathy for that artist at all or am I missing something? If they are an artist, well they could very dam well have created their own image. What’s their excuse for not creating something on their own? Poor artist? Nope. You’re being kinder than me. Scummy NON artist is more like it. If they couldn’t deliver then they shouldn’t have taken the job. But to take the money and then steal someone else’s work and claim it as your own? What’s their good excuse?? Like I said I have no sympathy for them. They’ve lost all their credibility. Why should anyone hire them ever now? And I don’t care that they apologized twice. She’s still a liar and a thief.
Reading what you wrote I am actually less mad at the mom site now, just a fraction. They didn’t handle it very well. If I were in their shoes I can imagine my confusion if I had paid someone good money for art and was delivered art and then another artist says it’s their art. Who would you believe? I would have apologized, addressed it in a post explaining my side, and say I was trying to contact the artist I purchased it from. I would have immediately removed the images from my files so it would not come up and wait to see what the thieving artist said. But writing an unrelated post and deleting comments trying to hide what was going on made them look guilty.
And not apologizing? I don’t get it! Can’t they see that they’ve mishandled the whole situation? Even if they didn’t steal the artwork it’s only right to apologize. Ok I’ve just gone on and on. Sorry. But this just made me soooo mad.
C
I’m glad things are working out for you! I still don’t understand though why they (the artist or mom buzz) thought it was okay?
missgirlbliss
I’m glad that it’s down. 3 cheers for the power of the Internet… Will you taking down your Alphabet images to? I was hoping (not knowing but hoping it’s not illegal) to use them as flash cards for my unborn child when s/he is old enough to start learning the alphabet.
jane
I’m a little late to the party, but it sounds to me like you may still need some legal help. I know I don’t speak for everyone here, but I bet if you put up a “SAJ needs a lawyer!” button that linked to your PayPal account, a lot of us would be more than happy to donate.
Think about it…
shy Victoria
*hugs*
a grrl with a blog
I’m so happy everything worked out. It does take time to get everything off the internet, but I’m sure it will all be gone eventually.
Keep up the amazing work!