Our snowblower is broken again. Two weekends ago it was broken. It took a week for the parts to get here. During that week we had beautiful weather. Actually got to see the sunshine and blue skies. Not one flake of snow fell. On last Saturday morning Sweet Hubby installed the new parts. Literally immediately after he finished it started snowing like crazy. By Sunday morning we had 6 inches of new snow. He dutifully blew it all out of the places we don't want snow. Then the snowblower broke. It hasn't dropped a flake since.
The parts have been ordered. We were told they'd be here Friday. So, we've had sunshine and blue skies all week, and some really really subarctic temperatures. The kind of cold that makes the snow squeak when you walk on it. The kind of cold where you can't get warm even with two major-heat generating Italian Greyhounds under the blankets with you. The kind of cold that makes my car start reluctantly (I have a Toyota Prius, which is a hybrid). The kind of cold that makes everyone dress so they look like colorful Pillsbury Dough boys. The kind of cold that causes ice on the inside of your double paned argon gas windows. Sheesh! Not even my menopausal hot flashes are keeping me warm!
Yesterday we were informed some of the parts are on back order. No estimate when they'll be in. The weatherman says it's gonna start snowing on Saturday. Sigh........
Second bad news item. I found out someone stole the House of Needlecraft logo, of which I own all copyrights lock stock and barrel.
On Monday morning I was browsing the forums on Ravelry when I spotted something shocking. Someone was using my logo for her Ravatar (avatar on Ravelry). I immediately emailed her. She was very nice about it. She told me she found the graphic on someone's blog and gave me the url for it. I visited the blog and discovered that person was using it as a graphic on t-shirts she was selling in a Cafe Press shop. I emailed her.
She got back to me right away. She was most apologetic and explained she'd obtained the graphic from an online clipart service and she was told it was copyright free. She also removed the graphic from her blog and discontinued the shirts. I am very grateful to her. She was so incredibly nice about the whole thing.
Next, I checked out the clipart service. Sure enough, there it is, in their collection of knitting clip art. I've emailed them. At this point I have not heard back from them. The interesting thing is that in all the places I've found my logo so far, it's strangely just a tad blurry. I know why too.
When we were setting up the web site for my shop back in 1999 I took a very sharp large color version of the logo, reduced it to two colors, then shrunk it's size. This caused it to blur a little bit. We used that blurred version on the web site from 1999 until we shut it down at the end of 2001. Every single blurring pixel of that graphic matches the one on the clipart service exactly-like a fingerprint. Obviously, someone liked it so much they stole a copy and probably sold it to the online clipart service.
The scope of this problem has become overwhelming. There is no telling how many people have downloaded my logo from the clipart service and used it. I've found it on blog entries from as far back as 4 years ago. How is it that I never came across it before this? The size of the internet is enormous. I'm just now realizing how enormous! There is no way I'm gonna be able to track it all down.
The fact a clipart service has it and is benefiting from it financially is rankling me to no end. But is it really worth it to go after them? Do I want to hire lawyers and whatnot? Do I want to spend a lot of time and money dealing with this problem? I'm not using the logo right now. I probably won't use it ever again, but at the same time it's MY logo. I paid for that logo, and though I didn't pay a lot for it, it still belongs to me! I might find a use for it somewhere down the line.
So what do I do??? Double sigh...
On the good news front:
I've turned the heel on the second ILG sock and I'm buzzing down the gusset. I am really enjoying the knitting of this sock too.
Good news 2--I got to use my paint ball gun on Miss Molly Moose. She was out back a couple nights ago--standing too close to the satellite dishes for my taste. We'll see if she returns.
Now, some finished items.
I've joined another bead weaving swap. The theme for this one is purple. We can make up to 5 jewelry items (necklace, bracelet, earrings) for the swap. They all have to be at least mostly purple. I have until the end of February to get them done. I've finished my first two items, both necklaces.
This first one is the Coiling Minerva Spiral from Minerva Spirals, a new book I got. I think I've mentioned it on this blog before. (I ordered it last November from the publisher over in England). I used size 11 beads in 3 colors: dark transparent purple, transparent medium red violet, and silver lined clear.
I really really really am enjoying this book. It's very well written and provides dozens and dozens of variations on the basic Minerva spiral.The second necklace I call The 84 Cent Focal Bead Necklace
I bought that great big although ugly, still, it's purple, focal bead for 84 cents, then determined to beautify it. I think I've succeeded.
The spiral part is tubular spiral herringbone stitch flattened out to make a ribbon. I used size 11 cream seeds, size 11 silver lined amethyst seeds, and size 10 brown hex beads for that part. The rest is assorted sizes and shapes of brown, amber, and purple beads along with some cream fresh water pearls. I am going to have a hard time sending this baby in to the swap cos I'm really loving it.
Have a great day.
ETA 3pm: Just heard from the clipart service. They're going to investigate.
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