Someone Copied BloesemKids ....nonononooooooo

Dear All:
 
I am sorry to start the week on a slightly negative note… copycats are always on the prowl it seems… and I have recently learned about one that really makes my skin crawl…I normally tend to shrug my shoulders about these silly attempts from misguided people that abuse the hard work and intellectual property of others…but now I am actually very upset…
 
Anke of the Netherlands is trying to start an on-line shop called “Bloesem Kids”… leaving not much to the imagination… to make things worse… she also did not bother to come up with an original design…
 
Anke decided it would be best to browse through the various Bloesem Kids designs that entered the BKids design contest last year… and seemed to have simply cherry picked from the various entries and applied a few tweaks… and ‘voila’… or perhaps I should say she ‘found inspiration’…(just discovered that she took off the banner)
  

The confusion started when a friend of mine discovered this twitter name: bloesemkidsnl and asked me whether this name was part of my twittername: bloesemkids : No of course not... I can't tell you how amazed, shocked and unhappily surprised I was... why why why would anyone do this??

Anke: you’re right… many things on the internet are for free and available to all of us to enjoy and marvel at the beautiful work of so many talented artists… but it seems you do not have the faintest idea what our blogging community is about… it all starts with respect for the hard work all of us put into our blogs, on-line stores and designs, seven days a week, 24 hours a day, for many years… we support each other in new ventures, share ideas and have built a great and strong network around the world of crafters, readers, on-line shop owners, sponsors and bloggers…. we collaborate and inspire each other… and we certainly don’t rip off each other’s ideas and designs…  I trust you do the right thing and change the name and design of your blog… and now I’ve said my piece: …otherwise I wish you all the best in your endeavors… I know from experience how hard it is to start your own business…

..tweets from the REAL Bloesem Kids..
 

Comments

[raku]

Just wanted to add my support. Its sad and sickening that the world is full of thieves and people with no morals. Plus, if she can't come up with her own name and website design how does she expect to continue her business?

[Rosalind]

:-( I just found a copy of an original design of mine this week and it made me so cranky! I felt sadder that it was a fellow mumpreneur, it certainly has left a sour taste.

[Lia]

ouchhh and yux :(

[ti]

Oh, i am so sorry for you. I can only imagine what you must been feeling. i get so upset hearing about "stealing" stories like this!

[Bambola]

YOU ARE THE ONLY ONEEE!! the original and the best!!!

[Suz]

OH!!!!!! sad, very sad!!!!
unfortunately this is a situation that happens every day, sadly this people don´t understand that creative is not free, that we work hardly behind and more of us, eat and go ahead in the life with our cerative work.
They don´t have respect not education.
Keep on rocking Irene! all my best for you and for bloesem.

[Sasha "sweet thang" Holloway]

Sorry this happened to you WOW.

[Vicky]

That's awful! Some people just can't seem to differentiate between using someone elses ideas for inspiration, and just plain copying it. Sad really.
Don't let it ruin your weekend, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! (Although I bet you were hopping mad at the time!)

[Nauli]

How awful is that! This is what we all fear, I'm sure. So good, that you know about it from the early stadium, because your blog is wellknown and has a huge audience.
Wish you all the best!

[Libelul]

Looks like she did the right thing after all.

Great news for you, life is back to normal one and only Bloesem Kids ;)

Have a nice evening.

Jane from paris

[arounna khounnoraj]

this is terrible news Irene.
it's really hard when someone copies. I know how you feel - last fall I experienced an awful negative person who was copying and it's hard to not feel hurt and angry.

you have all my support
xx

[bronwyn]

Oh no! That's just awful. I hope she does the right thing.

[Maria]

Hi Irene,
I know you have already plenty of supportive comments but your work and style can't be copied if they try hard. Copirighting seems an excellent recommendation. Thanks for your blog, you are an inspiration to me.

[giddy teri]

absolutely horrible!
however, no one can duplicate what you've done!

Recently there's been much on the internet about copycats. It seems that quite a few people think its okay to simply copy something they've seen on the internet. As if its a catalog of ideas free for the taking. i myself have recently written about my experience with equally horrifying knock offs of my ideas, aesthetic, business model and very very specific copyrighted designs.
if you care to read, the link is:

http://blog.giddygiddy.com/giddygiddy/2010/04/giddy-giddy-knock-off.html

Irene, I am so glad you decided to write about it. It needs to be discussed and you are doing many many people a huge favor by bringing this up in your blog that obviously reaches many people in many countries. There are many of us who do not quite have the reach that you have and for that, I'm grateful that you are bringing it up.

Thanks so much Irene.
xo Teri @ giddygiddy

[Mandi]

Wow, I am in shock, that's just so awful. I think it's great to share in such an open forum as I agree, this is just not on and not at all what the blogging community is about.

[INK+WIT]

this stuff makes me sick. I have had it happen to me too - a few times

Inspiration, fine, but at least come up with something on your own

[A Merry Mishap]

That's terrible!
Irene, you handled that with as much tact and grace as I can imagine and I love your blogs and your professionalism. Keep it up!!

[Linda]

Hi Irene,
I don't know what people think but I just experienced something very similar...I have been told one should regard it as a compliment....but that's hard. Maybe you should think of making bloesemkids a registered trademark...
love
Linda

[Holly]

Such a shame the way people feel free to pirate other people's work and ideas and then behave as if they are entitled to it...I am sorry to hear this is happening. Had a good friend go through such a debacle this past year and it was so much heartache for her and her business which she uses to support her family...there must be some karmic justice coming this woman's way...

[corrie]

oh no! don't people get it, you can't go around knocking off other people's business names, ideas and pass it off as your own. Well derrrr.

that would annoy me soooo much and I'm so glad you've mentioned it. A lot of people don't!

Corrie:)

[beck]

Hey Irene!
What a shame to read this today..
I admire your approach to this situation..
I know this is no consolation but if it helps I visit bloesem kids for a little piece of you and what you have share with us all over the years...no other bloesem kids will ever be you...
xx beck (papier mache...)

[anabel]

Oh No! I am so sorry that this is happening to you and you wonderful website. Hope it resolves soon :-)

[Julie]

Inderdaad erg suf..blijkbaar is ze zich rot geschrokken nu :-)

[Flora]

Well I have just seen her online shop and don't think many people will be fooled, it doesn't look good neither professional at all. Very far away from your work, Irene :) Have a lovely week!

[Julie]

I'm sorry that Anke made such a choice. Integrity is hard to recapture once lost.

[ef]

that happened to us too, but after writing a nice letter in private, they changed their site somewhat. good luck!

[maike]

het logo is al weg, nu de rest nog :-)

[Melissa de la Fuente]

Oh, I am so sorry to hear this Irene! I never understand how folks do things like this & don't understand that it is wrong. Your open letter was very nice and understanding. I hope it is resolved soon so, you can rest easy. All the best!
xo
Melissa

[Tilda B. Hervé]

unbelievable! miss anke has really no respect!! please go ahead dear irene, i think the difference between the real bloesemkids to the fake one is visible anyway!

[Kirby]

I hate to see this happen. It happens to our company too and is always so infuriating. Good for you for saying something!

[Deb]

Such a shame, and it happens all the time...

[Anneke]

Goh wat genant zeg. Ik hoop voor Anke dat ze vanaf nu haar eigen creativiteit vind. Voorlopig geef ik bloesemkidsnl een 1 en bkids een dikke 10. Laat je niet uit het veld slaan!

[Jaimie]

I'm so sorry this happened to you. You have such great blogs. I truly don't understand how people can do this and think they can get away with it without anyone figuring it out. It's so bizarre.

[anna]

There are numerous blogs dedicated to children's design etc. I don't see how you're providing anything unique to the genre.

[Style MILK]

I had something similar happen to Style MILK! I just really feel for you
Take care sending u an email
x

[cate]

ewwww. i am so horrified seeing these things, irene. two of my favorite bloggers have stopped blogging altogether because of this very thing.

please, anke and other reprobates, get a creative life!

[clealala]

that is not showing any respect for your work and dedication.

Love your blog. Hang in there. xxx from Melbourne

[mel]

i'm so sorry. this is the second story i've read of this happening over the weekend. i hope she realizes how wrong what she is doing is, and takes it down. i love your blog and am inspired each time i visit! :)

[Makeminemid-century]

That's pretty ordinary.

[Emma]

Don'tbe to upset, it happens to all the creative and good design.

I hope you will solve that problem...

[Stine]

What was she thinking?! Obviously not thinking at all. This is creepy.

[fanja]

unbelievable how people can be so stupid and disrespectful. i have seen it so many times, it makes me angry. hope this gets sorted soon, have a nice week Irene!

[Petra]

He Irene,

Sending you lots of positiv energy. I love your blogs and it upsets me that someone just runs of with your name and your ideas... strange.
Wishing you all the best and keep on blogging cos the sun shines just a little brighter then!

Liefs uit Friesland

[Hiskia]

het was ook wel teveel gekopieer om toevallig te zijn...eerder gênant. goed dat je actie hebt ondernomen!

[Marjon]

Hueeeeeeeeeeel vervelend!!! Gelukkig is haar site design ook niet echt om blij van de worden en duidelijk niet jouw Bloesem. Hoop dat ze snel haar roer omgooit! Dit slaat nergens op!

[maike]

he, wat naar zeg, zelfs ik krijg er een naar gevoel bij. Fijn dat Coretty zo oplettend is geweest. (Leuke shop heeft ze he? mooie mama voor een keertje BKids lijkt me....)

[Natalie]

Sorry to read this Irene - the Bloesem Kids blog is such a wonderful read and obviously a lot of hard work and research goes into each and every post. I hope this issue will get sorted out soon!

[corinne delis]

Meid wat goed dat je erachter bent gekomen. Vreselijk dat er mensen zijn die denken dat ze dit zomaar kunnen doen. Ik hoop dat Anke haar fout inziet en haar idee/zaal een eigen gezicht en naar gaat geven ipv jouw ideeën te stelen(zeg het maar zoals het is).

[pilli pilli]

That's just...UGLY.
Not to mention very, very silly.

You have done well to write this very composed and rational post, letting people know, providing a link even to anke's site.
Get it out there,... and know that copycats can try (which in the end clearly indicates that your concept WORKS) - but trying is all they can do.
Only you can be best at being you. That's how it works.

Best wishes,
to the REAL bloesem kids!
pilli pilli

[Tuulikki Titine]

Belachelijk! What do persons like Anke think? A free ride? Better think twice. Anke must not be aware of the power of the blog community and the popularity of you Irene as the driving force behind Bloesem and Bloesem Kids. Anke should not only be changing design and name but stay away from the internet all together. Kop op Irene,er kan er maar een de allerbeste zijn en dat ben jij!

[tali]

That is one part ridiculous, two parts disgraceful, and 3 parts stupid.
A recipe for success? I think not!

[veronica]

BOOOOHHH! Anke, this is so unfair, unrespectful, and stupid, I must say.
I hope she (Anke) will take back all of "your" parts, Irene. Good you found out!
Best wishes for the REAL BloesemKids!!!
Sunny wishes from Munich, Germany!