Here are the links to the important DaWanda pages you should read;
Main Frequently Asked Questions
Buying Information
Selling Information
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Introducing... On a Whimsey!
1. DaWanda Shop Name: On A Whimsey
2. DaWanda Shop URL: http://en.dawanda.com/shop/OnaWhimsey
3. When did you open your shop? 21 June 2008
4. Are you in the DaWanda Shop Directory here? pending.
5. What Category are you under? pending under art.
6. What do you sell? Encaustic paintings to suit every taste and budget!
7. Describe 2 of your current products. ACEOs (Art Cards, Editions and Originals as well as paintings in every size up to A3 size (roughly 16" x 12" or 41 cms x 31 cms)
8. Tell me a bit about you... Encaustic Art! Well, until a few months ago I had never heard of it and certainly did not have any idea what it could be! Was it something to do with burning? I guess you are getting warm..... this medium dates back to Egyptian, Greek and Roman times when wax used to be burned into wood to create images of religious icons etc. Nowadays, with technology, the art has become so much simpler and fun to do! All you need are some pigmented wax blocks and a basic smooth bottomed iron set at a cool temperature along with some encaustic, specially prepared card. Now you melt the wax and manipulate it with the hot iron! You can also use other tools like a stylus with different points for finer work, a hairdryer to blow the wax or just plain old tissue or a toothbrush to effects. Its up to you! What is so exciting about this medium is that once you start... you never know where you are going to end up! You can check my blog for more information on this wonderful art.
Obviously, I try to give my paintings to family and friends but there has to come a point when they have had enough! So, that's where somewhere like Dwanda comes in. I listed a few paintings, a variety to show what I can do. In addition I sell my paintings on Etsy too.
And, so, my work space is divided between fabric and wax! I love to quilt and crochet too. However, due to lack of space I have to decide which I am going to do that day because although you can transfer a wax image onto fabric you don't really want splodges of wax on baby items!!
So, there you have me a very small nutshell! I so look forward to meeting many more people on Dwanda and hope to share my love of encaustics with you all.
9. Do you have a website, or blog? http://onawhimsey.wordpress.com/
2. DaWanda Shop URL: http://en.dawanda.com/shop/OnaWhimsey
3. When did you open your shop? 21 June 2008
4. Are you in the DaWanda Shop Directory here? pending.
5. What Category are you under? pending under art.
6. What do you sell? Encaustic paintings to suit every taste and budget!
7. Describe 2 of your current products. ACEOs (Art Cards, Editions and Originals as well as paintings in every size up to A3 size (roughly 16" x 12" or 41 cms x 31 cms)
8. Tell me a bit about you... Encaustic Art! Well, until a few months ago I had never heard of it and certainly did not have any idea what it could be! Was it something to do with burning? I guess you are getting warm..... this medium dates back to Egyptian, Greek and Roman times when wax used to be burned into wood to create images of religious icons etc. Nowadays, with technology, the art has become so much simpler and fun to do! All you need are some pigmented wax blocks and a basic smooth bottomed iron set at a cool temperature along with some encaustic, specially prepared card. Now you melt the wax and manipulate it with the hot iron! You can also use other tools like a stylus with different points for finer work, a hairdryer to blow the wax or just plain old tissue or a toothbrush to effects. Its up to you! What is so exciting about this medium is that once you start... you never know where you are going to end up! You can check my blog for more information on this wonderful art.
Obviously, I try to give my paintings to family and friends but there has to come a point when they have had enough! So, that's where somewhere like Dwanda comes in. I listed a few paintings, a variety to show what I can do. In addition I sell my paintings on Etsy too.
And, so, my work space is divided between fabric and wax! I love to quilt and crochet too. However, due to lack of space I have to decide which I am going to do that day because although you can transfer a wax image onto fabric you don't really want splodges of wax on baby items!!
So, there you have me a very small nutshell! I so look forward to meeting many more people on Dwanda and hope to share my love of encaustics with you all.
9. Do you have a website, or blog? http://onawhimsey.wordpress.com/
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
April Blog Carnival – Spring is in the Air/Easter
This month’s carnival is entitled ‘Spring is in the Air/Easter’, so I am looking for entries inspired by this theme. Entries could include;
Spring additions to your shop
Your latest collection on DaWanda
Your favourite finds this month on DaWanda
Up and coming Craft Fairs this month
Your personal craft work this month
Your favourite Easter Egg recipe
Easter Hunt Pinboards
Of course there are many more possibilities… so I will leave it up to your imagination!
So how do you enter your article? Well it’s simple… post your article on your blog and follow the instructions here http://dawandashopdirectory.blogspot.com/2007/11/blog-carnivals.html. Remember your entry doesn’t have to be the longest article and photos always help!
The deadline for your entry is 15th April 2007. All accepted entries will be published on or around the 17th of April.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Introducing... Sara's Texture Crafts!
1. DaWanda Shop Name: Sara’s Texture Crafts
2. DaWanda Shop URL: http://en.dawanda.com/shop/sarastexturecrafts
3. When did you open your shop? 16th May 2007
4. Are you in the DaWanda Shop Directory here? Yes
5. What Category are you under? Boutique
6. What do you sell? I sell jewellery, bags and accessories inspired by texture, as well as greeting cards.
7. Describe 2 of your current products.
a. Antique Lace Earrings – these are embellished with delicate beads to give a slight vintage feel.
2. DaWanda Shop URL: http://en.dawanda.com/shop/sarastexturecrafts
3. When did you open your shop? 16th May 2007
4. Are you in the DaWanda Shop Directory here? Yes
5. What Category are you under? Boutique
6. What do you sell? I sell jewellery, bags and accessories inspired by texture, as well as greeting cards.
7. Describe 2 of your current products.
a. Antique Lace Earrings – these are embellished with delicate beads to give a slight vintage feel.
b. Antique Princess Clutch Bag –embellished with lace and beads to match the earrings this piece is my first bag on DaWanda.
8. Tell me a bit about you...
I am from London in the UK and I have always created bits of my own jewellery and accessories, often involving textiles somewhere along the line. More serious efforts though, came much later when I got my first fashion design job, as part of my responsibility was to help with the design of the jewellery, bags and accessory range. Now that I have moved into freelance work I have had more time to explore my love of texture more and work on my own collection, which I am beginning to sell through Etsy and DaWanda.
9. Do you have a website, or blog? Yes, a website at http://www.sarastexturecrafts.fusiveweb.co.uk/ and a blogzine at Crafts of Texture
DaWanda Promo Bag - Update
The lovely
TriUne has agreed to put together bags for French shows - Thank you Triune!
So just to remind you of what we are looking for from Sellers:
-----------------------------------------------------
What we need are your:
TriUne has agreed to put together bags for French shows - Thank you Triune!
So just to remind you of what we are looking for from Sellers:
-----------------------------------------------------
What we need are your:
- Business cards
- Small promotional samples – no breakables
- Give aways – no breakables
Each item you send should be clearly labelled with your DaWanda shop and all items should fit into a small bag approximately 15cm deep and 10cm wide.
Here is an idea of a small bag I got from Etsy, just in case you are thinking about making promotional samples. want-to-find-something-new-on-etsy
Your promos will have to be split into 2/4 packages; one/three for shows and one for on-line. Please contact the relevant person for shipping details.
----------------------------------------------------
Contacts:
DaWanda On-line promos - sarastexturecrafts
DaWanda UK Show promos - MagicPumpkinsandFaeryDust
DaWanda German Show promos - ContasKoeln
DaWanda French Show promos - TriUne
----------------------------------------------------
PLEASE POST OR CONTACT US IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING – I AM LOOKING TO START EACH AREA WITH 15/20 BAGS EACH.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Love Letters
Dear Andreanna,
I can't live without you. Run away with me yada yada---Ok so I never got letters like this from anyone but I bet someone has. Maybe if you a re not the best on paper buy your sweetie this necklace to make up for her lack of love letters. Made by Tizzalicious this cutie is sure to steal her heart and probably earn you major points!
Written by Andreanna of Glamasaurus
Saturday, January 5, 2013
February Blog Carnival - Crafting Through the Winter.
Welcome to the February 18th 2008 edition of DaWanda Seller's Blog Carnival. A celebration of Seller's who blog... Today's feature is all about a 'Crafting Through the Winter'.Sellers were asked to think about the following topics;
- Winter additions to your Dawanda store
- Your latest collection on DaWanda
- Your favourite finds this month on DaWanda
- Up and coming Craft Fairs this month
- Your personal craft work this month
- Your favourite winter recipes
- What crafts will you be doing over the winter?
- Crafts to do in front of the fire
Here are the entries;
Sara of Sara's Texture Crafts presents a shout out for the DaWanda photo competition and an update on her forth coming Exhibitionposted at Crafts of Texture.
Do pop over and check out those blogs and why not visit their shops too!
Sara x
That concludes this edition... The next edition will be announced shortly. To submit your blog article to the next edition of DaWanda Seller's Carnival please use our carnival submission form.
If you are new to Blog Carnivals, but would like to be involved in a future edition, then please read this article... What is a Blog Carnival and How do I Join?
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Technorati tags: dawanda seller's carnival, blog carnival.
I need people to feature!!
If you have a DaWanda shop and you are interested in getting yourself featured then this is what I am looking for...
- I need plenty more shops to showcase - here are the details
http://dawandashopdirectory.blogspot.com/2007/10/want-to-be-featured-seller.html - I also need articles about you, from your craft fairs to your favorite finds on DaWanda - here are the details http://dawandashopdirectory.blogspot.com/2007/10/want-to-be-guest-writer.html
You could also be a DaWanda Buyer who wants to share a new purchase with us.
DaWanda Promo Bags are back! and a Special Thank you!
They are back! Come and grab yours at http://en.dawanda.com/shop/sarastexturecrafts!
I'm going to be listing bags monthly now, so if you have anything you want to include from your shop, or even some business cards then please contact me through my shop.
I also want to thank steinbienchen for her generous help with translating my English listing into German - Thank you! Do pop into her shop... there are some really cute things there.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Directory Announcements - Coming soon a German Editor!
I originally set up the DaWanda shop directory as a way that all sellers can come together to promote their shops and show buyers how fun it can be to buy on DaWanda. For the most part interest has been very positive, however I feel my idea has been limited by the fact that I do not speak French and German… This is why today I would like to announce the pending arrival of our German Editor - Bebe from ContasKoeln
Bebe will come on board with us after Christmas and will help run the German articles on this blog directory.
Please keep an eye on the blog for future announcements and contact details for our German Editor.
Sara x
Bebe will come on board with us after Christmas and will help run the German articles on this blog directory.
Please keep an eye on the blog for future announcements and contact details for our German Editor.
Sara x
Making Promos - The Importance of Giving for Your Business
Serendipity comes in many forms, from the most transcendental to the everyday events. Yesterday I received a message from Sara, editor of the English Dawanda Shop Directory Blog, to tell me that the first batch of promo bags had sold out and reminding me to send more promos if I wanted. Casually, I had spent my day making promo charms to give to my Tarot reading consultants at The Old Riga, the tea bar where I have the readings every Tuesday. Casually? Not really!
Want a Dawanda Promo Bag? - they’re FREE! GET THEM HERE! (More coming soon!)
My addition to the bags: a mini magick kit.
Making promos has proved to me to be a wonderfully effective way to grow a home-based business. They let people know about the real quality of your work, actually they let them know why you stand above the rest!
So, don’t be greedy with your promos. A criteria I think works really well is to go through that part in your craft inventory you never “dare” to use. That lace that is just too beautiful and you have been saving project after project. That lampwork beads. That ribbon. Anything that transmits luxury to you will transmit it to your customers.
As Crafters, we have the privilege of our time. Though the cost of the materials for the promo may be low – or nothing if you work with found and recycled supplies as I do many times, you can give to the work as much time as you want to. Make a special packaging, add that extra touch, and your promos will stand by itself and become a future sale!
Also, a promo is a “good karma insurance” for your business – there is nothing more true than prosperity cannot be reached without generosity. If what you give for free is quality, the help and surprises coming in your life will be of the same quality. Have you ever wondered what good luck was? Good luck is just the returning echo of good actions and good choices.
Close-up of charms and card, printed from a vintage postcard.
I made this batch of charms last year. Actually I first made the originals, then made moulds, and then made the actual charms in air-dry clay, one by one. After drying, I sanded, painted and varnished them. Again one by one. There were a hundred charms so they took almost a whole week. Many were sold as jewelry of all kinds and the last batch was hoarded for a year, never finding something that was special enough to add the charms to it.
Beautifully packaged and ready to fly!
A wing is a symbol of freedom, dreams and purity. It is also a metaphor of the presence of angels on our lives, thus a homage of recognition of everyday miracles. They were perfect to be given for free! So often we only focus on dissatisfaction, I find myself many times reminding my consultants to count their blessings everyday and recognized they are guided by Angels.
Were they kept – or even were they made – to be a messenger of hope? No doubt of it. I’m sure they will reach the right hands, though I won’t know them as the owners of the tea bar will give the charms freely to whoever they choose along the week - they are quite intuitive people themselves so nothing else will be needed for the charms to get to their legitimate owners.
I am almost anticipating the taste of a wave of free energy coming back to me. It is the taste of Giving, the most powerful of all marketing tools! Practise it.
Written by Carolina of http://en.dawanda.com/shop/magickshop
Want a Dawanda Promo Bag? - they’re FREE! GET THEM HERE! (More coming soon!)
My addition to the bags: a mini magick kit.
Making promos has proved to me to be a wonderfully effective way to grow a home-based business. They let people know about the real quality of your work, actually they let them know why you stand above the rest!
So, don’t be greedy with your promos. A criteria I think works really well is to go through that part in your craft inventory you never “dare” to use. That lace that is just too beautiful and you have been saving project after project. That lampwork beads. That ribbon. Anything that transmits luxury to you will transmit it to your customers.
As Crafters, we have the privilege of our time. Though the cost of the materials for the promo may be low – or nothing if you work with found and recycled supplies as I do many times, you can give to the work as much time as you want to. Make a special packaging, add that extra touch, and your promos will stand by itself and become a future sale!
Also, a promo is a “good karma insurance” for your business – there is nothing more true than prosperity cannot be reached without generosity. If what you give for free is quality, the help and surprises coming in your life will be of the same quality. Have you ever wondered what good luck was? Good luck is just the returning echo of good actions and good choices.
Close-up of charms and card, printed from a vintage postcard.
I made this batch of charms last year. Actually I first made the originals, then made moulds, and then made the actual charms in air-dry clay, one by one. After drying, I sanded, painted and varnished them. Again one by one. There were a hundred charms so they took almost a whole week. Many were sold as jewelry of all kinds and the last batch was hoarded for a year, never finding something that was special enough to add the charms to it.
Beautifully packaged and ready to fly!
A wing is a symbol of freedom, dreams and purity. It is also a metaphor of the presence of angels on our lives, thus a homage of recognition of everyday miracles. They were perfect to be given for free! So often we only focus on dissatisfaction, I find myself many times reminding my consultants to count their blessings everyday and recognized they are guided by Angels.
Were they kept – or even were they made – to be a messenger of hope? No doubt of it. I’m sure they will reach the right hands, though I won’t know them as the owners of the tea bar will give the charms freely to whoever they choose along the week - they are quite intuitive people themselves so nothing else will be needed for the charms to get to their legitimate owners.
I am almost anticipating the taste of a wave of free energy coming back to me. It is the taste of Giving, the most powerful of all marketing tools! Practise it.
Written by Carolina of http://en.dawanda.com/shop/magickshop
Thursday, January 3, 2013
A New Year on DaWanda/Crafty Resolutions - Blog Carnival
Welcome to the January 17th 2008 edition of DaWanda Seller's Blog Carnival. A celebration of Seller's who blog... Today's feature is all about a 'New Year on DaWanda/Crafty Resolutions'.
It seems most of us spend this time of year planning, so it seemed only fitting that DaWanda Seller's share their thoughts and plans for the coming year. Sellers were asked to think about the following topics;
Carolina Gonzalez of Supramonster presents her well planned 2008 Resolutions - Writing An Art Business Plan posted at SupraMonster Studio Blog. We should strive to follow this business women in 2008... I fear she has a lot to teach us.
Andreanna of Glamasaurus presents Crafty Resolutions posted at Blogasaurus. This was a fun entry, which quite honestly made me glad to know that I'm not the only one easily distracted when trying to destash my craft room!
And finally me! Sara of Sara's Texture Crafts presents New Year To Do List! posted at Crafts of Texture. This is my rather exhausting list of business goals for 2008, may the force be with me!
Do pop over and check out those blogs and why not visit their shops too!
Sara x
That concludes this edition... The next edition will be announced shortly. To submit your blog article to the next edition of DaWanda Seller's Carnival please use our carnival submission form.
If you are new to Blog Carnivals, but would like to be involved in a future edition, then please read this article... What is a Blog Carnival and How do I Join?
-------------------------------
Technorati tags: dawanda seller's carnival, blog carnival.
It seems most of us spend this time of year planning, so it seemed only fitting that DaWanda Seller's share their thoughts and plans for the coming year. Sellers were asked to think about the following topics;
- New Year additions to your shop
- Your favourite finds this month on DaWanda
- Up and coming Craft Fairs this month
- Your personal craft work this month
- Your craft New Year resolutions
- Your New Year business or personal goals
Carolina Gonzalez of Supramonster presents her well planned 2008 Resolutions - Writing An Art Business Plan posted at SupraMonster Studio Blog. We should strive to follow this business women in 2008... I fear she has a lot to teach us.
Andreanna of Glamasaurus presents Crafty Resolutions posted at Blogasaurus. This was a fun entry, which quite honestly made me glad to know that I'm not the only one easily distracted when trying to destash my craft room!
And finally me! Sara of Sara's Texture Crafts presents New Year To Do List! posted at Crafts of Texture. This is my rather exhausting list of business goals for 2008, may the force be with me!
Do pop over and check out those blogs and why not visit their shops too!
Sara x
That concludes this edition... The next edition will be announced shortly. To submit your blog article to the next edition of DaWanda Seller's Carnival please use our carnival submission form.
If you are new to Blog Carnivals, but would like to be involved in a future edition, then please read this article... What is a Blog Carnival and How do I Join?
-------------------------------
Technorati tags: dawanda seller's carnival, blog carnival.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Directory Update! - Editor Announcement.
Good Morning fellow DaWandians!
There are going to be some exciting changes to the directory blog in the next few weeks, so keep coming back to catch up on what's new and if you are a seller, how you can get involved.
Until then, have a great weekend!
There are going to be some exciting changes to the directory blog in the next few weeks, so keep coming back to catch up on what's new and if you are a seller, how you can get involved.
Until then, have a great weekend!
Monday, December 10, 2012
As Artists Are We Protecting Ourselves? Are We Open to Loop Holes in the Proposed 'Orphan Works' Act?
Yesterday I received an email from a regular Guest writer here on Crafts of Texture, Pamela Baker of MagdaleneJewels.etsy.com about a new bill entitled 'Orphan Works' going through congress at the moment in the US. I published it today at http://sarastexturecrafts.blogspot.com/2008/04/new-copyright-issues-for-all-us.html Admittedly at first I had no idea what 'Orphan Works' was, although I watch the news here in the UK this was an unfamiliar topic to me... maybe in the madness of the last few months I had missed it?? So I decided to delve a bit deeper and see what I could find out, especially if it was to become a global issue.
I urge you to read on and decide for yourself, our rights to a copyright on web images and the products therein could be infringed.
Is this bill a concern for the general artist, photographer and crafter? In the immediate future, for the US, yes... for the rest of the world... a cause for debate, yes... a topic to follow, yes as laws are being considered in Europe already.
What is/are 'Orphan Works'? Wikipedia tells us;
So who would claim these pictures? It could be anybody, but I should imagine (an assumption) that where money is involved in the process of each claim, that we would really be talking about larger companies... maybe those who hold stock images for marketing and advertising companies, or companies who stumble across your invention and understand how to make it profitable on a larger scale??? (again an assumption).
Can unapproved use of my images/product happen already, without someone going through the process of claiming an 'Orphan Work'? Sure, who is out there policing the internet... do you know if Facebook, MySpace, or Flickr use your images for promotional material already? Do you know that images from your blogs can be downloaded and printed off? Yet we all upload images and products freely. How do we stop it? Well this is the debate, isn't it? Even if the bill is opposed and rejected in congress, will copyright infringement ever stop? Coming from a fashion background where I have seen my own work rehashed by other companies for their profit... I'd tend to say these things are here to stay... doesn't stop it hurting when it does happen though!
So are we doing enough to protect ourselves? No probably not... What else can I do? Here are some things to consider, for example;
I urge you to read on and decide for yourself, our rights to a copyright on web images and the products therein could be infringed.
Is this bill a concern for the general artist, photographer and crafter? In the immediate future, for the US, yes... for the rest of the world... a cause for debate, yes... a topic to follow, yes as laws are being considered in Europe already.
What is/are 'Orphan Works'? Wikipedia tells us;
So what does this mean for us... artists, photographers and crafters who blog, submit pictures to forums and social networks in order to market our products, network or just share? Well, it means that if someone stumbles across an image of yours and they can't find the owner (i.e. you), then they may have the right to claim the image and some might suggest possibly even go further (and we know there are some out there who will) to suggest that the work within the image is their own.An orphan work is a copyrighted work where it is difficult or impossible to contact the copyright holder. This situation can arise for many reasons. The author could have never been publicly known because the work was published anonymously or the work may have never been traditionally published at all. The identity of the author could have been once known but the information lost over time. Even if the author is known, it may not be possible to determine who inherited the copyright and presently owns it.
Nearly any work where a reasonable effort to locate the current copyright owner fails can be considered orphaned. However the designation is often used loosely and in some jurisdictions there is no legal definition at all.
Compulsory license schemes, which would exclude orphaned works from copyright protections, are rarely acceptable under international copyright treaties. Such schemes are only worthy of consideration when there are more significant concerns than orphan works, such as a risk of market failure due to very high costs in places like the satellite retransmission market.[1]
Canada has created a supplemental licensing scheme that allows licenses for the use of published works to be issued by the Copyright Board of Canada on behalf of unlocatable copyright owners, after a prospective licensor has made "reasonable efforts to locate the owner of the copyright".[2] As of September 2006 the Board had issued 189 such licenses.[3]
US - The Public Domain Enhancement Act was introduced as House Bill 2601 for
the United States 108th Congress in 2003 but never passed. It was reintroduced
as House Bill 2408 for the 109th Congress in 2005 but died again. The bill would
have released certain orphan works into the public domain if the copyright
renewal registrations were not made as required.In January 2006, the United States Copyright Office released a report on orphan works after researching the issue. The situation in the US is a result of the omnibus revision to the Copyright Act in 1976. Specifically, the 1976 Act made obtaining and maintaining copyright protection substantially easier than the 1909 Act. Copyrighted works are now protected the moment they are fixed in a tangible medium of expression, and do not need to be registered with the Copyright Office. Also, the 1976 Act changed the basic term of copyright from a term of fixed years from publication
to a term of life of the author plus 50 (now 70) years. In so doing, the requirement that a copyright owner file a renewal registration in the 28th year of the term of copyright was essentially eliminated.These changes were important steps toward the United States’ accession to the Berne Convention, which prohibits formalities like registration and renewal as a condition on the enjoyment and exercise of copyright. Moreover, there was substantial evidence presented during consideration of the 1976 Act that the formalities such as renewal and notice, when combined with drastic penalties like forfeiture of copyright, served as a “trap for the unwary” and caused the loss of many valuable copyrights. These changes, however, exacerbate the orphan works issue,
in that a user generally must assume that a work he wishes to use is subject to
copyright protection, and often cannot confirm whether a work has fallen into the public domain by consulting the renewal registration records of the Copyright Office. The report recommended that the focus on developing legislative text to address orphan works should not obscure the fact that the Copyright Act and the market place for copyrighted works provide several alternatives to a user who is frustrated by the orphan works situation. Indeed, assessing whether the situations described to use in the comments were true “orphan works” situations was difficult, in part because there is often more than meets the eye in a circumstance presented as an “orphan works” problem. In most cases a user may have a real choice among several alternatives that allow her to go forward with her project: making noninfringing use of the work, such as by copying only elements not covered by copyright; making fair use; seeking a substitute work for which she has permission to use; or a combination of these alternatives. Even though some orphan works situations may be addressed by existing copyright law as described above, many are not.In conclusion, the Copyright office has reccomended new legislation which sets out limitations on the remedies that would be available if the user proves that he conducted a reasonably diligent search and describes a threshold requirements of a
reasonably diligent search.[4] Such a solution would fall short releasing orphan works into the public domain, like the previous bill, but rather encourage perspective licensors to go ahead with an infringing project knowing in advance the maxium remedy he could be faced with.In May 2006, U.S. Representative Lamar Smith introduced H.R.5439, a bill aimed at addressing the issue of orphan works by providing limitations of remedies in cases in which the copyright holder cannot be located.[5]
Europe - The European Commission, the civil branch of the European Union, is
currently looking into the orphan works problem.[6]References
1. ^ Peters, Marybeth (2006). The Challenge of Copyright in the Digital Age. Focus on: Intellectual Property Rights. U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International
Information Programs. Retrieved on 2006-11-27.2. ^ CopyrightAct, R.S., c 77. Copyright Board of Canada (2005). Retrieved on 2006-11-27.
3. ^ Unlocatable Copyright Owners Licenses Issued. Copyright Board
of Canada (2006). Retrieved on 2006-11-27.4. ^ Report on Orphan Works (PDF). United States Copyright Office (2006-01). Retrieved on 2006-11-27.
5. ^ Copyright: Orphan Works. American Library Association
(2006-08). Retrieved on 2006-11-28.6. ^ Report on Digital Preservation, Orphan Works and Out-of-Print
Works, Selected Implementation Issues. European Commission (2007-04-18). Retrieved on 2007-06-09.
So who would claim these pictures? It could be anybody, but I should imagine (an assumption) that where money is involved in the process of each claim, that we would really be talking about larger companies... maybe those who hold stock images for marketing and advertising companies, or companies who stumble across your invention and understand how to make it profitable on a larger scale??? (again an assumption).
Can unapproved use of my images/product happen already, without someone going through the process of claiming an 'Orphan Work'? Sure, who is out there policing the internet... do you know if Facebook, MySpace, or Flickr use your images for promotional material already? Do you know that images from your blogs can be downloaded and printed off? Yet we all upload images and products freely. How do we stop it? Well this is the debate, isn't it? Even if the bill is opposed and rejected in congress, will copyright infringement ever stop? Coming from a fashion background where I have seen my own work rehashed by other companies for their profit... I'd tend to say these things are here to stay... doesn't stop it hurting when it does happen though!
So are we doing enough to protect ourselves? No probably not... What else can I do? Here are some things to consider, for example;
- Are you a business, a professional, or a serious creator with an invention? Should you be taking protection of your work more seriously?
- Do you copyright your work already? Every single piece? Are you familiar with how copyright works in your country?
- Do you archive your work and images? Laborious, but maybe not a bad idea?
- Do you copyright/watermark images of your work... every single one of them? Even the pictures of you and your friends crafting away on a Saturday afternoon? If I come across an image you have taken and submitted on the internet... how will I know it came from you? Have you looked yourself up under 'google images'?
- If someone else blogs about you, do they provide full links to your websites and or email, so that you can be contacted? Do you do the same for the people you feature?
- If you have comments on the topic, or links to information sites I have missed... please post them here.
If you want to follow the progress of 'Orphan Works' and the pending US bill, here are some other site I have found -
http://orphanworks.blogspot.com/
http://www.orphanworks.net/?gclid=CI3l8OPk9ZICFQpuMAodLl2qBQ
http://www.bsac.uk.com/reports/orphanworkspaper.pdf
http://www.mileproject.eu/orphanworks
http://www.cilip.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/E6F612ED-6CE1-4723-8348-CB7162D983C2/0/LACAorphanworksstatementFINAL19dec07.pdf
Sunday, December 9, 2012
New Collections at Florcita on DaWanda!
Written by Mariana of Floricta
Nowadays one of the biggest problems nature has to deal with, is our plastic waste.
Millions of plastic bags we get from the supermarket, pharmacy, shops in general end up laying for years in landfills creating mountains of garbage. Plastic bags that are thrown to the ocean or get there via rivers, kill as many as 1million sea creatures per year. Sounds grim. Yes. But you can do something. And here a start to being *part of the solution*.
Take your own bag when you go shopping. No, they don't have to be boring bags. They can be pretty, with flowers and birds and funny little hand painted drawings. You don't believe me? Well, here they are: Handpainted canvas bags. Some with a combination of fabric collage, beads, buttons, fabric paint and much more.
They come in 2 sizes: 25x21 and 38x42cm.
All the designs are mine.
*They are stylish, fun, environmentally friendly and very affordable! *You can do something to change the gray facts of pollution. Join the thousands that are trying to help nature and help ourselves. *BUY A CANVAS BAG!*
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Promoting Tips & Tricks Part IV: Blogging
Last time I covered newsletters and talked about how they differ from blogs. This time, I'll go over starting and designing a blog.
Unlike your newsletter, which should be short and focussed, your blog gives you a lot more leeway to play. Post often, around once a day if you can, to keep people interested. Pictures and HTML formatting are fair game and in fact pretty important -- a good picture will catch the eye and get people looking. I try not to post without using at least one picture (though I don't always manage it).
Your first decision is where to host your blog. There are a lot of free blogging sites available. I have blogs on both Blogger and Wordpress, and I find them both easy to use. I've also read blogs hosted on TypePad and SquareSpace, and there are a number of other such free or inexpensive hosts.
If you have your own web site, you can also host a blog there. I haven't tried this so I don't know a lot about how it's done.
Pick a host you like and are comfortable with using. Get to know its ins and outs -- yes, I'm talking about reading the directions again. Play with layout and such until you have at least some idea of what you're doing.
Write up your profile with the same care you used in your shop profile -- consciously or not people will judge you by it. Upload an avatar -- use a good clear photo of yourself, or a picture of some of your products, or perhaps your shop logo. Make sure it's a good high quality image.
Choose a name for your blog that reflects what you're going to be saying there. A lot of people just use the name of their business as the name of their blog; others choose something else that echoes the feel of their shop.
--
Speaking of feel, think about the sort of blog you want to have. Is it going to be folksy and friendly? Will you write frequent but very short articles on very focused topics? How about long, rambling ones that go from one topic to the next? Formal, informal, colloquial, erudite?
Do you post strictly about your shop, or do you talk about other indie sellers as well? News about the indie craft movement in general? Do you post personal things as well as those strictly business-related articles? Will you post in celebration of a big sale or about the snowstorm that's had you snowed in the last few days?
Whatever you decide on, your blog should be consistent enough that your readers feel comfortable being there. Like a visit to an old friend's home they want to know what to expect. It's your blog -- but you've opened it to welcome in your readers and you do want to help them feel welcome. Therefore it's best to create a feel for your blog and stick with it.
Which isn't to say that you have to decide all of this before you've posted a thing. Take some time to find out what feels comfortable to you -- you spend more time there than anyone else and you have to feel at home. It may take several posts, a few weeks, even a couple of months before you start finding your voice. And it will always evolve over time.
Don't worry if you don't feel that your writing skills are up to much, either. The best thing you can do to improve your writing is keep writing. I could go on on this topic -- perhaps I already have -- but others have covered it far better than I could.
--
The 'feel and mood' thing applies to the look of your blog as well. Your blog should be well laid out and easy to navigate, but in addition you'll want to find a look that complements your writing style. Dark and dramatic? Bright and cheery? Simple? Cluttered and friendly? Here are a few examples of how the look of your blog can complement the feel:
Feel free to experiment for a while before you settle on a feel and a look for your blog. (As you can see I've been inspired to rearrange mine...again.) And there's nothing wrong with the occasional complete overhaul, either.
--
But what to write about? That's part of the 'mood and feel' decisions you made above (or not). Things every shop blog should include:
* New products -- this is often the fastest way for people to find out you've introduced something new. Tell your customers what it is (again, you can crib from your item descriptions). Tell them what inspired you to make it. Link to it, so they don't have to go looking for your shop. And include pictures!
* Sales and specials -- what's on sale, what the discount is, why you're having the sale, a coupon code if appropriate. Add a link to your shop, so anyone who's just stumbled by can find it easily. Include a picture or two of what's on sale.
* Upcoming shows -- where, when, who else will be there, what else there is to do, any entrance fee, hours, directions, a map, a link to the show's website if any. If the show has a logo, put that in. With a link to the show's website. If they don't, put in a picture of your booth. Or a kitten.
* Competitions, challenges, and contests you've entered (especially if your readers can vote in it). Include a link to the competition and a picture of what you've entered.
* Pointers to any blog or webzine where you've been featured, reviewed or interviewed. Include a quote from the interview or feature, but not the whole thing. This is part of an unspoken deal between you and whoever interviewed or featured you -- you get the exposure of being featured or interviewed, but in return they should get the exposure of being mentioned in your blog. Include a link, and maybe a screenshot of the feature or a picture of what they talked about.
--
You may be seeing a theme here. Include pictures. Blocks of plain text make people's eyes go unfocused, and then they go away. Pictures catch attention.
I bet you looked at the picture above before you read the couple of paragraphs before it. Am I right?
Hold your mouse over it (or click on it if you like). It's got a link to my shop. Any time you include a picture of one of your items, make it link to your shop. It's a little more work, but it's worth it.
--
Some other things you may wish to write about:
* Features, interviews, and reviews of other people's stuff. Remember that unspoken contract above? They get exposed to your readers, you get exposed to their readers, everyone benefits. Include pictures of their products, and make sure every one of them links to their shop. Include a link to their blog if they have one.
* Informative articles. This series is a good example; so's the article I posted a while ago about why you don't want to put arnica in the bathtub. Remember that great piece you put in your newsletter six months ago about how to turn an old t-shirt into a shopping bag? Repost it here. Complete with step-by-step instructions and pictures.
* Personal posts. Anything from 'I'll be on vacation for the next week so any orders will be sent out the week afterwards' to my ongoing posts about my cats. You should be careful not to let these overwhelm your business-related posts (I probably should do fewer kitten posts, but I can't resist) but a certain amount will help your customers feel a connection to you as opposed to just your business. Also, pictures.
There's a fine line with personal posts, though. Too many and you're just another personal blog. Griping about how bad business is -- or worse, complaining about the awful customer you just dealt with -- is likely to alienate your readers (and what if the awful customer sees it?). More on this below.
* Pointers to contests, sales, or special events someone else is holding -- especially if that someone else is a friend or business associate who may wind up returning the favour.
--
Some things that you should probably not post about, or if you do, it's best to be cautious:
* Politics
* Awful customers
* How bad sales have been
* Anything else that's likely to be controversial
I'll bet you grumbled when you read that last one. I did, too. I'll write about what I want, you're thinking, and be damned to anyone who's offended!
My advice? Keep it to your personal blog. Remember that your blog -- indeed, anything public that's connected to your business -- is your workplace. If you wouldn't say it to a customer in your booth, don't say it in your blog.
And believe me, I do let loose in my personal blog.
--
So -- look, feel, mood. Make a space where you feel comfortable talking and others will feel welcome to stay a while. Take advantage of your avatar, your profile, and your sidebars to help convey what you want to. Post often, post things that people will enjoy reading. Use pictures to illustrate your point and get people looking. Your blog is an extension of your shop, and it's just as important to make it look and sound good.
Next up, you've got a blog. Now you need people to read it.
Written by Kate of http://en.dawanda.com/shop/omshantihandcrafts
Unlike your newsletter, which should be short and focussed, your blog gives you a lot more leeway to play. Post often, around once a day if you can, to keep people interested. Pictures and HTML formatting are fair game and in fact pretty important -- a good picture will catch the eye and get people looking. I try not to post without using at least one picture (though I don't always manage it).
Your first decision is where to host your blog. There are a lot of free blogging sites available. I have blogs on both Blogger and Wordpress, and I find them both easy to use. I've also read blogs hosted on TypePad and SquareSpace, and there are a number of other such free or inexpensive hosts.
If you have your own web site, you can also host a blog there. I haven't tried this so I don't know a lot about how it's done.
Pick a host you like and are comfortable with using. Get to know its ins and outs -- yes, I'm talking about reading the directions again. Play with layout and such until you have at least some idea of what you're doing.
Write up your profile with the same care you used in your shop profile -- consciously or not people will judge you by it. Upload an avatar -- use a good clear photo of yourself, or a picture of some of your products, or perhaps your shop logo. Make sure it's a good high quality image.
Choose a name for your blog that reflects what you're going to be saying there. A lot of people just use the name of their business as the name of their blog; others choose something else that echoes the feel of their shop.
--
Speaking of feel, think about the sort of blog you want to have. Is it going to be folksy and friendly? Will you write frequent but very short articles on very focused topics? How about long, rambling ones that go from one topic to the next? Formal, informal, colloquial, erudite?
Do you post strictly about your shop, or do you talk about other indie sellers as well? News about the indie craft movement in general? Do you post personal things as well as those strictly business-related articles? Will you post in celebration of a big sale or about the snowstorm that's had you snowed in the last few days?
Whatever you decide on, your blog should be consistent enough that your readers feel comfortable being there. Like a visit to an old friend's home they want to know what to expect. It's your blog -- but you've opened it to welcome in your readers and you do want to help them feel welcome. Therefore it's best to create a feel for your blog and stick with it.
Which isn't to say that you have to decide all of this before you've posted a thing. Take some time to find out what feels comfortable to you -- you spend more time there than anyone else and you have to feel at home. It may take several posts, a few weeks, even a couple of months before you start finding your voice. And it will always evolve over time.
Don't worry if you don't feel that your writing skills are up to much, either. The best thing you can do to improve your writing is keep writing. I could go on on this topic -- perhaps I already have -- but others have covered it far better than I could.
--
The 'feel and mood' thing applies to the look of your blog as well. Your blog should be well laid out and easy to navigate, but in addition you'll want to find a look that complements your writing style. Dark and dramatic? Bright and cheery? Simple? Cluttered and friendly? Here are a few examples of how the look of your blog can complement the feel:
 | Timothy Adam Designs uses a simple grey background; the colour is reminiscent of the metal he uses to make his jewelry. He has a lot of things in his sidebars but the way he uses the orange titles makes each element stand out while at the same time pulling the whole design together. |
 | La Chapina Huipil Crafts has a clean, simple style which emphasizes the photos of the Guatemalan huipils she uses. |
 | Miss Knits' site is cozy and friendly, a calming pair of browns as the background with the delicate tracery of foliage to the left. There's a lot in her sidebar but she keeps it well-confined to the right side. |
 | Paper Girl Productions, like its proprietress, is bright, cheery and cute. The theme and feel is a nice complement to her unique stuffed animals. |
Feel free to experiment for a while before you settle on a feel and a look for your blog. (As you can see I've been inspired to rearrange mine...again.) And there's nothing wrong with the occasional complete overhaul, either.
--
But what to write about? That's part of the 'mood and feel' decisions you made above (or not). Things every shop blog should include:
* New products -- this is often the fastest way for people to find out you've introduced something new. Tell your customers what it is (again, you can crib from your item descriptions). Tell them what inspired you to make it. Link to it, so they don't have to go looking for your shop. And include pictures!
* Sales and specials -- what's on sale, what the discount is, why you're having the sale, a coupon code if appropriate. Add a link to your shop, so anyone who's just stumbled by can find it easily. Include a picture or two of what's on sale.
* Upcoming shows -- where, when, who else will be there, what else there is to do, any entrance fee, hours, directions, a map, a link to the show's website if any. If the show has a logo, put that in. With a link to the show's website. If they don't, put in a picture of your booth. Or a kitten.
* Competitions, challenges, and contests you've entered (especially if your readers can vote in it). Include a link to the competition and a picture of what you've entered.
* Pointers to any blog or webzine where you've been featured, reviewed or interviewed. Include a quote from the interview or feature, but not the whole thing. This is part of an unspoken deal between you and whoever interviewed or featured you -- you get the exposure of being featured or interviewed, but in return they should get the exposure of being mentioned in your blog. Include a link, and maybe a screenshot of the feature or a picture of what they talked about.
--
You may be seeing a theme here. Include pictures. Blocks of plain text make people's eyes go unfocused, and then they go away. Pictures catch attention.
I bet you looked at the picture above before you read the couple of paragraphs before it. Am I right?
Hold your mouse over it (or click on it if you like). It's got a link to my shop. Any time you include a picture of one of your items, make it link to your shop. It's a little more work, but it's worth it.
--
Some other things you may wish to write about:
* Features, interviews, and reviews of other people's stuff. Remember that unspoken contract above? They get exposed to your readers, you get exposed to their readers, everyone benefits. Include pictures of their products, and make sure every one of them links to their shop. Include a link to their blog if they have one.
* Informative articles. This series is a good example; so's the article I posted a while ago about why you don't want to put arnica in the bathtub. Remember that great piece you put in your newsletter six months ago about how to turn an old t-shirt into a shopping bag? Repost it here. Complete with step-by-step instructions and pictures.
* Personal posts. Anything from 'I'll be on vacation for the next week so any orders will be sent out the week afterwards' to my ongoing posts about my cats. You should be careful not to let these overwhelm your business-related posts (I probably should do fewer kitten posts, but I can't resist) but a certain amount will help your customers feel a connection to you as opposed to just your business. Also, pictures.
There's a fine line with personal posts, though. Too many and you're just another personal blog. Griping about how bad business is -- or worse, complaining about the awful customer you just dealt with -- is likely to alienate your readers (and what if the awful customer sees it?). More on this below.
* Pointers to contests, sales, or special events someone else is holding -- especially if that someone else is a friend or business associate who may wind up returning the favour.
--
Some things that you should probably not post about, or if you do, it's best to be cautious:
* Politics
* Awful customers
* How bad sales have been
* Anything else that's likely to be controversial
I'll bet you grumbled when you read that last one. I did, too. I'll write about what I want, you're thinking, and be damned to anyone who's offended!
My advice? Keep it to your personal blog. Remember that your blog -- indeed, anything public that's connected to your business -- is your workplace. If you wouldn't say it to a customer in your booth, don't say it in your blog.
And believe me, I do let loose in my personal blog.
--
So -- look, feel, mood. Make a space where you feel comfortable talking and others will feel welcome to stay a while. Take advantage of your avatar, your profile, and your sidebars to help convey what you want to. Post often, post things that people will enjoy reading. Use pictures to illustrate your point and get people looking. Your blog is an extension of your shop, and it's just as important to make it look and sound good.
Next up, you've got a blog. Now you need people to read it.
Written by Kate of http://en.dawanda.com/shop/omshantihandcrafts
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Introducing... Glamasaurus!
1. DaWanda Shop Name: Glamasaurus
2. DaWanda Shop URL: http://en.dawanda.com/shop/glamasaurus
3. When did you open your shop? October 9th 2007
4. Are you in the DaWanda Shop Directory here? Yes
5. What Category are you under? Jewellery and accessories.
6. What do you sell? Handmade polymer clay jewellery and Jewellery made with found objects.
7. Describe 2 of your current products.
2. DaWanda Shop URL: http://en.dawanda.com/shop/glamasaurus
3. When did you open your shop? October 9th 2007
4. Are you in the DaWanda Shop Directory here? Yes
5. What Category are you under? Jewellery and accessories.
6. What do you sell? Handmade polymer clay jewellery and Jewellery made with found objects.
7. Describe 2 of your current products.
a.I managed to come across some vintage bottlecaps and turned them into these fabulous earrings.
b.I am a bit of a junk food fanatic so instead of eating the junk food I turn it into jewellery like this lovely donut necklace
b.I am a bit of a junk food fanatic so instead of eating the junk food I turn it into jewellery like this lovely donut necklace
8.Tell me a bit about you...
I am a new stay at home mom to a baby girl. I'm originally from the United States but moved to Switzerland to be with my husband about 5 years ago. I have been crafting since before I can remember and have always loved it. I pull my inspiration from just my personal likes and my fondness for all that is cute.
9. Do you have a website, or blog? http://www.glamasaurus.com/
Sunday, December 2, 2012
DaWanda Shop Directory Links: Under Construction!
I've been increasingly finding the current directory shop link provider difficult and time consuming to use. I also think it's a little plain and needs a bit of life to show off all of our lovely stores. So... I've been working away and I've devised a new plan...
DaWanda Shop Directory Links: Under Construction!
More details on existing shop URL transfers and accepting new shops to the directory will be coming soon.
Sara x
DaWanda Shop Directory Links: Under Construction!
More details on existing shop URL transfers and accepting new shops to the directory will be coming soon.
Sara x
Promo Bags are back & a special Thank You!
I have a new batch of DaWanda Promo Bags for sale in the shop now at DaWanda Promo Bags.
I will try to list smaller quantities more often from now on and vary the contents, depending on entries. As usual my list of members will grow to reflect everyone taking part, so if you miss a bag, or miss an artist from the list you can still find the shops! Here's the link DaWanda Promo Bags - here are the sellers
I would also like to take this oppourtunity to say a special 'Thank you' to http://en.dawanda.com/shop/lebarduvent who has kindly helped me to translate my english description into French - Thank you!... By the way this is a lovely shop, so please pop over and grab yourself something nice!
I would also like to take this oppourtunity to say a special 'Thank you' to http://en.dawanda.com/shop/lebarduvent who has kindly helped me to translate my english description into French - Thank you!... By the way this is a lovely shop, so please pop over and grab yourself something nice!
Enjoy shopping on DaWanda!
Sara x
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