If someone (especially someone I didn't even know) called me in the middle of the night and it wasn't an emergency - I'd hang up on them too. How is it rude to hang up on someone you believe was being rude to you (by calling at that hour)?

Just sayin'...

Sometimes, things are not under our control. I know, because a friend of mine was written about in the local paper and they used pictures that didn't belong to her.

She did call those people, who's pictures she recognized and explained.

She also has a few pics on her website that in the descriptions she clearly states "NOT MINE" ( just some cupcake pics that are holding space )

Also on her website she has a cake she has adapted from another designer and she has posted that designers web page and gives her credit for the idea.

So I know she's not out there 'STEALING PICS" when she is giving credit where credit is due or stating the pic is not hers..( she can't remember where she got them from she told me that she has tons and tons of cake pics for ideas and inspiration before she got the brilliant idea to save the picture with the designers name or web info)

Should we all jump up and down on her, I can't tell you what to do, but like someone posted...

Let people have the benefit of the doubt.

Now, I used to work for a baker in Boca Raton and her website is FULL of pictures that dont' belong to her!!

I know because I know her style, I had even emailed her about how many decorators she had on staff since all her cakes look so different.

You all know that everyone has a "signature" way of decorating his or her cake..lol

I finally quit after a month, since she was also rude and arrogant and I think tried to set me up!

Oh, and I'm going to talk to my friend once more about her cupcake photos..lol

(there not that many and like I said, she does post "NOT MINE" on them.)

I do think she has removed some photos, there are x's and blank spots where pictures should be.

This has definately brought awareness to the situtation, which was my only intention. I'm not out to "get" anyone or take anyone down (I know from first hand experience on that subject! ...another story!) Since the individual has been contacted... and made aware... case closed. Whether or not actions were intention or not, it's up to her to make the right move. The ball's in her court. I am giving her the benefit of the doubt, and hoping she'll do the right thing. If not, deal with the consequences, whatever they may be!

In looking at her work posted here on CC, I am amazed that she would put pictures of cakes done by professionals on her website because I doubt she would be able to duplicate them for her clients.

I see so many newbie mistakes on her cakes..puckers in fondant, cakes done directly on uncovered cardboard (complete with grease halos), one cake done directly on her turntable, the fondant vacuum...I'm not saying her work is bad, just that it looks like she's relatively new to this.

It takes a LOT of nerve to be willing to take an order based on a professional picture, especially for something as important as a wedding. Yikes.

BrandisBaked - If someone (especially someone I didn't even know) called me in the middle of the night and it wasn't an emergency - I'd hang up on them too. How is it rude to hang up on someone you believe was being rude to you (by calling at that hour)?

Just sayin'...

Let me be clear on something...

I called at 10:00 this morning, (Sunday) not in the middle of the night. I expected to reach a person at the business or the business answering service. Not someone asleep. I was in no way at all rude to her or chastising in anyway. Simply informative.

TN is in eastern Time zone, if she called at 10 eastern time, then it should have been 9 am central time, not 8. 9 is still a little early to call, but i don't think too unreasonable. if she didn't want to answer, she should have let it go to voicemail.

she must not be bothered too much. She hasn't started taking down your pictures.

Ok, I need to confess something here. I have been "attacked" online. I kept a blog for a few years... it was locked and only a few people knew the password. I used it to make wise-a$$ jokes that these friends would find funny, or vent about something in my life.

I made the mistake of unlocking it as the domain was about to expire (kind of like a last "hurrah"), and some vicious person (who claimed to be Christian) found it and posted it on a forum that was dedicated to dissecting blogs and their authors. They took snippets of my entries and posted them (out of context) to be publicly mocked. They linked to my personal photo gallery which had photos of my children. They searched out everything they could possibly find about me online (they were able to find me in another forum as well as my e-bay account).

They incited anger against me, and pointed psychotic people in my direction. I got tons of e-mails and nasty comments. I was afraid it would escalate beyond that. The person who started the thread even lied saying that I had tried to call her house - that she wasn't there at the time, but she just "knew" it was me callling. What's funny, is that she became a part of this "group" when they did this to her, and to try to fit in, she offered me up as a sacrifice. During this episode though, they turned on her again and banned her. How ironic.

Anyway, I saw how thrilling it was for total strangers to rake me (and my life) over the coals. I had had the same screen name for years and I now had to change it... and hope that nobody I knew would Google the old one and find that thread. They took my private writings and posted them in a forum that still remains to this day (it's been over 2 years).

What did I do to deserve that? I made the mistake of posting it online and thinking nobody would find it - or care that much. This is why I get so upset over things like this... you find it funny to make snarky comments and pour over this persons site, copy/pasting their words and adding your own witty dialogue. Does it make you look funny? Or mean?

The fact that I see so many of you so willing to slaughter someone else really upsets me. Yes, what she did was wrong... but is it a "hangin' offense"? NO! I've often used this line with my kids (when they complain to me about one of their siblings saying something stupid to them, or that "he touched me", or "she's staring at me"): "Show me where on your body it hurts you, and then I'll be more concerned about it".

This is just SILLY! Do you guys really want to be that type of person?

I believe that the people whose photos were found should be notified, and they have the right to be upset and ask that the photos be removed. But beyond that - it's nobodys' business! How can you feel good in trying to bring someone else down? I really don't get it.

The reason our society is going to hell, is that people are just so desensitized. We find it easy to disassociate ourselves when it's convenient. If it is the CCer you suspect, she is a 26 year old woman trying to start a business - and she went about it the wrong way. Does she really need to live on in internet infamy because of it?

Color me disgusted.

As for my comments comparing this to speeding - you're right. I can't compare them. Speeding is a much more serious offense - I could actually physically hurt people.

I have to chime in my 2 cents here after reading all of this thread...which took me forever, by the way!! I have not been directly effected by this incident and I don't agree with what the person did by copying other people's photos and claiming them as her own. Ethically, I agree, it's completely wrong and the situation should be rectified.

However, I have seen alot of talk about it being illegal to steal one's photos. If I'm not mistaken, unless you have paid to actually copyright your photos she has not done anything "illegal"...unethical, yes, but not illegal. Now, copying Wilton's photos and selling character cakes is definitely illegal! I did send her an email from one baker to another simply bringing her attention to that fact. If the photo was from a professional photographer, then yes, it's a copyright violation. But, if this is just a digital picture that you took in your home or business, you posted on a public forum, and you do not have a legal copyright on the picture or on the actual design, then I don't really think there is anything legal you can do about it. You have every right to be upset about it, yes...and I would be miffed if one of my photos were on there as well.

So, i would definitely complain to her and request that they be removed, but unless you hold a copyright on it, you're just barking at a brick wall in my opinion!! i do hope that the person realizes her wrong and corrects her website SOON!!!

Valerie

BrandisBaked,

I agree wtih you 100%.

The only time I've EVER had an issue with someone using one of my photos, was on a HORRIBLE website.

Even people that don't know us but are familiar with our work tell me how SCARY that website is. lol

I found a web building site that dissables the right click function, buuuuuuuuuuut...if someone uses one of my photos and I look at their quality of work and it's comparable, it doesn't bother me as much as it seems to bother some other people.

but, if the quality of the work is crappy, I WILL ask them to remove the photo!

If....as many people use them as a photo in an "IDEA" gallery.....................then no, it doesn't bother me AT ALL!

There is never any excuse to be mean.

nowwwwwwwww....I was looking at her web site, she's located in Kansas and there doesn't seem to be a "storefront" addy.

So, I'm guessing that that phone call came to her her home and disturbed her. This is the risks you take in using your home as your buisness site or NOT having a seperate line.

When I worked at home, from a LEGAL and registered bakery, I had a seperate phone hooked to an answer machine and that phone was TURNED OFF after my bu siness hours! I let the machine pick it up.

Ok, off my soap box, carry on!!!!!!!!!!!! tee hee

Oh yeah..another 5 cents worth, never post ANYTHING on line that you would eventually be ashamed to have your parents read, your children see or that puts your personal safety on the line! There are CRAZY people out here in cyberworld, from predators to zealots. PLEASE be very careful.

I know I said I was done with this, but considering it keeps getting more and more out of hand, I have decided to say one more thing. I agree with Brandi, and it saddens me that she had to bring something up that was so awful and obviously hurt her, from her past to hopefully make a point with some others on this forum. Cakes is a hobby to most of us, a job to some and yes a way to make money or a living... and to some of us a tiny seed of hope we hold for the future, however.... it is not the most important thing in our lives, I hope. I hope that our friends, our families and even some of the people we converse with daily on here, are more important to us. We are all here to support each other and help each other thru hard times, idea well run dry... go to CC tons of people to help. I honestly just can't believe how many people feel personally wounded by a woman who did NOTHING to you. SO she's dishonest, tons and tons of people are dishonest. Hell, almost our whole presidential staff right now has been PROVEN to be dishonest in one way or another, and their dishonesty is costing our nation and our towns and our families the lives of people we love. We have religious officials who are molesting and hurting children in their parishes, we have sex offenders, drug dealers and NUMEROUS other more rotten evil people in the world, the most of us, ME INCLUDED do very little about but sit back, shake our heads and think HOW AWFUL. Homeless people, hungry children, people who have no one else to turn to, yet we all can sit here and jump on a bandwagon and go on the offense about this woman. This is EXACTLY what a mob mentality is. Personally if i was the person who had discovered this, I would have pm'd each person who was involved and then sent an email to the person with the site, and tried to handle it in a civil manner. Instead, a huge post has been started, a thread that will mention her screen name, her business name where her home phone number is listed along with her address and who knows, maybe putting this woman in some type of danger. I mean we're not the only people who are reading this, heavens only knows what kind of crazy person might read this, somehow get it twisted up in their mind and decide to take some kind of justice of their own. You're singeling out this person and most of us have NOTHING to do with it. And the funny thing is, most of the people who do have photos posted are not nearly as upset as the people who don't. I have a bumper sticker on my car, it says focus on your own damn family... because honestly, while we're all here pointing fingers, being angry and so much drama... what exactly could we be doing that is instead positive? If none of us can think of anything, then for heavens sake go bake a cake. Have a nice day and remember, not everyone is evil mean and nasty, but before you go and condemn someone for something that is JUST PLAIN WRONG... think about some of the things you or someone you've known or loved might have done and how they would look to an outsider... I bet each and every one of us has done something to hurt or wrong someone at some point in our lives, and let the person who has no blemish against them be the first one to point a finger.. i mean there was really only ONE perfect person, and look what society did to him.
Jen