This is going to be tacky, so don't bite my head off, but I looked at her work she has posted on CC, and while her cakes are nice, they are nowhere near the level of what she posted on her site. She is going to get into a lot of trouble when she can't deliver to the clients.

How sad....all I can say is give credit where credit is due. We come on here to share ideas, get advice and help, and share experiences. That is the beauty of this site...to help us all grow to be better bakers, artists, and decorators......NOT THIEVES!!!!! Yes we use other peoples creations as inspiration for our own cakes but to post someone else's work as your own..not even YOUR version of thier work.....is sad and disrespectful.


anywhooooo...back to my fun loving self!!!

Do you think she'll notice a lot more recent hits to her website? When you have a website, don't they record how many hits?

THERE IS ALSO A PHOTOGRAPHER IN HER SITE THAT I THINK IS HER RELATIVE WITH THE SAME LAST NAME I WONDER IF THEIR PICTURES ARE AUTHENTIC. MY HUSBAND IS A PHOTOGRAPHER AND HE KNOWS PHOTOGRAPHERS SITES I'LL HAVE HIM CHECK THEM OUT TO SEE IF THEY ARE THEIRS TO WARN THE PHOTOGRAPHERS. I TOO SAW HER PICTURES AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE THE CUSTOMERS FACE WHEN SHE CAN'T DELIVER.

I second that summernoelle and nickii.

Well, that's enough drama for me for one night!
Sweet cake dreams my fellow decorators!

Shelleylynn

I can't believe someone does things like this. I just sent an email to someone with a bunch of pictures and I wrote to the person none of these are mine I found them online to give you ideas. Again they are not mine so comment away!

I saw someone mention that this website had pictures from Wilton - Well we may only be able to request removal whereas Wilton could force (legally) they do so.

she isn't one of the ones who recently put a post up, in general asking about posting people's cakes on here on her site. Because I know, in the last few weeks there have been quite a few of these "general" posts, and it might just be that someone saw the responses, because most were... go ahead, as long as you list who they are really by.... maybe she's not the author of one, but a reader who just doesn't comprehend well. I would say, before we all go on the attack, we wait and see what her response is. Because, this has happened several times since I've been a member, and that really hasn't been THAT long.. and sometimes it really is just an honest mistake. Don't shoot the messenger... it's just an idea, besides my cakes are crap.. or the ones I have posted on here are.. and I know that i won't have to worry about anyone stealing those ha ha ha
Jen

It really bothers me to see the "mob mentality"... this woman made a stupid mistake. Now, if someone searches Google for her business, they are going to come across this website and this thread.

I believe she should've been given the opportunity to remove the photos before posting a link to her site.

But that's just me.

how tacky sorry had to throw my two cents in I will have to email her. It's one thing to ask for permission but gezzz some people

Until mmstormont responds I think it's wise if we not assume it's her.

I tried checking out the website to find anything else that pointed to CC to no avail.

I'm sorry for all that have been hurt by the use of their cakes on another's website and hope this will all be peacefully resolved.

I'm sure whoever has mycakeexpressions.com will be very surprised at their number of angry emails. Mine will be included, although none of my pictures were used, I feel the need to express my opinion.

Noley, you could be very right. Those threads were discussing and interchange of ideas .... like if I saw one of your cakes and decided to try to duplicate it or vice-versa.

Using another decorator's photos as part of your advertising and in effect passing the work off as your own is completely different. And you may be right .... it could be a simple misunderstanding. Which is why, in my email, I asked that the photo be removed or that I be contacted "....so we could work out a win-win resolution."

I'm more upset that I wasn't contacted for permission to use the photo, where we could have discussed how it was to be used. Had I been contacted with such a request, I would have been very complimented and would have listened to how/why they wanted to post it. If it sounded like a good idea that was non-detrimental to my business, I may have given the green light.

If a CC'er wants to duplicate a cake that I've made.... go at it. If a CC'er duplicates one of my cakes and puts it on their website, obviously it's A-ok since it's actually their cake.

If a CC'er wants to post one of my photos on their website, then contact me for permission. As has been discussed in previous threads, photos are copyrighted to the owner. Do not post it (a) without written permission or (b) in a way that implies it is your own work.

I am hoping that all of this can be resolved simply.

Holy cow Allison, she has your picture plastered all over her site!! I noticed a phone number - you should CALL her and just ask her to remove your picture. Also, I noticed a link that she has a teamwedding.com top member - maybe they should know what she's up to as well, especially if the pictures don't come off her website.

I disagree with the mob mentality comment - I agree that she should be given the opportunity to remove the pictures, which she has been given, but I think everyone is just concerned and shocked since this is so blatant.

You guys really need to check out mmstormont's recent posts and then check her website again. Here's the specific link I am talking about. http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-95191-.html
It looks to me that these two people are one in the same and maybe you guys should be sending your angry emails by pm's instead. Should someone contact Jackie or Heath?

So, you think because it might just be an innocent mistake, everyone should make phone calls to her business or home, and report her to another group that she may have to pay dues or application fees to, to get her in trouble and put a black mark on her business, possibly even CLOSE it before she really gets a start. I think that is seriously jumping the gun. I agree with Deb, she has a very good way of looking at it, but here a bunch of people who are generally very nice and helpful talking about basically finding a way to ruin this woman, before any of us really know what is going on... take a big deep breath, and exhale. I guess I would probably be upset if someone had taken a photo from my album and tried to pass it off as their own work, but like it has been stated a thousand plus times, imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. Anyway, no matter whether you water mark it or not, once it's online it is open for people to do almost anything with. People stealing and passing things off as their own is nothing new... i mean they've had plagerism rules at every university school in every state in the united states... and sine the invention of the internet, they are getting more and more strict about it. I'm not saying it is right, and i'm not saying what their motive was in posting these photos. I'm not saying that the people who have their cakes on this site, with out recognition don't have the right to be upset, angry, let down and a myriad of other feelings, i'm just saying lets not hang her out to dry and hold the whole trial and have them executed before anyone really knows what the deal is.
Jen

I also just noticed that she is offering to do every character cake known to man, another big no-no...I think she just doesn't know any better, at least I hope so.

I feel bad for you all and I'm sorry someone has done this. I also agree that we shouldn't jump to conclusions it may not be the mm person from CC it may just be a coniciedence (spw)..

I noticed on her site that she hasn't updated her Occasions page since march... she still has the March special up for the cupcakes....

Just to clarify, I did send her an email over a week ago and gave her time to reply or remove. I have received neigher a reply, or an acknowlegement. I'm don't mean to "mob" this person, but mistake or not, it's unethical - and needs to be corrected.

I agree with Nickii - this site is a terrific tool for cake decorators and cake enthusiasts. Photo's posted here are to share, not claim as your own. Had she asked, and noted the photo with the decorators name, I'm totally OK with that. I'm hoping she'll correct it regardless.

hey everyone, just wanted to thank everyone for letting me know about my picture!! i appreciate the pm's!! glad to know there is a such a great CC family out there looking out for each other!!

i did send her an email asking her to remove mine & any other photos that weren't hers and i understand some of your responses about 'mob-mentality'.....and i hope i didn't come off too harsh in my email....but if you've made it through middle school....you have no excuse to pass off someone else's work as your own. i tried to look through her entire site to see if maybe she was just using that cake gallery as an 'idea' page or something and this may end up being one those big 'uh-oh
situations....but if you read through her site....it appears she's trying to pass these cakes off as her own. And someone said in an earlier post she had a watermark on her photo and it was photo shopped out!!!

I would hope she would just remove the pictures and that would be end of this....lesson learned.

thanks again everyone for looking out for each other!!
christine

Come on guys... sure it's illegal. Sure she's wrong.

Speeding is illegal/wrong too... but 3 speeding tickets haven't stopped me (I have a lead foot). We all break laws in some way, I'm sure... what bothers me is when we start looking down our noses at others for offenses similar to those we make ourselves. Maybe none of you have used photos in this manner - but I'd be willing to bet none of you are without "sin" either.

I don't condone what she did - but neither do I condone throwing her to the "wolves" and possibly negatively impacting her business. What if that is her sole means of support?

This seems to be happening more and more frequently. Perhaps Heath or Jackie can make it so photos cannot be right-clicked and copied? I know it can be done (my DD's newborns from the hospital and JCPenneys are all protected like this), just not sure if it can be done on this site. There are ways around it, too, but at least it could be a deterrent. You know they know they are stealing them if they had to go the round about way to get them. Or perhaps a note that appears on the gallery pages, "Please do not...." I know it won't stop everybody, but at least they could not claim innocence.

Then her "sole means of support" is a lie!