Walter, Bacon & Eggs...and Yea, I believe it IS Crooked.

 My response to my blog/drama from yesterday follows my tales of a fabulous day...the day was so much more important...which is why it gets first billing. I will tell you this though...the follow up might be a tough pill for some to swallow...meaning I saw some things that might ruffle a few feathers. It is not my  intent, but it is inevitable. I don't want to hurt anyone out there, but I do want to validate those that think the industry is..well, not so on the up and up. They are MY opinions and MY experience. I hope it helps anyone seeking more knowledge for whatever reasons, hopefully for the sake of realize you are NOT alone in your thoughts and you are NOT insane. You are most likely, very accurate in your assumptions. But, who will ever really know?  Not me! Cause I am SO done with it:)

Now, i get to create JUST TO CREATE...and i love it.

Tate and I hammed it up and i got a couple of pics of it all. He's so growing up...sniff. He asked me if something was wrong when he came downstairs yesterday. It was funny, because after my morning post, I  just knew that no, something was actually oh so right!

I could not wait to start the rest of my day with him.

I  must say, his passion for art is coming on strong...he "doodles" on a dry erase board in the car.

Yesterday, he drew a new one. Frankenstein. Oh yea, complete with scars on Frank's face and all. I was ever so proud.

He furthered his display of creativity with the placing of his Halloween pumpkin as a mask for his face. I found it hilarious. I am glad I snapped a few off of his silly behavior. I have no idea where he gets it.

So, anyway...we went shopping...and i found some on the most awesome things. I have to share with yall.

So My favorite thing we picked up was Do You Doodle? Although it was in the kiddos section, and although I said I was getting it for Tate, somehow it has (thankfully) made it's way into my little creative nook of the house.

Seriously, the coolest coloring book ever.

It will push your creativity...even though it says ages 4-8...it's for ALL ages. I mean, how often do you run across an image of an arm in a coloring book with the header, "Draw me a tattoo"...

Endless fun.  Endless creativity by yourself or  someone else. It's almost like you want to call dibs on some of the pictures because you don't want someone to beat you to it.  This book is a must.  Check out the site of the artist/author Nikalas Catlow, where he also has some inside the book samples!

I know, the bandages are ever so silly. But they cracked me up. Tate and I often refer to "us" as bacon and eggs...so we both cracked up when we saw them.

Rats. No cuts, no specific need for them, other than they were just too unique to pass up.

Bacon and Eggs Bandages.
Seriously.

Next up, Hairy Gary. Mindless entertainment at it's finest, and I love it. I remember these type things from back in the day...when I was little...holy crap we LOVED these things...move the magnetic metal shavings to restore lost hair on the man...or make up your own hair-doos. Hysterical. Tate thought he would love it..but after a couple of times, he was so over it. Snag. All mine.

And for the grand finale...the end of, ahem, all ends to our shoppin', we purchased the lovable, famous, always hero of the moment WALTER DOLL! Not just ANY Walter...but Walter the Farting Dog. Let me tell you, the Walter the Farting Dog books by William Kotzwinkle and Glenn Murray are hysterical.

Seriously. Hysterical. If you do not have any of them, do yourself and your family a huge favor and pick one up.

So back to the Walter the Farting Dog plush Tate found. Here's the funny thing...when you squeeze him, he, ah, farts.

Yes, farts.
So Tate hands it to me and we are dying laughing and move on with me holding Walter to ensure he makes his way to the check out line with us. Well, I kept seeing more and more cool things and kept bending down with Walter in my hand.

Bad idea.

Everytime I did this bending down with Walter in tow, it would put pressure on his little sound thing. Ya know, the FARTING ONE.

So I kept dying of embarrassment and saying, ever so loudly, "That was Walter".

I know people thought it was me.

The horror. This one lady did not even crack a smile...because I know she thought I had ripped one right there on the floor of the kids section.

So i felt SO DUMB when I was like, "That was Walter"...assuming she had seen the Walter dolls.

Guess not.

Cause she shot a look and turned away as if to say, "You so just farted and are trying to blame a stuffed dog."

I am STILL laughing about it.

So, before I go into the drama side of my post, I thought I would give you a giggle and tell you that I did have an amazing day. It was really, really an opportunity to remind myself why I stepped out and away for so long. Simply put, I needed it. The bacon & eggs band aids and farting dogs bring so much more to my life than a company ever could for me. It's just the way I am.

----now, as for the drama-----

I want to address a few things:)

So I went off a bit yesterday.

Just to clarify...and then...i will be moving on from it all.

Okay, clarity begins.
Linda was correct (emailing you!!!) in her comments to Jennifer ( i think? ) when she said that I was basically pointing out those who are so worked up about the HOF issues.

But...
I was also referring to the never ending drama where one person is hunted for prey.

I have been hunted. And I have seen others go through the mud as well. It really is such a silly thing...but, i was pointing out that it is usually the same group of people on the slug fest...and some of them won't even do it under their real names. Why?

Um.
Let's just say I know for a fact why one of them doesn't.

I should  not even throw that out there, except to warn each and every one of you that you just NEVER KNOW who is out there...and that sometimes, the people you least suspect of ugliness...the ones  you look up to the most could be the same person that takes delight in tearing down anyone that poses a threat to their royal crown.

I will say that Jennifer had a good point...i was not "looking at it as the regular scrapbooker" when I stated my thoughts.

Rather, I was coming from the standpoint of someone that has been in the industry and knows a small bit of the absolute truth to what people are now beginning to figure out. The industry, I believe, is crooked. It's loaded with people that have no clue what decency is.

Honestly.
There is a leading website.
With a leading design team.

And it's been that way for how long? And...if you happen to, albeit not knowingly, step on the toes of anyone related to it you will have a big marker on your head.

Can I prove it? Um, no.
But, I can tell you from experience that it appears that way to me on many levels.

But they go forward.
And we should too.

I do not buy products from the sites that, in my opinion, act as if they are doing us some huge favor by allowing us to visit and shop for their products.

I do not buy products from companies that have so obviously ripped off ideas from others.

You just kinda remember the first place you see something hit. If it hits a second time from another company, I feel insulted for the artist that came up with the idea in the first place.

Be original people.
Even in the naming of their product lines they will reference a word that was created by the mind of the original designer.

Knowing that the original designer knows them...and even in some instances, "knew" them via emails and/or phone calls.

I was in no  way supporting CK. Matter of fact, I swore off their magazine three years ago.  Why? Because a digital layout of mine was picked up by them. When contacted, I was treated very poorly. Once again, it went back to that feeling that they were doing me a favor. The woman pointed out all my incorrect spellings, in a way that a child feels when a teacher has shamed them in the class.

One of my biggest regrets in all my years in the field, was that I corrected that layout and sent it back to them.

Know what? Never again.
I laugh now because anyone that knows me, knows I cannot spell worth a flip. I refuse to stop in the middle of a heartfelt journaling or blogging only to "check" to see if I have spelled a word right. I figure, it's not worth losing the train of thought. Because I am not blogging to show my language skills...I am blogging to be real.

Misspellings and all.
Now, i understand why she wanted them corrected. But I cannot for the life of me realize why changing my son's layout for the sake of CK was okay with me. It just is not about that crap to me.

Honestly.
It's not.
If it was about fame, notoriety, supplies, "celeb" status, I would have continued on with WSD. Consumers were NOT our problem. They were an absolute delight as a matter of fact.

But what made me change by tune (in addition to all the hand issues) was that we were busting our butts to be FIRST with our designs...thinking that a larger company would pick them up. We thought they did. We thought we would be in Target and QVC. That was such a high.

But then it dawned on us.
They didn't need us.
None of the large companies needed us.
Were they inspired by our designs?
That's a decision for you to make.
Me?
I feel confident they were.

So the point is, the crap that is going on in the industry is NOT shocking to me AT ALL. It's something I knew from the day I was the first Digital Company on the scene at GASC. A woman came over from a large company, saying, and yes, this is a quote, "I was told to come see what you are doing and how you are doing it."

It was not because they were supporting us, let's just put it that way.
And the magazines, boy, did they come calling. The digital era was rising. We were floored. I launched anklebiter designs and was contacted by some of the biggest players in the industry where i so willingly spilled the beans about our plans... Naively thinking that this was going to be the ride of a lifetime.

And it was...still is...but not for us.

So, to say that we disappeared for obvious reasons is certainly understandable.
Then the stamps/WSD was equally successful years later.

And the same issues arose again.

Spill.
Wow.
Spill, Wendi Spill.

Perhaps more later, but I wanted to back up and state how/why i want it known that i was not in any way defending an industry that has let so many down.

And I certainly don't want to be a part of it.

Do I think things will change? My honest opinion? No. Again, in my opinion, the system is working, being followed and led by the same groups...and did you ever happen to notice that it is the same groups just about everywhere you turn in the scrapbooking industry? The people the groups endorse or befriend are usually the ones that end up a part of it all.

People might think I am crazy for assuming this. I don't mind. I usually hold back and don't want to hurt anyone...but you know what? I'm sick of seeing others get hurt. Others that think they are really onto something only to have something taken from them...and with a smile...because the wall of protection around them is so strong...the support is so strong...that no one dared say something, gasp, that could
  I see it as a sad state of where the industry is going. Because no matter what the talent, what the product or what the rules...the leaders are the same. They have always been the same (at least the past five years.)

I believe that the people/owners that hold the top spots, hold the reins.

The place is solidified and defined by those that feel they must please the "leaders" for the sake of selling their products. I'd much rather close my doors and walk away with my integrity than play the games that are the polar opposite of what this industry SHOULD be about. I refuse to swallow my dignity for the sake of selling or buying a product. Period.

I will not ever compromise my moral integrity for the sake of fame, recognition or for my products landing on the isles of a big box store. My dignity means far too much to me..and I want to walk the way He wants me to...not the way the "leaders"of the scrapbook industry want me to. 

I don't need the industry or the leaders to define me. I refuse to kiss the butt of those in the power positions. Perior.  And how sad for the many, many people in this industry that are willing to make that sacrifice.

I applaud you all that are taking a stand.

I hope it will change.

I am so over all of this for now because it is just a shame.
And shame on the ones that made it this way.

-ws

Comments

[Daylene]

Hi, Wendi, I'm not a scrapbooker or familiar with the whatever happenend in this mentioned scenerio. I'm so sorry to hear about your health issues. I had just discovered your stamp site and before I could place an order, you went to selling retail. I absolutely fell in love with your designs and am so saddened to hear that I won't be able to purchase these, but truly understand that personal health and family are a priority. You created an awesome butterfly! :) Stay well and best wishes for everything. (Know that others have been trying to find you too - I see these messages pop up from time to time asking about where to find you. :)) God bless!

[Angie]

{{{Wendy}}} Hard lessons to learn. And no one can learn them for you. One hard lesson? "Fame" is relative. And fleeting. And fickle. Even you are a "big dog" in the sb industry, you think anyone on the bowling circuit has ever heard of you? Or of scrapbooking, for that matter. But that bowling "celeb" is a big deal to the people in his crowd. Fame is relative. In the end, all you have is yourself, your family, and your memories - which is why we all get into sb'ing in the first place.

Hard lessons to learn.

[Becky]

Oh and the Walter story? Hilarious!!

[Becky]

I'm not involved in the HOF thing, other than as someone who has believed for awhile that this industry is all about "who you know". My big beef with the HOF thing is that people willingly broke the rules and then, when called on it, immediately played the blame game and shifted that blame to whoever the nearest target at hand was. CK did it, KC did it. CK's first reaction was to blame KC. KC's reaction was to blame everyone else who had done it before her.

What I'd like to see, and what will NEVER happen, is for people to stand up and do the right thing. Just once. Be people of character. Stop shifting the blame and attacking each other, admit when you make a mistake, and move forward with class and grace.

But that will never happen. Because we live in an imperfect world full of imperfect people.