Please read here for information and how you can take action now!
You can visit the CHA website here.
For the most up-to-date happenings, please go to the OWA Opposition HQ website.
« April 2008 | Main | June 2008 »
Please read here for information and how you can take action now!
You can visit the CHA website here.
For the most up-to-date happenings, please go to the OWA Opposition HQ website.
Darn! Typepad ate my last post! ARGH....
Okay, back to what i was saying... I am now tweet-ing my boring life 24/7 on twitter! See it here. It is bunches of fun. I still love facebook but have been so busy lately that i can't keep up! So, twitter lets me see all the updates and important day-to-day stuff that my pals are posting. Go check it out and start posting your random thoughts...
Some fabulous applications that I recommend to keep you procrastinating - lol: Twitterfox, Twhirl, Facebook Toolbar
Oh - I FINALLY got a myspace account! I am super friendless so please add me! You can see it here.
That is pretty much all I have time to post today. I am trying to get the kiddos to clean their rooms and must eat dinner... Happy to say I finished a project today and can start fresh tomorrow!
And speaking of tomorrow... SEASON FINALE OF LOST! WOO HOO!
Have a good night!
Well, I was getting really tired of my blog. Being cheap (lol) i only was doing the basic typepad plan, but decided to upgrade. I looked at blogger (again, being cheap!) but I am totally horrible with html. I plopped a banner up, Jen and I had a good laugh at how bad it looked, and then ran back to typepad. Blogger looks like a great option if you know how to tweak code, but alas, I stay very far away from html!
So what do you think? Easy to read? Hard to read? Too much?
I am hoping by pretty-ing it up it will make me want to post more... wishful thinking!
The banner was made from a carpet runner mock up using a new Kristy Valshan collection (not sure if this collection will be "released" on the site or not due to potential licensing opportunities), and the font used for "Bits & Pieces" is by Darcy Baldwin (it is my own handwriting made into a font - I highly recommend her!! I love the font and used it for Christmas cards, envelopes, journaling on scrapbook pages, etc - Jen used it to address her own cards this year too! LOL!).
That's it for now - Jeff and kids home from grocery store so off to put the groceries away. Have a happy Saturday and thanks for your comments!
Hi all -
We are back from Surtex (whoa, what a RIDE!I) and I just posted this on the Kristy Valshan, Inc. blog. This being a REALLY important cause I am posting it here also in case you haven't bookmarked/subscribed to KV's blog yet (and why not? LOL)!
For those of you following the developments on the orphan works act, here is more information/links:
Key points of the bill as written by Joanne Fink:
1. The art licensing community is strongly opposed to the bills because we are extremely concerned about losing our ability to earn a living by licensing our work for commercial use– which is what we believe will happen if this legislation passes because:
a. The bills will basically allow anyone to use a design for any purpose— without the copyright holder’s permission – after performing a vaguely defined ‘reasonable search’.
b. Under the Orphan Works legislation an artist would only be entitled to a “reasonable compensation” which could be a nominal sum (for example, $200). The legislation also eliminates the reimbursement of court costs, legal fees, and statutory damages. Since the amount the artist might receive would often be less than the court costs, and without the possibility of a large monetary award it is doubtful that any attorney will take the case on a contingency basis, the artist will not be able to afford to go to court, and will thus be unable to protect their work.
c. The bill requires the implementation of a visual arts database that does not currently exist. While it does not require artists to register their work on this database, any work that would not be included on the database could easily be ‘orphaned’. This is a catch 22; the legislation only makes sense if there is a reliable way (such as a visual arts database) to trace a piece of art—without that ability the net effect will be to CREATE millions of orphaned works—but there currently is NO reliable way to trace a piece of art.
d. The bill will allow an infringer to create—and copyright—a derivative work.
e. The biggest problem is that the legislation is scheduled to become effective whether or not the required databases ever come into existence, as it is scheduled to take effect on the EARLIER of: January 1, 2013, or when the copyright office certifies the existence of at least two independent, searchable databases. The effective date should—and MUST— be tied to the implantation of searchable databases.
And the latest press release:
ORPHAN WORKS OPPOSITION
to H.R. 5889 - The Orphan Works Act of 2008 and
S. 2913 - The Shawn Bentley Orphan Act of 2008
PRESS RELEASE
For immediate distribution and release
NEW COPYRIGHT BILLS WILL AFFECT EVERYONE
A radical proposed change to US copyright law would allow infringers to exploit the rights of copyright holders with little or no penalty. Two bills currently on the “rocket docket” would let infringers “orphan” any copyrighted work whose owner the infringer failed to locate through a vaguely defined “reasonably diligent” search. The creative arts industry, including world-renowned artists, designers, photographers, manufacturers, and licensing businesses have united to oppose this legislation.
Senate Bill S. 2913 and House Bill H.R. 5889, the Orphan Works Acts of 2008 were intended to give libraries and museums greater latitude to commercialize archival works. But critics charge they have been drafted so broadly they would permit any infringer to commercially exploit any copyrighted work, from professional art to family photos.
# # #
Diane Carnevale Jones
Professional Marketing
2025 East Beltline SE
Suite 408
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
(616) 949-9104
If you are an artist, digital designer, post photos on the web, or creator you may be at risk. Please contact your representative or take 2 minutes to complete the form letter here: Quick and easy way to take action
Thanks for your attention!
First of all, Happy Belated Mother's Day Moms! I sincerely hope you all had a wonderful day.
Secondly, has anyone noticed Jen's super blog posting run lately? And her new design? Whoa. What has gotten into her? And here I thought she was prepping all the Surtex stuff (tee hee). Anyway the blog looks great Jen! You want to do mine next? Yeah, remember 2 years ago when you said you would design it for me?????!??!???!
Speaking of Surtex... anyone going? If you are in the NYC area come visit! It starts Sunday (STRESSED!!), and runs concurrently with the Stationery Show . If you love paper and design you should go! There is a lot of eye candy to be had...
Kristy Valshan will be in the galleria pavilion (upstairs) in booth #801 for the Surtex show (again, STRESSED!!). Please stop by!
Let's see, what else...
I have started twittering again - if you are a twitter-er, please say hello! And remember to stop by on facebook and add me as a friend so I can throw something at you, and become a fan of Kristy Valshan while you are there!! :) There is a great little FB app that syncs your tweets to facebook called TwitterSync. It is nice because I use TwitterFox and quickly update twitter in between photoshop "thinking" sessions, and then it goes right to FB and syncs it. Not that you all are dying to hear what I am doing, LOL, but Jen is probably wondering if I am working!! :)
Also, Angie Pedersen has a great article on Using Facebook to Promote your Scrapbooking Business. Her articles are always informative and an interesting read.. Go check it out...
Well i think that is all I can squeeze in before I go run and get the kiddos off the bus. Everyone have a great day!!
If so, you really need to be aware of this new law. If you design and/or are an artist, then your creations are also at risk.
To very quickly and easily write a letter to your congressman/congresswoman about Orphan Works and how it will affect you, please go here: http://tinyurl.
If you would like some additional information, you can look at my previous post below or visit IP Attorney Tammy Browning-Smith's blog here. Tammy is KV's attorney and is fabulous!
My artist friend Brenda (a designer for Sizzix, HUGE on QVC, etc) has great information on her blog about Orphan Works as does the lovely, talented, and awesome enough to be on the Martha Stewart Show Claudine Hellmuth (scroll down after the adorable picture of Mabel). Their blogs are fun and inspiring so be sure to check them out often!
Thanks so much for reading this and have a good weekend!

