It Was Just an Ordinary Day in Scrapbook-Land
A while back, I clicked on a link that a fellow scrapbooker shared. It was a video by KIWI LANE scrapbooking called, “Married to a Scrapbooker, Volume 1.”
I was enjoying the video, LOL’ing at the scrapbooker humor and then, right after the narrator’s wife engages in paper sniffing, something really crazy caught my eye.
Um, the photo of his wife’s scrapbook paper stash? “That’s MY SCRAPBOOK ROOM!” I yelled at my computer screen. My darling iPhone was sitting nearby, my raised voice got the attention of Siri – who was pretty pissed that I woke her – and it was hard to focus for a minute there as she tried to help me.
I thought maybe I was imagining things so I backed up the video and, yep, there it was . . . Say wha’????
So please check out the video and you’ll see my Store in Style cubes and paper stash at 1:34.
HERE’s a link to the video on YouTube if you’re not seeing it embedded here.
Houston, We Have a Problem
Isn’t that crazy?! I’d never been contacted by Kiwi Lane requesting to use the photo or even letting me know they were planning to use it. I figured it must’ve been grabbed from a very old blog post of mine because the cubes haven’t looked all messy like that for years ;)
*All images in this post are courtesy of the Kiwi Lane blog
I know some people feel “if it’s on the internet, anyone can use it.” But, in fact, anything posted on a blog has an automatic copyright and can only be used with express permission of the blogger. Plus it’s just good karma to ask if you can “borrow” a photo and offer to link to the source, especially if you’re a business using it to sell something or promote your business.
So I reached out to Kiwi Lane to see what was going on. The CEO wrote back and couldn’t have been nicer. Apparently, there was a rush to get the video online (it’s the first in a series). Their video person did grab the photo from the interwebs and the owners didn’t have time to vet the video properly before it was posted.
I really try in life NOT to go from 0 to 60 without asking some questions first. So I was very happy that, as I suspected, it was an honest mistake and they admitted it immediately. {I’ve heard of so many similar scenarios where this wasn’t the case}.
A Happy Ending
Kiwi Lane offered to either give me credit in the video commentary section on YouTube or remove the photo – my choice. They also offered me a $25 gift certificate to their website as a way of making up for the mistake. I decided that sounded pretty happy-making :) I didn’t want them to have to go to the trouble of editing the video.
The photo credit with a link to my site was done right away, and the coupon code was also provided. I asked if it was transferable because I wanted to do …. A GIVEAWAY ON MY BLOG!!! She said they’d be happy to ALSO send a Kiwi Lane paper kit or provide another $25 coupon code for the giveaway.
So I told her the plan was I’d use the original $25 code to order some of their products and do a review, and use the other for a blog giveaway. Don’t you just love happy endings?
Now let’s get this GIVEAWAY PARTY STARTED!
To enter, just leave a comment on this blog post. Please tell me which one of Kiwi Lane’s products you’d like me to review OR what you’d buy if you won the $25 prize {or both, if you’re feeling ambitious today}.
Deadline is Saturday, April 30 at midnight PST. Good luck!
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39 Comments
So nice that your blog post had a happy ending! I’d like to see a review of the cardmaking templates!
So I read this and first thought, HEY, don’t be stealing her stuff! Then I thought, HEY! your room was THAT good that they stole your stuff??!?! Awesome sauce! I do very much appreciate the class move they did when they handled themselves as they should have, but making sure you got the creds, cuz that’s a biggie. Can you now say that you’ve been featured on their site?? HECK TO THE YEAH! I would totally do that! “Check on MY crafty goodness at ______!” Had I a craftroom that I would actually post, they would not have used it for their site OR would have and said “this is what happens when a bomb goes off in a craft room”. So good on ya for telling them, and good on them for doing the right thing!
I’ve seen Kiwi Lane stuff before, but not sure I get how it’s used. People rave about it and I suppose when you’re in a scrapbook creative slump and hit the wall when you throw a pic on the page and call it good, this is where Kiwi comes in and rescues the layout. Before Cricut (B.C.) this is the kinda thing I would cut by hand, but their templates, etc look really cool. Have fun with them!
Thank you, Teri. I love your comment – made me smile :)
I’m kinda glad this mistake happened! It, let me get to know you, and there is no doubt that you have the same interest. Love paper, scrapbooking, and creating!!! lol ;)
Thanks again for being so understanding.
Thank you, Susan, for being so proactive in making things right. I look forward to trying your Kiwi Lane products and I’m so happy to have this giveaway – you can see how excited people are!
I think I’d be interested in how easy it is to your the photo set/templates and what you think of the process. I don’t know if I’d use the templates to trace and then cut but would maybe just use them with a paper trimmer to easily crop photos to a certain size. I’ve seen similar templates before and always wondered what it would be like to work with them. If I’d buy any it would probably be the photo or mini photo sets and not the special designs like arrows, birds, teddy bears, etc.
Also, I think the Enjoy the Ride and Live Life paper collections because they could be used for both male and female layouts.
It really is heartwarming to know nice people still exist in this world who do the right thing, like the Kiwi Lane CEO did!
I would like to see the brackets used, as well as the photo mats/templates. I think those are both pretty universal things, and the mats would be good for us OCD types…
I so badly want their idea book! And I’d love to see a review of their templates. I’ve seen some that a couple friends have…I find them intriguing!
What a surprise, huh? Glad they apologized so nicely!
Those scalloped templates look divine bc they have so many sizes! The photo mats should be in every crafters tool box. And then the idea book…the key to it all. It would be a hard decision!
i may be the odd man out here, but i think its incredibly rude that Kiwi Lane just “assumed” you would be okay with them “borrowing” your pictures! It would have taken 5 minutes to email you and get the go ahead, and this should have been done during the production process (when they would have had plenty of time to wait for a reply). Just because they were in a hurry does NOT justify stealing your intellectual property! You are way too nice!!!!
What a classy way you handled this AND classy way Kiwi Lane responded! I think their Idea Book looks interesting. :)
I’m a book junkie, so their Idea Book would be my choice!
I have a TON of their templates ao for me I would want to try out their new paper packs. I like how they designed the “cut apart” type one. Can’t wait to see what you end up reviewing. I love the borders because it is a nice way to add lots of patterns in little touches and then you can usually fit them into any style.
I would love to see a review on their border templates. How easy they are to use, how you cut them (I am terrible at fussy cutting of any kind), but I love the idea of having those shaped pattern papers on my page.
Its always nice when there is happy ending with these types of thing. I am not very familiar with their products (I have seen folks use them but I don’t own any) so I will be extremely happy to see any review you do on their templates.
I love Kiwi Lane templates. I would love their new idea book.
Both you and Kiwi Lane handled this situation with respect. Well done!
You handled this in a very classy way and so did Kiwi Lane in the end – mistakes happen and it’s how they are handled that makes the difference.
I’m not familiar with their products so am interested in whatever you review
I’m glad this had a happy ending that resulted in getting more exposure for both parties involved. :) I stumbled across Kiwi Designs a while back and would love to see you do a review of their products! I’d be interested to know how any of it works and if there’s any type of “learning curve” involved. My favorite way to scrap right now is basing my layouts on sketches featuring the number of photos I have; but I’m always willing to learn/try new things. Thanks for the chance to win!
Glad they gave you the credit you deserve. It’s kind of cool (now that you got credit). Nice way to handle things too. I really like the Enjoy The Ride Paper Kit.
I love your layouts.
I’m glad it was settle. I would like a new idea book.
Cute story. I would also like a review of their books . I have several sets of their templates.
I am glad it all worked out well. I have many of their templates, their 2 idea books, and some of their paper packs. I don’t have any of their ‘in-between’ templates – I’ve used the 12″ borders and accessories for cards, and the card borders/accessories for cards – but I don’t have/never used the 8″ mini borders. I’m not entirely sure the purpose – just cut down the 12″ border! But anyway, I do love their templates, my biggest problem is the cutting, it’s never as even as theirs. I think that is a big learning curve, cutting properly.
What a surprise that must have been for you to see! I’m glad they did the right thing- that says a lot about the people who are Kiwi Lane.
If I were to win the $25 gift card, I’d get the mini brackets and regular brackets. Those would be shapes that I’d use often in my scrapping and card making. But their patterned paper is really cute, too.
I would love for you to try the Spooky Alley as I like that look,
But for me, I want to try the Aspen Court!
And very cool that Kiwi Lane acknowledged the mistake, and has made it right! Good Job KL!
That is definitely a nice, happy ending. I love when that happens. I’ve never heard of Kiwi Lane, so I’m glad to have read this story. I like the idea of their templates, and would love to see you put some of them to work. I would also love to try them, myself. Thanks
That’s awesome! I designed a product for a company…or rather, I asked them to make something from my head into an actual product and they did it. Then they stated that they’d like to sell it (after I had promoted the quality of the product and advised people to contact the company if they were interested so that the company could see the profitability in the product…a project life card organizer) and posted it for sale without giving me due credit. I was upset about the whole thing and didn’t necessarily handle it with the best decorum because I was offended over my idea not receiving the proper credit (especially since I don’t receive a cut of the sales, I just received a discount on my second unit). It was quickly resolved and since I know I won’t be opening up my own wood shop to create and sell the unit myself, I was more than satisfied with receiving proper credit for my vision and the discount I received. It’s always nice when a company does the right thing!! :)
Hi Denise! Thank you for sharing your story. I would’ve been upset too. I’m glad it all worked out and you feel good about it now :)
Love Kiwi Lane and am glad this all worked out (your scrap stash is quite video worthy)..would just like to see your review of them. If I were to win…I would probably pick up more of the mini borders so I could use them on pocket pages
I so enjoy your blog posts makes me chuckle every time. This time I learned something, did not know of Kiwi Lane and now I am intrigued. I would really like the Idea Book. Keep up the great work!
Love your blog! I would like to see a review of the photo mats, I hate cutting my photos free hand! I would love the idea book and the photo mats (if I knew how to use them ). thanks for the great offer!
I’m glad that it all worked out and that Kiwi Lane was a stand up company.
Looking at their website, I think some of their templates would be perfect for my BFF’s mom for page planning and cutting.
It’s hard to know what sets to get to start so I’d love to see that as part of your review. How did you decide on the border, element and/or photo mats and then how did you make them all work together. Or are there specific sets tied to some samples or sketches to make it easy for a new customer to get started?
I would like to see how you would use the “Adventure” accessories. It has arrows, gear/wheel, stars, and splash.
Happy ending, indeed! And this is great PR for Kiwi Lane, as well – I’m much more likely to purchase from them, knowing that they are good citizens.
I would love to see you review their Sentiments Card Borders and/or the Idea Book v.2.
I love KL products and am glad to see how the handled this. I only have a few of their products and woukd love the chevron borders, large brackets and some accessory sets.
I would love to see a review on the templates (the curvy ones). I would love to get the idea book – and then I’d probably have to buy all the products :)
I’d go for some templates!
I think you handled the situation very graciously.
Thank you for all the comments and entries, scrappers! Usually I try to answer each comment but just can’t this time with so many. Good luck to all! Just a few more days in the contest, whoop whoop!!
I had something similar happen to me, but their intent was not nice.
They too rectified the mistake after many of the 2peas stuck up for me…and I didn’t find out about any of this until later, lol.
So happy yours turned out well :)