thoughts and time outs

i'm back! it sounds crazy, but i really needed that week break from blogging after my week break from life. it was so nice to be checked out from everything while i was on vacation, and then i came back and got sucked into the pinterest debate and reading waaaayyyy too many blog posts about it. what really got to me was all the comments from ignorant people saying "what you put out on the internet is free game" or "if someone puts art on the internet, i am free to make it my desktop wallpaper pattern" or "what is the big deal if i rip off someones idea as my own and mass produce it, there are no new ideas out there". well, that last one i didn't actually read, but a lot of people were pretty darn close in that sentiment.

in my time off, i have had moments to really make a decision on where i stand and i have discovered that in my mind, i love what pinterest has done for the creative community. i added a "share this" widget to the bottom of my posts to let others know that i love them pinning my ideas as inspiration. what i have discovered i do have a problem with is bloggers taking my photos without permission and displaying little in the way of credit. i have added some copy in my right column stating that if you would like to use a photo (which i generally don't mind at all), i request an email letting me know and appropriate reference and link back to my blog. do i think everyone, or anyone for that matter is going to humor me with an email, no. but at least i have initiated the conversation and let my feelings be known. that's really all i can do, because the alternative is to shut down the blog and that's not really an option.

i also added a "link with love" badge. have you heard about this initiative yet? if not, head over here - their message is spot on.

now it is time to head over to pinterest and reevaluate all my pins to make sure that i myself have linked with love.