I have "framed" cross stitch samplers that I or my daughter have made by putting them on old tins, old slates, anything odd like that. I love love love how they turn out, but selling them is very cost prohibitive. First, you have the expensive tin or slate, then add the cost of the sampler, even if I only pay myself 25 cents an hour for the stitching, which takes forever... Anyway, I got the brilliant idea to search for antique sampler images on Pinterest and make prints to get the look without the cost. After printing one out, I realize it was made in 2010, not the antique look I was going for. I had a small tin and thought, oh what the heck, I will cut off a little part of the print at the top and put that on the tin. Now the Pinterest post was just the sampler, no mention of where it came from. What are the chances that the designer of 14 years ago would be sitting in her home in the Netherlands and open eBay 5 minutes after I list the tin and immediately message me that I am not allowed to use the image? I don't mind taking it down or being told I can't use it, but really, what are the chances????
Also, someone else told me I was being deceiving for making something look like a real sampler when it wasn't on this tin, even though I said it was a print and not a real sampler. Maybe this wasn't the brilliant idea I thought it was.
In the meantime, who knew Valentine goods were a thing? Not me. I usually put up a few heart tins and go on my merry blue way, but I realized the red stuff that I didn't get done in time for Christmas could be reimagined as Valentines and I got obsessed with spelling things with old blocks, starting with one little "LOVE" set. Before I knew it, I was in the Valentine biz and I swear it sold better than my Christmas things did. Did not expect to continue to be so busy. Guess it is mostly keeping the usual winter angst at bay.
