Clearing the air.

Recent events have come to my attention, which make it clear that it is time to shed a bright light on ugly words that have been allowed to thrive in shadow. After thinking on it, consulting trusted friends, and making sure I had all of my facts straight, I have come to the conclusion that it is better to speak up, publicly, on record, and have my cards on the table rather than continue to have my name and reputation maligned in private.

Rumors have been flying around for far too long now, and it's time that they were flushed out by light and transparency. Mutual acquaintances have let me know that another designer is badmouthing me to people I respect, in a way that makes them uncomfortable. Other friends on a city-specific crafting group have told me that the same designer is claiming to have a "copycat stalker." Still more, customers have relayed to me that she has implied that I am copying her work. This might seem like small potatoes or mindless drama to some, but when my name is being maligned to people I respect, I must speak up to defend myself, both as a person and an artist.

So, time for some facts! The following list is a verifiable timeline of some things that have been in controversy:

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-- My line of copper electroplated leaf necklaces, featuring leaves with a cascade of gemstones, pearls, and crystal, launched in October 2008. They were re-issued in 2009, and have been every year since, featuring predominantly in my Autumn update.

-- I had also done a Midsummer Night's Dream line in February 2009 and a lumi-glass "Delicates" collection in October 2008.

-- I launched vintage Halloween image pendants with asymmetrical chain danglies in October 2008.

-- Also included in the October 2008 collection was Black Widow, a crackled agate necklace with spider. There were also matching earrings. Both have re-occurred every year since.

-- Yule '08 update consisted of silvered branches, silver electroplated leaf necklaces, and blown glass ornament earrings. They debuted as a collection of silver and ice, and they have repeated every year since.

-- My "Guess the Gemstone" contest debuted in March 2009 and continued throughout the year and into 2010.

-- In July 2009, I debuted a line of intent necklaces which I had been researching/developing for a few months for the seller Whitemagic. About that time a) Whitemagic passed on the line (and then formulated a cheaper knock-off line which she's selling to this day), and b) For Strange Women was featured on the Etsy front page. I put the 10 or so prototypes on my site for sale, as they were already complete. The other designer then contacted me and said there had "been talk" that my pendants were too close to For Strange Women's customizable herbal pendants. I explained that I was having a hard time finding a small bottle pendant that was water tight and therefore safe to house oils securely, as corked bottles would not work for my purpose. It was a lack of options at the time which presumably led to us choosing the same bottle for our talismans. At any rate, I still haven't found a suitable replacement, so I haven't put any new ones for sale since. Sometimes that's just the right thing to do.

-- The first teasers for my faery wings were in January '10. The techniques were learned from Cynthia Thornton's Enchanted Adornments, and although I have been steadily developing my own wing line with crystal and color, iridescent materials, and differing wing shapes, I will forever be grateful and glad to give her credit for Woodland Wings tutorial, and for inspiring me to work with resin.

-- My PMC leaves debuted in July '10. Not too plussed over this, since leaves are common for PMC, but just in case you were wondering.

-- Halloween '10, posted in early September, included silver bat wings, both necklaces & earrings, crafted with wire and resin. Note the shape.

-- The first iteration of 'Persephone Descending' was sold in July '11.

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No, I am not copying her. There's no way I could be, unless I've got a time machine under wraps. And no, the TARDIS won't fit under my bed. To prove that I have not been copying her, one must look no further than our Etsy sales histories. Match up the first listing/sales dates of the similar items. Surprising patterns may emerge. Trust me when I say that my sold item history on Etsy speaks more strongly against my copying her than anything else I could possibly say on the matter. Although customer quotes like "I wanted to buy those earrings from her, but then I realized I already had the same pair from you last year" do a pretty good job, too.

To my knowledge, Etsy sales histories cannot be deleted or tampered with, so when in doubt, check to see who posted/sold it first. Do some digging, verify the facts for yourself. It's all in the open through an unbiased third party. And hey, sometimes when you search through histories, you find really interesting stuff.

Also, I often post previews on my Twitter and Flickr account. Many things, like my faery wings line, were previewed weeks to months ahead of launch. All of this is public record and dated at the time of upload.

To her claim that I am "targeting" her: jewelry making, especially on Etsy, is a small backyard. And when an acquaintance who is selling on the same platform as I sell does something untoward, it's easy to see and notice, as it's in our shared backyard. To boot, she used to be on my friends-list, where we had been mutually friended. Her updates would show up on my friends-page. It's hard to "target" something that shows up over your morning cuppa joe, you know? Now, we've not been friendly for two years now, but I do have customers/friends who email me when something looks suspicious. Sometimes it looks suspicious to me, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes, it's a matter of common supplies, and some times it's more concerning than that. All I can do is present what factual information I have, and draw my own conclusions.

One of the main reasons I've not discussed this in the open for so long is that I am aware that we have a not inconsiderable customer base overlap. Please know that I am in no way asking anyone to take sides or calling for any action. I simply wanted to provide information and defend myself against unfounded accusations.

Barring major incident or need of clarification, I consider this post to be my final word on the topic, and I swear whatever oath necessary that my words here, to the best of my knowledge, are 100% factual and true. If I find that I have misconstrued a fact (launch dates, etc), I will amend the post to reflect that in good faith. If you have a question about any particular item-- either timing or inspiration-- please don't hesitate to ask. You can comment here or reach me at christina at sihayadesigns dot com.

Thank you so much to my friends and customers who have supported me. Your words and the fact that I have you guys watching my back means so, so much to me. I cannot thank you enough. And thank you to those of you who helped me pare this down from a rambly, emotional behemoth into something concise and precise. :)

Commenters: when commenting, please note that absolutely no name calling, of either the other designer or myself, will be tolerated. You are free to question my account, or ask for clarification on things I may or may not have mentioned here, but I will have no name calling. Period. When in doubt, speak about actions or facts, without sweeping generalizations as to character. That is what I have tried to do here, as I feel it is the most fair and honest.

Now, let the drama be done. I have Halloween shinies to finish, and that's far more important!