Doors and Windows....

"Often the difference between a successful person and a failure

is not one has better abilities or ideas,
but the courage that one has
to bet on one's ideas,

to take a calculated risk--and to act."

Andre Malraux

It has been an UNBELIEVABLE couple of days.

On Monday, I learned that a consortium of Web sites (http://www.traderlou.com/, http://www.handtrade.com/ and http://www.ahsmith.com/) had STOLEN images of my work off of Etsy AND my product descriptions and were representing my work without MY permission to do so. They had ripped off several other damned fine artists on Etsy too, and even had the cajones to actually rip off images from Robert Redford's Sundance Catalog if you can believe that.

Once word got out that this was what was happening, one ripped off artist told another, and another, and before you know it, the entire ETSY community was bombarding these Web sites with nasty emails, voice mails, text messages--you name it. We all banned together and fought this low life company, who pretended to partner with small artists and sell our work. What a joker this guy and company are!

By end of the day, all of the Web sites had completely stripped the Etsy artists from their pages! It was the most awesome feeling in the world to take down this company's illegal acts without any of us even having to consult a lawyer.

On the same day, I got crappy news that NONE of the samples I had sent to my catalog for Fall weren't selected. Let's just say I assumed that was the case, as all I received was a box full of my samples with No NOTE, NO Thank You, No Nothing! I was pretty bummed about it, as I had high hopes for my designs in their fall book. They simply said my samples were too similar to what they already had in the book, and they were looking for other designs..Fair enough.

I had a pity party for myself about it last night, but it only lasted about 1 hour. Then, after I put Evan to bed, I started pitching my work to lots of other boutiques I'd been wanting to get into for some time. And I pitched myself to a catalog I've been wanting to get into for awhile, too. I figured, what the hell? The time is NOW.

Do you know what happened? Today, I shipped 30 pieces off to a Toronto-based company that has an amazing array of jewelry designers in its inventory--they were one of the pitches I made lastnight. The owner scours the world for fabulous, interesting work, and she called me this morning and asked me if I could get my work to her before her Valentine's Day Trunk Show TOMORROW! I loved her immediately as a person, and I do believe it will bring other wonderful opportunities.

In addition, I got a call this afternoon from a buyer at a catalog I've been targeting for some time. Last night, I sent them images of my fall line up and they now want to take a look at samples. It is AWESOME news, as this particular catalog must get hundreds of submissions a year--if not thousands.

I almost want to cry at the way in which life introduces new opportunities. A year ago, I probably would have had a much longer pity party for myself about the other catalog not wanting my work for fall, and I would have even entertained the idea that this one single rejection was a sign from the universe that I probably wasn't meant to be a designer after all.

But this time, I just took it in stride and put my energy into something positive. I saw it for what it could be--another door opening. The new catalog opportunity might not turn into something immediately, but it WILL turn into something. I insist on it.

What door has closed recently in your life?

Instead of looking upon it with sadness, look ahead--up there, through the hazy fog of your imagination.

Is that a door, bright with sunlight? If so, walk confidently towards it, grab the handle with a firm grip, and stride out into your future.