Be a Responsible Pinner...please :)

Good morning, friends -

I LOVE Pinterest...I am ADDICTED to Pinterest...I am a visual learner and the fact it's a visual search engine appeals to every part of me.

That being said, I'm a little frustrated of late and at how people are pinning and would like to give you some things to think about....please, at least think about them.

#1.  When re-pinning an image you immediately fall in love with, DON'T just hit re-pin.  PLEASE click on the image OR the "Website" button for two reasons:

• First, when you actually FOLLOW the image to it's source you find out if it's actually the site with the gorgeous hand-made whatzit OR a "suspicious link" (to those people who create that, could you get a REAL job or use your intelligence to find a cure for something???)  OR a link to an entirely different thing, which is what's frustrating me lately.  I see a yummy dessert and when I click on the image to check the recipe it's something else all together.
• Secondly, the person who made that amazing brownie pie or crafted that fabulous quilt share in part so that you will stop by and visit.  Some of us it's for the pure joy of knowing at least one person thought what we did or had to say was cool and for others (oh....someday...) it's so that they can justify advertizing dollars that support their worlds.  When we pin images that take away the need to visit a page (**this is what I have seen lately: taking their image and copying their recipe so that there is no need to go to their site - remember those discussions in high school about plagiarism?) it's what really burns their buns!

#2.  When you see an image that catches your eye and follow it back, SOMETIMES its something we really DON'T have the right to use: a piece of artwork, a craft on Etsy, etc and SOMETIMES people say in black and white: "Please don't take this without permission."  I was just viewing a quilters side that labeled her blog a "Pin-Free Zone" and asked people NOT to pin from there.  I think it's important to respect other people's wishes...just my opinion.

There is this feeling out there that if it's on the Internet, it's fair game.   Ask the music industry about that one...

We are in a brave new world that is changing every day.  It is exciting at best and frightening at it's worse.  By all means (because I will be) pin to your hearts content - but be a responsible pinner.  Click on the image and take it back to it's source.  Pin from original websites so the traffic goes where it belongs.

If you post on a blog or Facebook, give complete credit where it's due, link back to the source and let their work speak for itself - don't take their recipe and just add it. 

If you want to use images from my blogs, feel free - I spent my life in the classroom and teachers are sharers.  All I ask is that you link back to me.  It's all most of us ask that blog.  We LOVE to see you've come by - send your friends, it really makes our day!

If you follow me in Pinterest, I am about half way through checking the sources on my almost 5,000 pins - it's a bit tedious of a process, but worth it!  I deleted about 200 pins so far that had suspicious links (unbeknownst to me at the time...I didn't realize it...forgive me...I'm working my way through...) or were linked to people's work on Etsy, etc.  If at anytime you find one of my pins isn't up to snuff - give a yell because I may not have gotten to check it yet.  It might have gotten by me.  I am starting on the food recipes now.... want to bet there will be some cooking in this house when I'm done!  Muahahahaha!

Thanks for listening to the rant - I'm all good now...
Hugs,
Carrie
PS.  If you do see a pin that takes you where it shouldn't PLEASE let me know - there are only so many hours in a day and it's taking me longer than anticipated to check my pins!!