Kristina Contes finally speaking...

[Cathy Smith]

I find the behavior of both CK Media and Kristina Contes reprehensible. I think both parties should be held accountable.I have said so from the beginning and her post this evening has changed nothing.

For the record, the other three names.. Mitchell Kraft, who is mounting a horse on one of his pages; Cindy Liebel, who used a heritage photo and there is one other photo of someone running in a marathon.

On most message boards all of these photos, in addition to Kristina Contes, have been addressed which is why there is outrage against CK Media and a call for accountability on their part.

In most major contests when the pages are first received they are inspected to ensure that the rules are met. Obviously CK Media chose NOT to do this.The question is why not? The answer for many of us is obvious and it is not "oversight."

[BettyBoops]

Amen, sista! I have no intentions of looking at her book. Her blog is rude, crass, immature and I could go on and on.

I saw some of the comments on the blog and they were just hateful...I agree with you about the design and journaling....my 4 y.o. does better with stickers...guess we know why it only took four hours to get the entry done, eh?

Would take me four hours to do one layout...because I put a lot of thought and consideration into it...

But hey, I can be flexible...maybe the next layout I do I will just run my ATG across the paper, throw a bunch of embellies and ribbon in a box, shake it up and dump it out on to the paper, and see what sticks! LOL I think I will enter a bunch of those in HOF 2008! :wink: You never know...I may just get HM!

[S!girl]

I think the reason I am so upset about this is because it is so personal for me. I have tried to get published for the last 5 years. About 3 months ago I won a contest to be published in a major magazine. But, after reading the rules carefully again, like KC, I had broken them. For about 10 minutes I kept thinking "Don't worry about it, nobody's gonna know." But then I thought "You and GOD are going to know." Not only that, I had to look myself in the mirror every day. And my kids were going to look me in the eye. How could I, as a moral, ethical, human being pass ideals of honesty and integrity onto my children if I couldn't practise it myself. I wrote a letter explaining the situation and excusing myself as a winner in the contest. Then I proceeded to cry for about 3 days. It broke my heart and I am YET to be published, but at least I can look myself in the mirror and KNOW that I am a woman of morals who my children can be proud of.

[Well Now]

I am not sure why anyone would expect her to apolize or to say anything classy- after you have viewed her work you know she has no class, after you have read her blog you know she doesn't think any rules apply to her. -taking photographs in a museum of someone's work knowing the it was against the rules of the museum and then laughing when the guard threw her out - really respecting others art, there KC.

[journeyfan]

Here is the comment I left on her blog ~ we'll see if she posts it:
~~~
Hi Kristina ~ I admire you for being brave enough to post your true thoughts on the matter. At least we know the truth straight from you now, even if we're still disappointed and confused by your actions and CK's. You are a very talented scrapbooker who may have deserved to win. But anyone who didn't follow the stated rules should have been disqualified, not just you. Btw, I don't enter contests or have any vested interest in HOF, and I'm not one of "those" who've been posting nasty things. I will be surprised and impressed if you post my comment.
~~~
I have a lot more to say about the whole thing, but I'll leave it at that for now

Edited to add: Well, it's now 11 hours later and my Comment has not been added to her blog. Even though 50 additional (praising) posts have been added since then. Here is part of my favorite one:

"...have you noticed that the peeps that are really upset about this whole deal have yet to comment?? He he he he!" Uh, we ARE posting but Kristina is not approving our comments.

[SueS312]

Is there going to be anything said from CK now?

Not sure if my other post has been read, but I don't believe the message board is the appropriate forum for addressing this matter. It's more for entertainment than official business.

It's also entirely likely that their corporate counsel has a gag order on anyone adding any more, so it's not entirely fair to construe silence on their part as ignoring the readership.

I'm not sure if you read my post in response to this statement. CK has already posted 2 apologies on the MB, so apparently they do think it is an appropriate forum.

[journeyfan]

I think the reason I am so upset about this is because it is so personal for me. I have tried to get published for the last 5 years. About 3 months ago I won a contest to be published in a major magazine. But, after reading the rules carefully again, like KC, I had broken them. For about 10 minutes I kept thinking "Don't worry about it, nobody's gonna know." But then I thought "You and GOD are going to know." Not only that, I had to look myself in the mirror every day. And my kids were going to look me in the eye. How could I, as a moral, ethical, human being pass ideals of honesty and integrity onto my children if I couldn't practise it myself. I wrote a letter explaining the situation and excusing myself as a winner in the contest. Then I proceeded to cry for about 3 days. It broke my heart and I am YET to be published, but at least I can look myself in the mirror and KNOW that I am a woman of morals who my children can be proud of.

You just illustrated the exact reason most of us are upset. You did what most of us would have done. Bravo to you and thank you for sharing your story. You should be very proud of yourself, and your chlidren WILL get the message.

[S!girl]

Thanx Erika for that. I only wish that women like KC (who many of us loved and admired) would realize that we would have FAR more respect for them if they did the right thing. I have lost all respect for her and many CK people because of this whole mess. I feel like integrity and honesty is a quality of the past - like we should expect that these contests we enter should be surrounded by lies and deceit.

As much as I have aspired to be like KC, Ali E, Becky, Lisa and others, is it worth your integrity?!

[Scrapper007]

I have never entered the HOF contest, but I can certainly see why those who have would be upset with this situation. Rules are rules. And KC did not follow them. Someone who DID follow the rules could have had KC's spot in the HOF. I skimmed her blog but was upset with her arrogant attitude. She took that HOF spot away from someone who was deserving...someone who plays by the rules. I do not think that the women who did not win HOF "need to get a life". They all have worked very hard trying to win a spot in the HOF. If this KC lady has ANY class at all, she will apologize and "hand down her crown".

[Scrapper007]

I am not sure why anyone would expect her to apolize or to say anything classy- after you have viewed her work you know she has no class, after you have read her blog you know she doesn't think any rules apply to her. -taking photographs in a museum of someone's work knowing the it was against the rules of the museum and then laughing when the guard threw her out - really respecting others art, there KC.