Today is a very sad day! I just found a Flickr-account that has systematically uploaded many, many of the files I have shared for personal use with my readers and followers in the past two years. She also shares them with no limitations, including many files from my Exclusive folder that I have specifically asked my followers not to share with other non-followers.
My digital files are copyrighted under international law, and as thus they are my property. Even if the original images are in public domain, I invest hours and hours of work, skills and effort into scanning ephemera, cleaning and enhancing the images, sharing them here with you for personal use, and organizing a large archive. And I have been doing it all for free, for the mere satisfaction of brightening my followers days. The digital files are automatically copyrighted, and re-sharing them is a crime, violating international laws!
I have notified the Flickr-user that has so many of my files posted, and await her response. Until then, I have locked the Exclusive folder with immediate effect.
I apologize to all the other, loyal followers! And I will happily consider your applications to join the Exclusive folder in a more secure way, but at least for the time being, this will no longer be an automatic feature including all new followers.
Wings of Whimsy 
Thanks again for the almost overwhelming response to this post and for all the support you have offered! You are all THE BEST readers and followers a simple creative blogger can dream of 😀
Here is an update on the matter: The lady who took my files and reposted them on Flickr never answered me back.
But Flickr has removed my images from her account, and I sincerely hope she received a due warning notification from them about it as well. 😛
Pinterest said I would have to provide accurate lists of all pins AND urls to my original images. However I did not pursue that option, as I felt it would only punish the pinners, who had pinned my files with from the wrong location, but indeed in good faith. My main issue is that the source is shut down.
I will keep watching on Pinterest if my material shows up with incorrect reference, and might consider making up such a list if I feel this remains a problem, but now that the source has been removed, I think it will slowly just ebb…
The main issue is well on it’s way to being resolved, totally to my satisfaction 😀 I am very, very relieved that Flickr was able to deal with it in such a (fairly) quick manner too! 😀
I have not yet decided what to do with the Exclusive folder. If you miss having access to it, please go to the folder and request access, and I will consider each request individually, for now. But for the time being I am not going to give automatic access to all new followers, before I have considered if the material can be better secured. Since the Exclusive folder includes a lot of PNG-files, there is really no way to visually “brand” them like I can with collage sheets and other printables. So I’m considering other options, since I am determined to continue giving my confirmed followers extra treats. 😉
Love&Light
Gunnvor Karita 🙂
Siento lo que le ha pasado con sus imágenes. Usted trabaja mucho para que haya luego personas que se quieran aprovechar de su trabajo. Por mi parte le agradezco mucho todo lo que ha compartido con nosotros. Espero que podamos seguir disfrutando con esas imágenes tan bonitas que Usted generosamente comparte con nosotros. Un abrazo
Querida María! Muchas gracias por el comentario de apoyo. Recibí un mensaje de la señora que usa mis imágenes, y ella se disculpó y dijo que era de hecho un malentendido! Estoy tan aliviada al saber que, desde que me sentiría fracasado saber que alguien estaba abusando intencionalmente mi material y de mi confianza. Les deseo una Pascua feliz:-D (<-google translate) xoxoxo
So sorry to hear you are having these problems. I would take down all the high resolution ones and only use copies that aren’t print worthy if I were you.