Cassie Bustamante

living an ordinary life extraordinarily

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My Goat is Gotten

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Updated: I emailed the person who placed the ad in question and the ad has been corrected and an apology been has made.  I have been told that it was an honest mistake.  Just wanted to let you know before you read further.  Also, I LOVE you all for totally having my back, but no need to email the seller as it has been resolved.

Sometimes people do things that just really disappoint me, and make me just really question people.  Why would someone take credit for work that I have done?

Last month I decided to sell Emmy’s dresser that I did last year.  Once we moved it just didn’t fit in here.  Some of the veneer needed repairing, so i fixed that, distressed the dresser, and posted it for sale for $195.  I sold it to a seemingly nice couple “having a baby”, which I don’t know if that is the truth now.  They didn’t want the handles it had on it, so I did extra work and filled holes and repainted the drawer fronts for no extra charge because they seemed nice and I am a sucker for babies.  Apparently I am just a sucker.
Today a friend of mine called me and was upset and angry because of this craigslist ad she saw with the dresser listed at $450.  In case you can’t get to the link, here is the ad:
I am selling a Shabby Chic Solid Wood Tiffany Blue Dresser with antique hardware. It has four fully functional and easy gliding dovetailed drawers which are great sized. This would be perfect for a bedroom, a nursery, or an dining room/entry hall.

I bought this piece and sanded/repainted it because I hate seeing good furniture go to waste. With furniture, my motto is recycle and restore! This is antique solid wood, no particle board here, meaning it was easy to sand it smooth and fully restore it! The piece is easily 100 years old. It has detailing on the legs as well as the fronts of the drawers and across the entire piece. The Tiffany Blue paint really makes it pop! It’s really a wonderful piece and looks phenomenal restored!

Measurements:
– 50 inches long
– 20 inches deep
– 35 inches tall

Condition:
Excellent and newly repainted/restored.

If you’re interested in having a look, shoot me an email! I live on Capitol Hill and am happy to show it to you. I have some other pieces for sale as well, mainly dressers and chest of drawers.

  • Location:
  • it’s NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
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So there you have it.  There is the ad and they completely took credit for my work.  I gave them the extra paint in case they needed it for touch ups, so anyone might believe they painted it if they buy it from them.
I do understand that once you buy something, you have the right to sell it.  What really disheartens me is that someone is taking credit for work that i have done.  I don’t believe in name calling or things like that, but I do believe in karma.  And all I have to say to these people is I hope you REALLY need the money, because right now, I just have pity for you.

Comments

  2. Kirsty says

    Oh Cassie! I’m so sorry. That totally sucks. I started stamping my pieces just so that at least I knew. I would totally call them out on it! Want me to?! I will! Shame on them.

    Reply

  4. Kyra @ RACKS and Mooby says

    While I agree that they are free to re-sell it, I definitely think you should call them out on the wording which clearly leads buyers to believe THEY re-finished it. That is flat out lying and that ticks me off. I am happy to call them out if you want. 🙂 {hugs}

    Reply

  7. Denise at PinkPostcard. says

    that is really poopy. I had the same thing happen several years ago. I’m with you, I get the resell (?kinda?) but to imply or say that they did it is what is so annoying and maddening. Maybe you should arrange a meeting for a look??? LOL! I wonder what they’d say when you showed up on THEIR doorstep!!?

    Reply

  10. Piper says

    You’ve GOT to be kidding me! This is CL we’re talking about not an antiques show. Do you expect them to launch into a whole story in their ad about how they got it from someone else who pain stakingly refinished it and now they are flipping it? Get over yourself.

    Reply

  11. Darling @ Junque 'n my Trunk says

    Wow! The nerve. I guess we have to start charging more – because we are charging too little! (Which we all already knew, but we hate to charge too much) As the other girls have said…you should totally go to look at it! – Or better yet, send a friend, and then get the friend to mention that “it looks like my friend Cassie’s work” lol

    Reply

  13. Cassie @ Primitive & Proper says

    piper- as i stated it’s not the reselling it is the taking credit for someone else’s work. i don’t expect them to also lie and go into an actual story about how they painted and distressed it. wow- you completely misunderstood my point.

    Reply

  18. LUISA MAY says

    There’s a lot of spam circulating in Craigslist lately. They are using photos that look like the owner took and post it on CL so they can gather email addresses to send spam mails on your private email accounts. I just hope they dont use it for hacking….Some spammers even post ads with physical address on them and when you go to check the item they owner of the house would tell you that its fake, they did not post anything like that. even with fone numbers they do the same…….

    Reply

  19. gail says

    ohhh Cassie! that stinks! I hope they need the money, reselling it and making a profit. Yeah, I know that is bad.
    BUT oh my gosh, claiming they did it! That is awful! Plain awful!
    I am so sorry.

    gail

    Reply

  20. Tracy's Trinkets and Treasures says

    I am sorry for what happened. I think it is wrong to you and consumers. I guess if youw ant to see the cup half full then you can look at it as they really think your work is awesome and worth such a high asking price. 🙂 I am also sorry one of your readers had to leave a snarky comment. I totally got why you were upset and I think your should be. I let my sister use my Peacock side table and she had it in her driveway in the alley while moving some things around that she was boxing up to move. Someone stole it and put it on Craigslist. She called them and went and picked it up.

    Reply

  22. deborah@confessions of a craigslist junkie says

    Did you contact them? Because now the ad says she bought it with the intention of using it in the nursery, but decided against it, and it doesn’t say anything about her painting and resanding it. I see this person’s ads in CL all the time, and she has a business painting and selling furniture. By lying about her work (saying she painted it) she makes herself and her business look bad, and she was bound to get caught since your blog is fairly well read around here. She probably figured that out, which is why she changed it! Pretty unbelievable, and pretty dumb.

    Reply

  23. Teresa says

    I’ve seen where people have let others know when they are being duped. I would put something out letting them know that you did the work and the price they bought it for. It might sit on Craigslist for awhile if people know the truth.

    Reply

  24. Korrie@RedHenHome says

    My guess is that everyone that reads and loves you through your blog e-mailed the seller to express their outrage! So at least the wording of the ad has changed now. So sorry that happened to you. Maybe you could just feel a *teeny* bit flattered that they thought your work is worth $450??

    Reply

  26. Between Blue and Yellow says

    Cassie!
    OMG, you should totally answer the ad and show up at the house! they will feel so stupid. I think that’s what I would do. So sorry that happened, you are not a sucker, you are just a nice person, who ran into some really pathetic people.

    Reply

  28. Lisa Summerhays says

    I’ve had this sort of thing happen to me too. What’s wrong with people!?! Makes me want to not share anything I make since there are the occasional crazies out there that have no shame. So sorry. It is a gorgeous piece.

    Reply

  30. Meg I am..... says

    That’s unbelieveably disappointing!!! I would have never even imagined something like that WOULD happen if I hadn’t just read your story. I hope they need the money badly too and are insane with desparation…. or bad karma be with them!

    Reply

  32. Traci says

    Nothing on Craig’s List surprises me anymore but I am glad you “caught” her in her lie. Maybe she will think before she lies in print again.
    Traci

    Reply

  33. 17 Perth says

    What? I am so mad right now. Cassie I am so sorry…and I am just now reading this post so I am glad that they have offered you an apology, but I am still angry about it. Your work is beautiful and I am so sorry this happened to you.

    Reply

  35. Aubrey {All Things Bright and Beautiful} says

    Honestly, I think this is just downright bizarre of these people…if you didn’t do it, *DON’T* say you did! Period. It’s lying, which would really make me wonder what else they might be lying about with other pieces! And I would just like offer a one finger salute to your rude little friend up top. You know who you are. (c; If she knew you at all (aka read this blog at all) she would know you are pretty much the furthest thing from self absorbed!

    Reply

  38. Amy ~ "A Perfect Tin" says

    I can’t believe that! I’m glad they corrected the ad, but still, it’s just not right to take credit for someone elses work. It also really bothers me because I loved that dresser and was considering buying it from you for my office. When I saw it was gone, I was disappointed and wish I would have made up my mind sooner!

    Reply

  42. Twice Nice says

    Unbelievable! It’s nice they appologized, but how bizarre this is! I can only imagine all the emotions that rolled through you over this. Hang in there! What goes around…

    Reply

  43. Sarah says

    That is terrible! Dishonest people make me so sad! They will have to come to terms with their lies some day! I’m sorry this happened, sweetie!

    Reply

  44. Jamie says

    that’s just plain crazy! by “honest mistake” they mean “dishonest intentional rotten thing to do”??? you keep on rockin. you handled the situation with style 🙂

    Reply

  45. Ali Richardson says

    !!!!!!!!!!!! It is almost 11pm my time and I am finally sitting down at the computer for the first time today (spent the whole day at disneyland). OMG, I can’t believe that! What a bunch of schmucks! Apology or not, that is LAME!!!!! Too bad your beautiful dresser (one of my true favorites) had to go to such losers!!! xoxo

    Reply

  50. Brittany says

    Wow, there are some “interesting” people out there. I don’t know why this kind of behavior still shocks me. Don’t know how some people can sleep at night. Anyways, absolultely AWESOME job on the dresser YOU restored. It looks fabulous. Hopefully it ends up with someone who actually appreciates it and deserves it.

    Reply

  51. René says

    I believe in karma too and you know who is right and who is wrong in this situation. Most people are nice, good people and a handful are creeps. I hope whoever ends up with the dresser loves it.

    Reply

  53. Lisa @ Turning Tables says

    I saw your addendum at the top of your post, and it is good that they apologized and corrected their ad, but “they assured you that it was an HONEST MISTAKE”….? Really??!! Do they have a form of dimensia that caused them to think that they actually did the hard work/refinishing, enough so that they typed a whole ad about their hard work? Uggggh!! You are way too nice, so I’ll say it – honest mistake my big A#@!!! That was very inconsiderate of them, and I agree, it’s not the flipping but the credit part that is really disappointing. Ugh! Sorry friend. Your work is coveted and very fairly priced and that is why SO many people by from you and love what you do. xo Hopefully this doesn’t happen again.

    Reply

  54. Nikki says

    Oh my goodness….thats just DIRTY! some peoples kids! You poor thing…we all know what you are capable of, and that you rock at everything you touch…ugh akes you think twice about some things 🙂

    Reply

  57. Anne says

    good for you for emailing them – seriously, that is just crazy. crazy. crazy. I mean, its one thing to re-sell something, but completely different to take credit for it!

    Reply

  58. Rebecca says

    Oh Cassie, that totally sucks! To be honest, I’ve had 2 bad experiences on CL lately, and this story makes me glad that I’ve gotten a couple custom orders lately!

    Reply

  59. Ange says

    I have been thinking about this post for the past day and I was so angry for you! Glad to hear that you emailed them and everything is resolved. Judging by all the comments, I would say you are well loved! 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend!

    Reply

  61. Allison says

    I’m so sorry about this, Cassie. I believe in karma too. It’s unfortuante that people have to be this way. I have a big problem with dishonesty and this would bother me a great deal. You handled it really well. I admire you. I have never understood how people can sleep at night knowing they’ve done something dishonest. What goes around comes around! I hope whoever buys this gorgeous dresser really loves and cherishes it because it was painted by a wonderful, honest and lovely woman!!

    Reply

  62. Good Time Charlie says

    Wow, I am just speechless. I so believe in the law of Karma too. It is coming back to them, and not in a good way, I actually feel sorry for people like this, you really can’t be at peace with yourself and feel peace in your soul if you are doing dirty deeds like this. Good for you for contacting them, and that they changed it. But seriously, did they think you wouldn’t SEE the ad yourself? Bizzarro!!!! I only had one client in my several years that did some underhanded, yukky stuff, I had to wash my hands of the whole affair and say goodbye to the money I would have made on the work. I learned since then that these people do this kind of thing to everyone who does work for them. I have come to believe that there are people who just “justify” whatever bad/immoral/dishonest/unkind deeds and that is how they live with themselves. These people live in my community, and I have seen drama follow them around, and now spreading to their children. Truly kind of sad, but I don’t think they “see” they are doing anything wrong, and so it continues…..I really am so dumbfounded by this story though. I just hope they were really hard up for money, because I can see no other excuse to be so blatantly dishonest, in so many ways. YUK!

    Reply

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