To not pay a crafter for a bespoke made item

[wherethewildrosesgrow]

I’ve wanted a really nice bread bin for ages, fed up of my old rusty one leaving marks all over the kitchen worktop, saw a nice one on the internet, lovely design, but it wasn’t big enough, I needed a double/two loaf model.
Decided to splash out and get one made (wooden), spent ages sending pics/designs to local crafter, lots didn’t answer, or didn’t come back with a price after initially showing interest in taking on the project, or some couldn’t make it for nearly a year.
After a while I found a lovely new to crafting lady at an event, her work was amazing, and she quoted me £70 for a reclaimed solid oak bread bin, based on some pics I sent her, and included a rough sketch with measurements (internal& external), but I did say the size could altered slightly if she felt it would look more proportional, as long as it fitted two loaves (one on top of each other, with internal shelf), I even sent her a pic with the tape measure in front of the loaves I use for clarity...she sent me a sketch back, and I asked her to go ahead with the make.
Shes in the final stages, and today she’s sent me an update with pics.
Problem...it isn’t anything like the sketches either of us sent, she’s added the word BREAD in red to the front of it, which I never asked for, and wasn’t included in any of the pics or sketches.
It hasn’t got an internal shelf, the loaves look as if they are to fit side by side, so it’s going to take up far more valuable work surface space, and my kitchen isn’t big.
Im unsure if it’s even going to fit two loaves in...but it’s very hard to judge from a pic.
AND she has told me she’s made it out of pallet wood instead of the reclaimed oak, as she felt it looked more rustic...I did say initially I wanted rustic...but she gave me a samples of wood to chose from, and pallet wood is not the agreed oak.
EEEK.
Would I be really really unreasonable to say ‘I don’t want it, it’s not what we agreed’
I feel awful, as she new to crafting, and she’s lovely....but it, in my eyes anyway, it looks awful, I don’t feel I could use it elsewhere even.
This is my Christmas birthday and Mother’s Day present all in one, I feel like somebody like me should never even of attempted to have something handmade, I should of stuck to one for a fiver from B&M.
She’s on holiday til the weekend, so I don’t want to message her immediately, and spoil things for her

Think you should go on ....Judge Binder🤔

She's been in touch with your work?? Definitely unhinged. Really hope that doesn't cause you any bother and please get reporting this ASAP. GDPR breach for starters. Then batshittery.

She sounds a complete PITA and is taking the biscuit. Pallett wood instead of reclaimed oak is completely unsuitable. How could she have added ‘bread’ when you didn’t specify it? It’s such a shame for you when you wanted something really special. Her reaction is completely unreasonable, but you are not.

I wonder if Trading Standards would be interested in this?

Go to the police

And say what to the people at 101 (I presume 999 would be overkill)? Someone’s been mean to the OP on Facebook?

Go to the police

I hear the police are most interested in solving all the bread bin related crimes!! Just after the murders, then they’ll get to the bread crimes and people being mean on Facebook

What a nutjob. Threatening to call the police?
You've dodged a bullet OP.

BrightYellowDaffodil in case you missed it, this crafter has been trying to contact OP's work and leaving messages, this is moving into harassment now.

I don't think you are being unreasonable.

In two different ways it was not what you asked for. It will be better for her to learn this reality early on, bespoke items should be what the customer requested.

Fucking hell, you sure got a rise out of the crazy bint. She’s in brioche of contract! I hope she sees sense and loaves you alone.

I can’t believe people are still coming up with new bread puns after 15 pages. Bravo mumsnet. Hope you’re ok OP.

Hope you find something else that will give you pleasure OP. I'm another who prefers a present of something beautiful for my house that I'll see and use every day.

Ignore the (few) sneery people who don't get that.

Just read that her 'massive' are callin you out, labelling you a discustin human. That's a relief! You don't need to defend yourself at all now!

I hope she doesn't embarrass you at work though. That's not on.

And you thought she was so naice too people can be very disappointing!

@MulticolourMophead No, I hadn’t missed that but it’s still a ridiculous overkill to involve the already-overstretched police service over a few random phone calls. If it became a sustained campaign or threats were mss as de against OP’s safety then yes, but not a FB spat that’s spilled over a bit.

@WarmestRegards*

Dying!

😂👌

She sounds like a lunatic. If anyone should be informing the police, it should be you OP. Her ‘friends’ have directly threatened to go to your work and ‘show your colleagues what a nasty person you are’. Now in all likelihood they’re just shitty keyboard warriors and nothing will come of it although the fact they have phoned a colleague already is a bit scary.

All this over a blood bread bin! People are honestly crazy.

I would report her to trading standards - for the catalogue of wrongs that would be bad if she was significantly changing your design requirements without any agreement but to change to a non-foodsafe wood that could have serious health consequences and to then harass you about not accepting it - they need to talk to her urgently.

And then police if she starts to actively harass you. If you do get any direct harassment I would post something on the web page post where she is encouraging it, say that you will be reporting any further harassment to the police.

it’s still a ridiculous overkill to involve the already-overstretched police service over a few random phone calls.

No it isn't, thats the first hoop you have to jump through to get an injunction.
They aren't random calls, are they? Its targeted harassment.
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/discrimination/taking-action-about-discrimination/taking-action-about-harassment/

What have your work said this morning OP? Surely this has tipped over into harassment - I would call the police for advice.

Really crumby behaviour from her and you deserve butter. A sorry is the yeast she can do.

If she keeps being a pain tell her the MN army is behind you and bready or not, here we crumb.

Obviously warmestregards is a massive chancer. MY bespoke bread storage unit is far superior.
£49.99.

She's a complete and utter BUNt.
I hope she fucks off OP although fewmin on your behalf how dare she share your name. What a psycho.

was going to use the money to pay for her mother’s and nanas meals on Mother’s Day, which she will now have to cancel.

Yeah - sure. Of course she'll have to cancel . . .

She’s shared it all over local pages..

This is libellous.

Seriously - even without the threatening behaviour of her friends, this is libellous and you could sue the arse off her for it.