Last year I set out to reprint the Elemental Forces of Creation Oracle. The first group I had printed in China based on the recommendation of someone who had printed her own deck there.  She had originally learned about this printer from someone else who had several decks printed with them. They both had gotten great service and a good price from the printer she recommended to me.

All went great with my first run and the decks were a success, but this time I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to get the oracles printed in the US. I wanted to lower the environmental foot print the decks made by traveling a smaller distance and to have as green printing as possible. I also wanted to keep the economic flow in the US and receive them sooner than I would if they were coming from China.

Initially, I paid someone to research printers in the US and she found no comparable price. One printer wanted more than the retail price of $24.99 per unit even with printing a 1000 sets. A few months later I began doing more research myself. I looked into many different printers and no one could come close to the price with the same package.

So, we worked at redesigning the package. Then, one US printer had a reasonable price, green standards, and was located in Orlando. Even with that the price for the project, it was a couple thousand dollars more than I would have paid sending the project to my original printer in China. But, I was determined to help the US economic flow and the environmental footprint even if it meant paying more.

So, I began working with this US printer and told him how delighted I was to be doing the project in the US. It seemed all was going well until there was a delivery date issue. I received an email stating that the oracles would be here on November 2nd; Which was the projected date I thought I would receive them based on our correspondences.

Two oracles did arrive on that date as final proofs. I thought the final proof was when I signed off on all the art work which I had done weeks earlier. I was later told the rest of the shipment was to arrive in 6+ weeks. “How is it that it takes so long if the product is coming from Orlando” I asked?

That is when it dawned on me. This is exactly how long it takes when the product is coming from China. I wrote and asked about this. Never once in all our correspondences did the printer tell me that in fact the oracles were printed in China.

Even when I said to him that it was an integrity issue for me because I put printed in the US on the package. He simply restated how green the printing practices were because they used no lead or formaldehyde in the printing (which is great) and never said they were printed in China.

After continued questioning where they were printed and stating that it was an integrity issue for me, he simply avoided answering my direct questions about it. Then he stopped responding to my emails and was always out of the office when I called.

Just today when I was looking over the original quote email, I saw a tiny line for the first  time that says they manufacture in Orlando and in China. However, never once while we were setting up the printing and putting printed in the USA on the package did I realize those decks would have been printed in China instead of Orlando.

Even after asking time and time again, I never received a clear answer. I finally knew for a fact that the oracles were printed in China because the boxes they eventually arrived said PRINTED IN CHINA all over the side. So to those of you who purchased the product I apologize for them saying Printed in the USA. I honestly thought they were printed in Orlando or I would have stated clearly on the package…Printed in China just like I did the first time when I knew that is where they were printed.

I work hard at honoring my word and being in integrity with it. Not that I am perfect, I just really try to make sure what I say comes from the purest place possible within me. In this case, the integrity of my word rested on what I understood from someone else. In this world of increased global business relationships it is important to be as clear as possible with what we say about our product and services because we are so interconnected.

So for my own integrity, I wanted to communicate clearly about the oracle printing to you. And to let you know, I did work toward decreasing the environmental impact of producing our product and will continue to do so.

And, regardless, of where they ended up being printed; I can say with confidence the oracle is a wonderful and powerful tool for connecting to the Elemental Forces of Creation. The oracle can help you connect to the guidance of Earth, Water, Air, Fire, & Spirit anytime you need it.

Enjoy your deck, Lisa