"Medieval Chihuahua Tarot" ...completed...

Problems with the print-on-demand printing

SALES FOR THIS DECK IS TEMPORARILY STOPPED!!!

i just had a BIG FIGHT with the ADMIN on thegamecrafter.com site over the darkness issues!

They do NOT want to take back my order of decks and they sound like they will NOT help anyone else
that buys a deck from them whether they print it too dark or not...

i was right that they are now blaming me for not 'lightening' my cards in anticipation of their printer quality being too dark!!!

Let's face it...they printed the cards WAY TOO DARK... they just look too drab to me!
Not like their previously great quality work they did for me on my All Bears Tarot deck!

i have just UNPUBLISHED ALL my decks (even bear deck) from my pages on TGC for now...so that means that the
sales will be CLOSED for the Medieval Chihuahua Tarot deck...UNTIL i find a better printer with better service and not so stubborn!!!

...until i can find another way to get these printed... i should have listened to Debra in the first place!

What happened to TGC? They are just being really stubborn and telling me not to send my
bad order back! What??? i told them i will have to have my bank investigate them if they
will not accept my returned 'bad' order...i am not happy with them or their printing at this time!

Regarding this Chi deck:
However, i don't want to tie up $1,000's doing this printing stuff...

i am soooooo sorry everyone that this has happened...i never expected for TGC to send me
'way too dark' printed cards...

...and also to not stand by their service and try to blame my artwork on the problem.
i did read on their own site (after the fact), many posts, that this has been an issue in the past, but they
don't even tell you (in the instructions for creating a deck and using their printing services)
that you NEED to 'LIGHTEN' (A LOT) all of your images to allow for their DARK printing and drab printing!!!

As i said, they did a beautiful job on my bear deck...but i am not totally satisfied with this one.


NOTICE TO THE BUYERS (SO FAR) for this deck:
'IF' you find that you do not like your deck, and you have complained to TGC and they refuse
to replace your deck, please let me know and we will go from there...i don't want anyone unhappy with my deck or my work!

...with saddened heart today
Lyn

P.S. i should have listened to Debra...sorry hon!

tarotlyn said:

P.S. i should have listened to Debra...sorry hon!

Click to expand...

Yikes. I don't know what I advised that you should have listened to...

I hope the four regular-sized decks I had sent to my brother & his partner are ok; that was $135 I forgot, it's always prudent to wait a bit and not be the first to buy

Anyway, these days, a lot of decks are (to my eye) overly dark and saturated. The Mary-El is printed by Schiffer and looks like that. I have a friend who's a printer, he says this is almost always a sign of inexpensive printing. So it's a trade off, because really good printing costs so much. I feel that it's important to be realistic about what we can expect for thirty bucks. I mean, let's face it--where I live, thirty bucks is the cost of a nice lunch for two people. We're so used to everything being cheap--a skirt for $15, a t-shirt for $10....I think we're kind of spoiled.

Debra said:

Yikes. I don't know what I advised that you should have listened to...

I hope the four regular-sized decks I had sent to my brother & his partner are ok; that was $135 I forgot, it's always prudent to wait a bit and not be the first to buy

Anyway, these days, a lot of decks are (to my eye) overly dark and saturated. The Mary-El is printed by Schiffer and looks like that. I have a friend who's a printer, he says this is almost always a sign of inexpensive printing. So it's a trade off, because really good printing costs so much. I feel that it's important to be realistic about what we can expect for thirty bucks. I mean, let's face it--where I live, thirty bucks is the cost of a nice lunch for two people. We're so used to everything being cheap--a skirt for $15, a t-shirt for $10....I think we're kind of spoiled.

Click to expand...

Okay then Debra, lets see what you think when you get the decks...they are
darker than my original images, but maybe your brother won't notice them like I do since
I am the artist...

And you are probably right (again ) about the cheap printing...it is just that they did such
an awesome job with my bear deck that i was taken aback on this one...i think it is just a little
too dark
and they should put something about this problem in their 'beginner's instructions' on their site...
but they won't!!!

Please just let me know, Debra, when you decks arrive, what you think? Okay?
Hugs, Lyn



@everyone

Quick update regarding TGC...

The owner phoned me this afternoon and requested me to take some quick photos and
send them to him...he is at an out of town convention...

After that conversation, he sent me an email saying that one way or the other he would fix this problem.

i sent him some photos of the Chi cards just printed by them, and I am waiting now to hear back from him
possibly tomorrow.

i asked him to stop the orders going out to my customers until they 'lighted up' the ink saturation
on their printing press (bought new this past July for big bucks apparently). He told me that
he could not and would not stop the orders that have already been placed or paid for already.


So, that i have no control over right now...i did get very angry with him at this point.

So when he looks at my photos tomorrow and IF he feels that i just got a bad print run, then he will send
out emails 'warning' customers of this. (BUT, i think they will actually 'correct' the situation on their end
before mailing out the rest of your orders)

One girl on FB told me today that she got her deck and was very happy with it, so it wasn't
i guess too dark looking in her mind...maybe it is just me, ...NOT... they are too dark
...but i am working on this situation and i want you all happy with your decks.

i will keep updating...and PLEASE post if there is a problem with your deck when you get it...

Lyn

I heard from Pinto's dad, my brother's partner. He wrote about getting the decks, and then I asked him about the quality saying you were a bit concerned--I didn't say anything about the saturation or darkness, to see what he says. I should add that he is an art dealer and has an extremely good sense of aesthetics--he knows how to look at things. So here's his take.

Hi Deb,
I received the great Chihuahua Tarot cards today, what a riot. I will wait for Phil to come home before I pass them out, I know he would like to be here for that.

Click to expand...

So then I asked for his impression of quality. He wrote,

Hi Deb,
They look fine, she is right the quality is marginal, the cards are a little cupped even thought they are new. The package is not sturdy, they will not last very long if you are going to use them. Just my observation as I don't have a reference for Tarot Cards. They are a riot.

Click to expand...

I told him I'd make bags if he could find chihuahua print cloth. Actually he's an excellent tailor, astoundingly good with a sewing machine, I'll post some pics of the costumes he made for himself, my brother and Pinto if I can find them.

And then he added,

Hey Deb,
After a closer examination of the cards it seems that "spike" name is "sprite" on the Tarot card.

Click to expand...

I told him that the every vigilant and bold "Spike" that we all know and love has a twin brother named "Sprite" and it's the twin on the tarot card

My printer pal says that print on demand is like the old polaroid instant pictures. Quality varies, but the price is right and you don't have to deal with all the time, money and hassle of negative film, darkroom developing, printing the photos on paper, etc. Pros and cons. I thought it was a good analogy.

Also, I want to add, Lyn, I understand why you're upset But what's the good in getting angry, you're working something out with them now, it sounds like they're taking your concerns seriously, which is a plus, and they can't promise what they'll do until they see what the problem is So don't worry my girl. So far Pinto's dad plus your facebook friend are very happy with their decks

Debra said:

I heard from Pinto's dad, my brother's partner. He wrote about getting the decks, and then I asked him about the quality saying you were a bit concerned--I didn't say anything about the saturation or darkness, to see what he says. I should add that he is an art dealer and has an extremely good sense of aesthetics--he knows how to look at things. So here's his take.



So then I asked for his impression of quality. He wrote,



I told him I'd make bags if he could find chihuahua print cloth. Actually he's an excellent tailor, astoundingly good with a sewing machine, I'll post some pics of the costumes he made for himself, my brother and Pinto if I can find them.

And then he added,



I told him that the every vigilant and bold "Spike" that we all know and love has a twin brother named "Sprite" and it's the twin on the tarot card

Click to expand...

Wow...Debra this has been quite a day

About Sprite...so sorry about that, i know you had mentioned that before, and i thought
i changed it to Spike. Well, i can send your brother's partner another deck with 'Spike' on it
if he wants it...as soon as i get the printer thing straightened out...TGC says they want me
to stay with them.
I will send him any sized deck he wants...jumbo, regular, or the cute poker pocket sized deck
with 'Spike'. Just let me know which size he wants and if he wants it.
Please tell him i am sooo sorry about that. Okay?

I guess he didn't say much about any darkness then. It must be that i got the first run of
the batch in my order and by the time they got to everyone else's order their printing machine
was calibrated more accurately. TGC's owner explained to me today that they have to calibrate
each and every job. To tell you the truth, i was and still am more concerned about the
quality the members get verses what i got. I want everyone to like and enjoy their decks. You know?

Oh, and he let it slip that he had a copy of my Chi deck at the convention and said it was
really a good deck. (i guess he was showing it around the show)...then he backtracked and
tried to say he meant that he had only a 'sheet' of the card printouts...but too late, he let
the cat out of the bag...he has the whole deck there! i figured that they all have whatever
copies of ANY deck they want, since they are the printers...LOL They are not supposed to
be doing that...or at least letting their vendors know that they kept copies for themselves!
But i don't mind, because the more they show it off the more the dog rescues get from this deck.

Debra, thank you so much for making me feel a little better, that is very very nice of you.
You have no idea how much i appreciate that, hon
But now i feel bad about the 'Spike/Spite' typo... i think i just used the old copy of the
photo instead of the corrected one. I have so many different versions of a lot of cards...
it was during the Mercury retrograde that i edited them. Now i am hoping there are not
any other or more errors YIKES... Oh my Oh my... geese!!! unending today!

Oh, regarding your brother's sewing skills, i would LOVE to see some photos...especially of Pinto...LOL
My dad used to make my dresses when i was a little girl...he would go window shopping
and come home and make a dress for me! He was an interior decorator...boy do i ever miss him
since he passed.

Thanks again Debra...
Lyn

p.s. Did your brother like seeing Pinto on the tuckbox? ...isn't he cute on there?
i wanted to surprise you is why i didn't tell you before you got the decks.

Debra said:

My printer pal says that print on demand is like the old polaroid instant pictures. Quality varies, but the price is right and you don't have to deal with all the time, money and hassle of negative film, darkroom developing, printing the photos on paper, etc. Pros and cons. I thought it was a good analogy.

Also, I want to add, Lyn, I understand why you're upset But what's the good in getting angry, you're working something out with them now, it sounds like they're taking your concerns seriously, which is a plus, and they can't promise what they'll do until they see what the problem is So don't worry my girl. So far Pinto's dad plus your facebook friend are very happy with their decks

Click to expand...

Debra...you are so right about getting angry...i seldom do, but today i just went off
on them because they were so stubborn...or the office girl was anyway...gave me a headache

i am calmed down now...finally. i was just so worried about you guys getting a bad deck!
Maybe they thought that just because it was a 'Medieval' that it should be darker? Yikes...
It will all work out...and soon i hope because that little poker sized deck is so adorable that
i can't wait to get it out there so people can actually read with it.

Oh, and the durability of the cardstock has held up very well on my bear deck, the same cardstock
they used for this one. I use it all the time and no problems, but i am talking about the
poker sized because that is the only size i was able to offer because TGC didn't have the
regular or jumbo size at that time, only poker sized.
HUGS, Debra
Lyn

Don't sweat it, Lyn.

I ordered four regular-sized decks for the chi owners in our gang, and it sounds like they arrived in good shape. My own brother hasn't seen them yet--he works away from home, it's his partner who's getting such a kick out of them!

I feel sure that Spike's owner won't mind that the name is misspelled--it's the picture of the brave lil' guy that counts the most

Ok, I just have to post these pics.

The first is Pinto in his wizard costume made by my brother's partner.
The second is my brother (left) and his talented partner (right) in costumes made out of THE DRAPES FROM MY OLD APARTMENT!

Just to show that the only thing cuter than a chi in costume is a chi owner in costume LOL