JUNE!!!  Where does the time go???  We want to take a vacation this summer.  We need it!  We have not had a summer vacation since we moved in 2006, though we take time off between Christmas and New Years every year.  We will keep you apprised.  If we do take a vacation we will announce it in plenty of time and you'll still be able to order online.  However, no orders will be shipped during the days when we're away, and everything will ship once we get back.

I know we will have some unhappy clients if we have a vacation-- we always have some unhappy people between Christmas and New Years, though we advertise heavily that we are closed then.  Once I had a client email me with this message: 'Here you are posting on a blog and I don't have my order yet.'  Yes, we eat and sleep too.  I refunded his credit card without another word.

We also clearly post for as long as we've been in business, that we are closed holidays and weekends.  But we'll still get the occasional person who is angry that we didn't answer the phone on Easter Sunday or something.

Oh, we understand that it is just the demographic we serve.  We have some incredibly assertive people in our demographic, don't we?  And we love them anyway!  To tell the truth, we get very little 'you will do this now!' type demands from our regular clients.

Thankfully, there's only a few, though, out of all our wonderful clients.  And the very few who do try to make demands, learn quickly that demanding doesn't change the process or the timetable.  Look at that electrode at left..the flux capacitor from the MJOLNIR line Master Electrode Collection just finishing up in the booth.

It takes a Master glassblower several days to make just ONE, and there isn't a dang thing that can make it happen faster.  We are finishing up only 6 of these today*.  You can view that really great photograph full size, by rightclicking and choosing 'view image'.  Beautiful.  Thanks to a friend for that spark photo.

Fussing, carrying on, whining, threatening-- none of those commando tactics can make our work move any faster.  I wish it could, or wave a magic wand and make this combination of art and science happen faster.  Then we wouldn't have to work so hard!  But like all tantrums, you just ignore it.  If someone is too toxic, then open up the order system and refund their card and 'fire' them as customers.  Life's too short to let drama in your life OR your business.  Just move on to the people who appreciate what you're doing and understand why you have to do it the way you do it and let you be the expert.  We learned a long time ago to treat everyone equally and fairly and make our policies firm and equal for everyone, no matter their level of 'dominance' or the timbre of their temper.  Ill have to tell you about some of the 'fired' customers sometime.

Do you 'fire' people in your life who bring in drama?  The 'toxic' people?  There are a number of articles on the web about removing or deleting toxic people from your life.  Here's a good one from 'ehow'. Its something everyone should try to do.

*Finishing 6 flux capacitor electrodes today, so if you're waiting on your Master Electrode Collection you should see it ship probably by end of next week.  Today we're also finishing items and electrodes for 5 XT kits from the Violetwanda Presents Line that have to ship Friday, as well as the usual 2-3 dozen smaller order items that will also ship this week.

Good question from a reader:  "Why don't you post more manufacturing pictures?'

Answer:  Its a tough line to walk.  I want to give you peeks and try to, but I also can't help my competitors do what we do.  Thanks for understanding that.  Coca-cola secrets, et al.

Got a little something JUST for my blog readers:

http://www.violet-wands.com/details/103

I'll leave you with a short story about one Jezebel.  (picture is not related.) Her private secretary had placed a custom order with us.  After 3 weeks, he began emailing (got our autoresponders of course, which told him everything he needed to know.)  Then he started calling and dropped her name.  Finally, she called.  It was a long conversation, but I wasn't getting anywhere making her understand that nothing she could do or say would make her wand get made faster.  She tried everything, and I began to see a pattern.  'I can't see why this can't be shipped to me right away'.  (Denial).  'Do you know who I am? I could make sure that you never get an order from California again!''  (Anger.)  'What if I paid you $2000 to ship this tomorrow?' (Bargaining.)  And finally, acceptance, after I told her we were 'artists' and art takes time. I still have her as a client, and she laughs about our first business arrangement now, though like most celebrities she has someone else do the ordering for her.

Well, we're off to some dinner then will be back at work in an hour.  You enjoy your delightful June day and don't let anyone ruin your life 'high'!  Life's too short.  Do some removing of toxic people in your life, and be happier, because you deserve it!

We outgrew our current shop in 2010 again; last time we did that was 2006.  We have some warehouse space just two miles away, so while the hub took the truck and is getting a couple of boxes of cases I have a moment.

Did you have a nice Memorial Day?

He's back, never mind, catch you later!

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1112 pm.  Still not done shipping.  We have a few more overseas package to dispatch, but I got sidetracked with a frantic email.  Person's order was from the MJOLNIR site and they were panicking since it was 6 days since they ordered.  How, how, do I get people to understand what kind of company we are, and that MJOLNIR carries the specialty items which include custom made items?  Other violet wand companies import cheap electrodes from China.  We hand blow our electrodes for both the 'Violetwanda Presents' line and the 'MJOLNIR' line, and a run of ONE style of electrode in ONE color takes two weeks.  15 years we've been doing this, and I know, believe me, I know...its not 'how things are done' today.  People today want fast, they want cheap, they want Chinese.  Well, more and more of them.

We're not here for them.  We're here for YOU.  You want quality with a lifetime warranty.  You want the best there is.  100% American made.  You want the unique items that you can't get anywhere else.  You understand.  There are fewer and fewer of you, but we are here for you.  You have my word that we won't compromise on our quality or unique products, just so we can be like everybody else.

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Dudes and Dudettes, trust me on this one.  You have to read Laura Antoniou's '50 Shades of Sell-out'>>> here. <<<<  Got facebook??  Then get there and LIKE that shit!

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Back to work.

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Whew.  105 am and done!  From the webcam shot at left to the shot at right in 8 hours.  All told, a rewarding 16 hour day.

Summer!  Time to celebrate!

I <3 all you wand lovers.  You're certainly keeping us busy.  Today's wand cam shows the regular orders on the fulfillment table, piled 5 deep in some places.  These that are currently in fulfillment will be finished today and shipping tomorrow.

But you can't see all the work stations in the shop, there's more!  So I've got some more fun shop pix for you.

We've had to haul out the massage table and some temporary folding tables to handle overflow. These are Mjolnir collection kits and custom kit orders.  We'll be working on them early in the coming week.  Remember we have a holiday this weekend, and normally we're closed weekends and holidays.  I don't think we'll get to have a long weekend ourselves.  Depends on how far we get today.

We finished a production run of rakes this morning, so I have an hour for lunch and to post this fun stuff for you.  I've missed you!

Did you see our new 'planned hours' section?

Here's half of the service bench with items for servicing plus some contracted repairs. No, we don't repair any other company's violet wands.  If they can't do it, why should we?  But occasionally we might take on repair of an antique violet ray for standing clients. (blue bins)

We have lifetime warranties on our wands and now on our glass electrodes too.  We've produced and sold thousands of violet wands.  Only a few come back per year for some servicing. Two Mjolnir Pulse wands in the baskets at bottom right are getting upgraded at client request, and the one on top right was sent in to check out after an accident.

Remember, unless there is a problem with YOUR individual order, we don't contact you.  You order from us because you want quality, and you're worth the time that our quality takes. Things that affect ALL orders are posted in Announcements. Since we have thousands of clients worldwide, that's the place we post so no one misses them and everyone gets to know.

On one of these tables is another order going to Hollywood CA.  For a good number of years now, we've been Hollywood's preferred violet wand company due to our strict client privacy and protection, and our utmost discretion.  We take care of you and your security.  I am the only one that handles client information of any kind.  We never talk to anyone but the credit card purchaser about an order.  Our policies are set in stone so that we can offer a consistent, secure, professional and expert approach to every client.  And we never, never, ever 'kiss and tell.'

Enjoy your holiday weekend!  Have a cold wine cooler for me, and a beer for the hub; we'll be here and working on your toys.  <3 VW.