Frequently Asked Questions & Terms & Conditions
Copyright Policy | Payment Policy | Privacy Policy | Return Policy | Shipping | Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I care for my Tree of Life?
Because each tree is individually hand sculpted and hand painted there will always be slight imperfections which gives each tree a unique folk art charm. To keep true to the folk art traditions of Arbols de la Vida, all Sablan Ceramic pieces are made from low fire clay and are fired at a low temperature. This means the clay particles are only partially fused together which makes the clay a little bit porous leaving your tree of life naturally prone to staining and water damage. To help with this, all pieces are covered with a clear coat for protection but underneath, the clay is still porous which can allow liquids to penetrate. We recommend to keep your tree of life indoors and away from moisture, water and direct sunlight (for fading). To care for your tree you can wipe it down with a dry to slightly damp cloth. If you have any further questions, please send an email to sablanceramics@gmail.com and thank you for purchasing a Sablan Ceramic Tree of Life!
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Can I burn a candle safely in my Tree of Life?
Yes, most of our Trees of Life come with candleholders. It's important to make sure you do not let the candle burn less than 2" from the ceramic candleholder edge for safety and to ensure the candle can easily be removed. Otherwise the wax can melt inside the candle holder cup.
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Why are there imperfections with my Tree of Life?
We follow the handmade folk art traditions of Mexican Arbol de la Vida artists. As with any of the vintage Trees of Life it's natural to see imperfections such as uneven paint lines, un-smooth surfaces, slants vertically or horizontally, uneven sides, etc. These imperfections are part of the charm of the Mexican Tree of Life. If for any reason you are unsatisfied with your tree, please email us at sablanceramics@gmail.com. It's our goal to make sure you are 100% satisfied with your purchase.
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How will you pack my Tree of Life?
Each tree takes hours to create and holds a very special place in our hearts. Because of this, we want your tree to arrive safely. To make sure your tree is secure we ensure there is plenty of soft packing material and space between the item and the edge of the box. We do use lots of biodegradable packing peanuts and bubble wrap. Some trees will require a special box size. If this is needed, it may add 2 to 3 days of additional shipping time for us to acquire the right packaging materials. We have lots of experience shipping trees of life but just in case we insure every package for added security.
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When will I receive my Tree of Life?
We ship within 4 business days of receiving your payment. These few extra days gives us enough time to package your tree securely and safely. Most shipments will be received within 3-10 days after we drop off your package for shipping depending on the distance from our studio located in Irvine, CA 92612. A confirmation email will be sent to you with your order details. If you need expedited shipping please send an email to sablanceramics@gmail.com and we will try to accommodate your request. Please note there are additional charges for overnight / expedited shipping that will be invoices separately to you.
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How can I track my order?
Once your order has been shipped, we will send you a shipping confirmation email with the order & shipment details. Please note it may take 24 hours for your tracking information to reflect your details on the UPS or FedEx websites.​
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How can we call you directly?
If you have a specific question and would like to speak to us directly please call us at ( 310 )779-3029. Please note we are located in Southern California. Our business hours are Monday - Friday 9am to 6pm Pacific Standard Time. If you reach us outside of our normal business hours, please leave a message and we will return your call.
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Can't check out... I'm having issues with shipping on my order.
All customers must provide us with a valid street address upon checkout as we do not deliver to PO Boxes and some international countries. If you are experiencing issues at checkout due, please email or call us directly.
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Do you ship internationally?
Yes, to most countries. Our international shipping fee DOES NOT INCLUDE any customs charges, import duties, taxes or brokerage fees due at the time of your delivery and are the sole responsibility of the receiving customer. Sablan Ceramics is not responsible for these fees. Please note international shipments will take longer than our standard shipping times and are subject to our standard return policy. Please note we will not credit the original order shipping fee for any international packages that have been returned to us.
All listed shipping fees represent delivery cost ( in US dollars) within the domestic, contiguous USA including Hawaii and Alaska and select international countries. If you have questions about international shipping charges or feel the charges are too hight please email us BEFORE YOUR PURCHASE at sablanceramics@gmail.com with your shipping address so we are able to check the best priced option for you.
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Why is my shipping charge so high?
​Unfortunately, we do not have control of the shipping charges, the quotes are given to us by the carrier. We use FedEx Ground / Home Delivery because of their on time and quality shipping standards. We do charge a $5 ship secure fee in order to help with all the packing materials to make sure your Tree of Life arrives safely. These materials include a higher grade box, bio degradable packing peanuts, bubble wrap and tissue paper.
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Do you offer discounted shipping for local deliveries?
Yes, for Irvine, California we offer $5 delivery to any shipping address listed with the following zip codes: 92612, 92614, 92617, 92618, 92620, 92602, 92603, 92604 and 92606. Please email us at sablanceramics@gmail.com before your purchase so we can provide you with the shipping coupon code.
We offer $10 delivery to the following cities located in South Orange County, California: Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, Fountain Valley, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana and Tustin. Please email us at sablanceramics@gmail.com before your purchase so we can provide you with the shipping coupon code.
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What is the Tree of Life made of?
Sablan Ceramic pieces made with white clay is a low fire clay which has been approved by The California Department of Health Services for use in grades K - 6. For our red clay pieces we use a clay named Kona.
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Can I order a custom Tree of Life?
Each Sablan Ceramic Tree of Life is unique and there will never be a duplicate tree like it. We do offer some customization and personalized memorials. Please email us for more information.
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Do you do commission work?
Yes, please email us with information on what you are looking for at sablanceramics@gmail.com.
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Copyright Policy
© 2018 - 2021 Sablan Ceramics | Vanessa Leone | Vanessa Aquiningoc. All rights and images reserved on this website and any other media channel for Sablan Ceramics including but not limited to: magazines, on-line images, Amazon, Etsy, EBAY, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. If you would like to use a Sablan Ceramic image please contact us directly at sablanceramics@gmail.com for your request. Anyone who violates any of the copyrights of Sablan Ceramics or who imports, uses for commercial advantage or financial gain, reproduces, distributes including electronic means, duplicates, creates a secondary transmission, displays as their own work, sells for profit is an infringer of the copyright. Each infringer of Sablan Ceramics copyright is liable for damages including but not limited to financial damages, brand damage, statutory damages and forfeiting any and all profits of the infringer that are attributable to the copyright infringement. Sablan Ceramics is entitled to recover any and all damages from copyright infringement including legal fees and attorney fees. This copyright applies to the United States as well as these countries who are party to multilateral copyright conventions or agreements and those who have specified bilateral relations with the United States. BAC Buenos Aires Convention, Berne Convention of the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA, UCC Geneva Universal Copyright Convention, UCC Paris Universal Copyright Convention, WCT World Intellectual Property Organization Copyright Treaty, WTO World Trade Organization.
Payment Policy
We accept Visa and Mastercard and through Paypal we accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.
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Privacy Policy
Guarding the privacy and safety of your data is important to us. We collect your data in several ways, through your orders, direct communication, social media channels or email address information you provided to us. We do not transfer your information to third parties in exchange for money or any other service. However, Sablan Ceramics does use your information to notify you of new items, special events, show information and standard marketing messages for Sablan Ceramics. If for any reason, you wish to no longer receive communication from us, please send an email to sablanceramics@gmail.com and title the email " Please remove me from your email list".
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Return Policy
If for any reason you are not happy with your Tree of Life you may return the item postmarked within 15 days of the delivery date. A refund will be issued to the original form of payment at the original selling price including shipping as long as we receive the returned item in the same packaging and condition as it was shipped to you. In addition, the item we receive must have all original tags and must be unused, unbroken and undamaged. If the item is returned damaged and we are unable to re-sell the piece then you will only be credited 25% of your original purchase price, so we recommend you purchase insurance when you ship the item back to us. Once we receive and inspect your item we will notify you on the status of your refund. Each refund will be processed as the original payment was processed. The time for your refund to post to your account depends on your individual credit card issuer's policy, please contact them directly for details.
Please note it's normal for there to be slight imperfections as each tree is hand sculpted and painted. We do our best to provide you with enough photos and information BEFORE you purchase your handmade Tree of Life. If you have any questions or concerns about your purchase please email us at sablanceramics@gmail.com BEFORE YOU BUY. By doing this, we minimize returns and mis-understandings.
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Our return shipping address is: 4891 Tamarack Way, Irvine, CA 92612
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Please note you will be responsible for paying your own shipping costs for returning your item to us. Sablan Ceramics does not refund shipping fees to return the item for refund but will credit you the original shipping amount you paid. We do not accept returns after 30 days of delivery.
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Shipping
We use Fed Ex ground or home delivery. IMPORTANT: Please note some carriers require a signature for delivery. Please make sure there is someone to sign for your delivery. If your package is returned to us we DO NOT PAY for shipping the item back to you. If this happens we will send you a shipping invoice and once that is paid we can re-ship the item back to you. For more detailed information on shipping & packaging please refer to our FAQ's.
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