ShekinahMoon
euripides said:
I use Arrowroot powder as my base and then add essential oils. To my protection powder I add Cascarilla (powdered eggshells), fine sea salt and Frankincense essential oil.
Physically Caring for your Deck(s)
I use Arrowroot powder as my base and then add essential oils. To my protection powder I add Cascarilla (powdered eggshells), fine sea salt and Frankincense essential oil.
dadsnook2000
Book boxes
I keep each of my decks in a wooden book box with a hand-carved and painted deep-relief tarot figure mounted on the cover. In this way I can show off my decks while protecting them while they sit on the shelf, or travel with me, or lay nearby when I'm reading. Dave
I keep each of my decks in a wooden book box with a hand-carved and painted deep-relief tarot figure mounted on the cover. In this way I can show off my decks while protecting them while they sit on the shelf, or travel with me, or lay nearby when I'm reading. Dave
Rish
My decks are wrapped in velvet. I have cut rectangular strips of velvet large enough to fold the cards in comfortably. The colour is of my choice: an emerald green. I place them all together in an engraved box, which seems just right for all of them. I have five decks so far. If I have more ... I shall think then. 
G6
Nemia
I make my own hand-sewn and embroidered or crocheted bags for my decks. I keep the boxes separate from the decks. Sometimes I use the pictures on the box or on the extra cards to make tarot jewelry.
For me, using the tarot cards, trimming them, colouring the edges and making the bags, is part of the bonding process.
I keep them in a large beautiful cardboard box together with incense. I love the scent on my hands after I handle a deck that was "marinated" for a long time. The longer I have a deck, the stronger the scent. I like that but I'm sure that many people don't. Tastes are different!
My decks are stacked upright and sorted into "families", each deck with its LWB (which I rarely use after I read it when I get the deck but I like to keep it close...."just in case"). From time to time, I sort the decks, and I try to handle them all regularly. Re-sorting them in different ways (sometimes the suits in order, sometimes the numbers together) and shuffling them regularly keeps them "warm" and lived-in.
Next to my laptop, I always have a deck (today, it's the mini Harmonious), and usually also one in my bag. I feel that keeping them close and handling them is not only good for me but also for them.
While I treat them well, I like the signs of use, like I do with my books and other things. They show the passage of time, and that's fine, I'm going with the flow and don't try to stop it although I'd sometimes like to.
My spread cloth is spread over the cards in the box. It's a black Indian cloth with little embroideries and mirrors, and it has the perfect size. I was very happy when I found it many years ago.
I use beautiful silk that I painted myself or special yarns for my tarot bags. Sometimes, my mother buys little linnen sachets for me and I use them for my decks, but mostly, I use bags I made myself.
I'm careful to shuffle them nicely but if the cards are stiff, they get some rounds of riffle shuffling. I played Patience for many years and liked the middle crease of a well worn Patience deck. I wouldn't like that for a tarot deck.
For sticky decks, I tried the talc routine but it didn't help much. I'll have to experiment a bit.
For me, using the tarot cards, trimming them, colouring the edges and making the bags, is part of the bonding process.
I keep them in a large beautiful cardboard box together with incense. I love the scent on my hands after I handle a deck that was "marinated" for a long time. The longer I have a deck, the stronger the scent. I like that but I'm sure that many people don't. Tastes are different!
My decks are stacked upright and sorted into "families", each deck with its LWB (which I rarely use after I read it when I get the deck but I like to keep it close...."just in case"). From time to time, I sort the decks, and I try to handle them all regularly. Re-sorting them in different ways (sometimes the suits in order, sometimes the numbers together) and shuffling them regularly keeps them "warm" and lived-in.
Next to my laptop, I always have a deck (today, it's the mini Harmonious), and usually also one in my bag. I feel that keeping them close and handling them is not only good for me but also for them.
While I treat them well, I like the signs of use, like I do with my books and other things. They show the passage of time, and that's fine, I'm going with the flow and don't try to stop it although I'd sometimes like to.
My spread cloth is spread over the cards in the box. It's a black Indian cloth with little embroideries and mirrors, and it has the perfect size. I was very happy when I found it many years ago.
I use beautiful silk that I painted myself or special yarns for my tarot bags. Sometimes, my mother buys little linnen sachets for me and I use them for my decks, but mostly, I use bags I made myself.
I'm careful to shuffle them nicely but if the cards are stiff, they get some rounds of riffle shuffling. I played Patience for many years and liked the middle crease of a well worn Patience deck. I wouldn't like that for a tarot deck.
For sticky decks, I tried the talc routine but it didn't help much. I'll have to experiment a bit.
gregory
One small warning there - I have a deck that smelt incredibly awful when new. I put two drops of essential oil on a tissue and several tissues between it and the deck, and shut them in a ziploc for 48 hours.
The oil made it through to the cards ANYWAY, just barely - and took the ink off the back - luckily only of the title card, but still. (And the small wasn't gone either
I dealt with THAT later, by leaving the lot in a box with 100 lavender scented candles for about 3 weeks (because I forgot about them....)Simply storage, though - I like mine in their boxes too - in drawers, or for BIG boxes, on shelves like my books. And for the sticky ones - fanning powder isn't VERY cheap, but lasts for AGES. I don't do anything for "protection", but I burn loads of incense in their room - that's because I like the smell and spiders seem not to.
bonebeach
I like mine worn, I don't like bags, and silk is for scarves in my world. I'm also a riffle shuffler, so...
I tried keeping my Place Vampire Tarot in the usual drawstring style bag, but that beat up the corners in a way I didn't appreciate and it was bulky. I do keep all my decks out of the sun and in boxes. My decks that get the most use are wrapped in their own *cotton* bandannas, which is cheaper, durable, and, depending on the print, aesthetically pleasing. I have a standard way I wrap and tie the bandanna around a deck and it works great even for a deck that's bouncing around in my purse.
I tried keeping my Place Vampire Tarot in the usual drawstring style bag, but that beat up the corners in a way I didn't appreciate and it was bulky. I do keep all my decks out of the sun and in boxes. My decks that get the most use are wrapped in their own *cotton* bandannas, which is cheaper, durable, and, depending on the print, aesthetically pleasing. I have a standard way I wrap and tie the bandanna around a deck and it works great even for a deck that's bouncing around in my purse.
FaintlyMacabre
Most of them are stacked in their boxes. Some years ago, I made and laminated some tuck boxes for decks w/o boxes which work alright. I made a few bags which are padded and lined and have square bottoms and these work well too.
I found some knitting instructions on Mary Greer's site and thought I would try them but then my shoulder started to ache and I realized I was no more fit to knit now than I'd been some years ago. At least I didn't buy any cotton.
I found some knitting instructions on Mary Greer's site and thought I would try them but then my shoulder started to ache and I realized I was no more fit to knit now than I'd been some years ago. At least I didn't buy any cotton.
gregory
Someone gave me a knitted bag. The cards snag on the stitches. Just saying....
nisaba
Excellent. I have decks I've used for ages, and they're in good shape.
Different publishers use different finishes (or laminates) to protect the surfaces of the decks. Most of my decks don't require powdering at all. But I have several (and US Games decks are getting bad for this in recent years), where powdering the decks is the only way to ensure that they don't stick together and shuffle nicely in the hands. Most of the time you don't need it, but with poor laminates it is really, really helpful.
That reminds me. I've been meaning to powder another four decks, one of which I'm using regularly at the moment, for a while - and every time I take it out, I curse myself I haven't done it yet. Thanks for reminding me.
