Baroque Bohemian Cats Tarot...got it today!

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 26 Jul 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

MuffinTops	26 Jul 2004
And it is just beautiful! The extra card I recieved with the postcards was the 3 of Wands... Thank you, thank you, thank you Karen!

baba-prague	26 Jul 2004
Oh, it's begun arriving! I was just waiting for this :-) I know that someone else (who isn't often here on AT) has also got their parcel. Great, it was quite quick. But we are STILL packing madly - sent a lot more out today. I'm really glad you like it. Three of Wands? Hmm, well we were completely random about adding these, although in fact we had more of some "spares" than others, so there are more Wands and Cups than anything else. Have you had a chance to try reading yet? I suppose it's really too early?

Alta	26 Jul 2004
Oh rats! I I had known it could get here so fast I would not have asked you to delay mailing mine. sniff. Well, now it is really too late. :( :(

MuffinTops	26 Jul 2004
I just got it about 10 mins ago. I posted immediately. So no readings yet. I want to run right out and show all my friends and neighbors. (and strangers!) It is just absolutely GORGEOUS!!! What is funny is that I can relate TOTALLY to the 3 of Wands right now!I wonder if that will happen to the others!

baba-prague	26 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Marion Oh rats! I I had known it could get here so fast I would not have asked you to delay mailing mine. sniff. Well, now it is really too late. :( :( Rats! or Cats!? Yes, I was almost going to ask you if we should risk it, but then again, if customs holds a parcel it can take a lot longer so maybe it's worked out for the best? We did send one to someone at their holiday address but she is going to be there for some time.

darwinia	26 Jul 2004
Well, this sounds marvelously exciting. Karen, I saw you posting somewhere and I just can't find the thread again, but something about a limited edition with larger cards. Is this still something you and Alex are considering or a passing fancy, or a cat fancy? ;-) I was going to wait for the distributor for Canada to get a stash before trying to order, but if you were actually going to do a large edition at some point I might be interested in that. I am so pleased you've got another winner!! Judy

baba-prague	26 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by darwinia Well, this sounds marvelously exciting. Karen, I saw you posting somewhere and I just can't find the thread again, but something about a limited edition with larger cards. Is this still something you and Alex are considering or a passing fancy, or a cat fancy? ;-) Well, we are almost certain to do this. Partly because many people have asked (and one person here has said several times that they are interested, which I'm grateful for as it helped to convince us that there really is a demand - to begin with we wondered). We have now talked to the printer about it - we would like the same printer to do it as they really do a beautiful job. But it will still take some months as it would mean re-setting up the pictures and doing some re-colouring to allow for use of gold inks. You know, the other reason we decided we must do this is simply that there is so much detail that you can't really see in normal sized cards (even though we made them quite large). There is a smiling fish in Strength that honestly is not visible to the naked eye for instance. So large cards just seem like a good idea. Oh - and Canada. Yes, it will be in bookshops there. It will begin to make its way to the US (and from there onwards) in about a week. It couldn't go earlier as we needed to wait to see how many to ship. But we are also trying to find quick ways to get it there, so hopefully it won't take too long (well, fingers crossed and all that - I always worry a bit about things that go by ship). The weird thing - but I suppose it's how things go - is that it will be in some bookshops in Japan by next week. The lovely small chain of shops we sell to there always pay for airmail shipping. But I suppose on the other hand that must put the price up a lot?

MuffinTops	26 Jul 2004
Meow! I will be getting the Big deck and the Hardcover book (about cats) as well! >^..^<

Dakota	26 Jul 2004
THEY'RE HERE!!!! THEY'RE HERE!! The Cats (and friends) have arrived in rural New York! My daughter just called from the post office to let me know. How soon can I leave work?????????????????? :D

Asher	26 Jul 2004
I just got home from work to find the Cats waiting for me, along with the 2nd edition Tarot of Prague!!!! I first opened the ToP, just to see the new Pridence card, and it's just wonderful. I then opened the Postcards and could not believe my eyes! The large format is spectacular. My extra, signed card is the 4 of Pentacles -- adorable! I am just beginning to open the BBC box, and the book cover is absolutely, indescribeably _delicious_!!!!! The "new" smell is just great, as is the luxurious feel of the book. It's a joy just to hold it in your hands. And now I am off to open the deck and play with my new friends! Again, big congratulations to Karen and Alex!!!! Asher

baba-prague	26 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Dakota THEY'RE HERE!!!! THEY'RE HERE!! The Cats (and friends) have arrived in rural New York! My daughter just called from the post office to let me know. How soon can I leave work?????????????????? :D I should warn you now, they are like all cats, quite demanding :-) They will probably expect attention the minute you get home!

darwinia	26 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by baba-prague Well, we are almost certain to do this. Partly because many people have asked (and one person here has said several times that they are interested, which I'm grateful for as it helped to convince us that there really is a demand - to begin with we wondered). Okay thanks. I don't know where you would get the idea that people don't like large cards, I PREFER large decks, but admittedly I don't often do regular readings like other folks, I use them in other ways. So whoever gave you guys the nudge, I thank them too. I am rather myopic so seeing details would make a refreshing change. Plus the cards would be BIG, there is something rich about big decks, you feel like you've got something truly special when you're handling them. I feel it's such an occasion when you lay out big cards, like the world stops with the glory of the artwork laid out. I have a picture of my Portal Tarot laid out when I was writing a story with them, and they aren't the large deck, but they sure are beautiful laid out, like a glowing tributary of thought.....vibrating. [gets carried away at this point breathlessly visualizing a bunch of cats and baroque architecture laid out in such a manner, and swoons contemplating the haunting moon card in the centre of a spread surrounded by large cards and the emperor with his urizen compass speaking as he looks up and whispers the secret of infinity. . . .]

janomalee	26 Jul 2004
Mine came in the mail today. Yay!!!! My extra card was 8 of Swords. I think the cat looks like she is thinking about how to get out of her bonds. I must say, the 3 of Swords is just the saddest Tarot card I think I have ever seen! That poor cat and the look on her face! It really captures the 3 of Swords experience.

Summerdream	26 Jul 2004
The kitties arrived at my doorstep today. First off, the quality and size of the cards is excellant. Secondly, the online scans do not do this deck justice....you have to see how much detail is in these cards! I got the 6 of swords as my signed cards. The postcards are stunning and I plan on displaying them in my room. Did I read right, that there is supposed to be a larger deck coming out with a bigger book??? If so, I'll definately be getting that one too. These cards are very unique and beautiful and anyone who is considering purchasing them should do so. Thank you so very much Karen and Alex. Summerdream:)

HudsonGray	26 Jul 2004
I just got the box today--it was stuck behind my potted plants as it didn't fit into the mailbox we have. The extra signed card is the Chariot. Thanks Karen! And Alex! And for the foldout & postcards too. I'm playing with the deck tonight.

Gardener	26 Jul 2004
Oh good lord I think I'm going to EXPIRE of jealousy and anticipation!!! I want my kitties, I want my kitties, I want my kitties NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The decks are on their way to Contrascarpe's house and I won't be down there until Monday next, so I have to wait an ENTIRE WEEK before they arrive and I have their little paws in my eager paws, whimper, whimper. Contrascarpe said if they get there before I do, he's going to open them right away and not wait for me. Now, I ask you all, is that love? No, I didn't think so! Especially after I just bought him a gorgeous Tarot of Prague print of his favorite card (the Moon). How about a little peer pressure, guys, to encourage him to keep his eager mitts off them until I get there? And yes, Karen, there is huge demand, simply HUGE, for the oversized and gilded cards. The book, Summerdream, that MuffinTops mentioned, is something new, not a book for the deck but a children's book about the cats, you can see the cover up on Karen's weblog. Quivering with excitement in Ottawa...

contrascarpe	26 Jul 2004
Ah, don't feel sorry for my dear Gardener ...... was hoping the kitties arrive soon to entice her into taking the 500 mile trip sooner and start our lives together. And since one of the decks is promised to my Mom and another to my brother, how can I resist opening these babies early? Gardener better hope that international post is slow ...... Dan Quote: Originally posted by Gardener Oh good lord I think I'm going to EXPIRE of jealousy and anticipation!!! I want my kitties, I want my kitties, I want my kitties NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The decks are on their way to Contrascarpe's house and I won't be down there until Monday next, so I have to wait an ENTIRE WEEK before they arrive and I have their little paws in my eager paws, whimper, whimper. Contrascarpe said if they get there before I do, he's going to open them right away and not wait for me. Now, I ask you all, is that love? No, I didn't think so! Especially after I just bought him a gorgeous Tarot of Prague print of his favorite card (the Moon). How about a little peer pressure, guys, to encourage him to keep his eager mitts off them until I get there? And yes, Karen, there is huge demand, simply HUGE, for the oversized and gilded cards. The book, Summerdream, that MuffinTops mentioned, is something new, not a book for the deck but a children's book about the cats, you can see the cover up on Karen's weblog. Quivering with excitement in Ottawa...

le pendu	26 Jul 2004
The cats arrive in San Diego! Got home tonight to find my wonderful decks waiting for me!! First impressions. The box is a beautiful red, like a valentine heart.. sets the mood right from the start. Open it.. open it... OMG!! The book cover is gorgeous!!! Wonderful!! THIS is what is inside!???!!! Open the book.. great layout.. great typography.. better than the TOP book.. Easier to handle.. easier to read... beautiful satin paper. Perfect. There it is.. wrapped up in plastic.. undoing it.. Wow!!! The cards *feel* wonderful. Not too thick.. not too thin.. just the right coating... Yay!... Oh my.. the cards are as beautiful as expected (I have very high expectations of Karen and Alex!). Wow.. wow.. wow. The backs of the cards are just wonderful! Great how you guys got your names in there!!! And the touch or red around the cats is brilliant! Congratulations you two, it's nothing less than perfect. robert p.s. I got the 3 of Swords!

Chronata	27 Jul 2004
Had an awfully emotional week,and an intense meltdown last night...but when I woke up this morning...I just knew that it was going to be a really good day! Really good quickly turned into wonderful when I opened my Post Office Box and saw the little yellow card that proclaimed a package was waiting for me! Oh my...oh my! The Bohemian kitties and thier incredible costumes and poses are simply the most extraordinary cards I have seen! I purposely tried to stay out of the old threads on the creation board...because I wanted to meet them all for the first time when I held the deck in my hands. There was not a single card that I didn't love...not a single kitty that didn't delight me instantly! And not a single card that I didn't "get" the moment I saw it! (oh Karen...I especially love the 8 of pentacles and all those fabulous puppets!) And what made this deck even more personal...and more wonderful for me...was that the signed card was the Emperor...which to me, at this moment, was the perfect message that I needed to get out of my depressive funk. There are not enough words of praise that exist to tell you how incredible this deck is...and how much I adore it! And the book is so well written and researched...I know because I just finished reading it from cover to cover! Ah...the kitties have taken over! I think this has surpassed all my other current tarots as my new favorite. And I think it will be my favorite for a long long time!

baba-prague	27 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by darwinia [gets carried away at this point breathlessly visualizing a bunch of cats and baroque architecture laid out in such a manner, and swoons contemplating the haunting moon card in the centre of a spread surrounded by large cards and the emperor with his urizen compass speaking as he looks up and whispers the secret of infinity. . . .] You know, I love large cards too. I just love that scene in The Red Violin (if you know the film) in which the reader lays out the very large, very heavy old cards. It IS dramatic. But so many people don't like the difficulties of shuffling larger cards, and I can understand this. I think in the end that the size we have used (roughly 3*5 inches, or exactly 78*128 mm) is about as big as most people can handle for shuffling. BUT, of course this means that we can go totally over the top for the large version, as long as we can find suitable stock and ways of cutting that work. The big thing that will take time is redoing a lot of the images to allow for gilding. It will be a very limited edition if we do it, so we can afford a bit of hand-work and so on. We talk about it every time we break for a cup of tea or coffee! By the way, you are right, The Moon is one card that looks great at a larger size. This cat was so extreme looking - beautiful but in a very strange way. Oh - and one day I want to do a small animation of some of these characters - but that really is just dreaming...

MuffinTops	27 Jul 2004
from the first half of the deck. First: Every kitties face is so apropo! A perfect expression for each card. I just cannot get over it!! As you said Karen, The HERMIT is perfect. His facial expression is so accurate. I've seen that expression in my cats when they are thinking, "Bah, leave me alone!" The HANGED MAN almost looks 3 D to me. Cute little outfit! Temperance looks like the kitty next door to me. Her name is Thelma. The STAR...just beautiful. 5 of WANDS how on earth did you gets those little babies to make those expressions! I don't want to use the word perfect again, but Perfect! Love the legs on the KING of WANDS! 9 of PENTACLES...ummm full belly, yummy. How did you get his tongue in action. (cute feet too!) 6 of CUPS, he looks like he really loves her. The most adorable card (so far) 4 of CUPS. It is too cute! His face is just so...so...I can hear his mew! Last but not least (so far!!!) My favorite card: JUDGEMENT. It struck a chord in my heart. To me, it is a very personal card. My own kitties being taken up to heaven. Karen the deck is just wonderful! I can't say it enough! (oops, fixing typos)

baba-prague	27 Jul 2004
Judgement is a very special card to me too. We really thought long and hard about what we wanted to say. I particularly want this card to be joyful.

baba-prague	27 Jul 2004
I will properly reply tomorrow by the way. But thanks for the enthusiasm! My web link has been weird today, but hopefully reliable tomorrow :-)

catdoc	27 Jul 2004
It is rare indeed when very high expectations are met and then exceeded. I could not be more pleased with my BBC tarot. The quality of the printed cards is first rate. There is continuity of style and theme throughout, and card meanings and symbolism feel right to me. The companion book is delightful. Karen, you have expressed so well many of my own feelings about the tarot and about cats. The information about the history of "dressing cats", history of the tarot, the fool's journey and the story progressions for each of the suits is remarkably organized, clear, and complete without being overly long. I like the cat's point of view sections for each card. (Of course I do think we can learn much about ourselves by considerng the wisdom of cats....so I guess you are preaching to the choir with those insights). The quotes, and historical tid bits are fun. All in All this is a companion book worth reading cover to cover as well as a reference to be consulted in learning the cards. This is a deck and book which I would happily use to introduce someone to the tarot. I would also feel very comfortable reccomending them to an experienced tarot reader. I did a quick two card reading asking, "what will my relationship with this deck be like"....I drew The Lovers and The Sun. :-) Deb

Cocobird55	27 Jul 2004
Mine is here -- and it is truly amazing! I'm off to play with my kitties. Sue

jema	28 Jul 2004
I got mine today:-) And of course I just love it! Fav cards - you mean besides The World? There are really too many to list but a few are: The fool, The Emperor, Knight of Wands (just happens to be the most beautiful cat I ever seen) And 3 of pentacles since it just makes me smile seeing that opera diva on the stage:-)

Astraea	28 Jul 2004
Mine arrived late yesterday and they are just marvelous -- beautifully conceived, designed and created. I, too, would love to see big cards eventually, and will purchase a set whenever they become available -- though the detailed richness of the present cards is wonderful on its own!

WolfSpirit	28 Jul 2004
Yay ! I got mine today too :D When I left the house I just saw from the other end of the street a red postvan enter our street - and I just KNEW there would be something in it for me. Of course I had thought of running back but I would probably not make it in time so I just went ahead and had to wait till I got home. The tarot of prague book was on the doormat, and a note that another parcel had been delivered to the house next door. Luckily my neighbours were at home - so I could close my kitties in my paws !! The cards look so lovely in real life. Hard to name a favourite - but I just love the expression on the knight of swords, he's quite something. And my extra card is the ace of pentacles. A card that shows up a lot for me lately so that looks appropriate. Now going to spend some time with my cats... Thanks Karen and Alex !

baba-prague	28 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by WolfSpirit Yay ! I got mine today too :D When I left the house I just saw from the other end of the street a red postvan enter our street - and I just KNEW there would be something in it for me. In a way I half wanted you to say - "and I noticed that it seemed to be driven by a well-dressed cat with a smile on his whiskers"... So, now that my machine is not crashing every half-hour (maybe I should say that in a whisper?) some proper replies: U Pendu - HOW did you get the Three of Swords? We took out all the Three of Swords! Oh well, I hope it's okay. She is a very sweet cat, but very sad. Chronata - thanks for reading the book so fast! I am really pleased as I always wonder when I'm writing if anyone will actually read it (you know that feeling). Your own deck is much looked forward to. Meantime I hope the BBCats give you some pleasure - and some laughs too. Catdoc - well, thank-you once more. You have been tremendously supportive throughout. I wondered if you would like the "cats' interpretation" section - it's cats according to me I suppose (though my own three commented throughout of course) so like everything, some of what I've said is arguable - but if it's fun and useful, that's great. Okay, a paws (sorry, I mean pause) to think here. More to come...

Le_Corsair	28 Jul 2004
I got mine today - - double the fun, the new edition of the Tarot of Prague and the BBC Tarot. My signed card is the Page of Pentacles. I had an idea that they would arrive today; I trudged out to the mailbox four different times, and on the fourth trip they were there. :) Thank you both for your wonderful work, and for sharing all of the wonderful stories both in your blog and here at Aeclectic. Hugs to you both. Bob :THERM

Imagemaker	28 Jul 2004
Mine has arrived! I opened only far enough to find that my extra card was the 3 of cups--perfect for the current family events of my daughter's nearly-here wedding! I'm looking forward to a treat of poring over my cards tonight. Yay!! (And fun to get a package from the Czech Republic. My great-grandmother was born in Bohemia, my mother spoke only Czech until she went to school, and I have many other geneological roots there.) Thanks so much, Karen and Alex!

Major Tom	28 Jul 2004
I got mine today too. :D My extra card is the 9 of Wands which oddly enough, is the card I'm working on for my Marseilles deck. :eek: Absolutely beautiful work Karen and Alex and a brilliant deal for two sets with an extra of the Tarot of Prague. I suspect you're going to need a reprint before you know it. ;)

baba-prague	28 Jul 2004
Reprint? I could not even THINK about it for a long time I think LOL(don't quote me on that). Alex must have gone to the printers, bookbinders, collators, cutters etc at least a dozen times in the final stage of making the deck. Worth it, but a lot of work :-) It's so nice always to hear of people with Czech or Slovak ancestry - there is something very special about this whole area and I hope this deck conveys at least something of it. I'm glad we managed to include so much of Cesky Krumlov this time, it's a really magical place. It's also a relief to know that the deck is arriving safely. Oh, which brings me to say - If you pre-ordered but did not get the pre-order link, just email or pm me and I'll send it. I've had a few people today who got in touch to say they didn't get it when I sent it out some days ago. Maybe this is my bad organisation (sad but true) or spam filters removing mails or something... but anyway, everyone who pre-ordered is very welcome to the link - the pre-orders were a great source of encouragement to us both, and we want to say thank-you for that. So - off to feed my own Bohemian cats - Dan has already thought about seeing how the cards taste (he is still a kitten and eats everything) but we have told him that no chewing is allowed!

WolfSpirit	28 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by baba-prague I'm glad we managed to include so much of Cesky Krumlov this time, it's a really magical place. Yes I saw it was mentioned in the book :) I have been there with a friend from New Zealand who was travelling in Europe. He had been there before and wanted to show it to me because he loved it so much. Really a very special place, and it is great to see it in this deck. Although I don't remember that many architectural details, what I remember best is that cool painted tower :) Edited to add: I have just seen that tower in the background of the queen of swords. There is actually a lot I recognize, how cool !

LadyMedusa	28 Jul 2004
I'm so jealous!!! I'm waiting for my kitties to arrive... LadyMedusa

baba-prague	29 Jul 2004
Another shipment takes to the air today! These are intrepid cats. I still can't get rid of visions in my head of a cat in an old-fashioned flying helmet with dashing white silk scarf - honestly, I may have to do this image at some point. The time taken to various parts of the world varies hugely. We find that Australasia seems to be slow, but sometimes the USA is very quick. It is lovely hearing the reaction to the deck. It's not the most mainstream deck (it is quite obviously RWS but there are a lot of variations in the cards of course, and they are not all as "light" as one might expect in a cat deck) and we did wonder how it would be received. I am pretty confident that it will read very well, there is a lot of substance as far as the symbolism is concerned - I've only done one serious reading for someone so far, and it was wonderfully clear. But then, I do know the cards pretty well (!) It will be good to hear how they read for other people.

darwinia	29 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by baba-prague It's not the most mainstream deck (it is quite obviously RWS but there are a lot of variations in the cards of course, and they are not all as "light" as one might expect in a cat deck Ahhhh, the mark of true artists who can think for themselves. I hesitate to say, but I have one clear R-W deck and that is the Universal Waite, and one's enough for me, I always prefer it when people mix it up a bit. [apologies to bob who loves r-w decks and sends my eyes spinning every time he gets yet another one, and multiple copies too.] Your last comment about lightness reminds me of faeries. I always think of faeries as rather dark, if not malicious beings. [sorry true believers!] Anyway, cats are sort of the same, we think we have them domesticated but they revert in an instant to feral beings with carnivorous instincts for blood. Mwuahaha. I saw one of my Siamese cats out in the garden one day throwing something up and down. He'd killed a garter snake and was having a bit of fun with his new toy. I still say your Moon card is one of the most haunting I've seen in any deck.

baba-prague	29 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by darwinia Anyway, cats are sort of the same, we think we have them domesticated but they revert in an instant to feral beings with carnivorous instincts for blood. Mwuahaha. I couldn't agree more. Cats can seem very fluffy in certain moods, but their real interest lies in the fact that they are never truly domesticated or "under the thumb" of anyone. We tried to get that across in several cards, most notably in The Empress. Yes, she really is holding a fan that is decorated with feathers, and she really is smiling. I just think that Nature has many aspects, not all of them pretty - this doesn't detract for me, it adds. I agree with you also about fairies/faeries. They are not Disneyesque creatures in the least. I think in Ireland that was very much understood.

Kissa	29 Jul 2004
Got mine yesterday too!!! I am overjoyed. The cards are beautiful and full of humour. The book is excellent and offers, for every card, a short bio of the cat(s) involved. One of my favourite card is the Four of Swords, and this cat has a very moving story behing him. Thanks Karen and Alex for writing this and sharing your opinion/feeling about shelter cats. The other set went to my sister and my mom got the deck. Both were just WOWing with sparkling eyes. :) Thank you Karen, Alex and Anna. This is a wonderful deck. I had a long conversation about Tarot and my first face to face reading to my sister for the occasion. But the reading was with my ToP ;) Still have to get to know my cats before we start reading together... Kissa

baba-prague	29 Jul 2004
Oh, it arrived safely and quickly, that's great. Yes, the deck may take a little time before reading. I am finding this myself, as I've said before it is opinionated and goes its own way - much like cats really :-) By the way, we do very much like the shelter here. It is not glamorous, it's housed in a variety of very basic rooms, but it is "no kill" - they even have a kind of hospice for very sick cats to at least get some support and comfort and live out their days for as long as possible. Our Minnie came from the shelter - she had been found wandering and we think was a "Christmas kitten" who had been thrown out when she became less fluffy. Anyway, she is now a slightly overweight, happy girl with a very loud purr.

darwinia	29 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by baba-prague We tried to get that across in several cards, most notably in The Empress. Yes, she really is holding a fan that is decorated with feathers, and she really is smiling. I just think that Nature has many aspects, not all of them pretty - this doesn't detract for me, it adds. Well, I don't know if you remember but I went on and on about the Empress making me cry when you sent the picture. The reason for that is that I never could connect with the Earth Mother as Empress archetype. La-dee-da with the flowers and bunnies and pregnant glow. In YOUR card she looks a bit dangerous, like she's got her eye on you and her benevolence only tolerates so much. You have probably seen a cat with her kittens, she is very good with them and licks and cleans them but as they grow she starts getting a bit fed up and occasionally whacks them one to put them in their place. Now, that's what this BBCT Empress says to me. She's a realist. I'd rather be mothered by someone like that. She's going teach you how to mortgage your home and get the bank manager to listen to you, she's going to teach you about politics and people and assertiveness and writing your member of parliament and time management, as well as how to bake a superb loaf of sourdough bread and nurture the family and the environment. SHE IS AN EMPRESS in every sense, and part of that is her mirroring and equality with the Emperor, who is never depicted as Mr. Fluffy Bunny. No thank you. My impression of an Empress, who is after all a ruler and leader, is that responsibility makes her more of a realist, not someone who floats around in natural habitats barefoot and pregnant. Strength, give me strength and ability to lead. It's more than being Big Mom. Being a mother doesn't guarantee nurturing or sense or reason or leadership, but being an EMPRESS does. At least in the archetypal world. Man, it's getting hot in here or something.

Dakota	29 Jul 2004
hehehee Brilliant, Darwinia! She will probably teach you how to BE your member of Parliament too! :D

darwinia	29 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Dakota hehehee Brilliant, Darwinia! She will probably teach you how to BE your member of Parliament too! :D That's right, and I get to wear a nice silk dress and carry a fan while I'm doing it.

Dakota	29 Jul 2004
and smile, knowingly and slightly wickedly.............. LOL :D

baba-prague	29 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by darwinia That's right, and I get to wear a nice silk dress and carry a fan while I'm doing it. and if the mood takes you (and sometimes it will) you can snap that fan shut and hit someone over the head with it. You are right about cats and The Empress. A cat mother will not think twice about disciplining her kittens (Minnie is currently pointing out to Dan on a daily basis that SHE and not he, is number one cat in our household - but she does also wash his ears for him when the hard lesson is over). I sort of hope our Emperor is a bit fluffy in fact. Oh dear, I shouldn't really get into that whole Empress/Emperor debate should I? But I also can't go with the "Emperor hard", "Empress soft" thing - or not in quite that way.

mercenary30	30 Jul 2004
Yea!!!! I got my BBC yesterday. Not only that, I had 4 packages waiting for me when I got home. What a great birthday I am having this year...... The BBC deck is VERY nice in person. I have to say the Hermit is my favorite card. I have not read with it yet, but I already have a beautiful bag for it to live in!!!! Thanks Baba!!!! I am already eagerly awaiting your next deck!!!

baba-prague	30 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by mercenary30 I am already eagerly awaiting your next deck!!! Next deck, next deck?! Honestly, I think that might be a long time. We might have a er, hmm, deck-related project for this autumn (not sure yet) but I don't think we will do another full tarot deck for AT LEAST a year. We honestly did work on BBCats for seven days a week, and usually until at least ten at night (literally) and we loved it. But now we will wait for a while before doing another deck as demanding as this. Or at least, we will give ourselves more time in design and production. Doing tarot is like nothing else really, it takes a lot of emotional commitment. But we do get a LOT out of it.

jlbvt	30 Jul 2004
Yesterday afternoon I went to the post office to pick up the mail thay had been holding (I was out of town a few days) and there it was! Wow! This deck is exquisite! It's so rich and evocative. I have just looked through all the cards, and my two favorites are Judgement and the 5 of wands. In that card, there are five cats, all armed with wands, in what looks like a melee. The expression on the face of the cat in the red suit is priceless. Karen, I don't know how you got a photograph of that look, but I am thoroughly enjoying it! ;) All the cards are beautiful. The poses and scenes are very communicative to me, and the costumes are just georgeous. The border on the cards is beautifully done also. Everything about this deck is so rich, I feel like royalty just holding it! I can't wait to do some readings with it. Thank you Karen and Alex! I love your BBC Tarot! Joan

baba-prague	30 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by jlbvt Wow! This deck is exquisite! It's so rich and evocative. I have just looked through all the cards, and my two favorites are Judgement and the 5 of wands. In that card, there are five cats, all armed with wands, in what looks like a melee. The expression on the face of the cat in the red suit is priceless. Karen, I don't know how you got a photograph of that look, but I am thoroughly enjoying it! ;) Thank-you! It is lovely to hear this. It is such a pleasure, after all this mad work we did, to know that it's liked. So - the secret of the expressions? Well, some of these are our photos and some are by breeders here. In the end we, with permission, used quite a lot of breeder's own photos, as it was taking SO long for cats to settle with us - at one point Alex said we would never have anything except hundreds of pictures of cats looking suspicious... But the secret of the snarling? Feather-sticks! I should not break the illusion, but Babetta (splendid young Siberian in the Knight of Swords) is in fact attacking a large feather-stick. The other cats are also mostly doing the same. I LOVE feather-sticks and am eternally grateful to the genious who invented them. The Five of Wands would have been impossible without. (oh - for those who don't use the same term a feather-stick is one of those cat toys with feathers and pieces of tinsel attached to the end of a flexible plastic rod - wiggle it around and almost every cat goes wild).

MuffinTops	30 Jul 2004
Hi Karen, I did a long distance reading with the cards for my sister and emailed her the results. The cards were extremely accurate. I don't know the cards as well as you but I was able to describe her boyfriends thoughts/actions (I don't know him) a current argument, and thankfully, happy (10 of Cups!) card. Amazing!

baba-prague	01 Aug 2004
Hi Muffintops. This is good to hear. I'm pleased that the cards gave such a clear reading, you and they probably suit each other. One of the things we set out to do was to make a cat deck that is really readable so I am very much hoping that it turns out that we succeeded. In fact, I am finding the deck pretty demanding in my own readings. On one level, the RWS meanings are clear (as we intended them to be), on a whole other level, the deck seems to go off and do its own thing - I find that if I work with it intuitively it is surprisingly powerful. In fact, as I think I said before, it has claws as well as prettiness - just like a cat. It can be very plain speaking, not particularly "light" at all. I think it's going to take me weeks if not months to fully work with this deck. That probably sounds odd as of course I know the cards so well, but to some extent I think that with a deck you designed you almost have to de-learn the individual cards and begin to get used to reading them as a deck - a set. It takes time!

mooncat2	01 Aug 2004
My cats are here !!! I've been so patiently waiting and reading these posts each day knowing they had such a long way to travel. This morning they arrived safe and sound. Absolutely gorgeous and I haven't even looked properly yet. I just love the Hermit - a must for me with any deck. A quick browse through the book with my morning coffee - very impressive with a wealth of extra information - wonderful cat quotes and I love the cats interpretations. I can't wait to put my feet up tonight and explore further. My extra card is the 8 Cups ( I was hoping it would be a cup card) and yes, thats me - hates moving on out the comfort zone. Perfect! The postcards are lovely and I'm already framing one for a friends birthday. Thank you, Karen & Alex - this cat lover is delighted. A great deck.

Aerin	02 Aug 2004
My Cats are here too. My card is the 6 of Cups. As I'm just about to start a job teaching 5-7 year olds it seems rather appropriate. The cards are beautiful, and I would be interested in a large size deck too. Of course I could get a whole set of postcards.... Aerin

baba-prague	02 Aug 2004
Oh, there are only six postcards in existence I'm afraid - we have no plans to do more. But I think we will do the larger set. It will be quite pricey though as I think we can only do a very small run. I suppose we need to think carefully about this - the smaller the run the more expensive the price per deck - we'll try to get it right! The review of the deck is now up at tarotpassages.com We are very happy with it - although ... EEAARRGGGHHH typos again - honestly this time we had the book edited twice, but I think we need to find a more professional editor, the standards here are not really up to it we are finding - and I cannot spot my own typos, though I do try. But these things should get better as we put a more experienced team together. Apart from that it's really nice and a relief to get a good review. We are very aware that this deck is more controversial than Tarot of Prague in some ways. But I just have a feeling that it will prove itself over time to be a little more serious than it might at first appear - there is a lot of stuff hidden in there. But well, if it's just fun for some people, that's fine too - as long as it's also evocative. To us, this is a whole world.

baba-prague	02 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by mooncat2 My cats are here !!! I've been so patiently waiting and reading these posts each day knowing they had such a long way to travel. My extra card is the 8 Cups ( I was hoping it would be a cup card) and yes, thats me - hates moving on out the comfort zone. Perfect! The postcards are lovely and I'm already framing one for a friends birthday. Thank you, Karen & Alex - this cat lover is delighted. A great deck. I guarantee that you have the first deck in New Zealand! They got there quite quickly in fact - we're pleased about that. It is interesting seeing which "extra" cards are with which people. We sent out mostly Cups as we used the spares that the printer sent, minus the "dark" cards as far as possible. The extra cards do often seem to have been quite appropriate as it turned out - nice.

contrascarpe	02 Aug 2004
Karen - Gardener finally came home to me yesterday (she met me while I was visiting relatives who were visiting a couple of hours away from our home). I had the foresight to bring one of the sets we bought with me - as I was driving us back, she ripped open the box and I finally got to see the wonderous cards that were sitting sealed next to my computer for the past week ...... I must admit that I haven't spent much time with the kitties yet, but to sum up my initial impressions in word ....... WOW!!!!!!!!!! The care and love that went into this baby is so obvious. Every card that I saw brought a smile to my face. Gardener brought a more eloquent take to the table, but I will let her post her thoughts as she is the writer in the family. Congrats to you and Alex - as much as I love your ToP, I think this deck may very well supplant it as my favorite. Thank you for bringing your care and love for Tarot to our world. Dan

baba-prague	02 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by contrascarpe96 Karen - and I finally got to see the wonderous cards that were sitting sealed next to my computer for the past week ...... You have amazing self-restraint I think - and you are so good to let Gardener open these first (I would probably last out about an hour then rip open the package!) I'm impressed - really :-) I'm so glad that the cards are bringing pleasure - and excitement. I cannot describe how much of our effort went into these and I hope that there are layers, and jokes and quirks and all kinds of things that will only gradually be revealed. We don't want the deck to show its all right at the start (well, it takes time to get to know any self-respecting cat). I get a huge buzz out of hearing about the cards arriving - and I read the posts to Alex - who says he doesn't always understand and gets me to read twice - an excuse I think ;-)

Diana	02 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by mercenary30 I have to say the Hermit is my favorite card. I do not have the deck. But I have the Hermit. :) It is a very very wonderful Hermit. Possibly the best I've ever seen on a non Marseilles deck. Thank you Karen. Very much indeed.

tabbycat	02 Aug 2004
Mine got here today and the kitties are lovely! My extra card was the Two of Pentacles, which is very appropriate as I am an earth sign. Thanks again, Karen and Alex! Jilly

WolfSpirit	03 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Diana I do not have the deck. But I have the Hermit. :) It is a very very wonderful Hermit. Possibly the best I've ever seen on a non Marseilles deck. I read in the book the cat was an elderly cat who was separating herself from the younger cats around her, retreating from cat society. It makes the card more precious to me, to know that she was a real hermit. A wise old cat, knowing when it is time to step back.

Gardener	03 Aug 2004
Hello Karen and Alex, Thank you so much for these beautiful kitty cats. They are sublime, superb, sooooo delicious to play with. A fantastic payoff for all the anticipation, the months of watching you build the cards one at a time. Fantasic is the right word, because they are a lush fantasy world. Beautiful. We got the Queen of Cups and Page of Cups for our signed cards, sooooo perfect! I asked Contrascarpe which one was his and which mine, but he replied, as I'm sure you can guess, they are both OURS! I have to get used to living with a romantic, it would appear. (There are worse fates.) About readability, although because of all the moving around I haven't had the clarity of mind for readings lately, I can already see that this is going to be one of the best reading decks. I've been thinking about why it is so much more powerful than either photos of people or paintings of people or animals. Photos of people have a powerful ability to convey a personality for each card, but the person shown is too clearly a person NOT ourselves, and the reader is left at one remove from the card. Paintings make for successful decks because they often lack an immediacy that photos embody, leaving room for that leap of the imagination in which the reader connects with the card. However, these cat photos have the best of both, the immediacy of reality but the distance of being not human. And they are not just any species, but one we love to relate to. So we see the image and have the ability/desire to project ourselves into the situation in a way that frees our imagination and intuition. Amazing. Thank you.

lunakasha	03 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Gardener However, these cat photos have the best of both, the immediacy of reality but the distance of being not human. And they are not just any species, but one we love to relate to. So we see the image and have the ability/desire to project ourselves into the situation in a way that frees our imagination and intuition. Amazing. Thank you. Very well put, Gardener.....I enjoyed your review!!! :) Although I do not have the kitties in my grasp (yet).....I also enjoyed watching the process of their creation here, and have recently seen the actual cards in person (thanks Summerdream!) so I have no doubt that all the waiting and anticipation will be rewarded with a truly amazing and beautiful reading deck..... Thanks in advance, Karen & Alex!!! :) Luna

baba-prague	03 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Gardener Hello Karen and Alex, We got the Queen of Cups and Page of Cups for our signed cards, sooooo perfect! A quick one, as I am just coming out of a long meeting with a Russian artist here - very interesting woman so it was good! Just to say that we honestly, really, did NOT look at the cards we sent. I deliberately left them upside down and the cards were simply chosen at random (but form a limited range sent by the printer - hence the large proportion of Cups and Wands). So I am somewhat impressed that you got both the Queen and Page of Cups!

LadyMedusa	05 Aug 2004
I am trying so hard to be patient... I know it will take a while for them to arrive, what with transfers, layovers, customs and such. Can anyone in the US who has already had their's arrive, tell me about how long they were in transit? LadyMedusa

scorpio	05 Aug 2004
Hi LM, mine just got here yesterday and took 11 to 12 days to get here so hope you get them soon, and while you are here i gotta say i'm so bummed that you don't have a pic of your snake in the animal thread The cards were so gorgeous i seriously paused opening them, picturing them washing themselves furiously because i dared touch them. I have been playing with them nonstop, one of my friends called wanting me to read for her and her mother wanted me to read for her psychologist boyfriend so i'm interested to hear what he says when she repeats the reading. The package is so stunning and it's great to actually hold them instead of constantly gazing at the website!

Hedera	06 Aug 2004
Mine are here too! I picked them up from the post office today; they had tried to deliver them several times to me, but I wasn't home - although the second time, I'm pretty sure I *was* home! Must have not heard the doorbell or something...... Anyway, after several days of anticipation, I finally got to meet the cats in person. First impressions; It's a lovely, lush, rich deck, not fluffy at all; in fact, like most 'real' fairy tales, it seems to have a certain grim side to it. Not a bad thing at all - it makes for balanced, interesting deck. The cards look very readable to me, with lots of details. I love al the colours! The cardstock is very nice, and the cards are fortunately still small enough for me to handle them comfortable. The coating is great; nice and smooth, almost varnished. Looking through it, some majors hit me immediately; the serene joy of the Star, the mysterious, slightly ominous quality of the Moon, the sweet happiness of the Sun and the serious, calm Hermit. But I think I like the minors in general even more; the scenes are more lively than the often quite regal majors, and the cats of all ages, shapes and colours have a lot of interesting expressions - the scenes are funny, engaging and have lots and lots of details. I like how the cats interact with each other and the objects in the picture. I think it would be a great deck for story-telling! The cats are a nice balance between real 'people' and more neutral beings, that you can read a lot into. The book looks good too; not such a big, gorgeous reading book as that of the ToP, but nice and compact. I haven't read anything in it yet, so I can't really comment on the content. The only quip I have is that there is no box for the deck if you buy the set. I sort of assumed it would come with a box of it's own; I don't usually keep deck and book together as that makes for awkward storing. For people like me, who always have a couple of bags around, that isn't really a problem, but for people who don't I can imagine it would be inconvenient to have a pile of loose cards all of a sudden. Still, that's only a minor problem. And there was a pleasant surprise, as well; not only an extra, signed card (2 of Cups for me), but also a lovely set of huge postcards and a panoramic fold-out! It may have been mentioned on the site that those would be added to the pre-orders, but if it was I overlooked it, so it was a wonderful, unexpected extra! I doubt I'll send any of the cards though (I can be selfish that way). I think I'll use them in a sort of changeable exhibit I have on a shelf in my house; I use a glass frame to put up different small prints etc, sometimes according to season, sometimes according to whim.

baba-prague	06 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Hedera The only quip I have is that there is no box for the deck if you buy the set. I sort of assumed it would come with a box of it's own; I don't usually keep deck and book together as that makes for awkward storing. For people like me, who always have a couple of bags around, that isn't really a problem, but for people who don't I can imagine it would be inconvenient to have a pile of loose cards all of a sudden. Still, that's only a minor problem. I will reply to the other comments but just wanted to quickly say something about this. We do try to make it clear on the site that the cards in the set are packed in cello (in fact the packaging is in some ways similar to the William Blake tarot, although our book is of much better physical quality I think). The set box is pretty robust so can be used to store the whole set, but yes, there is no separate deck box. The reason? Simple really, it's to keep the retail cost down to $35 (which is really low for a small-run set). On our smaller print runs we have to decide where to put production costs and the answer was to put it into the cards. This time we have used made-to-order special card stock (with an internal carbon layer) and it does cost quite a lot. The printing itself is also of very high quality (we use the best printers in the whole region - not the cheapest but the end result is worth it). If we had boxed the cards in the set it would have ended up putting the total cost up to around $40 (not that a small box costs $5! - but it's that it puts up the production costs, which puts up the wholesale costs, which puts up the retails costs etc etc - so suddenly it adds a lot). So - this was our decision. I think in the end it's the right one, as you can probably better put the extra $5 towards a good bag. Any feedback on this is VERY welcome - we do want to get the details right :-)

Hedera	06 Aug 2004
Oh, I can understand that! I have to admit I didn't read the website very carefully, because I was sure I wanted the deck anyway. ;) As it is, the price is really excellent for the set. It's nice to be able to get both the deck and the book at such an affordable price! Edit: Oh, and having browsed the book a little bit now, I think I'm going to really enjoy that, too! It's written in the same style as that for the ToP, which I really liked, and it has lots of information and a sense of humour. Nice and clear layout, and illustrations on every page - but not so much that you feel 'cheated' out of text. I love how it points out a lot of the little details in the cards, since I would miss most of them otherwise. Mmmm, and it smells good, too. :)

Mimers	06 Aug 2004
I am still waiting and the suspence is killing me! I ordered less than a week ago, so it may be a few more days, but I can't wait to get this deck! Pout :( Mimi

Hedera	06 Aug 2004
Oh, poor Mimi! :( I'll keep my fingers crossed that your deck arrives soon. I've figured out why I was a tiny bit disappointed about not getting a box for the deck by the way: It's because I loved the ToP's box (first edition, I don't have the second yet) so much, and I was curious about what you had done for the BBC tarot.... Normally, I don't give a hoot about boxes, because the decks I use and study most all get put into a bag. I find that much more convenient. But the ToP was the only one who got to keep it's box, because I think it's gorgeous and it makes the deck feel like a treasued, antique book. So now I keep the deck, inside the box, inside a bag (which is of a wonderfully matching, slightly darker blue). One of my cats really liked the box, as well; one day, when I was sitting with her on my lap and the deck in my hands on the sofa, she tried to take a gentle nibble of it. She's never done anything like that before or since, it was like this box looked so delicious to her, she just had to try how it tasted! So now my box has a cat-toothmark on it. ;)

baba-prague	06 Aug 2004
Oh dear, I am afraid to post this but in fact I think the parcel only shipped yesterday or the day before. The problem is partly time differences (we can lose a day that way) - but also the fact that we have to go to the post office miles away when we send out of Europe (weird and annoying system here). But - the good side is that postage to the US has been good in general. Paws crossed!

scorpio	06 Aug 2004
Whoops my frown face was for the no snake picture not the delivery time, i ordered mine on a friday eve so that added a couple days before it could be sent out so it came in great time, but i could be high maintenance and ask when the picture book and collector deck will arrive???

baba-prague	06 Aug 2004
Oh - well, my confusion too as I meant that Mimers parcel only posted a couple of days ago. But, maybe because it's quieter in the summer (?) the packages have mostly arrived quite fast. Book and large deck? Now there IS a question. The book has, in our inevitable style, gone from a simple project to a huge and complex one (I think we will never be able to prevent this and it's probably why we will never be rich!) The good news (imo) is that it has become more wild and wonderful - and the Magician is back - in the shape of "The Great Felinski" (Minnie in her best costume yet). But it won't be out until September. However, the distributors have all but threatened us with eternal shame if it isn't out by then, so we are working FLAT out - and Anna is here and dressing costumes splendidly. Oh - I will post our miniature wardrobe (with most of the costumes out on use, but it gives a flavour) in a minute - just remembered. By the way, I have to vent my frustration. The Castle shop here will not stock it on the grounds that no-one is interested in cats - AAAARRGGHHHH! (well, Czech is actually a very dog-oriented country). SO frustrating, the only place the deck won't be available is here - Kobe yes, Kyoto yes, probably the Outer Hebrides yes - but Prague... NO. One day we have to open a shop. Edited to add - here is the "wardrobe" (an adapted cardboard box in fact - we believe in using everything to hand!): http://www.bohemian-cats.com/examples/wardrobe.jpg (bit sparse as we are busy dressing a theatre scene - and some costumes don't yet have the hangers that Anna makes - but you will spot The Emperor and an over-dress used several times - in Temperance and The Lovers for example).

Lee	06 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by baba-prague The Castle shop here will not stock it on the grounds that no-one is interested in cats - AAAARRGGHHHH! (well, Czech is actually a very dog-oriented country). You realize there is only one solution to this problem... :) -- Lee

baba-prague	06 Aug 2004
If you mean a dog tarot, I'm afraid it is impossible. We live with three cats who would never, ever, forgive such a thing. Unthinkable. I leave the dog tarot to people who live with dogs (in fact I have had several dogs in my life and like them very much, but mostly I am feline through and through).

Lee	06 Aug 2004
Oh well, it was worth a try! -- Lee

Mimers	06 Aug 2004
That's ok Karen, I will survive....I think....until it arives....;) I am not a feline girl at all. I am definitely a dog person, but from what I see, this deck isn't just about Cats. OK, Karen I will start looking around Tues.

LadyMedusa	06 Aug 2004
My copy of the kitties is finally here...It was in the batch Karen posted on the 29th, a week and a day to travel halfway around the world. The really funny thing is I knew this morning they would arrive today. They announced themselves about 2 hours before they reached me. I was on my way to the breakroom this morning, and just happened to look down at the tile floor in the hall. What I saw stopped me dead in my tracks. There in the pattern I saw a longish haired, striped and plain patterned kitty face looking back at me. I walk this same hall at least a dozen times a day and I had never noticed it before today. At lunch time I almost ran to the parking lot,where my husband who had the day off work, and was bringing me lunch, was waiting. As I opened the car door the first words out of my mouth were " My deck is comming today! Did you check the mail before you left the house?" With a big grin he handed me a white envelope. I only had time to look at the postcards and the signed card as I ate my sandwich. I about choked from shock when I saw what the signed card was. The very same kitty face that was smiling at me on the floor in the hallway was meowing at a snake on the Knight of Swords. LadyMedusa (Scorpio, I'll try to get a pic of the snakies up soon...but it may take a few... I have a houseful of new kitties to get settled)

scorpio	06 Aug 2004
LM i can totally relate to your story, i was disappointed on tuesday when they didn't arrive so i drew two cards and got the Star and the nine of swords reversed and knew they would arrive the next day and sure enough...plus my jaw dropped in shock at getting the Qswords cause thats my card and it looks just like my girl! I have wanted to see your snakes since i saw your intro so i'm excited!

jlbvt	06 Aug 2004
I love LadyMedusa's story! Isn't this deck the most beautiful, rich deck you've ever seen?? And still so meaningful! *sigh* Did you all see it's the deck of the week on the Aeclectic Tarot page? If you haven't got your deck yet, you can leave the AT BBCT page on your monitor and moon over the cards... http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/baroque-bohemian-cats/ *meow* (they're calling...)

Ruby Red Slippers	06 Aug 2004
Well – Well – Well Are these Cats are Psychic or What????? Reading all these stories… I was doing my new bosses Soul/Personality and Year card at work today… The Hierophant….all of them I knew, just knew my cards would be at the door when I got home. They were and Guess who the signed card was???? THE HIEROPHANT!!! WHOA… tuning in the another world… They are beautiful, Fun Fantastic!!!! Thanks Karen & Alex for yet another fabulous deck! I love the cat interpretation of the cards!!!! RRS

SilverWing	07 Aug 2004
I got mine too. I can't wait until later when I can sit down open the package and just look at them. Just sitting here waiting to get my daughter out the door on the way to her practice.

Dakota	07 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by baba-prague But, maybe because it's quieter in the summer (?) the packages have mostly arrived quite fast. Yes, mine arrived in just a week, I think.... Quote: Originally posted by baba-prague Edited to add - here is the "wardrobe" (an adapted cardboard box in fact - we believe in using everything to hand!): http://www.bohemian-cats.com/examples/wardrobe.jpg Ooooooooo, thank you!!!! SOOO cute........... I will post this little cat graphic for you. I saw it on the message board for an online tarot class the other day. NOW we know where all the gifs have gone and why so many broken gifs seem to be around!! Is that one of the BBCats by any chance?? :D LadyMedusa, that would make an interesting picture!!

laura_borealis	10 Aug 2004
Thanks to the very sweet Dakota, I now have this deck as well. I love it! The level of detail is amazing. I really will need to get a magnifying glass. The cats and costumes are gorgeous. What I've read of the book so far is excellent as well. I've been deliberately not reading the posts in this thread because I didn't want to blunt my first experience with this beautiful deck... now I will have to go back and read it from the beginning. :) Thank you again, Dakota -- and congratuations on a job very well done to Alex and Karen.

Melvis	10 Aug 2004
I got it! I got it! I have tomorrow off...I should clean my apartment and get some chores done...but I'll be playing with the kitties!!! :D (I got the Queen of Cups as my extra card...she's so sweet!) Thank you for such a wonderful deck, Karen & Alex! (Thanks for the Tarot of Prague, too, as I got them both at the same time! ;) ) Peace, Melvis :TSTRE

DreamDancer	12 Aug 2004
Yeah! My B. B. Cats arrived today! The signed card is the World, which I take as a very good omen! Thank you so much Karen & Alex for creating this wonderful deck! More later, I'm off to play with the Kitties!

baba-prague	13 Aug 2004
It's great to hear that they are all arriving safely - and being enjoyed. We don't even look at which signed card we send (oh, and we've only done this for pre-orders, although perhaps we should offer it for everyone on request?) we just let chance take a hand. By the way, The World is a cat who lives with an AT person (mysterious smile here - well not very mysterious as I think she did mention it a while back). Isn't she a beautiful cat?

jema	13 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by DreamDancer The signed card is the World, which I take as a very good omen! Yeah! You got Medusa, that is her name and she is a very special cat, cuddly and sweet but also a real primadonna and a Diva and kind of bossy too. And smart, she found a good home for herself when her first owner dumped her. Another Medusa photo here: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/seeknow/augusti/medusaclose.jpg Here she is a bit out of character (or at least out of the dress) I think she is really proud of being The World in this deck.

Mimers	13 Aug 2004
Jema, Madusa is beautiful! Please thank her for me! I thought it was very amazing that I got the signed card that I did get. It is the King of Pents. Around the same time I got the deck, I accepted an offer for a new job in Financial Reporting and the pay raise is very significant. Quite appropriate that I got the King of Pents. I love this deck! Mimi

WolfSpirit	13 Aug 2004
Jema when I heard there was an Aeclectic cat in the deck I knew it had to be yours :D you are such an awesome photographer. And Medusa is a beautiful cat.

ambermoon	13 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by baba-prague We don't even look at which signed card we send (oh, and we've only done this for pre-orders, although perhaps we should offer it for everyone on request?) we just let chance take a hand. Oh, yes! It's too late for my first order :( but I'm certain to place another order because most of what is on the way to me is to be shared with friends. Sigh. Out of three decks, only one is for me. One goes to another tarotista in my office, and the third is a late birthday gift for a friend. Anticipation is such a thrill. Each evening on the train, I try to visualize the package in my mailbox or on my doormat. Perhaps today. Is that a distant meow I hear? ambermoon

baba-prague	13 Aug 2004
They do vary in the time it takes. Sometimes that's down to us, as we have to go to a special post office if we need customs clearance and it's miles away. Usually we go about twice a week. But more often quite honestly it's just down to how the postal service is doing. This summer it's actually been good (I am crossing my toes as I say that!) By the way, some people did keep all three decks of the special offer for themselves LOL! By the way, one reason that we didn't go on offering signed cards after the pre-orders is that we ran out! As we try to take out any "dark" cards (sorry if Diana is reading this, but I do think that it's inescapable in a RWS style deck that some cards are dark) we didn't want to open too many whole decks. BUT, the printer is now promising to send us more spare cards (ones left over from packing), so we may be able to offer this again for all orders. I hope so, it's a nice thing to be able to do.

Dakota	13 Aug 2004
MIMERS, YOU GOT THE JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!! As far as the signed cards go, I got the 5 of Wands and I am still pondering what that might mean...........

Melvis	13 Aug 2004
Ooh! I got a blooper! Actually I just got an extra card, the Seven of Pents. So if someone is missing a Seven of Pents, I've got it! :D Peace, Melvis :TSTRE

DreamDancer	14 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by jema Yeah! You got Medusa, that is her name and she is a very special cat, cuddly and sweet but also a real primadonna and a Diva and kind of bossy too. (snip) I think she is really proud of being The World in this deck. Medusa is a beautiful cat! She should be proud! Are any of the other cats companions of AT people? I know Lottie & Minnie & Dan are all in the deck, but not sure which cards.

Mimers	14 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Dakota MIMERS, YOU GOT THE JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!! As far as the signed cards go, I got the 5 of Wands and I am still pondering what that might mean........... Thanks Dakota! I am very happy with it! Start the day after Labor Day, so I can still enjoy the rest of the summer.

Dakota	14 Aug 2004
Cool......... that means you will be at Rachel's on the 1st, then??

baba-prague	14 Aug 2004
It's great news Mimers! All best wishes with the new job, I'm sure it will be good. and... in celebratory mood here is a picture (not quite finished, but it's from the new picture book and almost complete) that I think I will for now call "Medusa, you shall go to the ball". I had to scale this down a lot (it covers a three page panorama in the real book) but you can just see that she is carrying a splendid golden mask. Her partner is the King of Cups in the original deck - you can probably spot one or two others too... http://www.bohemian-cats.com/examples/Ball_small.gif edited to add - Jema, are you sure you know what Medusa is doing when she goes out at night?

Oshenar	15 Aug 2004
http://www.bohemian-cats.com/examples/Ball_small.gif What a cute Rococo-style picture!

baba-prague	16 Aug 2004
Glad you like it. It's one of the most elaborate we've done so far. But you can't really see all of it at this size (story of my life when I post pictures!) The Masquerade Hall is a wonderful setting - it's also used for our King of Wands. In real life the figures painted are quite startling - and sometimes even frightening. Legend has it that two of them once came to life. Nice story!

M-Press	16 Aug 2004
baba!!! I was SO thinking about this room!!! I was SO starlted, I couldn't post on it yet!!! I think I just see of how INTO it you are, how much a part of it... the connection there is really amazing, you live it! totally!!! It's so wonderful to see, so moving, both visually and psychologically!!!!! So inspiring!!! and, is it possible to have dinner there? ;)

baba-prague	16 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by M-Press and, is it possible to have dinner there? ;) If only, if only! It isn't that easy even to get in without a tour guide - and the tour guides rush you through. We had to track down the local professional photographer and arrange to buy some pictures from him. - which in fact was great as he turns out to be really nice and to have some great photographs. We could have dinner in a Baroque restaurant though - looking out onto a Baroque garden (the one in the background of the Knight of Cups). How does that sound? Yes, for us this whole world is becoming very real. Oh - I must post the map perhaps, to show you where the Royal Creamery is situated, and the Grand Summer Ballroom, and the Catnip Greenhouses... Hmmm - wonder if all this is entirely normal? Alex asked me this yesterday!

darwinia	16 Aug 2004
"I haven't seen you for seven lives. We simply must stay in touch..." The chubby looking guy (a Duke perhaps?) second from the right in the background with the moustache--what's his story? Is he on the cards?

Xarokys	16 Aug 2004
Yea!! I got mine Saturday, and in a little while I'm going to do my first spread with the lovely cats. Does anyone know about the Hermes card? I can't find it in the book. Is it an extra major or just a very adorable extra card?

baba-prague	16 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Xarokys Does anyone know about the Hermes card? I can't find it in the book. Is it an extra major or just a very adorable extra card? Have to admit that this card leapt in at the last minute as I just couldn't bring myself to have a blank card (80 cards are always printed, which leaves a title card and one other). Hermes seemed to have been a theme throughout, so we quickly did the card (taken from a panorama scene) and added it. So it's purely an extra. However, I think I need to put up something more about this on the web site. Maybe I should begin a discussion on how this card can be used? I imagined it simply being put somewhere for decoration (we - tarot people - could all do with Hermes in our lives maybe :-) ) but it would be interesting to know if anyone has tried using it. On a persona note, Hermes does have this odd way of getting into everything we do. Not sure why :-)

ambermoon	16 Aug 2004
My Baroque Bohemian Cats deck arrived today, and I've been speechless for the past three hours. OK, not totally silent, but given to murmuring soft oohs and ahs, and little purrs of pleasure. I'm not quite coherent yet. But the colors, the textures, and the richness of it all. The visual depth in each scene. Oh my! And the cards make sense; I could read from them now, and yet I won't know all they have to say for a long time. They make me feel like a tourist who knows enough of the language to get by, but who is continuously amazed by the splendor of foreign surroundings. Wonder and comfort all at once. As someone who learned grace and poise from a black cat named Nicole, I think this deck has promise to teach me a lot about the archetypes of tarot. I was thinking of time and seasons when I wrote this, a long time ago. It came back into my mind as I looked at the Court cards. You are old, Cat, Far older than years can signify. Sleep by the fire, Purr softly and dream deeply As past memories grow. Once a kitten in spring, You ran so fast In pursuit of nothingness. You pounced joyously on a passing bee, As summer's joy overcame. You glanced knowingly on a fallen leaf; Autumn's wisdom is for all ages. Now you sleep by the fire: A study in winter's peace. Once a wide-eyed idealist, You became a solemn realist. Kitten, you ran so fast for tomorrow. Cat, do you cry for yesterday?

rosyelf	20 Aug 2004
I haven't got the hang of Emoticons yet, otherwise this post would be peppered with smiles, some of them manic, and great big exclamation marks, thumbs-up, etc. What a superb and lovely achievement this is-and as well as being beautiful and tender it also does good readings AND the book is fascinating AND there is humour in the deck. After the joy of receiving the Tarot of Prague LAST summer, I knew that anything from Karen and Alex at baba Studio would be excellent-even so, my expectations have been surpassed. It's a deck so obviously done with passion and commitment. I usually run a mile from images of cats in clothes-how WEIRD can you get ?- mainly because it seems demeaning to the cats, but we all know-don't we ?- that this was done with PHOTOSHOP and no cats were dressed up, twisted into weird anthropomorphic shapes or otherwise inconvenienced. Karen and Alex clearly love cats and have gone to great lengths to photograph them sympathetically. I'm glad they used rescue cats too-I live with a splendid ginger cat who came from a cat's home some twelve years ago-he's a joy. After I received the deck in the post 8 days ago, I waited for a quiet restful evening-children in bed-and then just pored over them slowly and appreciatively. People reading this thread will know that this is one of life's great pleasures. The next quiet evening, I did a reading with the cards and wrote down the "findings". The book is a real gem in this respect-both part of the long Tarot tradition AND giving some new insights. Then on another evening I focussed on the Sword suit, then another evening on the Wands-that's as far as I've got. From a very happy customer, congratulations and thanks to Karen and Alex-for both projects so far. You deserve a GOOD REST.

baba-prague	20 Aug 2004
Thank-you - for this great response rosyelf and also for the poem ambermoon - that made me think a lot of the cats I have seen go from youngsters to elders - something that is always moving in a whole variety of ways. Both these posts are so thoughtful too - really good to read for me (and I hope for others). Short response from me as I have been a bit off-colour and so has my computer (coming out in sympathy?) Hopefully now that the weather is cooling a bit we will both perk up. Something in the air though, everyone in Prague seems to be sneezing. Anyway - enough of that! (and if anyone is expecting an email from me, please blame the computer as much as me - I had a hard disc crash last week, but am getting it all organised again). It's odd, M-Press said something about stopping at the top of a mountain to look back and realise that you have done the climb, and I don't think we've quite done that yet. We've been catapulted (?) straight into the picture book and that almost feels like an extension of the same project (very odd altogether, how themes come around again, or the same characters are used in a totally different way). I think we really need to take time in September and do that looking back down the mountain. We really are very pleased with the BBCats - but (I know this sounds strange) I feel we really need to get to know the deck in a different way now - and take real time to do that. It sits on my desk and meows plaintively! Oh - wonderful review by Solandia by the way - if you haven't seen it. It made me smile a lot as she has said some very pertinent things.

baba-prague	20 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by darwinia "I haven't seen you for seven lives. We simply must stay in touch..." The chubby looking guy (a Duke perhaps?) second from the right in the background with the moustache--what's his story? Is he on the cards? Sorry - totally forgot to reply to this. Yes, he is the rather formal and stiff King of Cups. We like him in the mask - and the fact that he is still a bit formal even at the ball!

Aerin	27 Aug 2004
I have now used this deck for several readings, both for myself and also for complete strangers. It reads very, very well: I think that, for me, this is because: 1. Karen and Alex, you know your Tarot 2. The 'cats viewpoint' slant allows a different perspective (much the same reason I like the Fey) 3. The little details in the cards can often be associated with the question being asked, to great effect. For example, the Six of Wands has some cupids in the background that the cat is turned away from.... what might these represent? I wasn't expecting this deck to be such a reading deck: I bought it for the artwork more than the Tarot. I am so pleased..... and I'd have a larger deck like a shot. Aerin

baba-prague	28 Aug 2004
That's so good to hear - thanks! One of the big motivations in doing the deck was to make a very readable cat deck - in some ways we wanted something quite straightforward, as well as a bit outrageous :-) I've also now done several readings with the deck (of course) and I find it surprsingly blunt - in fact it's very straight-talking. As another person here said to me - cats have no tact! In this way, I think you may be right in saying that it has more in common with decks like the Fey (and I hope, Prague) than with "sweeter" decks. I think in most ways straight-talking is what Alex and I want from a deck. Not too dark or too sugar-coated. We did put an awful lot into most of the images, so there should be enough detail and symbolism (some of it quite tucked away) to help spark ideas and associations. I find I read in a very intuitive way with this deck, and I agree, you can almost ask narrative questions - why is he in that pose? how did he get to that garden and why? and so on - it all helps.

MeeWah	28 Aug 2004
baba-prague: Just to let ye know I have been doing One-Card readings because I am too impatient at this point to experiment with the daily cards. Also more as a means to get acquainted with BBCats & to test readability (is that a word? is now). YES, a reading deck! The ornate details a feast for the eyes & can overwhelm; however, in focussing on whichever detail or set of details strike the eye, therein forms the impressions & reading. Also, despite its general opulence, definitely not a sweet nor a fluffy deck. It has sharp edges & may even be "catty"; but more of like a cat, very independent. & like a cat's claws, not actually mean--just much like a cat. Belated congratulations on a gorgeous cat deck--the likes of which I do not expect to see again.

M-Press	28 Aug 2004
Hi! I'm on vacation and took my newly arrived Bohemian Cats along!!! We are just getting to know each other, but I feel as if this deck holds many surprises! I had a reading where the King of Swords appeared, and I am still thinking about him, his presence is so strong that left me with a big AWE if not a scratch... I also find myself wanting to look at each card again , and again and again, becasue there is so much there, in two years I'll still find things! if I wasn't in an internet cafe, I would go on, and on, and on....MIAWWWWOU :)

baba-prague	28 Aug 2004
On vacation anywhere nice M-Press? (big smile here). The King of Swords in this deck is not an easy character - but then, is he ever?

M-Press	29 Aug 2004
Interesting that you ask about my vacation, baba... Yes, I am actually, somewhere very nice... I'm in a beautiful European city, called Prague....!!! :) I'm so grateful to happen to have the ToP with me so I can check out places according to my daily card!!! But since we are discussing cats here, I must say that their dressing totally brings to life that long-gone Barogue Bohemian era... I walk on the streets, and imagine that all the tourists are dressed like in the deck! Oh, it makes such a better view!!! I wish I could be invited to their ball... like the picture you posted... a pity I would be too tired to dance! :)

baba-prague	29 Aug 2004
Oh! So you are in Prague? (okay, okay, as if I didn't know). We are about to finally dash to get food after that hailstorm (wasn't that truly spectacular?) We never seem to get food until the entire flat is empty of everything. I saw a lovely piece about the Sakki-Sakki on another forum by the way - it's really making its way out there - the deck has grown up and is out there and independently finding out about the world... I felt odd when T of Prague began to do that, but pleased and proud too. Maybe you also need to see Prague more at night and in the winter, when there are far less people around - and far more dressed cats. Tonight we may go to see if we can find that dog again by the way. Or is it too mad to tell people about him?

M-Press	29 Aug 2004
baba! are you asking me in public whether it's too mad to tell about the ghost dog with glowing green eyes??? As far as I know, my eyes saw no dog yet, but tonight, with the full moon, who knows??? would love to join, but of course, I'm lacking the most important part for that event: WILLING LEGS!!!! (but glad to know sakki-sakki has them!!!) ;)

baba-prague	29 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by M-Press baba! are you asking me in public whether it's too mad to tell about the ghost dog with glowing green eyes??? As far as I know, my eyes saw no dog yet, but tonight, with the full moon, who knows??? would love to join, but of course, I'm lacking the most important part for that event: WILLING LEGS!!!! (but glad to know sakki-sakki has them!!!) ;) Well, he is a well-respected and rather elderly resident of Prague and I think we need to meet him. I doubt that anyone will think it mad - although we had better not tell him about the BBCats deck perhaps? But it might be too wet even for a ghost dog tonight? Edited to add - in years to come I really hope that a myth will arise about the Baroque Spirit cats of Prague - why not? (anyway, this talk of dogs is very off-thread!)

contrascarpe	29 Aug 2004
Karen - Just wanted to let you know I used the kitties for the first time yesterday with my paid readings. They spoke loud and clear. Initially I wanted to bring them out in case I was "blocked" (searching for things to say to the seeker, Dan mutters "isn't this sooooooo cute). In one case, the seeker had some serious issues (health) and I really saw her calming down looking at the soft images. Just so you know, the BBC and ToP both have permanent compartments in the bag I carry around with me. Dan

Diana	29 Aug 2004
Karen: Did you not make a 22 Majors only set for fussy people like me? (Cats are fussy, so I reckon they would understand my special needs.)

baba-prague	30 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Diana Karen: Did you not make a 22 Majors only set for fussy people like me? (Cats are fussy, so I reckon they would understand my special needs.) I would love to, but there might not be much call for it to be honest. However, on every printing we get spare cards that we keep for anyone who needs them. I can have a look and see if there is a whole set of Majors there? But this will have to be a "one-off" if so, as otherwise we could run out of spares. (edited to add - I don't mean that you would ask for more than one Diana, I mean that we wouldn't have enough to make up one for anyone else unfortunately). I would love to see you do a reading with these you know, I think it could work very well.

Diana	30 Aug 2004
Well, if you have enough Spares, let me know the cost of them including postage. :) I would be happy to use them for a reading on the Reading Exchange.

Le_Corsair	30 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Diana Well, if you have enough Spares, let me know the cost of them including postage. :) I would be happy to use them for a reading on the Reading Exchange. I think you ought to buy an entire deck, Diana, because for 1. You'll fall in love with them and want them all, and 2. you can use the majors for readings, and put the minors up on a bulletin board as art. Bob :THERM

Imagemaker	30 Aug 2004
Like Le Corsair, I don't understand asking Baba to dig out extras to get a set of majors. Why not support their work by buying a whole deck? I apologize if I am clueless as to the situation of the request . . .

baba-prague	30 Aug 2004
I REALLY appreciate you being so supportive, but I think there may be special circumstances here. Besides, if I do have a set I don't mind - for a friend :-)

Diana	30 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Imagemaker Like Le Corsair, I don't understand asking Baba to dig out extras to get a set of majors. Why not support their work by buying a whole deck? I apologize if I am clueless as to the situation of the request . . . I didn't ask her originally to dig out spares. I asked if there was a possibility of getting a Majors only deck. In continental Europe, we often use Majors only for readings. I have other Major only decks that I use. For instance, the Tarot d'Or which I use when reading with youngsters. I have no use for minors that are based on a Rider Waite deck, however beautiful they are. And I have the Majors from the Prague deck which I use often as well. I think Majors only decks are grand.

baba-prague	30 Aug 2004
Please don't worry. It's no problem in either case. It's nice to be asked about a Majors-only deck but I don't think one will be possible. That's the only reason I thought about spares - but it was just an idea and honestly I don't even know yet if we have all the Majors as spares so we may well be talking about something that doesn't exist anyway. One day "print on demand" will be perfect (don't hold your breath though!) and we will all be able to have custom decks. Until then, well, we'll have to make do with what's possible. I think I may go off and find something to post to divert this conversation now LOL.

MuffinTops	02 Oct 2004
Hi Karen, How is the big book of cats coming along? Thanks, MEOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

baba-prague	03 Oct 2004
Hi Muffintops, Thanks for asking. We expect delivery tomorrow - fingers and paws crossed and all that. Alex and I were both saying that it will be really exciting - and hard not to get nervous about it - as it's the first picture book we've ever done (in another life, years ago, I ran a children's book shop and I always wanted to do a picture book). In most ways it is not tarot-related, I should be clear about that. Although the cards DO make an appearance. But it's a lot of fun if you would like to see a bit more of the Cats' world. Plus the big images have just come out very well (thank goodness - doing them at the much bigger size was a bit daunting, but in fact worked out really well). I am redesigning all the websites (and it's taken much longer than I expected) but with any luck at least a draft site will be up tomorrow - WITH the promised map on it. Sorry that that all took so long. By the way, to double-clarify, this is NOT the tarot companion book that we are talking about (that's been published for quite a while now, though only just about to arrive in quantity in the US). It's the "Bohemian Cats" picture book. Which is a different thing altogether, but does have many of the same characters in it. I've put up a draft page here - but none of the links work yet - the real site will have some bigger images on it. http://bohemian-cats.com/picturebook/bookhomedraft.htm

MuffinTops	03 Oct 2004
Quote: Originally posted by baba-prague By the way, to double-clarify, this is NOT the tarot companion book that we are talking about (that's been published for quite a while now, though only just about to arrive in quantity in the US). It's the "Bohemian Cats" picture book. Which is a different thing altogether, but does have many of the same characters in it. http://bohemian-cats.com/picturebook/bookhomedraft.htm [/b] That's OK! I still want it! MEOW!!!!!!!!!!

Stregaverde	18 Oct 2004
I had ordered the special offer of buying a TOP kit, BBC kit and getting a deck free. My plan was to keep the kits for myself, and give the extra (BBC) deck to a friend. Well, now that I've seen them, they're MINE, ALL MINE!!! (clutches the decks to her chest and looks around furtively). Seriously, although I was very much impressed by the TOP, I am simply blown away by the Cats! Everything, from the feline expressions, the symbology, the lush artwork, just speaks to me (and to many others, judging by the length of this thread). I'll be another person in line for a big deck. The 'Cat's Interpretation' in the book is a great addition, and adds depth to the already deep cards. I bought the postcards as well, and now have to find suitable frames for them, as they are going on my wall to be treated as the fine art that they are! Now I have to tell hubby that I would love a poster of The Moon... A question: Is Hermes included only in the deck with the kit? My single deck doesn't have him (which is fine). I also wanted to say that the LWB is really good! I glanced through it and was pleasantly surprised. I can't wait to study these more in depth, this deck clearly speaks with a different voice than anything that I have seen before. Thank you, Karen and Alex, for this fantastic piece of work! Edited to say that I just found Hermes...he was hiding in the box. :)

baba-prague	18 Oct 2004
Hermes was hiding? Hmm - now I wonder what that means ;-) Seriously, I need to write something more about Hermes. I feel that both Hermes and Prudence (the new extra card from Tarot of Prague) desperately need some information on the sites. The sites are being redone (just a bit) so I'll try to get something up there soon. We are very happy with the BBCats deck. It was quite a struggle doing it as the technique is difficult and took WAY longer than we ever imagined - but huge fun to do also. We probably put too much into the cards in some ways (well, even in the picture book it takes a magnifying glass to see everything - Alex and I both love tiny hidden details) but in another way, I like that not everything is revealed all at once. So - there is a new review and an interview with us on Bonnie Cehovet's site here (go to deck reviews and tarot articles) : http://www.tarot.thecrystalgate.com The interview was great to do - loads of good questions that made us think! (I hope it's okay etiquette to mention this here? I know Bonnie is also an AT contributor).

The Baroque Bohemian Cats Tarot...got it today! thread was originally posted on 26 Jul 2004 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.