There are some really great answers here I wish i could write everyones name down and respond separately but it will take ages so I will respond to you all I hope that is ok
I found out the decks were rare according to web search I was just looking up my cards because I decided I should write down their isbns in case they go missing that was when I realised they might be rare I say might because after reading posts I see how it can be what the person believes it to be worth at the time. my problem is still using them I get the whole feeling in me that I will destroy something precious and regret it. Maybe I am a bit ocd I have to have things in colour/name category. Pretty much most my items are like this when I'm stressed I do that.
The cards I love and why i think cards might be rare --->
I do love my ancestral deck it sings it praises for me to use it. I am glad when it was out I bought a few copies I think I have upto 3 of them so I should use one of them. I put in a request from family at the time I really love this deck! would love it for my birthday! and I ended up with 3 all said they had got me a birthday surprise! oh thank you push to one side put in bedroom, thank you again put on table, oh thank you put by comp desk.
That is my main deck so when I do read others saying a deck is now rare sought after I go why? to me its paper paint its pretty yes but at the end of the day its still cardboard.
I guess I have to think outside the box.Perhaps its the artist, the book, the cardstock, date of publishing or just mass societies feelings of what is deemed as collectible.
I cant say I am a collector, I have come by mine usually when not looking I might just be somewhere and it could be infront of me as a reminder to try tarot again and that is my norm for buying, not always what I want but, I do feel drawn to at times what is there . perhaps 'impulse buy' is my favourite term
My bookshelf and what i dont use --->
I do have a bookshelf with tarot books bought never read 'shadow work' which I said to myself you will read! I bought it on my birthday and never got further with it and astrology how to but, I find astrology complicated and see it as a life long journey I would of course love to delve deeper into.
Trying to juggle cards with everyday life & my gaming habits-->
I find I am procrastinating more then using the cards, I try to fit them in and my main time is when settled before bed, to lay them across my bed. problem is my cat wants snuggles has a habit of pushing face onto them for my attention.Also she seems quite interested in the cards them self. I can hold them up say pick one and she will rub her face on one card till I remove it. Coincidence? yet I had shuffled in my cards into the pack and the same cards I had pulled myself that night. She had chosen.
I like to sit holding a quartz crystal when I am going through the cards.
How much I spend on cards and why --->
I cant say I have ever forked out above the price of the original deck value. I have paid the original price or less then other sites on a nearly new deck.The most i have spent which was Glastonbury when it was released I found it hard to stretch to buy it. Even then I felt it was a high price yet a computer game such as legacy of kain I looked at old sticker PS1 said 44.00! that wa sback in the 90's however did I afford it!
I dont mind if its been used though and shuffled there is something romantic and intriguing to where it has come from been the journey from user to user. I dont mind that at all.
My worst purchase was very cheap and the box was completely annihilated and I so expected the cards to sing to me but I felt nothing those are the decks that just sit there and gather dust sadly nobody has wanted to take those cards and use them. They are called Prediction and I find them not to my taste the art is too washed out for me and I just love bright decks realistic images as well.
Cards I am currently using or pondering over ->
I am currently working with Shadowscapes at night trying the meditation to walk into a card. I have a long way to go its been so long since I have been into tarot. My main reason my cards are just sitting in shelves is due to other things on my mind I get in creative mode and start painting sketching so things end up on a back burner. Plus I am getting up off my bum doing my daily exercises more. Still my elf of heaven deck is the one which makes me feel bored to read with. It always wants to throw happy vibes at me even when I am feeling 'poop'. your day is terrible and you have food poisoning 'dont 'worry. Huge star shaped kisses and pink candyfloss clouds to brighten your day.'
doesnt sit well for me a sit glosses over things for me.
what I am going to try to do with Tarot-->
I get images at night need to start sketching into a notepad. who knows maybe one day put them all together in a deck. I tend to paint goblins -- although Froud might be a little angry at me for painting them they seem to have turned up again painting fae folk. I see the image form on the page before I paint it often infront of me. I dont know if its spirit based of what happens I might see the image in ordinary items. perhaps by staring at curtains or the carpet. ( I dont get it either but it happens)
I have a feeling I would just do the arcana. due to my pc on the fritz and have a crazy moment last year it went bang on my birthday of all days!
it just said hey you are working on some art you didnt back it up ive decided to go goodbye! so I am now with a onboard graphics card little gaming which is good because it means I can get back into things
I plan to sit with a card a day or two and write down how I feel and look into meanings. I want to get into swapping readings when ready to as well putting my readings up for myself to get input. I hope one day I can give feedback on reads too. I want to be much more active take part in study groups. I hope there is one for shadowscapes
this deck is really calling to me right now.
