I'm making a 'new' 'bear' tarot deck...

tarotlyn

:heart: You go girl!!! What a fantastic idea!!! I love bears and know this is going to be very special!!! Hope we will be able to get one!! :heart:

:heart: Thanks for the encouragement, Quester.

This was kind of a 'forced' idea :bugeyed: ... I just couldn't find a deck with enough bears in it!

I just wish I wasn't such a perfectionist :bugeyed:...that always drags things on... eeekkk

As far as the :heart: members here getting a copy of this deck...they will be able to download all
the images and make their own...and I will be giving out instructions, at the end, on how
to print out (etc.) your own bear deck. Plus I am posting each finished card photo in this thread as it is done.




Your 3 of cups is wonderful!

:heart: Thank you for liking my 3 of Cups...I really like it too...it is simple and clean...
BUT you would have laughed if you would have seen the little skirts and bras I had on those
three bears yesterday before I decided that less is better (on bears!) LOL :laugh:

I thought of making 2 versions of the deck, you know, one serious, and one really funny...
however I don't have time for all of that right now.
Maybe (if this one turns out okay) I might make another deck (funnier) for us that like to play! :party: :laugh:
But for Gladys's xmas gift Bear deck I need to stay focused, serious, and classy with it...as that is what she is!




:) @everyone:

This morning I read my 'horoscope for today':

"Success depends on applying your efforts faithfully.
So don't lose heart. Keep symbols near to remind you
what your work is all about. If you don't have such symbols,
create them."


Wow...the key is 'faithfully'...and I am doing that...I go to sleep thinking 'bear cards' and
I wake up thinking 'bear cards.' And as far as "keeping symbols near to remind me what the
graphic work is for each card," means that I need to keep a corresponding RW tarot card nearby,
as I work on each of these!

AND the part about "If you don't have such symbols, create them" ... means that I still
need to CREATE 'more' symbols for the cards, such as the wand and the sword (the coin
and cup I already created)...

So I feel like my horoscope today was a direct guidance message to me about creating this deck.
So this must be something I am supposed to accomplish for some reason beyond the fact
that it originally was meant for ONE Bear Tarot gift to a dear neighbor friend.


Thank you for all the encouragement, :heart: everyone! I am think of having a contest at
the end of this, giving away one 'printed and laminated' copy of this Bear deck...

I am also thinking of having a little 'Name the Bear tarot deck' contest (a little later).
The prize would probably be...not sure yet...but thinking about it...could be just a 'gift certificate'
on amazon.com to buy your own deck! But you would need to find the deck on AT's deck pages
and buy through the link on that page that directs you to amazon.com. I think you can then
retrieve your gift certificate money to pay for it at the same time.

We do need to keep supporting our beloved AT FORUM...imagine what it would be like 'without' it???!!??? :eek::bugeyed: YIKES!!!

Okay...I am off to work on another card! :party::heart::):thumbsup:
:heart: BEAR HUGS!
tarotlyn
 

tarotlyn

:bugeyed: wow...I was just sitting here working on my 3rd bear card, and (even right now!) I am smelling smoke
from a :heart: male Spirit in here that is smoking a pipe!!! (I know the smell and I love the smell for some reason!)
I don't even smoke! (my late husband didn't smoke either)...so?

I have always like men with pipes...LOL :p

It is really mellow smelling and the Spirit feels very mellow well... so far he hasn't shown himself
BUT he IS definitely here with me...He is in his early 40's and it feels like he is enjoying what
I am doing (creating bear cards) and I feel like he has some definite connection to bears in some way...
I wonder what is up? :bugeyed:

...anyone have any ideas about this? I am letting him know that I am enjoying his background company! Ha Ha...

Maybe he wants to pick out my photos for today and guide my work for today?
I will just keep working and maybe it will become clear to me...

:heart: thanks for listening!
tarotlyn
p.s. at least this is the kind of pipe smoke that you can't get cancer from! :heart:
 

GryffinSong

How very sweet Tarotlyn! I've always associated bears with my father. He was a large man, 6'5" tall. Gentle, intelligent and kind, I associate him with the centeredness and groundedness I feel when I see a bear. That big lumbering strong energy of a guardian with love in their hearts.
 

tarotlyn

Here is the 3rd card...the 3 of coins

How very sweet Tarotlyn! I've always associated bears with my father. He was a large man, 6'5" tall. Gentle, intelligent and kind, I associate him with the centeredness and groundedness I feel when I see a bear. That big lumbering strong energy of a guardian with love in their hearts.

:heart: GryffinSong...Maybe it was your dad here then...because I FELT that it was a large man...
Did he smoke pipes?

I do believe that this gentle Sweet Spirit, that was here today, helped me to make the
following card (see link below)...tell me what you think?

I felt mellow the whole day making this. It did take some time, but I didn't panic because
that presence was here and I really love this card! (He's must be an artistic soul)

So, without further ado...
PHOTO # 1: I now present you with my 3rd Bear tarot card (from the :heart: Other Side).
.

Oh, by the way, if anyone thinks this is that easy...think again! There is so much to this
that doesn't meet the eye...try it sometime and you will see what I am talking about.
All the added images and implements have to be found, resized, angled, touched up, moved around,
cut out from their original photo and then made transparent...and on and on...I know it looks
easy, but it isn't unless you are very used to doing graphics. I think it is something you can learn
but it takes time and there is a learning curve as well.

I think I am doing pretty good so far...3 days and 3 cards done, even being busy with other
stuff, helping my neighbor with her software program for hours yesterday, and even grocery
shopping yesterday evening! YIKES but I love it and it is fun and rewarding :party:
:heart: tarotlyn
 

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tarotlyn

5 Of Coins just finished!

:heart::)...wow...I just finished the 5 of Coins card in 2 hours!!! but TWO cards is enough for today! :bugeyed:

I wanted to get this one out of the way because I thought it might be one of the hardest to do.

so four are finished in 3 days...74 to go...unless I throw in a few extras for Gladys for xmas cheers!

: My 'finished' 5 of Coins card


:heart: tarotlyn
 

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MoonGypsy

Sissy...this deck is already affecting me on such a very deep level. :love: Please, i <must>purchase a deck from you <when> it is completed....:love: Bear is one of my main Spirit Animals...Remember when the Black Bear showed up on our porch? i did tell you about that, didn't i?:love:
 

tarotlyn

:heart::) Hi! My sis!. ...so glad to see you posting here and encouraging me so much! :*:*:*

Sweet Moon person...I am so happy you like the deck so far. I wasn't planning on selling it...
BUT if enough members just MUST have it, then I would have to pay one of those online
card/game companies that other members have used to print and box up their decks.
That would be the quickest and least expensive way to go, I think.

I have no idea of what it would cost me with one of those companies, but I will check it out
if there is enough member interest in this deck.

Sis, I am starting a tentative list with you at the top, AND if any other members think they
would like to have a copy of this deck, please let me know and I will add you to my tentative list.

WHAT IT TAKES TO SELF-PUBLISH A DECK:
In case anyone wants to know the involvement it would be for ME to 'hand make' this deck,
here it is as follows:

Costs and time involved:

Cardstock and Ink:
1. It takes 20 pages of good cardstock for a large tarot deck (4 to a page).
And I don't use cheap cardstock.
2. It takes 13 pages of good cardstock for a size just less than medium (6 to a page).
3. It takes 10 pages of good cardstock for the small size (8 to a page).
2. So it takes 10-20 pages of expensive ink (I don't use cheap refills) because the colors
need to be nice and intense and not fade later down the road.

Lamination and Other Supplies
1. I have to buy an expensive roll of lamination and use 10-20 pages of lamination per deck.
2. I have to use special brushes, and other special supplies to treat the images.

Time Involved:
1. Time...around 3 months designing these cards ... so working everyday when possible!
(Note: It IS FUN work, but very, very tiring and even borders on draining :bugeyed:)
...the reward comes (for me anyway) when each card is finished and I am satisfied with it.
2. The time involved in printing and sorting.
3. ...time in laminating them
4. ...time involved in smoothing out each card (pressing hard to remove bubbles from each card).
3. ...time in cutting each card out perfectly.
4. ...time involved in smoothing out each card (pressing hard to remove bubbles from each card).
4. ...time in 'corner rounding' the corners of each card.
5. ...time in making up a little box for the deck.
(note: I have been experimenting with making boxes and I have come up with one I like, but
still looking for the perfect cardstock that will be stronger.)

Then there is the wear and tear on the printing machine, lamination machine, paper cutters,
corner rounder, etc.

So you get the idea of the expense and time involved in making a deck.
I can't even imagine me making up 100 decks, since ONE deck is a major process by itself!

It IS so much work! That is why I was thinking of offering just download images to our members
so they could make their own decks. In fact I am posting each card as I finish it.

Plus I didn't know if anyone would like my work, so wasn't planning on selling the deck.
BUT, as I said, IF there is enough interest on AT, it could happen.

So, eventually I will research the card/game companies online and post here when I find out
what they charge. I don't think they charge that much. But right now, I am just DRIVEN to
complete this Bear deck.

...hmmmm, wonder what card I will do today? :party:

...one way or another, my :heart: sis, you will get your deck! :*


:heart: BEAR HUGS FOR MY SIS!
tarotlyn
 

MoonGypsy

Wowee Zowee! That would definitely be too much for you to do on your own equipment, etc. i have a couple of ideas about deck printers. i will PM you the info a little later. :love: This is so much fun watching you "birth" these cards!!! :thumbsup:

Hugs and Blessings,
MG xxxxxxxx
 

Quester

:heart: Count me in!!! :love: Pretty please!!! :heart: I really think this is going to be a fantastic deck and I would love to be on your list!! :)
 

tarotlyn

Wowee Zowee! That would definitely be too much for you to do on your own equipment, etc. i have a couple of ideas about deck printers. i will PM you the info a little later. :love: This is so much fun watching you "birth" these cards!!! :thumbsup:

Hugs and Blessings,
MG xxxxxxxx

:heart::) Thanks sis! That would be great!

...and it IS so much fun "birthing" them...watching them come alive! LOL
you would have cracked up if you would have seen the mini's I had on the draft card for the 3 of Cups card! :laugh:

Looking forward to that printing info...whenever you get the time...no rush right now, :heart: sis!

...well better get back to work...will be back later tonight with another completed card.

:heart: HUGS HON...:* (I am so :) happy :heart: you are here!) You are #1. on my list (and on my Bear Tarot Deck Request list)
tarotlyn