druidcraft size and other questions

[jeseryn]

Hi all,

Been years since I've read the forums here! I've missed it.

I have some questions if any would like to answer.

I really love the druidcraft tarot but I rarely use it because the cards are just too big to shuffle or play with much. Any chance there's talk of making them smaller?

Any stand out decks in the last year or so?

The deck I have been using for years and years is the Robin Wood. I just had to replace mine because the cards were so worn (very sad!).

I also like the fey tarot (but I really need the book! It got lost in a move.. and they don't sell it alone *mourn*).

Lover's Path tarot (just the artwork.. the actual cards are weird to work with).

Thanks much for any information

 

[BodhiSeed]

I love the Druidcraft, but didn't like the size or the borders, so I took a sharp pair of scissors and a corner rounder and trimmed the borders off. Here is a thread on trimmed decks; if you scroll down you'll find the Druidcraft and some pictures of the trimmed deck:
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=98688
As far as "standout" decks go, if you ask 100 people here on AT, you'll probably get 100 different answers. You might have a look at the decks voted most popular by ATers:
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/topten.shtml
Or you could check out the best sellers on www.tarotgarden.com

Welcome back!

 

[MareSaturni]

I really love the druidcraft tarot but I rarely use it because the cards are just too big to shuffle or play with much. Any chance there's talk of making them smaller?

Well, i own Druidcraft too, and although i absolutely love the artwork, sometimes i want to trade or seel it joust out of annoyance. I can't shuffle it. It's ridiculously big, and have awful borders that simply have no reason to be.

I wanted to trim mine, but when i did the test (cut a test card) it went so bad i that gave up. Maybe one day i'll be brave enough to sell it, i just can't handle such big cards. A shame.

You could try to trim yours

 

[Manda]

Trimming is one answer, and also you can just not riffle shuffle. I never shuffle my decks in the same way you shuffle poker decks. I lay them face down in several, usually six, piles in a vagueish circle form, then gather them up randomly. I feel it doesn't disturb the energy as much (which could be all in my head but that is okay) and my decks take less abuse. It takes a little longer, but I have found it to be a good solution, especially with odd sized or round decks.

You might be able to find a Fey Tarot book only on ebay, or I see the whole set frequently in used bookstores. You could get the book and use the cards for something else if you don't jive with used cards. I just saw one for a couple dollars last week and I am kicking myself for not picking it up because I sure could have sent you the book.

I agree with you on The Lovers Path. It is gorgeous, but it reads weird, for me. I guess I am just not a very loverly place at the moment, haha.

Glad you got back into the forums!

 

[All Is One]

Any stand out decks in the last year or so?

I also love the Druidcraft, but I haven't used it much yet (only had it a month or two) and it is too big for my hands, but I can work with that. I just haven't worked with it yet.

Now...you asked about stand out decks. I just got the Touchstone Tarot, and I'm very excited about it. There is a thread on it, and I already did my share of talking about it on there...

The Deviant Moon deck is great. You might want to see what people are saying about that one.

I also recently got the Crone, which is a very different kind of deck and is teaching me a lot. I wouldn't say that the Crone is a deck for everyone, but for working with Crone energy, it's wonderful.

I also recently got the Tarot of the Dead. I haven't heard anyone on AT discussing this deck, but I find it interesting, humorous, well-drawn and thought-provoking, and all around delightful. The deck backs of the Tarot of the Dead are up towards the top of my all time favorite deck backs.

Nice to see you back on AT, even though I don't know you :~)

 

[jeseryn]

I spent a day cutting down the druidcraft.. removing the stone border (I wasn't partial to it) but leaving titles and then using the rounded corner punch. I love how they feel and sooo easy to shuffle and play with and they feel like *mine* now. I was afraid i was going to ruin them but they look really nice.

I went on a tarot ordering spree since I hadn't treated myself in a couple years.. here's what I picked up and have browsed through and initial thoughts:

Lo Scarabeo: Pretty artwork. Temperence is one of my favorite cards in any deck and I absolutely love it in this one. But with most scarabeo decks the card names in all different languages around the borders gives it a cheezy feel. I am looking forward to using it though.

Tarot of Pirates: Yep.. really really piratey and cute and will be fun for reading for my male friends who love all things piratey. I just glanced through it quick and while it doesn't call to me I'm glad I have it for my collection.

Mini Witchy Tarot: K.. I know.. but I really do think pointy hats are adorable. I'd wear them to work if I wouldn't get stuck in the funny farm. The deck makes no sense whatsoever to me though. I wouldn't consider using it for a reading deck and if anyone else could more power to them. I notice that a lot of the time while scarabeo has stunning artwork their interpretation is off on at least a few cards and not even something that I consider intentional. Something lost in translation between writer and artist.

Tarot of Magical Forest: LOVE! Jackpot! Way adorable deck but also speaks to me (for some unknown reason). I expected cute sweet deck and it turns out to actually be very easy to read and insightful to me. Love when I stumble onto something that just clicks.

I'm waiting on:

Bohemian Gothic
Victorian romantic
Deviant Moon
Universal Fantasy
Halloween kit (my old deck ran away from home)
Housewives Tarot
And another Magical Forest since I saw it in borders and didn't want to wait for amazon so I'll send this one back when it comes.

So that's it. I'm broke for another year but I'm looking forward to adding to my collection and from all the reviews I've read the above should be worth the wait. The only deck left on my want list is the Vanessa one because it looks really cute.

 

[Cerulean]

Fey Tarot book alone...and other thoughts...

1. I saw the Fey book alone at a Barnes and Noble, this year, but it became a gift for another person...so I checked online for you.

Here's some amazon.com info...I suggest send an e-mail to the supplier to ask that it is the book alone, not the cards or kit (Book/Deck) edition...

http://www.amazon.com/Fey-Tarot-Boo...bs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200250280&sr=8-3


Since you won't be ordering decks for another year or so, here's some that should be around and maybe of interest on your wishlist (others can give it to you for holidays, they are affordable...)

2. I heard someone talk about color-your-own sets...those are nifty. The Robin Wood comes as a color-your-own...

http://www.robinwood.com/Catalog/StoreGate.html

It sounds like you are looking for something pagan and pretty, with positive interactions?

3. I do like the Mystic Faerie from Llewellyn, lots of beautiful jeweltones. While here's some stories that touch on sadness, I noticed that there are some interesting things...the imprisoned Queen in the ten of swords with a blue rose seems to also look like she survived as the Queen of Swords---and fashioned herself a defiant crown of thorns. I liked the fact there were switches in gender in the knaves and knights and in my 'story' I saw her daughter the knight rescue her mom with a forgotton sword that was buried in the garden noted earlier in the Ace of Swords story. Barbara Moore's spreads and suggestions for reading seem very interesting and I liked them.

http://www.mysticfaerie.com/

4. Lots of people like the Llewellyn Tarot

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/llewellyn/

I like the Lo Scarabeo Harmonious Tarot, Manga Tarot and their miniature versions.

The ones you did order are gorgeous, some are 'limited editions' -- I like that you told us about your trimmed Druidcraft...I might try that someday....

Cerulean

 

[jeseryn]

Oh cool

Which ones did I order are limited edition?

 

[Cerulean]

Whoops, sorry--I misread something...

...I just checked Magical Realist Press and realized you probably ordered the 'standard edition' of the Bohemian Gothic Tarot and the Victorian Romantic.
They did have some gold and silver limited editions previously and it's my mistake--they are still publishing the Gothic and Romantic in a standard edition.

I think of Magical Realist Press decks as sometimes 'limited editions' because I just heard that their first deck, the Tarot of Prague is out of print, and not likely to be reprinted. Sorry!

I think it's neat when people can get the small press titles. After so many years of enjoying tarot decks, it seems to me like the small press titles go out of print quicker and seem to become scarcer...like some limited edition kits.

Sorry for thinking out loud and not explaining myself. I hope you enjoy your beautiful choices--I think you made a great selection.

Best wishes,

Cerulean

 

[All Is One]

Since Cerulean happened to mention something that caught me up short...

A bit of a ramble.

I just want to say that, first of all: I can read tarot with a deck of playing cards

~reading for strangers
~reading for hours and hours, two days in a row

(pm me and maybe I'll tell you...it's a long story and better left to your imagination)

I think many many of you here can read from less than a pack of playing cards....

but do I want to use playing cards when other decks are available?

Hmmmm.

I'm getting to the point that...just to brush up, and with a quick breeze through Jana Riley's Tarot Dictionary and Compendium, I might just go back to the playing cards for a while.

To brush up on my skills, ya know?

And I'll be down at the local Farmer's Market on a Monday afternoon, asking for a minimum of $25.00 and up.

Oops...almost a crazed rant there.

Cerulean's and J's mention of the Vic Romantic was what got me off on this.

One of the decks I fought against...for a long time...through all the raving and "deck love" on here was the Victorian Romantic.

The images did not appeal to me. (blah blah blah)

I was to learn, when I got it a few months ago, that it can be read entirely intuitively.

That's right!

Reading from pictures...and only pictures.

Entirely new concept for me.

Just a few long-winded thoughts from me....

;~)