I started reading tarot cards back in high school. While my friends were out partying, I was at home studying and learning about the cards. Yes, I was one of the nerdy kids.
I spent many evenings reading them for my sister, her and I would sit up at our grandmas house and read each others cards. That was a fun time and one of the happiest parts of my childhood - so I just have a warm fuzzy place in my heart for tarot cards.
Which is evendent by my collection of about 20 sets of cards, all different themes and sizes.
My favorite for the last, hum...about 10 years has been the Authrian Tarot deck, that husband bought me for Christmas. I have always loved the Authur Legend (traveling to Tintagel last year was the fruition of a long quest of mine) so they just speak to me.
I am sure that someday a new set will take my fancy, but for now, if I give readings. That is the deck I use.
I used to read them during our Halloween party, but it was so popular that one year I literally spent the whole 6 hours of the party reading cards. I was horse the next day....and I did not get to drink - I never drink (alchol) when I am reading.
Because of the popularity of the readings, we created a "tarot area" in the party. Husband built a partiaion to give me and the person getting the reading more privacy and I put all kinds of scarves and fabric with low lighting and candles. Definitely embracing my fortune teller image.
To give me some breaks, I started taking appointments.....that did not help much, although I got to take breaks, I did not get many.
Then we started the sign up sheet. I would do four an hour and they were not full readings - more yes or no questions. That worked well until the party before last. I read for the first person - that done, I put the cards away, walked out and announced that I was not reading for the rest of the night.
What??
True. It is one of those moments in life that if I could back up and do over I would. A close friend of mine had just lost his father days before, I was even surprised he came to the party. But he did and was the first person to sign up for a reading.
I knew when I saw his name I should just say no. I did this for fun and he was looking for something a bit more serious. It crossed my mind to offer to read for him later, maybe in a few months, I should have. I just had a feeling that neither of us should be doing this. But I did not listen.
The first set of cards were bad, he even knows the cards enough to know that. The second deal....no better....I did deal one more time...we both finally realized this was a bad idea.
I always did these to be fun and entertaining - this was neither of those. I was done. I came downstairs and told everyone "sorry fortune teller is broken" and got myself a drink...or three.
Husband had always encouraged me to do the readings even when I did not want to, because everyone enjoyed it so much. When I told him I was not doing them the next year, he protested. But I would not be swayed on this one.
I asked if he would make me one of those Zoltar booths instead. That project is actually on the long term prop list now :D I can't hardly wait!!
I did not do tarot readings last year and you know what the party sans the fortune teller managed along just fine.
Now, this did not stop me reading them. I still do, just not in large groups of people - or at least in that situation....you can feel the need coming off of people sometimes....when they walk up to the table and take a seat, you just know they are looking at you for those words that will ease their mind. Not something I can always deliver. When that is the case I usually like do an other reading or ask some questions....but in the large party setting I do not have the time and ...like I said, then it is no longer fun.
Like I said...I am really looking forward to my Zoltar booth!!
So why did I drag you all here?
Because my super talented friend makes all kinds of cool stuff out of old materials and sells them on his Paper Lunchbox Etsy store. Has just created a "terrifically tarot" card section on his Etsy page. You have to check it out - he is using vintage tarot cards to make greeting cards. They are fantastic! Definitely check out the descriptions....he writes for his day job - so as you can imagine, he comes up with some pretty clever working, sure to make you smile.
There are a few of them that I love, but of course, The Cat is my favorite
I spent many evenings reading them for my sister, her and I would sit up at our grandmas house and read each others cards. That was a fun time and one of the happiest parts of my childhood - so I just have a warm fuzzy place in my heart for tarot cards.
Which is evendent by my collection of about 20 sets of cards, all different themes and sizes.
My favorite for the last, hum...about 10 years has been the Authrian Tarot deck, that husband bought me for Christmas. I have always loved the Authur Legend (traveling to Tintagel last year was the fruition of a long quest of mine) so they just speak to me.
I am sure that someday a new set will take my fancy, but for now, if I give readings. That is the deck I use.
I used to read them during our Halloween party, but it was so popular that one year I literally spent the whole 6 hours of the party reading cards. I was horse the next day....and I did not get to drink - I never drink (alchol) when I am reading.
Because of the popularity of the readings, we created a "tarot area" in the party. Husband built a partiaion to give me and the person getting the reading more privacy and I put all kinds of scarves and fabric with low lighting and candles. Definitely embracing my fortune teller image.
To give me some breaks, I started taking appointments.....that did not help much, although I got to take breaks, I did not get many.
Then we started the sign up sheet. I would do four an hour and they were not full readings - more yes or no questions. That worked well until the party before last. I read for the first person - that done, I put the cards away, walked out and announced that I was not reading for the rest of the night.
What??
True. It is one of those moments in life that if I could back up and do over I would. A close friend of mine had just lost his father days before, I was even surprised he came to the party. But he did and was the first person to sign up for a reading.
I knew when I saw his name I should just say no. I did this for fun and he was looking for something a bit more serious. It crossed my mind to offer to read for him later, maybe in a few months, I should have. I just had a feeling that neither of us should be doing this. But I did not listen.
The first set of cards were bad, he even knows the cards enough to know that. The second deal....no better....I did deal one more time...we both finally realized this was a bad idea.
I always did these to be fun and entertaining - this was neither of those. I was done. I came downstairs and told everyone "sorry fortune teller is broken" and got myself a drink...or three.
Husband had always encouraged me to do the readings even when I did not want to, because everyone enjoyed it so much. When I told him I was not doing them the next year, he protested. But I would not be swayed on this one.
I asked if he would make me one of those Zoltar booths instead. That project is actually on the long term prop list now :D I can't hardly wait!!
I did not do tarot readings last year and you know what the party sans the fortune teller managed along just fine.
Now, this did not stop me reading them. I still do, just not in large groups of people - or at least in that situation....you can feel the need coming off of people sometimes....when they walk up to the table and take a seat, you just know they are looking at you for those words that will ease their mind. Not something I can always deliver. When that is the case I usually like do an other reading or ask some questions....but in the large party setting I do not have the time and ...like I said, then it is no longer fun.
Like I said...I am really looking forward to my Zoltar booth!!
So why did I drag you all here?
Because my super talented friend makes all kinds of cool stuff out of old materials and sells them on his Paper Lunchbox Etsy store. Has just created a "terrifically tarot" card section on his Etsy page. You have to check it out - he is using vintage tarot cards to make greeting cards. They are fantastic! Definitely check out the descriptions....he writes for his day job - so as you can imagine, he comes up with some pretty clever working, sure to make you smile.
There are a few of them that I love, but of course, The Cat is my favorite
 |
| Atop the card, you'll find a vintage "27 The Cats" tarot card (circa 1955), along with two vintage cream caps (a favorite among cats!) and three vintage buttons. |
 |
Behold the mystical, wondrous predictions of the tarot card. You, lucky mortal, have drawn card number 28 — The Sword. Atop the card, you'll find a vintage "28 The Sword" tarot card (circa 1955), along with a vintage dance ticket from 1946, plus a vintage yellow button with a vintage religious pin glued on top. |
 |
Behold the mystical, wondrous predictions of the tarot card. You, lucky mortal, have drawn card number 32. Zap! Crackle! Spark! Better drop that umbrella. Atop the card, you'll find a vintage "32 The Lightning" tarot card (circa 1955), along with a vintage stamped metal tag and a vintage orange glass button. |
Hum....those make me want to get out my tarot cards this weekend......anyone up for a reading?
I love tarot and I love Paper Lunchbox cards! Thanks for the heads up!
ReplyDeleteI know that some readers who do quickie readings in a fun party atmosphere take all the "negative" or "scary" cards out of their decks for that purpose. I guess the rationale is that such readings are meant solely as entertainment, not "real" tarot consultations.
Your friend is using an interesting deck for his creations. I've never seen that one before. You have 20 decks? That's pretty cool! I just have two - a kind of older one and "The Hanson-Roberts" deck which I use a lot. I mostly just do readings for myself and find them to be pretty accurate. Lately, I've offered to do a few readings for friends.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you were really working at your party! It might be nice to have a break and enjoy a few drinks this year? It was nice of your husband to build you a booth. That must have been cool! Don't worry about the negative reading - I can tell from how you wrote this that you were compassionate about the reading and didn't mean any harm.
Great post! I could just feel the stress of having to do that during your party. Fun for the guests, but then you really don't get to mingle and enjoy the party yourself. And then to have a situation present itself, like that of your friend...and I'd have made the same exact decision you did.
ReplyDeleteI think I have about 4 decks maybe. My favorite is a vintage Aleister Crowley Thoth Tarot Deck w/ a Book of Thoth. It was my first deck, given to me as a gift from one of my on-line friends that I met up in Salem. I also love Kipling West's Halloween Tarot...love her art! I don't know how to use them though.
Your post is inspiring. I was wondering what I could do for my mom, who is scheduled to arrive in October. Because she is rickety,she doesn't get around much. I think I may invite a Tarot reader to my house, and ask her to give my mom a reading.
ReplyDelete