The 5-cent Tarot first edition was an undertaking I had begun as a personal project and quickly became something I was able to share with so many. I wanted to create a fun and whimsical deck loosely inspired by Victorian era poster art. Using vintage images and remnants of biological and botanical ephemera, this deck also incorporates keywords in both the upright and reverse positions. Not only was I able to share the final deck, but the first edition campaign was a collaborative journey that engaged backers to help me make the best decisions. In a way, everyone took part in the final creation. Similarly, I would love for the 2nd edition to follow the same path. I will ask backers to share their thoughts on what colors they’d like to see, what cards could use a new or different keyword or two — or should the keywords be reduced or eliminated altogether?
There are no people in this deck, but flora, animals and insects with sometimes human accessories and unexpected elements. This deck is full of small surprises and fun bits of whimsy — the idea is to engage the reader with images that are interesting, yet clear and to the point.
Quirky and fun: in this deck, pentacles are buttons, wands are matchsticks, swords are needles and cups are vintage teacups.
The keywords in upright and reverse positions are scaled to a size that will be helpful for new readers, but also not a distraction for experienced readers. The compositions also employ the symbolism from traditional tarot and are therefore, RWS-adjacent.
Fans of the 1st Edition 5-cent Tarot, Madam Clara Sees All deck (3 editions) and the Midcenturian deck already know that quality and presentation are very important to me. Cardstock will be premium, akin to my latest decks which have a linen finish and superior shufflability, similar to a bicycle deck. Together we will explore luxury add-ons, such as gilded edges and metallics.
Each deck will include a matching custom designed pouch (watch for updates) as well as 4 extra cards that were offered in the 1st Edition, just for fun. Again, stay tuned for updates.
The back colors will also be a vote for backers, so keep watching for updates to see where this could go!
If you need convincing or additonal context, I encourage you to visit my Etsy shop (Motel Gift Shop) where you can read all my reviews; madamclara.com where you can see all the cards and Youtube for unboxing videos. The feedback and reception on the 1st Edition was overwhelmingly positive and humbling.
No real risks here. I have funded 3 editions of the original Madam Clara deck, as well as the 5-cent Tarot First Edition and the Midcenturian Tarot here on Kickstarter. The project is 100% complete in terms of card design, leaving tweaks to color and keywords to the decision with backers through an online vote. I have printers at the ready and expect no delays in shipping.