A hitchhiker's guide through the tarot (and other tit-bits)
I’ve seen quite a few small spreads illustrated with Lenormand cards on the Internet lately, but very few full spreads. One of the questions I hear a lot is ‘How do you do a full 36-card spread?’ So let me try to give you some ideas about that. I’m sorry I can’t illustrate it at the moment, but my scanner isn’t working.
Have you ever considered to use a Lenormand deck to trigger wonderful moments from your childhood? If not, or if not yet, you should highly consider Chloe McCracken‘s Kindergarten Lenormand. It is a sweet, simple and inspiring deck that clearly helps you making the Lenormand yours. I got a sample deck with extra blank cards (so I decided to draw on some of them and get my own extra cards, you can see those below).
Very simple drawings that are like those of a kid, which help you grasp the Lenormand at first sight. But there’s more. You can use it to teach Lenormand to your kids, or use it for meditation or self-study. Their simplicity is the key that opens the gates of the Lenormand. This simple and cute deck is good for starting your journey with the Lenormand, or enjoy yourself while feeding your inner child. Plus, it gives you powerful sense of trust to yourself when you use this deck for reading!
It has 2 riders (male rider and female rider), two snakes, two trees, 3 bird cards, 2 children, a dog and a cat, 2 male consultants and 2 female consultants). I got the sample deck with blank extra cards, for my creative delight! Why? Because I could draw some extra cards by myself and get a very personalized Lenormand! (I loved that!)
This is a Lenormand that enhances both your imagination and creativity. It encourages you to go beyond the images, to draw something yourself, to overcome fears, to trust yourself, to have self-esteem, to feed your inner child, to play with children, to be yourself. That’s why I loved it so much.
It has Printerstudio’s paper stock quality. It shuffles really well, and cards are strong. Perfect to use them on a daily basis. The backs are flashy: red and blue, with “Kindergarten Lenormand” printed on them.
I spent several days thinking about my extra cards. What could I fill in the blank cards that I got? (Or, at least in some?) Well, I finally decided to add 4 cards: 37. the Mirror (for inner study, self-reliance, responsibility), 38. the Cauldron (for magic, believes and the unknown), 39. the Mask (not true self, social self, the face we show to others), and 40. the Totem (for our Totem, animal relationship, inner animal, instincts). I used a permanent black pen. The results are very cute and match easily the spirit of the Kindergarten Lenormand. Easy, simple, funny, creative. This Lenormand made me feel good!
Note that this is a deck which is “hard to get”, unless you go to one of Chloe’s workshops. But, if we get a re-edition, we can get it from home! Read the interview and know how to get your copy 
Pepi: Where did the idea of the Kindergarten Lenormand come from?
Chloe: The Kindergarten Lenormand came about in 2012 when I decided to run workshops to teach the Lenormand reading system. I didn’t want to worry about copyright issues, so I thought “why not draw my own deck?” Despite my partner objecting that “You can’t draw!” I went for it, and had a lot of fun in the process. There were a few cards that were tough – coffins are harder to draw than you might think, hence why card 8 is titled Grave 
P: Are you planning to leave the extra white cards for us to play with those?
C: The extra white cards just happened because I wasn’t intending this as a commercial deck, and because of using printerstudio.com to add the playing card associations onto the cards. If I ever re-edit this deck for sale, I had thought to change the playing card associations on the extra cards. I also intended to include a few cards with card meanings if I re-edit, but I guess I could still leave in a few blanks, for you creative types!
P: I think this is a very good deck to teach children and encourage them to follow the steps of their mothers or grandmothers. How do you think it could be best used for that?
C: I suppose it could be a good deck for kids, showing them that you don’t need huge skills to create your own deck. And it is nice and simple, too. If I used it with kids, I’d encourage them to see a story in the lines of cards…
P:How do you think your deck takes out our inner child?
C: Hmm, does this deck bring out people’s inner child? Possibly. The images look child-like, encouraging us to access the side of ourselves which resonates with images of this simplicity and low skill level. Might encourage us to keep our readings simple, too, which fits well with the Lenormand style.
P:How can we get a copy?
C: I have a very few copies of this deck available at the moment – I’ve been using them in my workshops, so I only have about 5 unopened. If anyone is interested, they can email me at info@innerwhispers.co.uk. As I say, I may re-edit these at some point, it’ll depend on my time commitments and the level of interest.
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Read the original post here.
Yay!! The Vintage Poster Lenormand is here! This is a 100% download for free deck to use it for educational, research, and entertainment purposes only. But you can also use it in your Workshops, Events, etc if you give it as a gift. (More information about this into the information file, which accompanies the deck).
The deck has a total of 40 cards. Some of the cards have different options to choose from, for example: the rider (2 riders), the ship (3 ships), the flowers (2 flowers), the anchor (2 anchors), the tree (2 trees). You can choose the ones you like the most, or you can use both (18. dog & 18. cat).
The backs are also provided. I have tried this at home, printed a deck in my Canon printer, and it worked wonderfully If you like this deck you can like dePepi’s Facebook page or/& leave a comment here. Thank you!
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About the images used in the collages:
I was doubtful about which images to choose. There are many around, and some are really cute. All the images can be found out there on the internet in different web sites. Please note that I do not own the copyright on any of these images. All posters, postcards, retro art prints and vintage images copyrights belong to their respective owners. According to the websites I fished from these images, these are images that “are into the public domain”, or are “believed to be so”. So, you can use them “within our rights according to the U.S. Copyright Fair Use Act (title 17, U.S. Code.)” However, if you think that any of the images is infringing your copyright, send me a message to pepi @ depepi . com with a description of the work, a link to where the image is located, and state that the use has not been authorized by you, your agent or the law. Also include your signature.
About the purpose of the deck and the information file:
Both the deck and the information file are entirely for educational, research, and entertainment purposes only. They are also free and non-commercial. While I do not own the copyright on the images used, I do on the sequence and design itself (deck), and the information file. It is my wish to create a totally free deck with its information file, for non-commercial use. Again, both files (deck & information file) are for you to enjoy the Lenormand, and educational & research purposes (the Lenormand and the artwork of the images used).
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Read the original post here.
My cartomantic fascination started with tarot and over the years I’ve acquired a large number of decks. All have given me cause to take a favorite card from each pack in order to assemble a master deck filled only with the cream of the crop. Since entering the Lenormand world, I’ve again found myself with a fast growing collection of “Lennies”. There are favorite cards that stand out in each Lenormand I own and like my “greatest hits” tarot pack, I fantasize about assembling a master Lenormand deck. However my desire to keep my decks intact far overrides my desire to break them up. I know I’m not alone here.
In comes Andi (Rootweaver) Graf, who has heeded the call of my plight with a brilliant solution. Gone are the days of purchasing duplicate packs, deck dissection, and the predicament of not playing with a full deck. Andi, creatix of the beautiful Vintage Lenormand, has designed a build-your-own (BYO) Lenormand using the same vintage style her initial deck is known and loved for. Here’s how it works:
In this first ever opportunity to BYO Lenormand, Andi provides 180 wonderful choices—five variations for each of the 36 standard Lenormand cards. She has set it up for the site visitor to hand select the cards they want to create a customized master deck that speaks to their needs. This intelligent and thoughtful concept will no doubt launch other cartomantic traditions to follow suite as the combinations are endless.
My BYO Lenormand is filled with my favorite flowers for the Bouquet, I selected not one but two Riders (because I could)—one representing a peaceful delivery while the other is more action oriented. I also went with two moon cards both a full and crescent. Again, the groupings are infinite and that’s what makes the BYO Lenormand and the readings it produces so interesting.
Rootweaver is a pioneer in the Lenormand community. Keep an eye on her site. You’ll be glad you did!
The Build-Your-Own Lenormand deck is every bit as much the creation of the wider Lenormand community as it is mine. It is as a result of specific challenges and questions that were raised within the community that these ideas (and solutions) began to form in my mind. In the anticipation of the BYO Lenormand I have said that this is a unique deck, a never-done-before concept in Lenormand, and I’d like to take this opportunity to explain what I meant by that.
I have listed some of the benefits of this particular deck and how it addresses many of the challenges experienced in the Lenormand community (from a reader’s point of view) with innovative solutions to these challenges.
Challenge:
What is the ‘perfect’ deck. There isn’t really such a thing, right? Because taste differs and we don’t all like the same thing. I’m sure I speak for many of us when I find myself falling in love with one or several cards in a deck, but not so much with other cards in the same deck. That’s human nature, it’s normal to have a preference for some cards and not others.
Solution:
The solution would be to have a deck with enough variations of each card so that readers and buyers can choose the cards that they really like, as opposed to being ‘stuck’ with some cards they can’t really relate to. The BYO Lenormand deck has five different variations for each of the standard 36 cards, increasing the chances that you’re going to find that one-in-five option in each of the 36 cards that appeals to you. The result is a deck that comprises almost entirely of cards that you really like.
Challenge:
Wish you had a completely unique (but affordable) one-of-a-kind deck without having to resort to making your own single-copy deck? Especially if it’s a deck that your peers have too (albeit uniquely different) so that you can compare?
Solution:
With 180 cards to choose from there is almost no chance that you will end up with the same deck as anyone else! Do the math yourself to calculate what the odds are of any two people having the same BYO Lenormand deck; 36×5^36=[the odds] It is highly unlikely. I tried to calculate this on Google’s scientific calculator, but the number is so big that it gives an error message. Perhaps one of you have a large enough calculator to get the exact number. Or, perhaps I am miscalculating it entirely. Either way, there is almost no chance at all that any two readers will choose exactly the same cards from the wide selection available in this deck.
Challenge:
The dog ate your card. Or, you somehow lost a card from your favorite deck. Don’t you just hate that? Normally you would have to buy an entire new deck to replace a damaged or missing card. And, what do you do with those ‘extras’ lying around afterward?
Solution:
For the first time ever you can now buy individual Lenormand cards, from as few as 1 card to as many as 180 cards. To replace a missing or damaged card is easy with the BYO Lenormand, and best of all it is inexpensive at only $1.25 a card.
This puts the buyer/reader in control instead of the deck creator or publisher. If your deck needs a face-lift it is simple enough to buy a few extra cards to replace the ones you might be tired of. You can even rotate them regularly if that suit you.
Challenge:
The ‘people’ cards in our Lennie decks aren’t representative enough of other ethnic groups, and there aren’t enough people cards in the deck to act as significators.
Solution:
The BYO Lenormand includes an African family. An African Man, Woman and Child card to add a deeper dimension to your deck. Included too are two other little non-caucasean boys, one from the Middle East and one from South America. You are spoilt for choice which is exactly what I wanted for you. Complete flexibility in the hands of the reader becomes a new possibility in your Lenormand deck.
For readers who want to include cards to represent same-sex couples, sisters, brothers, ex-partners, extra children (one for each child in the family) etc. you can now do so with this deck. Readings can be done to include specific family members which will make your readings so much more direct to the situation at hand or the family dynamics of the person you’re reading for. The addition of extra cards to represent same-sex couples is a modern inclusion in many newer decks. However, never before have we had this many choices.
This idea can be extended even further and need not be limited to the people cards. You can (for example) choose a card with big Fish to represent big money (perhaps an inheritance), and smaller Fish to represent smaller money (perhaps a salary or bonus.) Why not have them both? Now you can, and one never knows it might just be that extra little ‘something’ that your clients enjoy about your readings or that sets you apart from other readers.
Challenge:
You are a new reader who is still learning the finer nuances in Lenormand, and while you like the more contemporary decks everyone advises you to start with a traditional deck first. Or, you are a traditionalist and you feel that many contemporary deck designers aren’t paying as much attention to the detail (eg. orientation) as a traditional deck does, it frustrates you that deck creators aren’t hearing you because orientation is an important consideration for you.
Solution:
Now you can have the best of both worlds in one deck! As your reading skills and knowledge of Lenormand develops and improves you can replace some cards with others in the deck that more accurately reflects the correct orientation. A strictly traditional reader will easily find variations in the BYO Deck of cards that do adhere to the correct orientation in order to compile a deck that is traditional. With this in mind your deck can grow with you as your knowledge in Lenormand grows.
Challenge:
You like the look of contemporary decks but they are too ‘busy’ in a Grand Tableau which makes it harder to quickly identify the cards in a reading.
Solution:
Amongst some of the variations available in the BYO Lenormand you’ll be able to select starker cards for easier GT readings. This way you can have a contemporary deck that isn’t too overwhelming with imagery.
In short, gone are the days of the Goldilocks effect where the deck is either too ‘this’, not enough ‘that’, and seldom ever ‘just right.’ It is now possible to compile the ‘perfect’ deck (if such a thing exists,) one that is at least ‘just right’ for you.
This deck can be purchased directly from http://www.rootweaver.com
Build-Your-Own (BYO) Lenormand Deck, by Rootweaver
36 cards, 5 variations of each. The total deck consists of 180 cards. Printed on premium 310gsm card stock with a luxurious linen finish.
My new deck, the Build-Your-Own Lenormand is exactly what the name suggests. It is the first ever Lenormand deck that gives readers the opportunity to construct their own customized deck from 180 different cards. Five variations for each of the standard 36 Lenormand cards are available from which readers can hand-pick the ones they want in order to assemble a deck of their choice. For the first time on offer Lenormand readers can now purchase loose cards ranging from one single card to as many as they want or need. The BYO Lenormand offers so many potential combinations for readers to assemble a complete new deck, with or without additional alternatives, that there is almost no chance at all that any two buyers will end up with the same deck. The odds are better to win the Lotto twice in a row than to end up with the same deck as anyone else who assembles theirs from the BYO Lenormand.
Because the BYO Lenormand deck is created in the same style as my Vintage Lenormand deck any of these 180 BYO cards can be added to the Vintage Lenormand deck without it looking as if they have been added on as an after-thought. They will seamlessly and perfectly blend in. This of course means that buyers can expand their existing Vintage Lenormand decks to include as many additional cards as they want, and they can hand-select these to their taste and liking or to reflect their reading style.
With more and more new Lenormand decks becoming available deck creators are finding innovative and exciting approaches to attract the attention of potential buyers. In an attempt to give Lenormand readers exactly what they want I tried to become more alert to their needs. Lenormand readers & collectors have become increasingly vocal about what they’d like to see in future decks, it was therefore only a matter of time before a deck creator heard them and started addressing these needs. Through attentive observation and with an ear close to the ground I soon realized that a BYO deck would address many of the requests and suggestions made by readers. This is how the idea to create a Build-Your-Own Lenormand deck developed.
After the cards were completed I approached Stella Waldvogel, a respected veteran of Lenormand, to examine the BYO deck with a critical eye. I thought if I could get Stella’s ‘stamp of approval’ it might go a long way toward gaining the confidence of potential buyers to invest in this new concept deck, particularly readers who adopt a traditional style of reading as Stella is an outspoken ‘traditionalist’ in Lenormand circles. Stella made a few valuable suggestions and recommendations which I took onboard to further perfect the deck as best possible. In her review of the deck Stella said “There’s good news for traditional readers, check this out! To be honest, I was expecting yet more “new” Lenormand, so I put these images to the acid test. I gathered my notes on details, orientation and semi-obscure Lenormand lore, and set to work trying to build the most traditional deck possible from the 180 images. I was deliberately over-picky, and I was actually able to find more of the folkloric bells and whistles than you normally see in a single deck, even the classics.”
A dear friend and fellow Lenormand reader in Australia, Lynne McGee whom I had also approached to critique the deck before it was released made a wonderful suggestion to include an African man, woman and child as options for readers to choose from. This was a very welcome last-minute adjustment and the results were simply fabulous. In response to the African addition Stella Waldvogel added “The people cards are expressive and culturally diverse, and range from boho to blue collar to metropolitan. In the end, I chose the African couple. The Man appears to be gazing benevolently at someone out of the frame, and the Woman looks happy and bubbly. They lend a friendly, open vibe to the deck. And since they face different directions, the way they fall in a spread gives extra clues about relationship readings since they can face each other, or away.”
It is with pride and joy that I offer this unique first-of-a-kind deck to the Lenormand community. I invite my fellow deck creators to embrace this opportunity to give Lenormand readers more flexibility and control in the selection and assembly of their future decks, and I look forward to seeing other deck creators following suit with more options from which readers can choose.
This deck is dedicated to the Lenormand community, in particular to the readers and collectors of Lenormand without whom this project would not have been conceived. It is with gratitude too that I wish to acknowledge the following individuals for their encouragement, motivation, guidance, contributions and suggestions during the creation of the BYO Lenormand deck:
Carrie Paris for her unconditional love and encouragement, Lynne McGee for her unwavering faith in me and in the deck itself, Stella Waldvogel for her critically important evaluation of the deck before it was launched and for her encouragement and guidance, Marcus Katz and Tali Goodwin for their support and for the opportunity to launch the BYO Lenormand on the World Tarot Day platform. Ray Theron, Ryan Joffe, Stacey Elk, Elle Theron and numerous artists on Deviantart for permitting me to use and manipulate their sublime photography for this project, and last but not least my loving husband Gunther Graf who selflessly holds the energy of our lives together while I surrender myself to the creative flow.
The BYO Lenormand can be purchased directly from my website at www.rootweaver.com where each of the 36 cards are listed as separate products, each with options A,B,C,D & E to choose from. Here’s hoping that this deck brings you at least as much enjoyment in its selection and use as what I have had creating it.
And now (finally) I can breathe a sigh of relief because I don’t have to hold onto this ‘secret’ anymore, the cat is out of the bag. Thanks for ‘playing’ with me in the build-up and anticipation of this deck.
With love: Rootweaver
xx JbR xx
In 4 days time I reveal my new Lenormand deck. I can hardly wait! I am (still) not going to spoil the surprise, but I’ll drop a few hints, okay?
It was really only a matter of time before someone thought of this… I am so glad that I was that someone (but I’ll bet you’ll wish you were! LOL!)
From 1 minute past midnight on Saturday morning 25th May I’ll start revealing this new deck on my website www.rootweaver.com. I’ll also post a press release right here on the blog, to announce it.
WIN! In celebration of the launch, I’ll be giving one deck away to one of the lucky Tarot Taxi blog subscribers on May 25th (World Tarot Day.) In order to be entered into the draw you must do the following:
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Love: Rootweaver, xxx
You might already know this gorgeous deck: the Postmark Lenormand. However, do you know the Mini Postmark Lenormand by the Sassy Sibyl? I must admit that I’m in love with mini decks, but this one stands over others by far. Why? It’s elegant simplicity.
The mini Postmark Lenormand is elegant, simple, compelling, stunning. And yet, has all that a Lenormand requires. And more, because it has a double couple of consultants (two men and two women), and two extra cards: the happy squirrel and the cat.
This deck has no numbers on it. Just the simple images, and elegant backs with blue/purple dot patterns. The vintage images are well chosen, colors are well found and the general atmosphere is just perfect. You just need to read a GT to get all the power from this tiny deck. Its simplicity demands your soul, its elegance demands your attention.
One of my favorite cards is the cat. Maybe because I love cats, but this one in particular remembers me of one cat that I had as a Kid. Maybe that’s why I love it so much. The Sun is also a very funny card. It makes me smile. So, if it comes out in a reading it just makes me giggle. I adore it! Another card that I love is the letter. The unknown hand that puts the letter on the mailbox is really descriptive of the card. Thus, this is one of my favorites.
The cards are strong and very easy to shuffle. I’ve used the cards quite a lot, and they really seems like new. They are perfect to combine with another deck if you are using Houses to read the cards. Plus, being mini they are also candidates to be kept in small tins. (My mini lives in a tiny chocolate tin).
This is a must-have by far. You do not want to miss either the Mini deck or the normal one (which has more cards and comes with a tin!) I do believe this is one of the most elegant decks on the market right now. It’s simple, and yet it has a lot of depth. Elegant and simple Sassy Vintage.
Pepi: How did you come up with the idea of the Postmark Lenormand? And the Mini?
Melissa: After the special edition Melissa Lenormand came out, I was set to present a study group on the Lenormand at Readers Studio. But the Melissa Lenormand sold out and I wanted to have decks available for my group to use in the workshop. I started creating a study Lenormand using a collection of old black and white etchings I have from the Victorian era. I got halfway through the deck, printed some test copies and thought it just looked SO dreary. So I went back through my ephemera collection and started to see the Postmark emerge.
I had a mini set of cards printed from my Modern Minimalist deck (for personal use, I never made it available for sale). I had the mini Postmark printed on a lark, really. I didn’t realize it would be so popular. I assumed it would remain a novelty collector’s item.
P: From where do you grab inspiration?
M: Color, texture, line. I love fabric and quilting and see the cards in a similar way as I see quilt blocks on a design board.
P: Which is the most gratifying thing/emotion you got from creating this gorgeous deck?
M: The ability to teach Lenormand method with a deck that is modern and accessible has been the best part of the Postmark experience for me. I’m amazed by how popular it is. It’s always exciting to send cards to the far reaches of the world.
P: Which layout do you think will fit best your deck?
M: I like the Grand Tableau and blocks of nine.
P: Any tips for the readers?
M: Just breathe and let it flow. Tell your story. Trust your story. Trust your gut.
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You can find the original post here.
JbR, a bird of the feathered kind
Rootweaver (JbR,) the creator of the Vintage Lenormand deck, was making mental notes of requests and comments made by Lenormand readers. These inspired her to create yet another Lenormand deck that promises to excite and thrill the card-reading community.
While details of this new deck cannot yet be revealed it will almost certainly address what has been asked for by numerous voices in the Lenormand world, and may possibly set a new bar for fellow deck creators to aspire to.
The deck will be launched on World Tarot Day (May 25th 2013,) and will be available for purchase directly from Rootweaver’s site www.rootweaver.com from May 25th onward.
When pressed to reveal more about her new deck Rootweaver had only this to say:
I have been working on this new deck for the past few months and promise that Lenormand readers will not be disappointed.
My esteemed fellow deck-creators on the other hand might want to throw rocks at me after this, but I sincerely hope not!
This new deck will appeal to traditionalists and non-traditionalists alike. I am thoroughly looking forward to unveiling it in a few days time, but until then start raiding your piggy banks you’re probably going to want a copy of your own.
Only 9 days to go, and counting…
The first issue of dePepi magazine features Rootweaver’s Vintage Lenormand, one of the most beautiful and gorgeous Indie decks on the market right now.
But wait, that’s not all!
You can also find:
PLUS!
You can get your magazine HERE.
And you can get 50% on your sales of the magazine if you join the Ambassador program.
The Review Have you ever considered to use a Lenormand deck to trigger wonderful moments from your childhood? If not, or if not yet, you should highly consider Chloe McCracken‘s Kindergarten Lenormand. It is a sweet, simple and inspiring deck that clearly helps you making the Lenormand yours. I got a sample deck with extra […]
Reblogged from Confessions of a Freaky Fortune Teller: I’ve seen quite a few small spreads illustrated with Lenormand cards on the Internet lately, but very few full spreads. One of the questions I hear a lot is ‘How do you do a full 36-card spread?’ So let me try to give you some ideas about […]
Reblogged from Confessions of a Freaky Fortune Teller: I’ve seen quite a few small spreads illustrated with Lenormand cards on the Internet lately, but very few full spreads. One of the questions I hear a lot is ‘How do you do a full 36-card spread?’ So let me try to give you some ideas about […]
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