Do You allow your Decks to Go Commando?

If you find that your decks are sliding around in bags that are too large it can lead to cards getting creased if you accidentally sit on them or someone puts something on top of them. I've solved that problem for myself by using "deck undies". They're sleeves of cotton crochet with openings for air flow around your decks, helping to reduce or eliminate decks that warp with changes in humidity.

Below are the ones I've mad to sell online. They're $5 each + $1 shipping for one, or multiples of them for $5 each plus $3 shipping. I've been extremely happy with mine so I decided to make some for sale.

They're made of cotton in a stitch that allows for air circulation to help cut down on warping. I've priced them low so they're affordable and the thread was a free craigslist find, so I'm passing my savings on to you.

 Most are ecru in color, which is a light tan. I can put a button and tab on for you if you'd prefer that. Of course, they can also be used without an outer Tarot bag if you want to do that.

They're washable and then it's best to put them on a towel to dry after shaping them with your hands back into their dimensions.

My mailing times are Mondays and Thursdays. All of these are ready to go out in the mail. I'm not doing any special orders on these. What you see here is just what you get. If there's a definite color preference, To get the size you need, send me measurements of the deck/decks you're purchasing for.

I'm Working on This. Please Bear With Me.

I'm not blogger savvy so there's a post I did here titled "Temporary Uploads for the Boutique" posted on 4/2/16 and I can't figure out how to make that post stay on top in order for people to see what's there on the opening page they arrive at, so just scroll down to the page with that title to see examples of my work and a few things I've listed for sale. I'm hoping not to have to completely redo the page with my items I make in order to get the post into the Boutique although I will if I have to.

Later today or tomorrow, more photos of the Lenormand in progress and over 20 pairs of earrings I've made will be uploaded. I know I'm slow about this, but I'm just not very educated about how things like blog templates and stuff work.

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going

When I got sober almost 31 years ago, I found the quote "When the going gets tough, the tough get going" in the newspaper. At the time, I was in a tremendously scary abusive relationship and I had just gotten sober. I clipped out that little tidbit and taped it to my driver's license. It comes back to my mind now, and it's still helpful.

I now find that the person who swore to never fail me in order to get me to  move here has had an emotional breakdown of some sort, so now I'm seeking at least $250 a month to just pay my rent. Thankfully, all utilities are included in my rent, so there's only that amount lacking in my measly social security amount of $545 a month. If I can just manage to sell readings and items I make in the amount of $250 extra a month, I can make it. I'm shaking in my boots because I don't know if I can make that much. I'm going to give it a heck of a try because my rental history is excellent and I don't want to break my lease on this apartment by having to move out before the year is up. It's not up till July.

I'm going to keep posting things for sale here on my blog, along with photographs of the items and I'm thinking of doing a half price sale on readings in hopes of getting some income going that way as well. Ten $25 readings a month would be a great help. At least I'd keep a roof over my head and not have to break my lease.

Temporary uploads for the Boutique

The following items will be moved to the Boutique page when I figure out how to do that. Some of these are still available, like the name tags and "deck undies" but others are just examples of work I've done in the past.

 This is a little name tag. Very bright and eye-catching so it will sparkle and flash as you mingle with people at a party so they can easily see you're the Tarot reader for the event. The white space is where you can put your name or identify yourself as the Reader for the event.  $15 postage included.

Another name tag, bright and flashy, helping people to identify you as the reader at a party. You can write your name in the white blank or "Reader" if you prefer. $15, postage included.

The above images are a sneak preview of a one-of-a-kind hand-painted Lenormand deck in progress. Since this is the first one, the low price is a special bargain .It will come with a hand-beaded sturdy case. Pictures to be posted when it's all finished but if you're interested in this first one, speak now to get the bargain price of $30, postage included. Future handmade decks will go for more..Each deck will be different. There will be themed decks and they'll always one-of-a-kind both for the decks and for their beaded cases. Suggestions are welcome if there are themes you'd like to see, but these are not going to be made to order. They'll be posted about once a month as the decks are finished.

This is a preview of a cross-body bag made from blue jean hip pockets. The beadwork is much more striking in person. It looks very dull in the picture. There will be a hand crocheted strap that isn't shown in the picture and there are three compartments in these purses. They're designed to hold two decks and some odds and ends in the center between the pockets or three decks. I just wanted to give an idea how these are going to look since I'm working on this one now. The bag with the lavender beadwork is already gone, but I've posted it as an example. I didn't have good photographic equipment when this was made last summer, so what doesn't show is the tiny beads here and there in the fringe. This is a bag made from denim jean hip pockets with a crocheted strap and the beadwork is done with tiny size 15 seed beads.

 The rose at the left is one of my projects I've sold. I took the picture while I still had the beadwork on the background material that I bead on.

 Another photo of a triple Goddess beadwork piece when it was in progress that I put onto a dark blue denim bag. These beadwork pieces look large in the photos but they're all only about 3 or 4 inches wide and/or tall. Maybe 5 or 6 inches max, but most are smaller.

 Below are more beadwork items in various stages of the work.

 This piece is already gone. As pictured, it's still on the beadwork surface and then, below, it's off the beadwork material and ready to be applied to the item it's intended for and an edging beaded on it.

 The two items to the right are already taken off the beading material and are ready to be applied to the completed item. The pink rose on the left is still awaiting the barrette or purse or broach backing, whichever I decide to do.

This little heart pin was only 2 inches at its widest point. It made a sweet, sparkly little accent pin. This one is also gone.

 This is a photo of one of the little bags I've crocheted to use inside a tarot bag or use alone. When I lived in the RV I found that cards can slip off sideways or up or down and then be creased if someone sits something on the bag or it's carried in a back-pack. I crochet these little bags to put the decks in before putting them into their decorative bag and it keeps them from slipping off the stack. I've made a lot of them and I'm charging $5 each with

$1 shipping one bag but for multiple bags the cost will be $2 shipping. These are quite attractive and could be used without another outer bag if desired.

I think of these as "deck undies". But they're attractive enough to use without any other outer bag, and I can add a tab and button for anyone who orders and asks me. They're mostly white or ecru (light tan) but I do have some in colors as shown and will be making more in colors later on when this supply dwindles. I've made them in several sizes, from Lo Scarabeo mini size to other sizes big and small. I've used a stitch that allows for air circulation as well.

The the thread I used is cotton and they can be washed and then laid out to dry on a towel, shaping them back to their original shape to dry.





I have several decks to put on offer, but the photos have yet to be taken and uploaded. Stay tuned. Now I'm off to see how to present these photos in the boutique page. I haven't figured that out yet.

Working hard

I'm working hard to get photos taken and items uploaded to show in the Jewels'n'Jeans Boutique page. Please be patient with that. I got a late start. Right now I"m behind the scenes taking photos and uploading them. At the moment, I'm featuring some of my decks I've decided to part with and some items I've made that I call "deck undies". You'll probably never guess what those are. Wait and see!

I've got some photos of a few of the cards from a hand-painted one-of-a-kind Lenormand that's in the works to add as well. About once a month, there will be a new Lenormand posted. They do take some time.  The first edition is going on sale with a handmade case and will be at a lower price since it's the first one. I'm not doing special orders but if you have a request for a themed deck you'd like to see created, by all means make a suggestion and maybe you may find one to suit you in the future.

This is a short entry because I'm busy, busy, busy with the behind-the-scenes stuff. Stay tuned and check back now and then.

Grizabella's Workshop

April 1st is rolling up quickly and that's the date I have scheduled for stocking the Jewels'n'Jeans Boutique page. My daughter is working on making a one-of-a-kind Lenormand deck that should be finished to add to the shop by the first. If it gets a good amount of interest, she'll be making more of them to put on the site.

I'm working on some items to put in the shop myself. There will also be a few of my decks that I'm willing to pass on for a good price.

I used to do beaded buckskin items to order but I've stopped doing any special orders. If I ever do so again, I won't be accepting payment till the item is finished, mailed, and a tracking number sent to the buyer, but I really don't want to get into the special order business anymore. It's just too time-consuming and if my lupus or some other conditions hit me, then I'm slow on getting the orders finished. So if you see something here that's listed and you like it, then just buy it but please don't request any special orders. I do like to hear from people what they'd like to see appear in the shop and I'll keep it in mind for future projects but no special orders, please.

Also, I've switched from using buckskin to using denim, as you might have guessed from my boutique title. Denim is a lot easier to come by than buckskin and I can keep prices lower that way, since usually denim is just given to me. I make some really cute denim bags with beadwork on them and there will be some of those in the boutique. By "bags", I mean to use as a purse/tarot tote which holds a couple or three decks and a few things like money, ID cards, a lipstick or other small items.

I have quite a few pairs of earrings made that will be listed in the shop. Not particularly Tarot-ish, but very pretty and sparkly. And a few name tags I've made that people can put their own name on if they're circulating at a Tarot function and want to be recognized as the reader.

There are also some surprises in the works.and lots of stuff my daughter and I are working on. Check back regularly after the first and see what's being offered.

April Fool's Day will bring changes to my blog!

On April Fool's Day there will be some significant changes happening here at Frog Music. In the page to the right under the title of Jewels'n'Jeans there will be jewelry, Tarot bags, beaded sun visors and beaded baseball caps, all with Tarot-themed embellishments.

One exciting addition to the shop will be handmade, one-of-a-kind Lenormand decks created by me and my daughter.

There will be some cute "hip pocket" cross-body bags made out of the hip pockets of old jeans embellished with beadwork and hand-crocheted lace.They're perfect for carrying a deck or two and the basic necessities in a tidy, clever little bag and because they're cross-body style, they leave your hands free for whatever else you might be doing.

I'll be offering some decks I've not been using for quite some time. I'm trying to keep my card collection small but it's very hard to part with decks.

These are just a few of the things to come. I hope everyone will keep their eyes on my blog for spring and summer. The items I've mentioned are only a small preview of things that will appear..

Method of payment will be flexible. I'll barter for anything. My method of payment will be Amazon gift certificate, gift cards to places like Walmart, and whatever might be offered in trade. Payment arrangements are that you only pay when I've mailed the package and given you a tracking number. I prefer to do it that way.

Old Dogs, New Tricks

I now have Skype! I haven't used it yet, but I've decided doing readings via Skype if a client wants me to use it would enhance my reading business. I'm not much to look at, but it's the message in the cards that counts, so I'm moving into being able to do readings in real time. Next best to doing readings face-to-face, which I love best.

I also have a new deck I'm thrilled with. It's the Romantic Tarot by Lo Scarabeo and I'm really pleased with it. It took me awhile to be able to afford it, but finally I have it at last. It's a Lo Scarabeo deck so it's made with great card stock, good size and best of all--it brings new dimension to every reading. Lo Scarabeo decks are among my very favorite decks. I realize that imagery on Lo Scarabeo decks can be confusing to a new user of Tarot, but an experienced reader will have no problem at all reading with this deck.

The red rose backs are gorgeous and then the facing side for readings is very lovely more muted art work.

You can find this deck at Amazon.com and on the Lo Scarabeo website. I'll add the link to their site as soon as I can figure out how to do it in this blog.

This deck has my all-time favorite  8 of Wands, pictured here. This man has really gotten himself into a situation he may have found to be more than he expected. The message he's going to get is loud and clear and probably faster than he could recoup his energy. Do we think he's going to be equal to the task? He may need to take a day off work just to recuperate from all the action.

The usual image for the 8 of Wands is the 8 Wands carrying a message swiftly to its target. This young lady is certainly sending her fellow a swift message. He's trying to get some sleep to regroup. I love the new spin on the traditional imagery. Throughout this deck are images that bring a whole new element to the usual RWS imagery and I love it. I heartily recommend this deck.

I usually see the Lovers card in most decks as the need to make a choice. This is the only deck I have where I'm definitely going to read the Lovers card as what the image suggests----a love and/or soulmate relationship.

Beautiful deck and beautiful art work---I couldn't want more.

When Does the Lovers Card Mean Love instead of Choice?

When I post about the Lovers card on the forum, I generally say the card doesn't mean a lover or a "soulmate" but instead is referring to choices. However, when I got my Llewellyn deck and book out to spend some time with them a couple days ago, the book does say the Lovers card has to do with actual lovers, so in the case of this particular deck, I'll respect the creator of the deck by using it as a card that depicts an actual romantic relationship. However, I'll still need to explore the cards surrounding that card to see what it really does refer to in the spread because the 2 of Cups or that one plus a couple more will seal the deal on the exact meaning within that spread.

Lately we've had discussions going on the forum about what the term "soulmate" means. I don't believe in the concept that there's just one person in the whole world who is meant to be in a love relationship with us but I can use the term sometimes when meaning someone who is so strongly compatible with a person that there doesn't seem to be any possibility of another relationship that could equal it when speaking of a love relationship. There are deep and binding relationships we can have with friends or family members that could also be "soulmate" connections. I personally believe in reincarnation and I believe we may run across other spirits throughout our lifetimes which are so close that, for lack of a better one-word description, would be thought of as soulmate connection. When I use the term, though, it's not always meant in the romantic sense.

My late husband and I had that kind of relationship. I've never remarried and haven't even dated, but I'm 70 years old and even though I lost him when I was 55 which is kind of young to be a widow, I've just never felt a desire to form any other love connections of that kind. For about the last 15 years as a widow, I like being single.

So anyway, let me give some examples of what would convince me that a "soulmate" connection was made. I'll use the Llewellyn deck as an example since it's a deck that specifically uses the Lovers card to mean a romantic relationship.

Let's say that Mz. Ima Impatient asked for a reading and her question was whether Mr. Slipperyslope was her "soulmate" in the romantic sense. The cards drawn were the Lovers, the 2 of Cups, 9 of Cups, 9 of Swords and the Fool. In the Llewellyn deck, the Fool is portrayed as Paredur. Paredur was a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic, but he wanted to be a Knight so he just got busy doing the things he was told that a knight does and he went on to become one of the best knights at the roundtable against all odds. He was like the bumblebee. Aerodynamically speaking, a bumblebee can't fly but nobody sent him the memo, so bumblebees are flying all around the world to this day. In light of today's discussion of soulmates on AT, this would not be a soulmate connection if I were using a RWS or another deck that doesn't specifically refer to love. Given that I'm using the Llewellyn and that more than just the Lovers card is present that's associated with love in a reading (2 of Cups), I'm seeing that this spread does speak of a soulmate love connection.

However, it's still about choices:

1. The choice to become love partners with another human being.

2. The choice to accept them warts and all and vice versa.

3. The choice to brave the rough going that may lie ahead, especially if one or both partners is also married to someone else.

Tarot Stew---Don't Stew About It!

I've decided to post all Tarot and Lenormand posts here in the format for the daily post. By putting them into the designated pages to the right, I think they're going to get lost. I'm not very savvy with running a blog yet, so I'm making all kinds of missteps.

So today's topic, Tarot Stew, is about the subtle meanings each card takes on when in a group of other cards. Also I'd like to touch on how it works when we use different decks that step outside the art work and meanings of the Rider Waite and clones. Thoth also has clones but I don't use that deck, so I won't try to cover that one.

When I was learning Tarot I disregarded the advice about how to learn and just went about it my own way. I bought decks I liked on the basis of art work and theme, kind of like choosing a fashion accessory.  I wasted a lot of time, effort and money doing it that way, so in the end, I just broke down and bought a butt ugly deck----the Rider Waite. I didn't completely give in, though. I bought the Universal Waite that was recolored by Mary Hanson-Roberts. It was close enough, though, and that's when I was able to finally get a healthy understanding of that deck, I was able to finally read with other decks.

My second obstacle was Lo Scarabeo decks. I couldn't understand those decks at all for a long time. Then, with the Tarot of Sweet Twilight, I suddenly had a big breakthrough and now Lo Scarabeo decks are absolutely a gold mine in my collection. I've always loved the size, card stock and art work of all the various decks, but they wouldn't speak to me for the longest time. Once I "got it", though, the dam broke and I've been collecting Lo Scarabeo decks ever since.

How did it work? Well, I use mostly Rider Waite and clones. That means I pretty much stick with RW-based decks, which most of the Lo Scarabeo decks are. Everyone probably comes to their "aha" moment with the cards in their own way but for me it happened when I was looking through the Sweet Twilight when I came to the Death card. Death is depicted walking through the desert carrying a limp young woman. What came to me was that the Death figure was doing a kindness to that young girl by taking her away so she wouldn't have to suffer the horror of a lingering death in that desert. Then it all made sense and I've been happily using other non-standard decks with joy ever since.

Those of you who are from Aeclectic Tarot Forum, (which most of you probably are,) have seen the threads there in which Thirteen, the ID name of one of our moderators there, tells us that when a clarifying card is drawn, it's saying the same thing only in a different way from the card that's being clarified, I don't use clarifying cards in the same sense, but the "saying the same thing only different" theory applies when reading with decks that don't stick closely to Rider Waite art work, too. It brings a whole new and exciting way of using decks.  I've been enjoying it ever since. What did it for me was to just look at the art and then imagine how the images depicted on the cards could be "saying the same thing only different"than Rider Waite images.

Now to the "Tarot Stew". No card ever means just exactly one thing unless it's a one-card draw. The cards are always "flavored" by the other cards around them. A common error for newcomers is to see the Lovers card and think "Oh hot damn! My soulmate arriveth!" Not necessarily so, I'm afraid. If you've got the Lovers card along with the Devil and the 10 of Swords, for instance, you're probably going to be facing a serious life choice soon and reaping the results of  an addiction to some person, place or thing. That might just be a romantic connection you've made that's based on relationship addiction on the part of you or your SO or both of you.

Another buzz word.card is the 9 of Cups. There's been a rumor around forever that the 9 of Cups is "the wish card". It can be, but not always. Sometimes it means something very emotional for the sitter is going to be coming to an end pretty soon. The 10 of Cups can be the ending of a relationship so the 9 of Cups would show that the end is near.

I'm going to make a post on AT asking what people would like to see in my blog. There are a zillion Tarot blogs, so I know it's hard to come up with something striking and new. I'll be happy to cover any topics any of my readers want to share with me. Don't be shy. Heaven knows I'm nobody to be shy with.

Those Little Things

I've been thinking about things tonight that are so small but so useful. Like the little things my youngest daughter brings to me sometimes. This afternoon she brought me something she'd found on the street on her way over to see me. She said she thinks it's something cafes use to put condiment bottles in to serve at tables. But she said she thought I could use it to put my cones of crochet thread on. I tried it and it works perfectly for that. I've been fighting a losing battle trying to keep my threads from tangling when I'm working with them. This turns out to not only be the perfect tool for that, I could even put several colors on at one time if I'm working with more than one color. It's stainless steel and so sturdy that it will last for more years than I probably will myself.

Last night when she and Cory took out my trash they came back with a big bookshelf thing that I put right to use for my beads and crafting stuff. They found it out by the dumpster and it was in perfectly fine shape once I wiped it down to get the rain and dust off.

Then I went to check my mail late this evening and found that a book I'd ordered was in my mailbox. It was so interesting I read it cover to cover. I just finished. It's 3am and I checked the mail around 9pm. The book was Behind the Candelabra written by Scott Thorson who had been Liberace's lover for several years. Very interesting. Now I can get back to finishing the first volume of a 2-volume set about the writings from World War Two. The second volume is on the way, along with a 2 volume set on the Vietnam war. These war chronicles are part of the library I'm building for Gabriel.

So here I am, still wide awake at after 3am. I'd been burning the candle at both ends lately and had just gotten myself back onto a more moderate shedule for the last few days and now I've blown that by getting a book in the mail that was too good to put down. Sigh.

I found a recipe online for some air drying clay and gave it to my daughter before Christmas. She brought me the cutest little tiny gnome she made for me with it. When I first moved here, she gave me a cute little sea otter she'd carved from soap.

Just little things here and there but they bring so much into my life. As we go along every day, it's easy to get into a run of thinking about what we don't have, can't do, don't want in our lives. But if we think differently and stop to think about the little things that make a difference for us in one way or another, life can be so much more fulfilling and rich in the little ways that count.

I've always hated throwing things away. I'm not a hoarder. I get cluttery because of my beadwork and other crafts. But everything I can find a second or third use for cuts down on what I add to the garbage mountains of the US. I'm using empty egg cartons to put my smaller balls of thread in for crochet. I was given a big box of thread and to make it all tidy, I wound most of it into balls.

I use a cake cover from the bakery for a mixing bowl. Right now it has potato salad in it, though, And when I made a split in one of my cake topper mixing bowls, I just washed it good and cut it up into smaller pieces to use as the stuff in between two pieces of leather for the barrettes I make. The bottom of a cake container has grooves in it that can be used like those premade things that are purposely made to lay out beads for stringing necklaces so I kept that, too. I've also kept a lot of small plastic bottles with lids to free in the summer to put in with a picnic lunch instead of messy ice.

Well, enough for this time. I'm working on some items to put into the Jewels'n'Jeans Boutique. This weekend I'll be taking photos and putting some of my Tarot decks in there that I've decided to part with. I've crocheted simple bags for them. I'll also put in some other things I've made, too, because this New Year's season there's a resolution I've kept and that's to be working on beadwork and things every day of this year. I'm doing well so far. When that free table comes around in November, I'm going to be able to have piles of good stuff on it this year. I missed the first one because I was so busy moving and settling in here in Washington.

How to Work this Blog

For people who are looking through my blog, I need to explain about the additions to the pages in the menu here. I was thinking that each page would work like this particular page, only to find out that that's not how it works. Each of the pages is updated manually by me. I add to the information on each page manually, so that after a brief statement at the top of each page, there will then be the most recent post I've made on the topic. You won't get news of the updates here on this page if you're subscribed to it. You'll need to check each page yourself to see if there are updates under any topic. The topic most likely to be updated currently is the Jewels'n'Jeans page. I'm listing things for sale through that page this week, and that will include some Tarot decks I've decided to part with in addition to things I've made or works in progress.