I did! I changed all the plans I recently made, which is kind of a scary thing to do, if you ask me! So how did that happen? Well, let’s just say that all my priorities shifted over the last month, and as a result, Tarot of a Forest Witch, my most recently published deck, took the front seat once again. That’s right: I am actively working on creating the full 78-card version. And call me crazy, but I fully intend to finish painting all the remaining cards AND have a prototype in hand before the year ends. No pressure at all!

Alright, let me get you up to date on this project. First things first, I have to thank you for all the packages I’ve had to prepare these last weeks. I was slightly disappointed at the time of the preorders and ended up going for a very small print run for this first ‘Major Arcana’ edition. But then y’all went nuts, and as of now, I have just under 30 copies left, waiting to find their forever homes. I am so deeply grateful for your support 🧡💛

Now, for the 56 cards that remain to be made, progress is going strong. In fact, I might be a little bit obsessed. I recently spent countless hours brainstorming the Minor Arcana, and I’m happy to report that I have basically figured out all the designs and compositions. This, I realized, is actually the hardest part in the process of creating a Tarot deck. My brain hurts a bit, but I can’t imagine just going with the flow, painting a random card on a whim without knowing what the next one will look like. I have to see them all in my mind (and on paper) first to make sure I’m creating a cohesive, harmonious deck. So, that’s what I did, and as a reward, I get to work on the cool stuff now: the painting!

I thought I’d start with the Suit of Pentacles but ended up choosing the Wands instead. I guess I can relate to it more right now, being at the start of the trail, ready to go! I am indeed full of energy, motivation, and fiery passion; the suit of Fire makes it easier to translate that feeling on paper. We’ll turn to the Earth element later on when continuing the journey calls for more endurance than sheer excitement. I’ve already made good progress with this suit, sketching every card from 2 to 10.

What about the 1, you ask? No worries, I didn’t skip it. I just wanted to work on all the aces together to get a good starting point for the rest of the cards, and so I did! The four of them are already sketched out, waiting for my pens and brushes to bring them to life.

I’m really happy with my progress so far, especially since no more than a month ago, my vision for the rest of this Tarot deck was still unclear. All I knew was that I was going for pip-ish representations of the Minor Arcana, and that’s about it! I’m proud of myself too, for making the decision to prioritize this project over almost everything else. But I know in my heart of hearts that this project is the most important one and needs my attention. Despite the fears, the unknown, and the familiar-yet-uncomfortable impostor syndrome, this is the direction I must go.

What about all the other goals I set? Well, they’re not gone forever; I’m just putting them on the back burner for a while. It’s hard to do for some of them, but hey, we only have so much time in a day. And it’s a blessing in disguise for others: I realized, for instance, that the Oracle deck I started earlier this year (the Moon Messengers Oracle) could use a little more maturation, so I’m glad I decided not to rush it.

One goal that hasn’t changed though is the release of the Summer Collection! I’m still working on this one (it’s good to be able to switch things up sometimes with a second project) and I’m super excited to share it with you soon! ☀️🌿✨