Deck Review- The Vanessa Tarot

The Vanessa Tarot by Lynard Narciso and published by US Games, is a totally fun and modern deck full of sassy ladies and up to date themes. The Vanessa Tarot has taken it's influences from several areas including pop culture, female role models from both the large and small screen as well as heroines from comic book genres.


This 78 card deck is just the perfect size at 2" x 3.5" and easily fits into smaller hands and makes shuffling a breeze. The card backs are purple with pale colored pinstripes and blue stars making it able to be read upright or reversed. The lamination is glossy and appealing, making the fabulous imagery truly unique and is not too "slickery" that it's difficult to keep a hold of the cards. It comes with the standard LWB (little white book) of meanings and comes in a terrific keepsake tin in which to store all the cards.


The Major Arcana follows the Rider Waite tradition but with more modern, fresh scenes such as the Star which pictures a bathing beauty in a lovely purple bikini, frolicking in the water with her pail and shovel and the Hierophant as a sassy school teacher sitting on her desk as she instructs her class and the Wheel of Fortune, which I absolutely love, showing a finely dressed game show hostess standing in front of the traditional Wheel image.


The Minor Arcana, also follows the Rider Waite tradition and continues the fresh upbeat theme of this deck with cards such as the Eight of Wands picturing a witchy clad woman on a broom like the image we all grew up with of Elizabeth Montgomery in the t.v. series Bewitched as well as the Seven of wands with it's She Ra image, holding off six Wands from below.


This is a truly great deck and brings a fresh approach to the standard images many of us are used to but that's what makes it such a fun deck to work with. It's easy to connect with this deck and it's wonderful ideas and would make an excellent deck for both new and experienced, young and older readers.

Publisher: US Games Systems

Creator: Lynard Narciso

ISBN: 1-57281-574-4

images used with permission from US Games

Serenity Sunday

Be Thankful


Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.
It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.
GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.
~ Author Unknown ~


My List:


1.) My kids


2.) My pets


3.) New tarot decks


4.) Feather pillows


5.) Cool breezes


6.) Happy times


7.) The interwebs


8.) Iced tea


9.) Lazy Sunday mornings


10.) New friends

Serenity Sunday

Summer Chimes and Summer Wines


Listening to the summer chimes,
Of summer sounds of summer time,
Bringing all that nature is,
That shows and sounds like,
Summer chimes,


Chimes of soft winds,
Chimes of soft river streams,
Sounds that say of that time and season,
That summer time sounds so sweet,
It rings the sounds of summer chimes,
With rays of sunlight streaming by,


Summer chimes with summer wines,
Can be the momentum interludes of summer times,
When summer time is to be,
There in natures places,
Full of bloom and hidden places,
Where,
Listening to the summer chimes,
Of summer time,
And sitting and drinking,
A summer wine,


With the summer chimes,
And summer wines,
With summer and its nature sounds,
Bringing out the musical chimes,
Of summer sounds,
Along with summer chance,
And the per chance that evolves,
Bringing summer chimes,
With summer wines,
Of true summer chance,
With love intwined,
And summer wine,


So if per chance,
To meet again,
That evolves and begins,
From summer meets,
Bringing that summer chance,
To summer chimes,
With summer wines,
That begins and lasts,
Within in the hearts of those,
That let per chance happen,
And fall in love,


Then it will continue all year long,
For those that took the chance,
In summer chance,
And let the per chance,
Take it course,
And win,
For love to hear,
The summer chimes,
Sipping summer wine.

My List:


1.) My kids


2.) My pets


3.) Summer fun


4.) Iced Mocha


5.) Fresh roses


6.) Frogs in the pond


7.) Lemonade


8.) BBQ's


9.) Cool breezes


10.) Blooming herbs

Serenity Sunday

Gratitude Spell


What You Will Need:
~ Green Candle
~ Patchouli Oil


Instructions:
During the waxing moon, annoint your green candle with patchouli oil. Light the candle and say the following several times to Lakshmi, Hindu goddess of wealth and beauty: "OM Mala Lakshmi, Lakshmi, Lakshmi, Namah." This chant thanks Lakshmi and opens the door for abundance to come into your life. Let candles burn themselves out safely, or repeat for consecutive days until larger candle is gone.




My List:


1.) My kids


2.) My pets


3.) Ibuprofen


4.) Herbal tea


5.) Turkey sandwiches


6.) Puffs tissue


7.) Fresh baked bread


8.) Great friends


9.) Classical music


10.) Laughter is the best medicine

Serenity Sunday

Just as “Milk does a body good,” Epsom Salt may be one of the most perfect nutrients for flowers and plants. And mid-to-late spring is the ideal time to nourish the soils and roots of your favorite foliage and flowers with this inexpensive and easy-to-use compound. According to the Epsom Salt Council, research indicates Epsom Salt can help seeds germinate; make plants grow bushier; produce more flowers; increase chlorophyll production; improve phosphorus and nitrogen uptake; and deter pests, including slugs and moles.


I have a small rose garden in front of my house and each year I treat them to 1/2 cup of epsom salts in mid spring, along with the rose food I feed them regularly. I learned of this little trick years ago when I worked at a local nursery and later as a master gardener in my area. At first I scoffed and was very skeptical but one year I figured that I would be open minded and try it, lo and behold my roses started pushing new canes from their graft and were generally hardier and more full. I promised myself that I'd be open minded from then on because sometimes...you just never know when a great tip might turn up!



My List:

1.) My children

2.) My friends

3.) My cats

4.) Learning from past mistakes

5.) My willingness to let go and let the Universe handle it

6.) Time for myself

7.) The scent of the air after a rainstorm

8.) Finding the positive in a negative situation

9.) Knowing hope is always present

10.) Seeing joy on another's face

Serenity Sunday

Gratitude Spell


Gratitude will get you everything. To make use of this kind of magic, set your altar with a suitable incense such as frankincense or myrrh, as well as a safe incense burner and a lighter. Light the incense and smell the sweet smoke, then say:


Lord and Lady, I give thanks
For Sun that warms and wind that sings.
You have given me so much,
Now I give thanks for all these things.


Spend as much time as it takes to count your blessings, and speak what you appreciate about each blessing. Thank your divine patrons as you would thank a family member for a perfect birthday gift. Ask for nothing.


My List:


1.) My kids


2.) My pets


3.) Great friends


4.) Good times


5.) Sunshine


6.) Tarot


7.) Red licorice


8.) Calculators


9.) Packages in the mail


10.) Fishing

Deck Review- The Connolly Tarot

The Connolly Tarot, created by mom Eileen Connolly and illustrated by son Peter Paul Connolly is a wonderful visually pleasing deck, reminiscent of medieval stained glass often associated with majestic cathedrals found all over Europe. 

Peter Connolly has created stunning imagery using colored pencils and rich colors, making this a truly stunning deck. The images follow the Rider Waite symbolism and are easy to follow, making it a great deck for beginners and intermediate readers and  has a great positive feel to it. The cards are laminated lightly and the design on the backs make it able to be read upright or reversed.

Although following the Rider Waite symbolism, the Major Arcana does have a few minor differences like card number 13 titled Death in most decks has been softened and renamed Transition reflecting transformation and the change of life's path and card 15 normally titled the Devil, renamed Materialism which reflects that perhaps the tools of life have been abused.

The Minor Arcana are just as beautiful and detailed as the Majors and each have Roman numerals at the top of each card. There are a lot of chubby little cherubs in this deck and adds a sense of charm and spirituality that runs through both Major and Minor Arcana. I just love the colors, they are striking and the symbolism is gentle and easy to interpret. This would be a great deck for any collection.

Publisher: US Games Systems

Creators: Eileen Connolly and Peter Paul Connolly

ISBN: 0-88079-437-2

Images used with permission from US Games

Serenity Sunday

Friends For Life

We are Friends
I got your back
You got mine,
I'll help you out
Anytime!
To see you hurt
To see you cry
Makes me weep
And wanna die
And if you agree
To never fight
It wouldn't matter
Who’s wrong or right
If a broken heart
Needs a mend
I'll be right there
Till the end
If your cheeks are wet
From drops of tears
Don't worry
Let go of your fears
Hand in hand
Love is sent,
We'll be friends
Till the end!!!!


Angelica N. Brissett

My List:


1.) My kids


2.) My pets


3.) Best friends


4.) Sunny days


5.) Hope


6.) A shoulder to cry on


7.) An ear to listen


8.) Tarot


9.) BBQ's


10.) Text messaging

Deck Review- The Fenestra Tarot

Created by Thai artist Chatriya Hemharnvibul, The Fenestra Tarot is an elegant blend of soft mauve, cream and olive watercolor tones influenced by elements of Egyptian history, Japanese manga, western art and classical mythology. This is a truly beautiful deck both graceful and artistically appealing.

The card stock is nice and sturdy yet flexible when shuffling and the cards have a wonderful glossy lamination that really makes Chatriya's artwork pop. The deck itself measures 2 3/4' x 4 3/4" making it a perfect for any sized hands to shuffle. Each card has a wonderful border around it which makes a wonderful window like frame around the images and the word Fenestra itself means window which I found both enlightening and charming at the same time.

The Major Arcana features a stylized and gorgeous border with two graceful roses at the bottom of each card. This deck follows the Rider Waite tradition with it's imagery and makes it a very nice deck for beginners and experienced alike. The Moon card is quite lovely and features two female figures above and below a moon showing half and full phases. The Moon is always one of the first cards I look at in a deck and Chatriya has painted this card exceptionally well in my opinion.

The Minor Arcana are equally as beautiful with their ornate yet distinctly different border from the Majors. It is in the Minor Arcana where you can really notice the Japanese manga influence in the imagery of it's characters but the modern depictions are quite pleasant and comfortable to look at. This is a great deck, I love the colors and it's imagery appeals to me. It is very easy to read with and gives pretty detailed and accurate readings. I definately would encourage one to add the Fenestra Tarot to their collection!

Publisher: US Games Systems

Artist: Chatriya

ISBN: 1-57281-560-4

Images used with permission by US Games

Serenity Sunday

Before I was a Mom,I never tripped over toys

or forgot words to a lullaby.

I didn't worry whether or not

my plants were poisonous.

I never thought about immunizations

Before I was a Mom,

I had never been puked on.

Pooped on.

Chewed on.

Peed on.

I had complete control of my mind

and my thoughts.

I slept all night

Before I was a Mom,I never held down a screaming child

so doctors could do tests.

Or give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night

watching a baby sleep

Before I was a Mom,I never held a sleeping baby just because

I didn't want to put her down.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces

when I couldn't stop the hurt

I never knew that something so small

could affect my life so much

I never knew that I could love someone so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom

Before I was a Mom,I didn't know the feeling of

having my heart outside my body..

I didn't know how special it could feel

to feed a hungry baby.

I didn't know that bond

between a mother and her child.

I didn't know that something so small

could make me feel so important and happy

Before I was a Mom,

I had never gotten up in the middle of the night

every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.

I had never known the warmth,

the joy,

the love,

the heartache,

the wonderment

or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,

Before I was a Mom!

My List:

1.) My kids

2.) My pets

3.) Opinions

4.) New tarot bags

5.) Home made vegetable soup

6.) Patience

7.) Sage

8.) Funny videos

9.) BBQ's

10.) Sweet tea