Beautiful humans,

I think I’m going to start creating a new thing.

It’s been knocking on the doors of my spirit for a couple of years.

And now it’s time to start birthing it into the world.

THE SPIRITED BUSINESS ORACLE.

In this post, I’m going to share with you:

  • why I’m creating them
  • what creative tools I’m using
  • how I’m going to publish & sell them
  • my current list of card topics
  • initial mockups I’ve been working on
  • photos of the creative process!

I’ve been a tarot/oracle deck lover and collector since I was 18 or so… I think my first deck was Doreen Virtue’s Healing with the Angels deck (gosh, I loved her work before she turned into an evangelical nutbag).

At one stage about 20 years ago, I had an idea for creating a Goddess In You oracle deck with photographs of real women. I had a blooming magical time photographing dozens of women all over the world. It didn’t fruit into a printed product, but my heart is so happy I even did it. I made some magical connections doing it – including photographing the author Lucy Cavendish, making friends on a bus in Singapore, and having some truly divine experiences with friends.

A couple of years ago, I bought a new oracle deck – Prairie Majesty Oracle by Kara Simons, illustrated by Amy Putney Koenig. My eldest daughter saw them and said to me firmly: Mama, these look like they could have been made by you! You should make your own oracle deck!

And she was right – the illustrator has a similar art style to me. But it was more than that – she had this certain conviction about her. And what I know about this kid is she is almost always right. Born wise, that owl girl.

That night while waiting to fall asleep, I talked to the gods as I always do. I asked: What oracle deck would I create? And the answer came as a swift download, with name, topics and card names.

It would be the Spirited Business Oracle.

One that you can pick up and use every time you wanted direction about where to focus next in your business.

With cards for every area of business, including areas of mindset, marketing, making, money & more.

It was so clear to me… it felt like it distilled all my teachings into one comprehensive deck.

The next day, I woke up, bought a book about designing oracle cards… then got busy with other projects. Because there’s always something more pressing to get onto… something that could make more money faster and easier. It’s always a delicate balance in a creative business of giving yourself enough space to chase after new creative ideas while still keeping the revenue motor running.

So the wild donkey of an idea stayed in my paddock, waiting for the time for me to ride it. We moved across the country again. We settled in. I birthed new programs and a mastermind. I did a year of inner healing.

Then over the last couple of months, during healings and intuitive readings, the oracle cards came through again.

And now’s the time. I mean, it’s not the right time. There’s a part of me that feels like I should be working on something else, one that’s easier to create and produce. Something that possibly has more commercial appeal.

But I keep getting the message over and over that this is the time.

Yesterday, I asked the angels what I should be doing, and the answer was firm:

We’ve already told you what you need to be doing, you’re just not doing it.

It made me laugh. How could I keep asking a question when I’ve already been given the answer?

So here I am… running with the wolves of this idea.

Most of all, I REALLY want these cards for myself.

I feel like they would be an incredible tool to do intuitive readings for myself about what direction to take next in my business.

So even if I just create them for myself, it will be a worthwhile project.

(Also – that’s how the goal workbooks began! I made it for myself first!)

I think this is the part that’s actually gotten me stuck for 2+ years. When I’d think about creating them, I’d get stuck.

I wasn’t sure if I should:

  • try to get a publishing deal first
  • self-publish through a Print on Demand publisher that could do fulfillment
  • do a Kickstarter or pre-sale through our shopping cart.
  • self-publish and work out distribution myself (having done this before with the workbooks, I know what an enormous pain in the asshole it is)

I did just talk to my husband about it, and he said “Why don’t you do a limited edition print run to begin with? See what happens from there?”

And then I get stuck going round and round in my head about what option to go for.

I’ve decided that what I’m really going to do is create them first.

And see what happens from there. Follow the breadcrumbs.

(Also, if you have ideas or connections, I’m all ears!)

This was the next tricky part about starting to work on this project.

There’s no standard size when it comes to tarot/oracle card decks… it really depends on what publisher/self publishing option you use.

So I ended up having a research around, measuring oracle card decks I already own and collating it all together.

Measurements of oracle card decks I own:

  • Hay House (2 decks) = 3.5” × 5” // 90 mm x 128 mm
  • Biddy Tarot deck = 3.15” × 4.45” // 80mm x 113mm
  • Journey Tarot = 2.7” × 4.7” // 68mm x 120mm

Print on Demand options

The Game Crafter

  • Tarot card = 70 x 121mm /// 2.75 x 4.75 in
  • Circle deck = 3.5 x 3.5 in // 89 x 89 mm
  • Jumbo deck = 3.5 x 5.5 in // 89 x 140

Make Playing Cards

  • Tarot cards = 70mm x 121mm // 2.75″ x 4.75″
  • Custom Jumbo Cards: 3.5″×5″ (89mm×127mm)

I think the best way for me to keep my options open based on these measurements is to do a size that both Hay House and Make Playing Cards can do – a 3.5″x5″ deck.

So I downloaded the template that Make Playing Cards gives away for their Custom Jumbo cards, and got to work.

For the design, I’m using

If you’re interested, I teach the exact way I create digital art in this workshop. (Yep, you get it in the Academy too).

I’ve had a moodle around with cover options and lettering… at the moment, I’m leaning towards the more cursive lettering option. Not sure though? Might change in time. I like the blue background, and the lettering. Could possibly try an illustration of a woman/goddess instead of the sun?

For whatever reason, I feel like I wanted to nail down the borders option to go on every card first. I’m still undecided on which one I’m leaning towards… I think I need to come up with the individual card illustrations, and then try out the border options for both.

Right, here’s the list of card topics I’m currently playing around with… very much a draft at this point!

THE CEO

  • Numbers (Pricing, Profit, Expenses)

  • Delete / Automate / Outsource

  • Create Systems & SOPs

  • 80/20 Task Pruning

  • Refine Daily / Weekly Habits

  • Philanthropy / Give Back

  • Try a New Sales Technique

  • Improve Branding

  • 2-Page Marketing Plan

  • Improve Customer Experience

  • Implement What You’ve Learned

  • Build Your Business & Marketing Muscles

THE CREATOR

  • Build Business / Marketing Muscles

  • Marketing Without Social Media

  • Testimonials & Referrals

  • Lead Magnet / Free Offering

  • Newsletter / Mailing List

  • Cast a Wider Net

  • Public Speaking / Podcasting

  • Networking & Events

  • Share Your Work Louder

  • The Wild Donkey

  • New Product / Service / Offer

  • Customer Appreciation Day

  • JV / Collaborate

THE VISIONARY

  • Set Clear Goals
  • New Creative Project

  • Go Within

  • Invest in Yourself

  • The Unicorn

  • The Big Why

  • Tiny Steps / Break It Down

  • The Mastermind

  • The Right Mentor

  • The Right Team

  • Sparkle Time / Fill Your Well

THE MYSTIC: MINDSET

  • Remove Invisibility Cloak

  • Vision Board / Altar

  • Burnout

  • Clear Inner Blocks

  • Clear Your Space

  • Money Blocks

  • Deva of Your Business

  • Forgiveness Rituals

  • The Motherf*cking Zebra

  • Clean Up Tech Habits
  • Boundaries (Time, Energy, Money)
  • What If You Were Brave?

I think the topics will evolve and get clearer as I start creating. In the way I like to create, I always start with a rough outline of content, then it shifts as I create. It’s not a liner process, it shifts as I swirl between thinking, making and writing.

Phew!

Okay, this feels so good to have it all out on the page like this… to begin sharing the process.

Next steps: design more cards + share the process as I go.

I’m going to start sharing videos over socials as well – if you haven’t already, make sure you are following me on:

Would love to hear what you think! Squeeeee! We’re off on a new creative adventure!!!

Big love,