Indie Deck Review: I'm Obsessed with The Crimson Asteria Tarot
As a tarot reader and a tarot deck collector, nothing fills me with joy more than a new tarot deck.
Last year, I discovered Kickstarter. This was really good for my tarot collection. Not so good for my wallet. This blog series is for me to share the indie decks that I’ve supported for curious tarot readers, collectors, and all-around general tarot enthusiasts.
I received Amanda Spicer’s The Crimson Asteria Tarot in the mail last week and am in complete love!!!
Who created it?
Amanda Spicer, master herbalist and owner of 2 stores, Pranic Forest Apothecary. Spicer previously created the Solara Occulto Tarot and the companion oracle, Mercury, Salt and Sulphur.
What’s the tarot concept?
Channeled illustrations, the colour red, nudes, falling stars, oracles, prophetic dreams, divination at night. It is a deck Spicer wants to use in her readings.
How many cards?
80 cards. There are 2 additional tarot cards to journey with, Hope and Asteria.
Lineage?
Smith-Waite.
Influences?
Channelling.
Why I Got It:
Femme aesthetic. Nuff said.
Initial Impressions:
I love the extra little touches that came with my Kickstarter pledge such as the wrapping paper that the tarot deck was wrapped in, along with the Medusa sticker and a little leaf spring.
The deck itself reminds me of French rococo, Marie Antoinette a la Sofia Coppola. The illustrations are delicate, yet fiendish. The illustrations will surprise you. The deck feels like a prop in a Wes Anderson film.
A Smith-Waite clone, there are slight differences such as you see the expressions of people who may have had their backs turned to the viewer, as well as fewer figures in the cards. The Wands have a centaur motif in the court cards, very Sagittarius energy. The Cups have Ursula sea creature vibes.
I like the different expressions on the face. For example, 9 of Cups feels like a powerful assertion of our emotional capacity rather than an arrogant one.
My favourite cards:
The Moon
The High Priestess
Written By: Irene Lo