Victorian Flower Oracle

Jewel

Travler thanks for the ideas on the Coffee and Tea card, I never got around to doing my exercise yesterday so I will be doing that this weekend.

I love your description of your Hemlock situation downgrading to Cactus and now to Sweat Pea ~giggles~. Sounds like a tornado watch being downgraded to misty rain *LOL*.

I really like the Cactus card, it was one of the cards I had in a pile of potential "favorite" cards. The other card I love is the Hawthorn, where the flowers are shnriking away from the pruners *LOL*.
 

.traveller.

The Cactus card kind of reminds me of the saying "When Momma's not happy, nobody is happy!". Ms. Cactus is both bold and gorgeous.

I keep getting warning messages from my cards about this person (of Hemlock association), along with a LOT of love-type cards. It's almost like they are describing a love-you-to-death situation. It's hard to image that someone I am acquainted with could be defined like that, but as time goes on, I am more inclined to believe it. Makes me glad that there is some geographical distance involved. I just wish the cards would be more specific on the nature of the threat.

I have a Hawthorn tree in my yard (talk about THORNS! They're huge!); I think it's a Washington but I'm not sure. I wish I had thought to clip some of the flowers for pressing, I could have added them to my journal. Beautiful blooms.

I went ahead and bought those collage sheets instead of waiting for the bags to arrive. I figure I can work on making my journal while I wait. Of course, I bought a bunch of other stuff too... for the journal (wink wink, yeah that's it). I'll let you know what they are like when they arrive. Did you see all of the mermaid items she has on that site? I wish she had more flower images.
 

Jewel

.traveller. said:
I keep getting warning messages from my cards about this person (of Hemlock association), along with a LOT of love-type cards. It's almost like they are describing a love-you-to-death situation. It's hard to image that someone I am acquainted with could be defined like that, but as time goes on, I am more inclined to believe it. Makes me glad that there is some geographical distance involved. I just wish the cards would be more specific on the nature of the threat.

I went ahead and bought those collage sheets instead of waiting for the bags to arrive. I figure I can work on making my journal while I wait. Of course, I bought a bunch of other stuff too... for the journal (wink wink, yeah that's it). I'll let you know what they are like when they arrive. Did you see all of the mermaid items she has on that site? I wish she had more flower images.

Perhaps it is time to do a reading about the "Hemlock" person with another deck that WILL give details! Let me know if I can be of assistance to you.

OHHHHHHHH I am so glad to hear you bought those sheets, please do let me know if any are stickers, and if others would be nice to glue into my journal. My journal is not solely dedicated to this deck, but have everything to do with flowers, nature, this deck, and faeries helping with my yard stuff. Very nature oriented journal. Anyhow let me know if that journaling powerphanalia you bought from here is good stuff. I really am interested in those sheets! (hoping they are really stickers).

I did not see the mermaids!!!!!!! I must go check them out!!!

On another VFO subject ... I am now formulating my opionings through my exercise, then going to the book and looking up the card and synthesizing my impressinons with what the book had to say.

What is your take on the Tea and Coffee card? I know it says Friendship or something like that on it, but to be honest I see them more as opposites, and the flies on the card, particularly the one sitting on the rim of the tea cup had me having a "crinkly or scunchie face" reaction to the card. But I could not really see the friendship connection. To me that is like Coke and 7-Up you know???? I see the card more as a sharing of culture perhaps. A quiet moment of reflection and introspection. A formal social event. Or just needing caffeine to make it trhough the day and to watch out for pests (flies). My perception of this card is very different than the book.
 

.traveller.

I think the Tea and Coffee card has quite a few layers to it, the symbolism of the coffee grinder comes to mind. The insects make me think of uninvited guests. There is more but I am at work and I don't type very fast (looks nervously over her shoulder).

I want to make a tiny journal to keep with the cards themselves, that is why I want it to match.

I have tried to read on "Hemlock" but my readings, instinct, dreams are telling me one thing, but my eyes and common sense are telling me that it is impossible. It's about a fundamental deception (think gender) and as long as I accept the truth, rather than the deception, then things are great. Does that make any sense?
 

Jewel

.traveller. said:
It's about a fundamental deception (think gender) and as long as I accept the truth, rather than the deception, then things are great. Does that make any sense?
No but it certainly sounds intriguing! *LOL*.

I love your interpretation of the flies as unvited guests. When you have time to type, without having to look over your shoulder, I would love to hear more about the layers you see in the Tea and Coffee card.
 

.traveller.

Sure! My boss is a really great guy, but I don't want to abuse his good nature. I'll be able to write during lunch.
 

.traveller.

The insects represent pests, busy bodies, "the fly on the wall" and therefore spying, note that the two women are not sharing a drink but drink entirely different beverages. This makes me think of a coffee house or a waiting room (like in a hospital or doctor's office). Tea appears to be serving, but who is she serving? The insects or her own interests? I see alot of intrigue in this card.
So far, in actual readings, it has referred to secret or low profile meetings (esp. combined with Violet), people interfering with your life because they think they know better and that you shouldn't be allowed to make your own choices. Being forced to be social and entertaining when you'd rather sit around in your pjs with a trashy novel.
 

Jewel

This week I had the Water Lily card as my card to explore and get to know. This is the card that cought my attention as my favorite card in the deck, I found the red butterfly offering the red thing (which I later learned was the Sacred Heart) very interesting and he really captured my attention.

I did a little research on water lilies, and explored the card, and then went to the companion book. My experience with the card was not religious in any way, which seems to be the focus in the companion book, but I did find the "piety" aspect very very relevant just in a different way. Not religious piety, but in being absorbed in ones own interests to the point of not even knowing you are neglecting others (like the nun to the butterfly in the card). The butterfly is offering her something and she does not even see it or hear him.

What was even more interesting to me, as I want to use this oracle with my Fantastic Menagerie deck, is that this card of the week piggy-backed perfectly with a reading I did for myslef with the FM! So I have no doubt that these two decks will work very very well together.

Just thought I would share.
 

.traveller.

Water Lily came up as one of my daily cards, I posted about it in the other forum. Tomorrow starts week three of my daily draws with the oracle and I am going to incorporate the FMT by drawing one card from each. Astrae has been doing the same with the VFO and The Victorian Romantic with terrific results. I am experimenting with questions tonight and in one draw, I pulled The Flower Ball and the Chariot. These two cards look very exciting together, so much activity; it made me think of a parade.

I'm still waiting on my order from Alphastamps, it didn't ship until Wednesday which I am not pleased about. Still no news about the bags either and that adds to my peevishness as well.
 

.traveller.

I have my package! The Grandville images are drawn from the original source material so they do differ in coloring from the Oracle. The coloring on the originals is more delicate. The cardstock is smooth and lightweight, the print quality is alright. I give it a "B". The fabric panel I like and dislike, I give it a "B-" because it needs more saturation. I plan to use it on the cover of my VFO journal. The transparency is too yellow, although I can see from the freebie she sent me that this isn't normal for her products. I don't recommend the transparency at all, however it adds punch to the cardstock images when I lay one on top of the other. I will use them this way since I like supersaturated images.
The other things I bought were all nice and the freebie was a transparency consisting of old Victorian advertisements (very crisp images). If you want to see pictures let me know. I am happy because now I can start on making my VFO journal. I was particularily pleased with the accordian book kit I purchased for this purpose.

Once I get my journal set up, I can post a pic if anyone is interested. :)