Dwaas
anonymous_artist said:I am going to take the plundge with my deck *shudders* bit scared but we shall see how it turns out
And? As I am curious too...
Got My Scissors Out Again - this time, the THOTH gets it!
And? As I am curious too...
anonymous_artist
I feel terrible ... don't do it ... I feel like I just shot my best friend in the eye *sobs* That is just my opinion, try as you may with your own but ... be careful
catlin
Currently my navigators of the Mystic SEA and the Thoth are sitting at a friend's printing business ready to be trimmed by him (no, I won't do it myself.
Having messed around with the DruidCraft taught me that my cutting thingy is crap and that I am too impatient to do it properly).
Having messed around with the DruidCraft taught me that my cutting thingy is crap and that I am too impatient to do it properly).
Madame Squee
My Thoth is naked & feeling fine!
I read this thread last night & went to Hobby Lobby this morning & purchased an inexpensive Fiskars trimmer and a generic corner rounder. It was the only type of corner rounder they carry & it almost didn't get the job done. Thank goodness, my son helped me punch the corners -- it required a lot of strength to punch through the Thoth card stock & I never could have done it alone. (His fingers are pretty sore right now.) I am going to shop around for a better one next time I decide to trim a deck, and I'm pretty sure I will since this one turned out so great! The trimmer worked well -- a whole lot better than scissors would have.
Anyway, I knew I HAD trim the borders on my Thoth, as soon as I started reading this thread, because the keywords have always presented a huge stumbling block to my ability to use the deck. My eyes would snap to the keyword, my left brain would start whirring, and then I could hardly focus on the image. Now, it feels like a brand new deck -- one I've never seen before. There are no titles, no numbers, no keywords. Only the astrological correspondences remain, which are part of the artist's design, and that's really cool, because I've begun studying astrology in conjunction with my Thoth. Now, I see expression in faces and body language. I can even hear the water gurgling and feel the heat of fire. I love the art, and now I can truly appreciate it and learn something from it.
It has been an extraordinary transformation. I'm glad I did it , , ,
HOWEVER, I can understand how the result could unnerve a reader, especially someone who has bonded with their deck. The trimming process totally (and irrevocably) changes the personality of the deck. I feel like mine has been set free -- released from its prison of huge ugly gray borders. Now, there's nothing between us to interfere with bonding -- no labels to confuse our relationship.
I like my new Thoth -- a lot!!!
Thank you all for taking the time to post on this thread! I really appreciate your help!!
Laugh & be well,
Mme. Finestra
I read this thread last night & went to Hobby Lobby this morning & purchased an inexpensive Fiskars trimmer and a generic corner rounder. It was the only type of corner rounder they carry & it almost didn't get the job done. Thank goodness, my son helped me punch the corners -- it required a lot of strength to punch through the Thoth card stock & I never could have done it alone. (His fingers are pretty sore right now.) I am going to shop around for a better one next time I decide to trim a deck, and I'm pretty sure I will since this one turned out so great! The trimmer worked well -- a whole lot better than scissors would have.
Anyway, I knew I HAD trim the borders on my Thoth, as soon as I started reading this thread, because the keywords have always presented a huge stumbling block to my ability to use the deck. My eyes would snap to the keyword, my left brain would start whirring, and then I could hardly focus on the image. Now, it feels like a brand new deck -- one I've never seen before. There are no titles, no numbers, no keywords. Only the astrological correspondences remain, which are part of the artist's design, and that's really cool, because I've begun studying astrology in conjunction with my Thoth. Now, I see expression in faces and body language. I can even hear the water gurgling and feel the heat of fire. I love the art, and now I can truly appreciate it and learn something from it.
It has been an extraordinary transformation. I'm glad I did it , , ,
HOWEVER, I can understand how the result could unnerve a reader, especially someone who has bonded with their deck. The trimming process totally (and irrevocably) changes the personality of the deck. I feel like mine has been set free -- released from its prison of huge ugly gray borders. Now, there's nothing between us to interfere with bonding -- no labels to confuse our relationship.
I like my new Thoth -- a lot!!!
Thank you all for taking the time to post on this thread! I really appreciate your help!!
Laugh & be well,
Mme. Finestra
Papageno
this is such a frightening thread
good Lord, the Mystic SEA is such a beautiful deck
alas, no more
good Lord, the Mystic SEA is such a beautiful deck
alas, no more
Debra
I just trimmed FOUR decks!
A few weeks ago, emboldened by reviewing what people said on this thread, I did major surgery on the Tarot of the Four Elements. http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/tarot-four-elements/
I found this lovely deck simply too busy visually...so I trimmed the sides only. Now the cards are longer rectangles and the central images really POP! It reads much easier.
Then yesterday I looked in the mirror and realized that my hair looked terrible. So I took out my trusty scissors and took off a couple of inches and I look MUCH BETTER, no kidding.
The next thing I knew, I had done the obvious trim job on the Goddess, taking off the white borders so it really DOES look like these scans: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/goddess/
Exquisite!
Since it was 2:30 a.m., no reason not to attack the Classic/Classical Tarots, which are terrific EXCEPT for annoying and bizzare divinatory meanings running along one side: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/classic/
Snip! Gone! Much better!
Four in the morning? No problem! The Classical Tarots look so much better...how about the Tarot of the Master, also with annoying and arbitrary key words and way too much green? http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/tarot-of-the-master/
Trimmed both sides, leaving the tops and bottoms intact. As with the Classic Tarots, the backs are now a bit out of whack...but I don't read with the backs of the cards.
Wow. I am totally delighted. (*dancing around the kitchen!*)
A few weeks ago, emboldened by reviewing what people said on this thread, I did major surgery on the Tarot of the Four Elements. http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/tarot-four-elements/
I found this lovely deck simply too busy visually...so I trimmed the sides only. Now the cards are longer rectangles and the central images really POP! It reads much easier.
Then yesterday I looked in the mirror and realized that my hair looked terrible. So I took out my trusty scissors and took off a couple of inches and I look MUCH BETTER, no kidding.
The next thing I knew, I had done the obvious trim job on the Goddess, taking off the white borders so it really DOES look like these scans: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/goddess/
Exquisite!
Since it was 2:30 a.m., no reason not to attack the Classic/Classical Tarots, which are terrific EXCEPT for annoying and bizzare divinatory meanings running along one side: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/classic/
Snip! Gone! Much better!
Four in the morning? No problem! The Classical Tarots look so much better...how about the Tarot of the Master, also with annoying and arbitrary key words and way too much green? http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/tarot-of-the-master/
Trimmed both sides, leaving the tops and bottoms intact. As with the Classic Tarots, the backs are now a bit out of whack...but I don't read with the backs of the cards.
Wow. I am totally delighted. (*dancing around the kitchen!*)
Piper
Wow Debra, that's alot of trimming to do!
I've got my eye on my large green Thoth and my scissors, but I know I would completely ruin the deck, so I'm not touching it.
I've got my eye on my large green Thoth and my scissors, but I know I would completely ruin the deck, so I'm not touching it.
Debra
Don't be scared, Piper...It's not really that hard, and I found it both soothing and empowering at the same time. Now I feel like these particular decks, which I was having mixed feelings about, really belong to ME....I invested some labor in them and they're better off for it.
I did buy--for the first time in my life!-- a really good pair of heavy sewing scissors. Wow, what a difference from the usual cheap ones. These cost $30, but they can be taken apart and professionally sharpened and they worked just great...I had real confidence using them and can imagine owning them until the day I die. I also bought a corner rounder punch for about $5. I also screwed up a corner on a card or two in each deck. "Oh well." ONLY CARDBOARD! Go for it, girl!
I did buy--for the first time in my life!-- a really good pair of heavy sewing scissors. Wow, what a difference from the usual cheap ones. These cost $30, but they can be taken apart and professionally sharpened and they worked just great...I had real confidence using them and can imagine owning them until the day I die. I also bought a corner rounder punch for about $5. I also screwed up a corner on a card or two in each deck. "Oh well." ONLY CARDBOARD! Go for it, girl!
thinbuddha
Piper said:
Take a close look at how the BACKS of the cards will look if you trim them. Some (white bordered) decks are perfect- others will have the tips of the cross clipped off making the results a bit sad. I think the greenie might just be in the "sad resullts" category. That said, I've trimmed two Thoth decks by hand, and have never regreted it a bit.
-tb
WolfSpirit
I just got the Tarot of the Four Elements. I can see it is a bit busy...maybe I will want to trim that one too. Thanks for the heads up Debra
I can also see why you trimmed the Classic Tarot. It looks as if the old cards got glued on a white background. If I had that one I would trim that too.
I also trimmed my hair today but I made the fringe too short (I knew it was a mistake to cut that when it was still wet...) but I know it will grow back a lot easier than tarot cards, haha.
I can also see why you trimmed the Classic Tarot. It looks as if the old cards got glued on a white background. If I had that one I would trim that too.
I also trimmed my hair today but I made the fringe too short (I knew it was a mistake to cut that when it was still wet...) but I know it will grow back a lot easier than tarot cards, haha.
