#DeckModFails

[@annseidl208]

I love your deck mod videos, including this one. I’m an artist and I really enjoy your thoughtful approaches and your attention to detail. Thanks Dawn Michelle!

[@KittyKat-xn7fy]

I went back & re-trimmed every single deck after learning your techniques!!

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I'm still working my way through my old ones too! I side-eye my Llewellyn every once in a while, it was a very early trim and not even at all. But I think that's part of the reason I love it, so I haven't touch it yet (don't think I will!) I might get another copy and do it again tho! 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@CommonHawthorn]

"Just knowing that it's there bugs the crap out of me." Best line! And isn't it so often true.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

Isn't it? 🙂 That's my OCD brains rearing its head I guess hehe. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@joannerussell2523]

Thank you so much for making this video. I'm about to mod my first deck, and this has been really helpful!

[@mysticalfusions]

Mod fails happen to the best oif us. :0) My most epic mod failure was The Druid Craft Tarot. I bought the deck 5 times. Unbelievable, but true!!! LOL

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

That might end up being the Wildwood for me lol! We shall see. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@twisttheleaf]

For trimming my Wildwood, I trimmed via the white lines on the back (just inside the white lines) in order to create a basic green background with the knotwork in the middle. I then went through and checked dimensions and made sure there was no border/edges left on the inside and sized them. It turned out really well, but took a bit of time.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I saw someone do that on the Tarot with Scissors Facebook group and I think that's the process I'm going to follow the next time. Did you keep the titles as well? 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@twisttheleaf]

Boho Tarot I did not keep the titles. I really struggled to connect the artwork to the titles / structure in this deck and ended up removing them to turn the deck into an image only intuitive deck.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I've been trying to decide if I want to keep them or not as well. I didn't originally in my first trim, but now that I have a second chance I'm rethinking it. 🙂

[@HazelJaneTarot]

The paint gives a lovely depth to your Crystal Visions.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

Thank you so much, I really do love the way it came out. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@goslinkygo15]

The last one would look amazing with dark purple and gold with brown and black ink on the corners. You are a huge inspiration. Thank you so much. I love that you can hear the passion in your voice. It’s awesome!

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

Thank you so much, I am so glad you enjoyed it. And that's a great suggestion on color!! 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@Merlins.Daughter]

I always enjoy your deck mods, even the failed ones! I learn a lot!!

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I think I learn something new every time I do a mod. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@jamesfeeney623]

This was actually really helpful to see and hear more about! Knowing to look out for certain things, thank you for this! ☺️💚

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I'm glad you found it helpful, that was the goal! Hopefully it'll save some heartache for some folks. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@marian9410]

You might fall in love with the New Palladini again. Try pairing with the "How to be a wildflower" oracle deck. Just wonderful.....incidentally that Oracle also works with the Gill tarot....

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

Ooh good to know, I'll give it a second look. Thank you for watching. ❤️

[@mattkiraly9869]

It's really nice to see that you fail at deck mods sometimes. hahahah But on the other hand, my successes are very much like your failures. :-)

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I actually fail at it all the time, I'm just pretty good at covering up my mistakes hehe. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@layercakearts]

Me too! I did the exact same thing to my WildWood, it’s the funniest chunkiest little brick now. I used a wood grain contact paper that’s heavier then normal and it doubled in size. Sometimes it’s still endearing becuz it’s so funny.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I kinda feel that way about my Llewellyn. It's all awkwardly trimmed, but that just kinda makes it more special for me. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@13wolf13]

I did my first deck mod recently (inspired by this channel!!). What I did not do was make sure that ALL of the cards had the same border thickness. Turns out, the Majors and Court cards have different layouts than the Minor cards. There wasn't too much damage done, but a few cards are really off and I felt defeated. There are some overall cutting issues, but the project as a whole was OK for a first attempt.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

Oh yes, those uneven borders will get you every time! That's one of the things I do before I sit down to trim a deck is to check the the border situation between the majors and minors. There are often differences I need to account for. I am so glad you tried your first mod tho, that's so exciting! It's such a fun process once you get the hang of it! 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@Rosenliebe]

My first few edgings were hard lessons... but learning by doing really is a these for deck mods. I even tried glitter nailpolish on a deck. Thank you for sharing this, Dawn Michelle. I really enjoy your creative and positive videos. x

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I agree, learning by doing is a great way to get the hang of it. I've mutilated several packages of Walmart playing cards testing ideas and learning processes. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@andiinarcadia]

Just watching this video. A year later… I had that with my corner rounder eating the corner. I thought my corner rounder was broke and then went to mod the next deck and it was fine. I found a solution. The previous corner would jam it up and I think the bit it cuts off gets stuck in there… so I had a second deck with different card stock that needed corners rounding and did one corner on the problem deck and then one on the other deck and it would unblock the corner rounder and it worked.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

Glad you got it work for you and thank you for the tip! Anyone else who might be working with that corner rounder might find it helpful. 🙂 Thank you for watching. ❤️

[@casperskitty3241]

Could you upcycle the wild wood deck? Turn some cards into bookmarks or something? And I love the Wisdom Seekers Tarot! I love the story book illustration feel. Definitely adding to my wishlist.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I probably could! The Wisdom Seekers artwork is charming, such a wonderful storybook vibe. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@IntuitiveHealingLife]

Just ordered the corner rounder and the trimmer. I am going to trim my Thoth!!

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

How exciting!! I hope you enjoy the process. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@sierrawilliams1472]

I love the one in yellow and blue edging. It calls to me for a weird reason.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I'm hoping I come around to it, or I just might redo it. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@Netty5200]

I was just humbled by The Sacred Rebels the the other day 🤣 Yes, she definitely slapped me a few times during my modification process. We're ok now but boy oh boy, did she teach me a thing or three. Thanks for sharing your deck fails. 😁

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

Hehe isn't that funny how sometimes deck do that? I've had several kick my booty! 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@syddlinden8966]

With the shrinking contract paper, maybe you could stick them down, with space between the cards, then leave them for a week or 2 before trimming the cards out of the full sheet? Then the paper will shrink before trimming and maybe avoid the bordering...

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

Yeah that’s a good idea! I need to have a little patience when I do these projects. 😀

[@hollycampbell4103]

My first attempt at a deck mod was a flop. It's the Centennial Rider-Waite...my first deck. I started out by trying to trim the edges with scissors and not measuring. I realized my mistake so I went back with a cutter (the same one as yours) and they ended up getting smaller...like way smaller. But I pushed ahead and edged them with a black sharpie and it edged 'over' . I ordered another deck...and they ended up being the yellow 1970s Ryder-Waite deck. Ugh. It's going to be a while before I mod a deck again. I think we're all members of a club that we didn't want to join...The Deck Mod Fail Club. lol

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I'm right there with you! I've found practice really does help, after a couple dozen decks, I feel really comfortable with the process now. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@ladyknightofavalon]

Thank you for showing the Wisdom Seeker's tarot. I litteraly took a look at the first few cards you showed and immediately went over to amazon. I don't think I ever purchased a deck this quickly :-) I arrived yesterday and I really like the artwork. Thanks :-) Not sure yet if I want to take the borders off. My first deck I everd modded was the oop Arcus Arcanum. Scary at first but loved it ever since :-)

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

How wonderful, I'm so glad you found a deck you enjoy! I love the Wisdom Seekers, I think it's one of those underrated decks. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@OlimpiaOlimpia]

Thank you so much for these videos! You inspired me to modify one of my decks with a lot more planning and buying the right supplies. Was it perfect? Not really, it was my first time using a trimmer and I didn't notice it moved a bit with some cards so they're not all the same size now 😅 also, the corner rounder kinda ate one card that is also uneven now. That being said... I really enjoyed the process, and while now I have an imperfect deck, it really feels like my deck, like we have a connection. The deck is the Cat's Eye Tarot, by US Games. I felt like the color on the titles and the white borders were really distracting from the images, which are all painted in soft watercolors. The deck was made in 2011, but with those titles and borders it looked dated, like it had a Windows 95 feel to it (I swear it sounds weird, but if you google it you might see what I mean). Now it's not a perfect deck, but I feel like the images really pop out and it's a very sweet deck and I love it! Thank you for all your tutorials 💗 I hope I'll get better at it

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

Some of my favorite decks are the ones with less-than-perfect trimming. :) It's really more about the process at that point and its such a fun way to make a deck really feel like ours.

[@andrada12]

I really love wildwood tarot , I trimmed mine but kept the titles , and because I love this deck so much, it doesn't bother me so much the backing nor the white lines on the back. love the brown edge, I was thinking about edging for a while now in brown as well , now seeing it , I need to make time lol

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I am looking forward to fixing up my new copy so I can work with it again. Thinking that might be a good fall project.🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@NinetteNickerson]

I’m so disappointed. I thought you were perfect. I’m rethinking this. 😆 I did decide to order that first one today. Bronze doesn’t work. I’m not sure why, but all the ones I have got are dry or near dry.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

Hehe I make mistakes every time I do a mod, I'm just getting really good at covering up my mistakes. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@Tdiva-Elly]

I love the art in the new paladini!

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

Me too, it's lovely! 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@shadowmoontarot3781]

I haven't mod many decks but one thing I did and I kind of didn't like is edging my Wheel of the Year Tarot in orange/brown...The sides look awesome and the colour matches the backs perfectly but the front of the cards has a white border and the marker bled through a bit which catches my attention every time.Trimming the cards could fix this but then it will ruin the backs...Ggrrr! :P Thank you for sharing!I really had no idea that contact paper shrinks! xx

[@instagamrr]

It looks amazing trimmed, mine is trimmed and I don't mind the backs at all!

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

Oh it drives me crazy when the bleeds on the front, that is the main reason I don't use Sharpie anymore (well that and the smell gives me a wicked headache). I had no idea contact paper could shrink either, I was so disappointed! But live and learn. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@shadowmoontarot3781]

@@DawnMichelleTarot I'm the same...Sharpies give me a bad head as well...I edged a deck with a black Sharpie and I had to leave it out for days to air before I could use it :( Luckily enough I don't have any problem with it now. :)

[@k.t.hesterley7171]

Thank you for sharing.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I am so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@starschloneger958]

What Clear Coat Sealant do you use? I LOVE your trimmed New Palladini!! I want to get the deck and trim it than put a gold back on it!! What a GREAT video!! I did try to add gold and glitter to one of my old uninspired decks. Someone told me to use nail polish and that looks nice but came out really clumpy on the cards. I did get some pearlescent paint and added some of that and it worked better. The deck ended up being twice as think. I have to say that the color choices and the vibrancy of the glitter and metallic colors you can get with nail polish is FANTASTIC. I just wish that the nail polish wouldn’t end up getting gloppy a quarter way through the bottle.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I just used a basic acrylic sealant in a matte finish. I've heard of using nail polish but never tried it. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@instagamrr]

I love that Palladini tarot 😍

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

Hopefully I'll get it all finish some day! 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@estherkekauoha6256]

I just got my first tarot deck this week. It's the Star Spinner Tarot, and I will not be doing modifications to it because I find it is fine as it is. Your vids are always so helpful tho!

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

That's awesome! Most of my decks have not been modified so I know that feeling. Sometimes they are perfect as is! 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@indrajrosandi1806]

I made terrible mistake by edging my new lo scarabeo Heaven & Earth tarot using a permanent marker - note to self that better to edge the card one-by-one or you're going to have bleeding ink on your front card.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I made that mistake myself when I first started too! I think there is a way to clean it off, you might check out the Tarot with Scissors facebook group. They have lots of tips on things like that. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@LadySlippersHikes]

This Might Hurt was my mod fail. All wonky and making them smaller did NOT make them more shuffleable; it’s like shuffling credit cards. But dang I love the courts in that deck. Never use it. Won’t replace it because of the “card” stock.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

Oh interesting, I just got that deck in so I’ll be curious to see what it’s like.

[@AstariaSen]

Thank you for sharing. I plan to show my only mod/ and fail lol. Ill tag it. I appreciate you doing this video.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

How wonderful, I can't wait to see it! 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@sherrimclain1561]

my first tarot deck. i out key words on so it would help me learn. nope. did not turn out right. the first edging i did.. was in silver and it bleed... but in the end it didn't turn out so bad. ill do edging. i don't think i want ti do trimming

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

It's a learning experience, right? That's how I look at anyway. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@Wholistically_Jen]

Thanks for this video! I just got the Wildwood and I want to trim it but the line along the back may drive me crazy. I’m not sure I could read it with the titles trimmed off. I haven’t sat with it long enough to learn about the cards and read the book. If you mod your new Wildwood please do a video of it!!!! I love the look of it completely borderless but that may be a leap for me. I guess I could write names on the confusing ones or all...

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I plan to do a video on it, after looking at it, I think maybe it can be modded to deal with that line on the back without rebacking... But we shall see. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@Wholistically_Jen]

I look forward to it!

[@oysterbay9]

So helpful.

[@crab3696]

Helpful video! How about using marker pens.. would that obviate having to use clear coat?

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

Hmm, not sure, good question. I might have to try that! 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@angelatbluehairedsudios8106]

ps. ill adopt that deck! I'm feeling it as is! please don't re-back it! I'm very poor but ill buy it from you!

[@shaleev7071]

My first deck mod was Crystal Visions! I love it! But soooo uneven! But I love it!

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

My Llewellyn is uneven too, but still my favorite deck! 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@NinetteNickerson]

Contact paper just doesn’t really work. It’s better to glue onto a very thin paper. The only deck it worked on was a super thin deck with a really thin contact paper. But it’s still kind of ikky.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I agree, contact paper is not my favorite. It's very thick and often makes a bulky and heavy deck. I have plans to do a mod with some very thin wrapping paper as a back and then clear coat spray to cover. My goal is to keep it flexible but to also give some stability to a really thin deck. We'll see how it goes! 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@tspacefullstop4161]

The mod I regret the most was the Goddess Tarot by Kris Waldherr, it has the best weight card stock and now its just not the same. Beautiful images but I removed the names of the cards as well...not a good idea. That was an impetus mod, it certainly made me rethink modifying certain decks. Also re-selling is an issue, later on down the track..you're stuck with them.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

That is true, it's often very difficult to resale a modified deck. I think I've only sold one or two modded decks. The Goddess Tarot is sitting in my mod basket right now! 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@tspacefullstop4161]

Oh really...will be interested to see how you modify it. ✂️🤞🍀🧧

[@angelatbluehairedsudios8106]

I just watched your Antique Anatomy mod video WOW! this video breaks my heart! Can you please send me a few of your totally ruined for paper art projects or my BOS! I literally own 3 of the same WRS decks! (one is bridge size as I have super small hands! Or do you have an Etsy shop for this kind of thing? Want a pen pal? lol what you do is amazing! I'm a paper crafter witchcrafter too! Anyway... you got a new subscriber in me!

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I am so glad you enjoyed it and thank you so much for subscribing! 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@mariahdavis137]

If you ever want to sell your wisdom seeker tarot I might be interested. But if you want to keep it and see if you can do something to it that would help you vibe with it better I totally get that too.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

Thank you so much for the offer, I will for sure think about it. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@octowak8434]

Thank you for this vidio. It was so informative. I have The Truth-Seeker's Tarot and I think the cardstock is this same, unfortunately.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

That's a shame, I wish they would reprint it on something a little nicer (and give it a prettier back!) 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@tamipie]

OMG...the fails! My first attempt at removing borders...the Dark Royo tarot...by the time I had hacked them off with scissors, I realized that deck was unusable as tarot for me. I don't think they even tried very hard to make the images work as tarot..the whole deck is just random album and book cover art. The (Davis) Celtic tarot - gorgeous art, hideous borders, worst cardboard cardstock EVER. I hope to get an older better edition someday. And I attempted a #deckdestroyer mod on the Daemon tarot but, I just lost interest and finally threw it away. Live and learn. What doesn't drive us crazy makes us better modders!

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

I had the Dark Royo and had the same issue! I ended up giving it to a friend who I think used it in an art project lol. That was one of those that didn't really work as a tarot for me either. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@jaylallen08]

Do you edge before or after you add a new back

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

After usually, that way it gets the edges of the contact paper too. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@jaylallen08]

No problem it's an excellent video thanks for the advice I have a thin mini deck and wanted to know which one to do first

[@octowak8434]

What kind of spray do you use to cover your repainted cards?

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

It is just a basic acrylic sealer, mine is the matte finish. You generally find it in the paint section of any craft store. 🙂 Thank you for watching! ❤️

[@Jade-ug1jd]

Did you sell New Palladini tarot deck? I love to buy from you :) I don't mind the backside.

[@DawnMichelleTarot]

It ended up getting ruined after my attempts to fix things, so I had to recycle it sadly.

[@Jade-ug1jd]

@@DawnMichelleTarot Oh..I am sorry for hear that. And Thank you for the reply :)