OracleATC Cards
third and final post in the series
I am finally posting my last post in this mini series and if you missed the first two, they are right here: ATC Cards and Oracle Cards.
So, what on Earth is an OracleATC?
Simply put, it’s an Oracle card made by you for your swapping partner in the size of an ATC and accompanied by a written message received just for them.
Why and how did this come to life?
Because of my fondness for creating things for others and also imbuing good energy in them, it was kind of inevitable that I would come up with something like this. An Oracle card is something we turn to when we need advice or upliftment or guidance for the day, so why not make them ourselves for ourselves BUT ALSO why not exchange them with others?
It took me a while to set upon the size for these handmade Oracle cards. I admit, I wanted them to be a bit bigger as it’s easier to draw on bigger paper but then it struck me - ATC cards are already a very well known size and one can actually buy pre-cut watercolor or mixed media papers for them. So why not use this to our advantage, right? And so, I decided to simply call them OracleATC cards. They do get swapped (albeit only once) and are the size of a formal ATC.
I have also spent quite a bit of time in different spiritual groups and circles and I noticed that practice with connecting to the spirit or our intuition is extremely important and coveted for. Just like practice with anything else really. So, receiving a message for somebody and making an art card out of it, gives us TWO things to practice - getting a message and creating some form of art. Total win-win for me :)
There’s also another bonus, or two actually, first in receiving snail mail that isn’t bills and second, one gets to build up their own personal Oracle deck out of all these received cards. Now, how cool is that?
One ends up with a very personalized Oracle deck, after a while of exchanging these handmade OracleATC cards.
And this is, in my book, THE extra special thing. Like, really extra special - original art done just for you with a message just for you to use whenever needed, over and over again.
So, how do we go about making an OracleATC?
Quite simple really and it only takes 2 steps:
Step No.1
Get the message for your swapping partner. You can get the message by either using one of your Oracle/Tarot card decks* or if you practice getting messages straight from spirit, get it that way. The question one should ask is along the lines of: “What would be the perfect message for my swapping partner to receive with the card I am about to make?” or “What is the perfect word my swapping partner needs to have in their life right now?”. Something along these lines because we are making a card that will be used over and over again, just like any card in any of the bought card decks.
*You don’t even have to own a physical deck of Oracle cards to get your message as there are decks online that can be used for this and they work really well. The principle of pulling a card is the same, one thinks of the question and then clicks on the button or pulls down a card from the app/online page.
Here is a link to a few of Colette Baron Reid’s online decks, pick one that calls you and follow the instructions on the site.
Step No.2
When you have the message, write it down in a letter first. If you used your Oracle/Tarot cards, copy the message written in the accompanying book. If you received your own message from spirit, write that down.
Then translate this message into an image and think about one word (or one sentence) that would encompass it. It’s time to draw or paint your card now. If you used your Oracle/Tarot deck for receiving the message, you can be inspired by the card you picked. But please, don’t just copy it, add to it or make it totally your own. You will see that when you start sketching your design, you will get ideas straight into your head seemingly out of nowhere - that’s your intuition telling you what to put down on paper and that’s the practice we are after too.
Then package both, the letter and your beautiful newly made card in an envelope and send it to your swapping partner.
It’s this easy yes :)
It is obviously not a quick thing to do but it is very rewarding - for you and your swapping partner. You will get to spend quite a bit of time with your spirit team and their lovely energies, and your partner will get a message, a new card and some of that lovely energy too. And then, after a while, you will receive a new card in your mailbox as well. Isn’t this just priceless?
Small print a.k.a. “rules” and details :)
Here’s what I came up with:
OracleATC cards:
are original ATCs with a special message/meaning for the receiver
are original cards drawn, painted or printed on 250 gr/300 gr watercolor or mixed media paper
need to be in exact size of 6,4 x 8,9 cm / 2.5 x 3.5 inches
can be made by drawing/painting or printing (digitally created) - no other media should be used as the cards need to shuffle well - so no collage, 3D stuff on or anything that would prevent the card to be nicely “slippery”. If acrylics are used, cover the image with matte medium to prevent stickiness
should have no rounded corners - allow the end user to make them if they want to have them
should have nothing written on the back so that everyone is able to cover all of their cards with the same background when they receive them
are small pieces of art made with great love and intention ♡
Now, I have only made two of them so far and already broke my own rules (have put my own background on both of them) but I think everything is pretty clear now so it should work perfectly from now on :)
This really is a perfect opportunity to:
practice being in touch with your intuition and your Spirit Team - you really don’t have to be a professional card reader or psychic to join in the fun
practice some art making - you don’t have to be a professional artist to join us as it’s the thought and energy behind the cards that matters the most
do something nice and meaningful for someone you probably don’t even know.
Where can I find people to swap with?
I have set up a FB group for swapping these cards so consider yourself invited :)
Just please, answer all the questions when you ask to join - we need to be strict as there are just too many fake accounts out there.
Final words
I hope these cards take off well because they are such a nice way to connect with others in a meaningful and loving way. And who wouldn’t mind getting something so personalized as these cards are meant to be?
I plan on making a short online workshop explaining how to go about making them. I’ll share my tips & tricks from my many years of making ATC cards that will save you some money and nerves when it comes to art making. It will be very beginner friendly so stay tuned for my announcement that will be shared right here on this blog of mine :)
I hope to see you in the group and in the workshop :)
Soooo, this concludes my mini series about cards. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading them but above all, I hope you join me in the group for some card making and exchanging as that’s the coolest part of this :) What say you?
Oh and let me know in the comments if there is anything unclear about this project. I’ll add to the post if there is, so you will be helping me and others who read this in the future.
See you soon! Have some creative fun in the meanwhile :)
With much love
♥
Nina