So, I’ve always been kinda drawn to tarot cards, you know? Like, the whole mystery, the symbols, getting a little peek into what might be cooking. But honestly, buying a proper deck? Some of them can get pretty pricey, and I wasn’t sure if I was even gonna stick with it. Plus, I like making stuff with my hands. So, one day, I just decided, “Hey, why not try to make my own?”
First Steps: Hunting for the Goods
My journey kicked off right where most of my spontaneous ideas do – on the internet. I started typing away, looking for “free printable tarot cards” or “DIY tarot deck templates.” I wasn’t super picky at first, just wanted to see what was out there. Man, there’s a lot! Some were really intricate, some were simpler, some looked like old-school woodcuts, others were modern and colorful. I probably scrolled for a good hour, checking out different styles. I wanted something that felt right, not too busy, but not boring either. Eventually, I stumbled upon a set that had all 78 cards – that’s a full deck, majors and minors – and the artwork just clicked with me. It was clear, had good lines, and looked easy enough to cut out without losing details.
Gathering My Tools
Once I picked out the design, it was time to get ready. I figured I needed a few things. First off, a printer, obviously. Mine’s just a standard inkjet, nothing fancy. Then, paper. I didn’t want flimsy printer paper, you know? That would just feel cheap and wear out in like, two uses. So I dug around and found some slightly heavier cardstock I had from an old craft project. It wasn’t super thick like actual playing cards, but definitely better than regular paper. I also grabbed my trusty pair of sharp scissors – gotta have good sharp blades for all that cutting. And because I’m a bit obsessive about things lasting, I thought about how to protect them. I remembered I had some clear self-adhesive laminating sheets lying around. Perfect!
Hitting Print and Crossing Fingers
Then came the printing part. This was pretty straightforward, mostly. I downloaded the files, made sure they were set to print at the right size – I didn’t want giant tarot cards or tiny ones. My cardstock was 8.5×11 inches, so I had to make sure the cards would fit nicely on each sheet, maybe 4 to 6 cards per page to save paper. I hit print. And then I waited. It took a while, actually. 78 cards means a lot of pages. My printer isn’t exactly a speed demon, so I just let it do its thing, page after page. I checked the first few sheets to make sure the colors looked good and nothing was streaky. Everything came out surprisingly well, crisp lines and good color saturation.
The Great Cutting Marathon
This was, hands down, the most time-consuming part. You’ve got all these printed sheets, each with several cards on them, and you need to cut them out neatly. I put on some music, grabbed my sharp scissors, and just started snipping away. Edge by edge, card by card. You really gotta focus, especially around the corners, to keep them even. Some cards had thin borders, some didn’t, so I had to adjust my cutting. My hand started cramping after a while! It took a solid couple of hours, maybe even more, to cut out all 78 cards. I ended up with a small pile of paper scraps and a big pile of little paper rectangles, each one a tarot card. It felt like an accomplishment just getting them all separated.
Making Them Last: The Lamination Station
After all that effort, I wasn’t about to let these cards fray and fall apart in a week. That’s where the laminating sheets came in. These weren’t the heat-seal kind, just the peel-and-stick ones. I took each card, carefully peeled off the backing of a laminating sheet, and gently pressed the card onto the sticky side. Then I’d trim around it again, leaving a small clear border. This added a bit of stiffness and a nice, slightly glossy finish. It made them feel more substantial, more like actual cards. This step was a bit finicky, trying to avoid bubbles, but totally worth it for the durability. Imagine doing this 78 times! It was a labor of love, for sure.
The Big Reveal and First Shuffle
Finally, after all the printing, cutting, and laminating, I had a complete deck of 78 tarot cards. They weren’t store-bought perfect, you know? There were slight variations in the cuts, maybe a tiny bubble on one or two cards, but they were mine. I gathered them all up, felt the weight of them in my hands. The cardstock with the lamination felt pretty good. I shuffled them for the first time, and it was a bit stiff, but they moved. I picked a card, just to see. And there it was, The Fool, staring back at me. It felt pretty cool, holding something I’d put together myself. It wasn’t just a deck of cards; it was a project, a bit of an adventure, and a personal connection to something I’d wanted to try out. All done on the cheap, with my own two hands.
