We had the honor of collaborating with Jessie Barber this spring! Jessie is a wonderful artist and mother who runs the Etsy store AWoodlandFairyTale . Being a full-time artist with little ones and a farm can be challenging, but Jessie still shines through and shares her journey! Jessie opens up with her viewers to inspire future mothers who love to be creative, but may feel that they struggle with finding their identity while balancing the role of motherhood. After recently giving birth to a girl almost two years ago, she mentions how 2022 “has been filled with the highest highs and the lowest lows as I adjusted and settled into the role of motherhood, while also finding a way to keep my identity as a creative and artist.”
If you would like to learn more you can follow her on Instagram here. There you can find her brilliant creations along with sneak peeks of the family!
We were excited to take this beautiful piece that Jessie created for spring and record the process of turning her artwork into playing cards! Click here to watch the process: Spring card process
Shuffled Ink had the pleasure of interviewing Holly Holton for the story behind The Decision Umbrella Deck. The Decision Umbrella Deck contains “52 Powerful Possibility Practices to help you create a life that lights you up!” The deck was created to help improve people’s decision-making process while assisting them on a journey of self-discovery. “The concept behind the title is that all change starts with a decision. Not a try. Not a hope. Not a wish. A decision.”
“LIFE CHANGES WHEN YOU CHANGE”
It all started with an Instagram account called @thedecisionumbrella! Holly shared that she always loved personal development and created the Instagram account as a way to organize her thoughts. She began brainstorming ways to bring her idea to the next level, something that you can physically hold. That’s when she got the idea to create her own card deck, “Something that was portable and could go anywhere.”
“WE ARE MUCH MORE POWERFUL THAN WE KNOW”
Inspired by her dream to be a published author, Holly partnered with an artist to create a one-of-a-kind card deck with calming colors. “When I present this card deck to my customers I always feel extremely hopeful for the future. These cards contain complex issues such as mindset shifts, brain science concepts, and subconscious programming. And I feel very proud that through this deck, I have been able to explain these powerful concepts in an easy-to-understand, bite-sized approach.” We are happy to hear about her positive feedback as she stated, “people have said that they appreciate the ‘travel size’ wisdom and that they are extremely motivational and inspirational.” She discussed that “self-discovery” and “a passion to share her knowledge” are what kept her motivated to bring this project to life. The advice she would like to pass down to newbie creators is “Settle on the size of your cards before you finalize your artwork/content! I changed my cards to the 4 x 6 size late in the process because I decided I had more to add!”
GOALS FOR 2023!
Holly’s major goal is to finish her book! She is excited to expand on the ideas in the deck and further share her creativity and insights with the world! Holly hints at another deck that may be in the works. Right now she is offering FREE shipping anywhere in the US through the end of 2022. Enter code SHUFFLEDINK at checkout. The decks are available for purchase online here.
WORKING WITH SHUFFLED INK
We asked Holly about her experience working with Shuffled ink and here is what she had to say:
“From day one they have been fantastic to work with. I got personalized attention, they always answer the phone which is amazing. I feel like I was important and the company truly cared about me and my project. Just a truly remarkable experience all around and I cannot recommend Shuffled Ink highly enough! The quality of the paper is phenomenal. They are sturdy enough to be shuffled, but not too thick. Really nice matte finish and just really well done.”
Small talk sucks! The unCURATED card game conquers chitchat once and for all!
unCURATED is a memento to late nights on the porch, where an exchange of meaningful stories forged better conversations, deep-rooted relationships, and stronger connections.
Its founder and creator, Dr. Cherini Ghobrial, hopes that each card pulled moves you closer to a solidified emotional foundation and further away from surface-level interactions.
About Dr. Cherini Ghobrial, Creator & Founder of unCURATED
After graduating from pharmacy school, where she earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, Dr. Ghobrial wanted to pursue health beyond physical wellness. Her current journey tackles the small-talk crisis.
The unCURATED card game is three rounds of creative questions designed to spark meaningful conversations, cultivate connection, and tend to all things essential to our emotional wellness.
My hope for unCURATED is that by creating spaces to ask better questions, together, we can create spaces where we can be seen, where we can see others, and where we can see ourselves more deeply. Where we can realize our shared belonging to each other, and remind each other that we’re not alone.–Dr. Cherini Ghobrial
At the beginning of the creative process, Dr. Ghobrial was unsure how impactful or far-reaching unCURATED would be. But her vision became crystal clear once she realized how much humans resent small talk. Conquering unpleasant pleasantries with more thought-provoking questions, unCURATED allows a genuine interconnection to enter the chat.
There’s no better feeling than seeing a client’s card game being played and enjoyed.–Shuffled Ink Staff
By chance, hundreds of miles away from Shuffled Ink‘s Orlando manufacturing facility, one of our employees spotted Dr. Ghobrial’s unCURATED decks at Valor Coffee in Downtown Alpharetta, Georgia.
The wonderful humans at this brick-and-mortar shop think the world of unCURATED’s mission and have happily offered the game for several years now.
“I remember packing and shipping those cards,” our team member said. “So, it was really cool to see her game out in the real world.”
Since launching in 2019 and winning the Plywood Presents: Idea Competition in Atlanta, the unCURATED card game has shipped across the globe to countless individuals and businesses.
So, whether you spot the deck by coincidence or pop into one of its East Coast vendors, be sure to grab a deck, join a group, and start connecting!
If we manufactured your card project and you would like us to share your Card Story on our blog, feel free to connect with our Marketing Team here.
(top row, left to right) Charles, Matthew, Jonathan; (bottom row, left to right) Lori, Lisa, Melissa
In December 1999, Charles Levin, Founder & President of Shuffled Ink (formerly known as QPC Games), was raising three girls and two boys, ranging in age from one to 12. As a marketer living in the top U.S. travel destination (Orlando, Florida), he wanted to create an alternative to brochures and discount books.
He believed that custom-printed playing cards could deliver impactful marketing and branding applications, educational usefulness, and of course, fun-filled family game nights.
This thought, matched with an eager, entrepreneurial mindset, kickstarted Charles’ very first custom card project: advertisement playing cards, or Super Deck.
Charles’ Card Story: From Concept to Reality
The purpose of Super Deck was to promote and elevate tourist hotspots and establishments in the Orlando area. The original pack consisted of a map and cards with discounts and coupons for local attractions, dinner shows, restaurants, shopping, golf, and recreation. Soon after pitching the concept to prospective vendors, Charles had secured the marketing deck in 90 percent of Orlando hotel rooms.
Throughout the early 2000s, Shuffled Ink’s first employees were his 5 children: Melissa, Lori, Matthew, Lisa and Jonathan. The Levin family would regularly clear off the dining room table and use the space to create playing card prototypes and other related personalized products.
As sales blossomed and new opportunities arose, Charles moved the business into his three-car garage. For several years, this is where all marketing, sales, administration, and shipping took place.
For the past 9 years, Charles and his team of production facilitators, project managers and graphic designers have operated in an 8,000 square-foot office and production facility in Orlando, Florida. By Summer 2022, we are expanding into a 35,800 square-foot manufacturing and office space in Winter Garden, Florida.
Charles’ business model has changed quite a bit since Super Deck. Today, Shuffled Ink specializes in printing custom playing cards, tarot and flash cards, packaging, and more for businesses and individuals worldwide.
Three of Charles’ kids are still involved at Shuffled Ink today.
Matthew, his oldest son, moved back to Orlando from New York City in 2016 to help him run the business as Chief Executive Officer. His daughter Lisa worked at the company part-time for many years but now oversees all customer services as Vice President of Sales. And youngest son, Jonathan, assists behind-the-scenes in the manufacturing facility.
“Throughout the past 22+ years, my kids’ incredible contributions and influence have added to the existence, growth, and success of Shuffled Ink.” –Charles Levin, Shuffled Ink Founder & President
The Levin Family (left to right): Charles, Lisa, Matthew and Jonathan Levin
Get To Know Us Better!
Shuffled Ink is a multigenerational family business with an unwavering, decades-old mission: to provide an unparalleled experience in customer service and product quality to ensure that all clients’ card visions meet reality.
See what our clients are saying about the services, product quality and pricing we offer: Shuffled Ink Google Reviews.
To receive complimentary samples of our card products, include your delivery address and phone number on your custom quote request form.
If we manufactured your card project and you would like us to share your Card Story on our blog, feel free to connect with our Marketing Team here.
While conversation-starter games are not new, Question Connection is unlike any other: It was created for kids by a kid.
Rising freshman at Harvard College and creator of Question Connection, Hannah Frazer, wonders how different middle school would have been if she’d had a safe way to meet and connect with her peers. And while she can’t alter past experiences, she can do the next best thing: change the social narrative for everyone else.
“I was the girl who loved to talk but needed a way to start the conversation.”–Hannah Frazer, founder of Question Connection
This non-invasive, supportive style of facilitating conversation, helps promote inclusion, foster relationships and build genuine connections in the classroom.
Growing up in a diverse, bilingual community, Hannah and so many of her classmates were unsure how to expand beyond their inner circle. Deep-leveled conversations, and even facilitating a surface-based one, felt out of reach. So, Hannah decided to create a practical and fun game that would ultimately redefine the nature of connections.
In this exclusive Shuffled Ink Card Story, game designer Hannah Frazer shares how an independent study transformed into a tangible product that cultivates empathy worldwide.
From Independent Study to Tangible Solution
Young adults like Hannah, who have spent the better half of their lives navigating the world through a digital lens often feel more comfortable communicating via a screen than face-to-face.
Hannah says that the constant presence of technology and social media only complicated her social challenges. This is one of the reasons why she decided to tackle such issues through a year-long independent study project.
Headed by her AP Psychology teacher, Hannah, a junior at the time, worked alongside and learned from other teachers, students, graphic designers and Shuffled Ink manufacturing to bring this ideato fruition. After starting a GoFundMepage for the card game, she covered the cost of production for the first two groups of cards (English and Spanish).
Soon enough, Hannah was actively introducing the conversation-starter game into classrooms, national organizations and other programs.
“I am always incredibly proud to be able to share this game with students and other young people,” Hannah said. “I love seeing the differences in kids’ body language and facial expressions before and after they connect with their peers.”
Join a group, grab a deck and start connecting! Info on classroom visits.
Hannah’s Advice on How to Design a Card Game
Step 1: Developing a card game that tackles social challenges takes a lot of research, time and effort. So, be patient!
Step 2: Coming up with good ideas and gaining support is not a walk in the park. But that doesn’t mean you should fold and give up. It will all be worth it when you see the positive impact that your card game provides.
Step 3: Play it forward, relax and have fun!
Play it Forward!
Hannah says that no one should ever be excluded from starting a conversation. This is why all deck proceeds go toward supplying Question Connection to under-resourced communities.
“In today’s world, there has been a huge rise in hate crimes, antisemitism, racism,” she said. “A conversation can make a world of difference when it comes to educating oneself about people from different backgrounds.”
Become a Question Connection Student Ambassador
Question Connection strives to put an end to social divisions and you can, too! Send a message to questionconnectiongame.com if you or anyone you know is interested in getting involved!
“I am someone who just chases their dreams and continues to go after things that I, myself, didn’t think was possible.” – Kearra Johnson, creator of the Revolution Card Deck and founder of Studio Lo
The Revolution Card Deck is available for purchase at bystudiolo.com.
During Kearra Johnson’s senior year at the University of Missouri, she turned an ordinary class project into an inspirational and widely successful product.
The assignment was to create something both visually and conceptually powerful. Among the list of suggested items, one, in particular, intrigued the 22-year-old artist: a deck of playing cards.
The Revolution Card Deck strives to encourage conversations on representation, activism and Black culture. It is dedicated to the dreamers who made a way out of no way.
Suitably, the first Black icon to secure a place in the deck was The Dreamer himself, Martin Luther King Jr., and that’s exactly the title listed below his card portrait.
The Dreamer, Martin Luther King, Jr., as the King of Hearts Court Card.
She includes a subtitle below each notable figure’s portrait. Malcolm X, The Nationalist; Rosa Parks, The Activist; Michelle Obama, The First Lady.
Johnson said if her image was featured on the cards, hers would read: The Visualizer.
“I feel like you owe it to yourself and those who support and love you to continue to push what you want to see happen,” Johnson said.
One formatting detail that you may notice about this deck is the in distinction between court cards and gender. Ida B. Wells is the Jack of Spades, Oprah Winfrey is the King of Clubs and George Washington Carver is the Queen of Diamonds.
“I didn’t want there to be a hierarchy,” she said. “They are all powerful figures.”
The First Lady, Michelle Obama, as the Jack of Clubs Court Card.
Since the deck’s official launch in early February 2021, over 500 decks have been sold and there are plenty more on the way. Johnson is thrilled to expand the deck’s exposure through various partnerships that will be announced at a later date.
The Revolution Card Deck is available for purchase both online and in-store at Made in KC as well as on the Studio Lo website.
To stay up to date with this incredible artist and innovative playing card designer, be sure to visit her Instagram page and website.
Shuffled Ink is honored to print the Revolution Card Deck in our Orlando-based manufacturing facility.
Creator of the Revolution Card Deck and founder of Studio Lo, Kearra Johnson.
Kearra has also been featured in media outlets such as:
Shuffled Ink is a multigenerational family business specializing in printing custom playing cards, tarot & flash cards, packaging, and more for businesses and individuals worldwide.To receive complimentary samples of our card products, include your delivery address and phone number on your custom quote request form.
If we manufactured your card project and you would like us to share your Card Story on our blog, feel free to connect with our Marketing Team here.
After the sudden loss of her grandmother, grief fueled 37-year-old Latoya Marquez’s tarot passion project.
In this exclusive Shuffled Ink Card Story, Latoya Marquez, Government Mortgage Specialist by day and tarot designer by night, shares how writing self-affirmations to cope with grief sparked a fresh approach to tarot design and healing.
Complete with a blend of modern-day imagery and traditional Rider-Waite tarot elements, this personalized deck belongs to the beholder.
During the first week of August 2021, Latoya launched her brand Shuffled World Tarot and first tarot deck, Shuffle Up!. The idea for this project stemmed from the passing of her grandmother, Petra Torres Marquez in November 2020.
This traumatic and unexpected experience filled the artist with grief and heartache, which eventually led to sleepless nights. As a Communications Graduate from the University of South Florida, Latoya has always loved to write and often used it as a therapeutic release. But what was originally a curative method, soon resulted in an incredible and inspiring year-long passion project.
Latoya Marquez, Shuffle Up! creator, posing at a studio shoot.
Creativity is the Wanderlust of Satisfaction
Latoya’s design journey began when she requested a complimentary sample pack in order to see and feel the quality of our cards, various card stocks and size options.
“(Shuffled Ink is) all of what I wanted to experience in dealing with a local USA company,” she said. “I’ve already recommended Shuffled Ink to other creators wanting to do the same type of project.”
The Design Process:
Step 1
Latoya spent several weeks writing down ideas to illustrate on each card.
Step 2
It took a total of 60 days to sketch more than 80 cards by hand. In the early stages of the drawing process, she saw her Taurean grandmother alive and vibrant in the Hierophant card.
“She loved the color purple, lit candles, blessing her altars. A very spiritual Widow,” Latoya said.
Step 3
Thirty days to color in each sketch with a thick watercolor sketch pad, drawing utensils and quality markers.
Designing your own tarot deck means applying creative liberties as you see fit. Most tarot decks follow a standard formula: 78 cards with 22 Major and 56 Minor Arcana.
Shuffle Up! holds 78 hand-drawn, unlabeled cards as well as one dedication, which reads:
For every day we blink and breathe, the sun will always set. And when the sun rises, we have a new day to reset and be better than we were yesterday.
“One of the biggest obstacles in choosing a tarot deck is finding a great set of cards to identify with,” she said. “My format for the reader of any skill level is to identify the image and develop their own perceptions. This way, each Intuitive Reader can bond with my deck card after card.”
A Glimpse into Latoya’s 3 Favorite Cards in the Deck
Devil
She waits for the next contract to arrive. In the background, a shadowed arm lingers, eager to let new souls inside.
Exhaustion from a hard day’s work is symbolized by the removed horns which now rest on the bar beside the Devil. But the day is not over; there is still ink left in her pen.
Queen of Swords
Also known as the Hardcore Nun, she takes down names for the next man to behead as blood drips from her sword.
High Priestess
Drawn to the card’s beauty, particularly the 7-day color candle in the right-hand corner and the blended scroll of parchment at the foreground.
Connect with Latoya Marquez
The first 30 decks sold on Etsy come with a soft release bridge-sized 2″ x 2″ deck called, Shadow Affirmations. This Mini Deck is an all-in-one combined oracle, affirmation & angel number divination in a 30 count card set.
Shuffled Ink is a multigenerational family business that specializes in printing custom playing cards, tarot & flash cards, packaging and more for businesses and individuals worldwide.
To receive complimentary samples of our card products, include your delivery address and phone number on your custom quote request form.
If we manufactured your card project and you would like us to share your Card Story on our blog, feel free to connect with our Marketing Team here.
“You create something and then you don’t know if people are going to want it; you don’t know how they’re going to feel about it… I’ve learned that whatever you have, and whomever it’s for, it’ll find them“ –Erica Walton, Owner of Evolving Diva Inc.
From watching family members struggle with drug abuse to being abandoned by her biological parents, Erica V. Walton has dealt with countless tribulations. Fortunately, she was not completely alone.
Walton grew up on the south side of Chicago with her grandmother, who was her primary caregiver. To help release the pain and heartache that weighed heavily on 7-year-old Walton’s shoulders, her grandmother introduced her to affirmations.
These positive reminders were written onto sticky notes as well as spoken aloud in front of her mirror. This affirming ritual followed her well into adulthood, where she decided that she wanted to share it with the rest of the world.
Through coaching and workshops, children’s novels, journals, apparel and more, Evolving Diva Inc. inspires African American girls and women to let go of and find purpose in their pain.
Walton hoped to expand her services by producing an affirmation podcast or song but plans changed when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the country into quarantine.
Rather than feel deterred, she saw this as an opportunity to create something tangible, while also keeping herself safe from the virus: create custom affirmation cards.
Speak that S— Affirmation Deck
On Dec. 1, 2020, Walton launched the Speak that S— Affirmation Deck: 30 self-acceptance cards to use while meditating and finding encouragement as well as for setting intentions.
Instead of censoring the cards with PG-rated words like others often do, this Affirmation Queen believed that affirming oneself meant authenticity in thought and language. Withal, this affirmation deck is for adult-use only.
“(My affirmations) are right out there,” Walton said. “It’s saying exactly what I want you to feel.”
A 65-year-old Bronx woman pulls a card from Walton’s affirmation deck nearly every day. During one of her readings, she felt that the cards drawn didn’t mean anything to her. It wasn’t until receiving the same three phrases consecutively that she realized the universe was clearly telling her something.
“Sometimes (@wanna_be_startin_sumthin) has moments where she feels all alone,” Walton said, having spoken to the woman about the experience. “She felt like the card was reminding her that she was strong enough to handle her current situation.”
Walton said her affirmation cards can be used for any scenario and it’s important to accept each one as you see fit. In reality, the cards are a suggested guide. It’s you, the receiver, who finds meaning in it all.
“Usually it takes a few days for someone to get back to you at other companies,” she said. “But you guys were really quick with the quote and when I had questions about the deadline and the boxes, everybody was really hands-on.”
The Speak that S— Affirmation Deck is available for purchase on her website. Be sure to follow the Queen of Affirmations on Instagram and Facebook for more information!
The Speak That S— Affirmation Deck also includes 10 BONUS cards
To receive complimentary samples of our card products, include your delivery address and phone number on your custom quote request form.
If we manufactured your card project and you would like us to share your Card Story on our blog, feel free to connect with our Marketing Team here.
“The services (Shuffled Ink) provide(s) and the process for printing decks is by far the most pleasant I’ve had the opportunity to use! That paired with the high-quality printing makes for a great experience!” —Jared Hall, OxT Cards Creator
Shuffling playing cards may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Whether your shuffling skills need polishing or you’re not quite sure how to handle a deck of cards, these simple techniques will help you further develop your signature style in the art of cardistry.
So, What is Cardistry?
Cardistry
is a well-known term specifically among those in the playing card universe. It
is typically defined as “the performance art of card flourishing”. This
non-magic shuffling technique allows for cardists to manipulate their deck of
playing cards in a visually appealing manner.
Cardistry
got its name by combining the words “card” and “artistry”. And while the name
may be simple, this craftsmanship can be difficult to execute.
One of Shuffled Ink’s clients, Jared Hall, creates decks for cardistry. His love for the technique actually stemmed from magic, which resulted in him watching various tutorial videos on the art form. Soon enough, inspiration struck and he wanted to create and execute cardistry on his own, so he did. And you can too!
The number
one tip that Hall emphasizes is practice. While the phrase, “practice makes
perfect” may seem cliché, it couldn’t be more relevant and true when it comes
to cardistry. Hall says, “Cardistry is not easy, but the payoff of learning a
move is worth all the time you spend learning it.”
Now, the more help you get the better. Watching videos on ‘Cardistry for Beginners’ or from channels like Fontaine Cards and Dealersgrip will get you out of your own bubble. The sooner you submerge yourself into the world of cardistry, the quicker the cards will fall into place…or at least for the time being, fall on the floor.
2. Steady Hands
Mastering
the art of cardistry doesn’t happen overnight. In reality, you are going to
fail more times than you succeed. So, don’t be surprised if you spend more time
dropping cards than shuffling them. Similar to professional baseball players
striking out or dropping a routine catch, even pro cardists drop cards.
If you shuffle playing cards too quickly, it leaves room for more mistakes than intended. A common misconception about shuffling cards is if you shuffle the cards quickly, it will make your performance look better. There’s a clear difference between shuffling cards quickly and creating the illusion that you are shuffling them at a rapid pace. The latter is a better technique, especially for beginners. This is where your personally crafted hand mechanics come into play.
3. You’re In Control: The Mechanic’s Grip
There isn’t necessarily one way to hold a deck of cards. But one of the most important tips to note is to find a style that is comfortable, practical and efficient. And each of your fingers has a designated section on the card that it is responsible for.
Practicing your mechanics will only get you so far, but having the right cards will allow you to perform your cardistry smoothly. It’s understandable that when you’re starting out, you’ll use any dusted deck around the house. But you’re only as confident and solid as the deck you use. Cardistry is all about comfort and finding your stylistic art form, so why not create your signature, quality deck of playing cards to match that? Shuffled Ink’s custom print playing cards are created in 3 easy steps, explore your options today!
For more
information on Jared Hall’s Cardistry brand, explore OxT Cards.
For updates
on Hall’s social media, follow @occupiedcards.
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk
(top row, left to right) Charles, Matthew, Jonathan; (bottom row, left to right) Lori, Lisa, Melissa
The Levin Family (left to right): Charles, Lisa, Matthew and Jonathan Levin
Join a group, 
The Revolution Card Deck is available for purchase at 
The Dreamer, Martin Luther King, Jr., as the King of Hearts Court Card.
The First Lady, Michelle Obama, as the Jack of Clubs Court Card.
Creator of the Revolution Card Deck and founder of Studio Lo, Kearra Johnson.
Walton posing in a January 2020 shoot with 
The Speak That S— Affirmation Deck also includes 10 BONUS cards
Personalized Playing Cards