Category: Uncategorized

Why There Are So Many Different Decks of Custom Playing Cards

Posted on July 23, 2024 by - Uncategorized

by EndersGame

Rarely a day goes by without news about another deck of playing cards. More decks, more designs – will it ever end? Yet the market seems to be supporting the constant arrival of more custom playing cards. And so designers keep creating new decks, and consumers keep buying them. There is no doubt that we are living in an unparalleled age, where we are spoiled with an incredible richness and range of beautiful playing cards!

But what are some of the factors that have contributed to the rapid growth of the custom playing card market? What has led to this state of affairs where buyers can have their choice from a wide range of stunning decks of playing cards, a range which is growing on a daily basis?

In this article I’ll attempt to shed some light on these questions by suggesting some factors that have contributed to the rise of the vibrant custom playing card industry as we know it today. I collect and review playing cards, and have also been involved with both card magic and cardistry for quite some time, and with the benefit of this experience, will share some insights on this fascinating development.

1. Crowdfunding

A significant factor contributing to the glut of decks we are seeing in recent times is the arrival of Kickstarter crowdfunding around 2009. Prior to this, the world of custom playing cards was quite small, and largely dominated by publishing companies like Ellusionist and Theory11. Kickstarter has changed that, and helped cause the custom playing card industry to explode, so that today we live in an era where the market is flooded with all kinds of custom decks.

How? Well, technology has reached a stage where the smart graphic designer can create a quality deck of playing cards from his desktop computer at home. Via digital communication, he can now partner with quality printing companies, harness the marketing power of crowdfunding via Kickstarter, and produce a lovely deck of playing cards. Suddenly, the little guy with a great idea can actually make it! Not only that, but crowdfunding also gives consumers new ways of discovering and accessing products that they like. Inevitably, it becomes a hothouse in which creators and consumers can meet, and delight in seeing yet another custom deck of cards become a reality.

2. Cardistry

Another big factor in the rise of custom playing cards is the rapid emergence of cardistry as a legitimate and separate art-form. Card flourishing comes with a unique set of requirements. While this includes the high performance handling that magicians have always wanted, it adds to this the need for visuals that showcase the look of a deck of cards, and which rely on these good looks to in turn create the visual drama of performance. As a result, we’re seeing large numbers of custom playing cards which are designed exclusively for cardistry, and new decks keep appearing all the time to meet the needs and wants of cardists.

Perhaps the most well-known example here is the Virtuoso deck, which was arguably the world’s first deck that was created specifically for card flourishing. An extreme example of this trend would be the School of Cardistry decks created by the New Deck Order, which have identical faces. Many of the decks produced by expert card flourishers Dan and Dave Buck under their “Art of Play” label would also fall into this category. Cardists typically look for colourful or creative designs where visual aesthetics will emphasize their flourishing moves. And because they’re constantly handling their cards, they’re also constantly needing new decks!

3. Collectors

Another factor driving the growing market for custom playing cards is the collector. Some people just love the novelty of custom designs, and appreciate high end artwork and unique designs, and so they will purchase new playing cards simply for their beauty and uniqueness. It may seem odd to some, but some collectors will even keep these decks sealed in shrink-wrap, and never open them. Regardless of what you think about that, the reality is that collectors can never have enough, and this creates a demand that ensures that new designs will continue to find buyers. Proof of this can be seen in how popular designers like Jackson Robinson, Stockholm17, Giovanni Meroni, Alex Chin, Jody Eklund, Steve Minty, and others have a legion of loyal fans who will back their new designs almost immediately, and any Kickstarters these designers launch will almost always get funded with strong support.


Collectors are also attracted by novelty and bling, so anything different or out-of-the-ordinary will usually get support as well. The general public outside of the world of magic will often get behind projects that fit this description as well, being happy to pick up a fun deck of custom cards that they can use for playing card games or even just as a novelty.

4. Cash

Generally speaking, we are living in a time of affluence, and a lot of people have large amounts of disposable income. Not only are a lot of designs of custom playing cards hitting the market, but many cardists and magicians are in a position that they have money to spend beyond the needs of their day-to-day living costs.

As a result, the cash is there to support this industry, to keep it going, and even to make it grow. When people have money to spend, dangle something new and shiny in front of them, and they’ll buy it.

5. Change

Magic is constantly evolving, and that is true of the cards used by magicians as well. As the market is being flooded with custom playing cards, which are becoming increasingly available, often at an affordable cost, we are slowly seeing this influence the magic profession. Over the last decade, the internet has had a huge impact on the world of magic, because video technology makes it easy for us to see video trailers of products, and to see performances of other magicians. Given the wide choice of custom playing cards available, some magicians are starting to use custom playing cards in their professional work, and as tools of their trade.

There was a time where it was seen as foolish to use a custom deck of cards instead of a standard Bicycle rider-back deck, because it would arouse suspicion that it was a trick deck. But that is changing, and with some magicians starting to use custom decks, and performing magic in online videos and trailers, it is becoming more normal for the rest of the world to start using custom decks for card magic as well, and the general public gets accustomed to seeing this too. People nowadays are becoming more accustomed to seeing a non-traditional deck in the hands of a magician, without it being suspicious.  I suspect that this trend will continue.

6. Character

Everyone likes to personalize things. That also true for people who are really into card magic.  A custom deck of playing cards can add small amounts of personality, style, and elegance to a performance. But that also applies to card games, or whatever you prefer to use a deck of cards for.  I find that it can be nice to change things up by playing around with a different deck of cards, just like you might choose a different pair of shoes or shirt depending on your mood or on how you want to look. For example, a luxurious looking tuck box can add a real sense of sophistication and class to whatever you are doing.


So your choice of deck can depend on whether you are going for a slick professional look in an intimate close-up setting, or whether you prefer playing cards that look more casual. Different decks will suit different situations, and while one set of circumstances might demand a traditional Bicycle deck, a very different deck might fit another occasion better.  As with other things in life, it makes sense to pick the right tool for the job you need to do.  This adds potential for new ways to choose and use your playing cards. 

7. Consumables

Everyone needs to replace their decks of playing cards on a regular basis, since cards do wear out, and lose the ability to spread and fan smoothly over time. This is especially true of those who use playing cards the most: magicians.  Both professional and amateur magicians alike will be buying playing cards no matter what – it is an inevitable reality of life that goes along with the trade. A deck of playing cards is simply not the kind of magic prop that you only buy once and then can use for the rest of your life, but it is by its nature a consumable. So there is a steady market of regular users who need new playing cards from time to time, and will be buying replacement products.

This means that there is already a large and established market of those who are purchasing playing cards for conjuring use and card magic. Customized cards are just another way to meet this existing and ongoing need, and they give magicians a greater choice and variety to pick from.

8. Competition

The maker of the Bicycle brand of playing cards, United States Playing Card Company (USPCC), has been around for a long time, and is certainly an industry giant with a wonderful reputation for quality. Their playing cards continue to have a monopoly type dominance in the playing card industry, and they have to be considered the main publisher of quality decks of cards, including those used for card magic. But times are changing, and with advances in technology, we are seeing other publishers stepping up, and in some cases even raising the bar. There are also smaller publishing companies that operate out of Taiwan or China, and have mastered printing processes that rival the quality of USPCC produced playing cards.

As a result, modern custom playing cards are often of the highest quality, at a level that is unprecedented.  The rise of this competition has only forced all creators to produce a quality product. Companies like Shuffled Ink also produce quality custom decks, making playing cards easy for anyone to produce. Certainly this increased competition in the world or printing creates an environment in which the standards are raised, and the quality and number of products being produced really flourishes.

9. Covetousness

It is an inevitable quality of human nature to want more things. We are good at buying more stuff – often things that we do not even need, just because it looks good, and we think it will make us happy. The word “covetousness” captures this well, and it refers to an inherent greed, an insatiable appetite that admires the next and newest thing, and enjoys acquiring new things.

This is a quality that many of us share, and inevitably leads to a collector’s mindset, where we see stunning decks of playing cards, and can hardly keep ourselves from buying them. It is not hard to see that this characteristic also contributes to supporting a custom playing card industry.

10. Competence

Advancing technology not only has made the whole crowdfunding industry possible, but it also allows products to be produced with an unprecedented level of quality. The whole production process is reaching new heights of competency, and is able to accomplish things never seen before.

As a result, printing companies are able to offer much more than a simple deck of cards. The cards themselves include previously unheard of features, like metallic inks, foil backs, and spot UV printing. Similarly the tuck boxes reach unprecedented heights of luxury and sophistication with the help of technology that includes embossing, foil accents, spot UV printing and more. All this combines to create a product of unparalleled beauty and quality. No wonder the market welcomes this, and buyers line up to support and purchase that brand new deck which offers a stunning look or feel that was previously an impossibility.

11. Connectivity

Along with the technological advancement that allows playing cards of higher quality than ever before to be produced, is the reality that we are more and more connected as a global community. With a click of your mouse, you are able to see cards that have been created by designers all over the world, and can purchase them over the internet. Today we are connected in more ways than ever before, and that makes the playing card industry a worldwide one.

This has positively impacted the production of playing cards, because demand for products has increased as the marketplace has opened up to buyers and sellers from around the world. We now can purchase amazing decks that otherwise we would not have known even existed! This process is accelerated as cardists and collectors share news and updates on social media, helping more people become aware of the great decks out there, thereby increasing the appetite for the hottest and newest decks that are appearing on the market.

12. Creativity

The potential for new types of playing cards is limited only by the human imagination; which is to say, the scope is almost boundless. Almost every week or month, someone is going to come up with a new or exciting idea that just has not been considered before, and that also applies to the world of playing cards. As a result, new designs are emerging into the marketplace which are clever, creative, and beautiful, in ways we have not seen before.

It is safe to say that the level of quality and creativity is generally on the increase. Projects that would have easily been funded on Kickstarter ten years ago, simply will not make the grade today, because they’re just not good enough. Part of this is due to the higher volume of playing cards that are entering the market, and a greater level of competition. But another factor is that the large range of playing cards that are being designed today corresponds to a greater number of decks that have a high level of inventiveness and originality, both from a technical and creative viewpoint. As a result, custom playing cards are appearing that are genuinely ingenious, stunning, or otherwise irresistibly attractive. No wonder it is then hard to resist purchasing them!

Conclusion

All these factors combine to produce the ideal situation for creators of playing cards, knowing that there is a ready market just waiting to snap up the best creative and new designs that come along. It also produces the ideal scenario for collectors and buyers of custom playing cards: we are spoiled for choice!

Happy collecting!

About the writer: EndersGame is a well-known reviewer of board games and playing cards. He loves card games, card magic, and collecting playing cards. This article first appeared on PlayingCardDecks.com here.

Music Lessons In Your House:
The Musical Card Game

Posted on July 12, 2024 by - Uncategorized

One great thing about Shuffled Ink is that we are always seeing fun and innovative projects come through our doors. 

Music Lessons In Your House (The Musical Card Game) is just one of our latest, with an aim to teach children music notation in a fun way.

For this blog we spoke with Michael Hoover, the CEO of  Music Lessons in Your House, a music lesson delivery service in Florida, Virginia, & Maryland.

He developed this musical game over the years by using prototype decks with his students

Michael holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA) and is an active  member of the National Piano Guild (American College of Musicians). He has produced four albums of original material and is a musician at Faith Church. 

Over the years, Michael has learned that music can’t be taught, but appreciation for music can be encouraged.

He lives by the philosophy that students are the teacher, and he is just the guide. In this way, all students are self-taught. 

Michael first had the idea for his game early on in his career after speaking with a colleague, Dick Johnson. He remembers Dick saying “kids like to play games. If you can incorporate that into your lessons, you’ll make it a fun learning experience.”

Michael’s advice to those looking to create a game is to “follow through with your idea, even if it sits on the back burner for a while.” This card game came to completion 33 years after that initial spark!

For the design, Michael wanted to keep things true to the origins of the game.

The design features black and white notes, just like the ebony and ivory keys of a piano. 

Fun fact: each note you see in his deck is hand-drawn! There was some debate on his end on if he should freehand the art or do exact computer notation. Ultimately, he decided  to freehand the art for a more organic look. 

The object of the game is simple – the first player to get rid of all their cards wins! 

The game begins with each player being dealt 5 cards. The rest of the deck is then placed face down. Players then begin placing Lettered Note cards in sequential order. 

The aim is to have a full set of notes completed on the board, ABCDEFG. If  a player cannot play a card from their hand, they pick up a new card and place one of their existing cards in the discard pile. 

Players continue on drawing cards and playing their hand until the deck is empty. If the set is not complete at that point, play continues on by dealing from the discard pile.

Or, alternatively, it can be used as a one player flash card memorization game. With this type of play, the participant will set a timer to see how quickly they can name all the notes. You can check out the full rules of the game here: Game Rules

When deciding who to work with, proximity was a big factor for Michael.

He looked at other card companies, but liked the fact that we were close enough for him to come by and visit us to discuss his project. 

Which, that is true! We love when our clients visit us. Whether it be picking up an order or discussing a new project, we enjoy meeting with everyone. 

If you are reading this and in the Orlando area, come by and see us for your card needs!

Looking to learn more about Music Lessons In Your House?

Please check out his website and Facebook. They are currently operating in three states: Virginia, Maryland, and Florida.

If you are a current client of ours and interested in being featured on our blog, please reach out to social@shuffledink.com for more details.

Outer Range Brewery’s Perfect Camping Accessory

Posted on June 21, 2024 by - Uncategorized

At Outer Range Brewery, the great outdoors is not a hobby, but a lifestyle. 

They encourage you to “leave the life below”. Leave all your troubles in the city down below, and enjoy a few cold ones in nature with your best friends.

They have two locations, their flagship taproom in the Rocky Mountains and a brand new brewery in the French Alps.
At both locations, they focus on brewing, good times, and the great outdoors.  

I spoke with Wyatt, Outer Range’s brand manager, for this project.

When speaking with him, it was clear from the picturesque view behind him that the mountains and their passion for the outdoors is at the heart of everything they do. Their personalized playing cards really showcase this. The deck features images of the team skiing, camping, and, most importantly, enjoying a cold beer together.

Playing cards have been used for centuries as a way to relax and connect with friends, a core feature of Outer Range’s brand.

The idea to create playing cards with their branding stemmed from camping trips. Wyatt said they always have a deck of cards in their bags and thought of the idea to make their own.

When I asked about the process, he said the whole thing was very easy and seamless. They started by requesting samples to really get a feel for the products. After that, once they had selected their materials, it was then a matter of pulling photos to use.

Fortunately, that was easy as well. They have an onsite photographer and had no trouble finding great images to use.

When it came to the design for their tuckbox, they went back to their roots.

The design features their original logo, their motto, and a quote from Rudyard Kipling’s “The Explorer”.

“Something hidden. Go and find it. Go and look behind the ranges.

Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you. Go!”

When I spoke with Wyatt, he was very excited to mention their upcoming 4th of July party.  At their home location, they are having a camping-themed release, complete with new swag, including personalized chairs. 

The guest of honor for the party is their brand-new Camp Lager.  It features floral notes, along with notes of biscuit and wafer cracker. The abv is 4.3%, so it’s a light beer made to keep you cool and the good times rolling. 

If you are in the Frisco area and looking for 4th of July plans, we highly encourage you to join the party at Outer Range!

Bring your friends and family, it is certain to be a great time. 

You can learn more about Outer Range by checking out their website and Instagram.

How It Began: Give & Go

Posted on May 2, 2024 by - Uncategorized

What happens when a few soccer friends get together for the

weekend and accidently create a soccer card drinking game?

That is the story behind our latest spotlight, Give & Go

 

One night in Salem, MA, a group of friends sat down together in search of a fun drinking
game to play, but were disappointed in the options they found. Existing games had pieces
that would inevitably get lost, complicated rules, and were expensive to boot. 

So, they decided to create their own.

They ripped out pieces of paper, wrote down their own prompts, and started playing
what would eventually become Give & Go. Fun fact: it was initially called ‘Home & Away’

While playing they felt a certain magic in their discussions and banter, all stemming from
the prompts. Rather than a one-off impromptu game, they realized this could be something. 

From there, the group got to work. The idea was to create a free flowing game which
would unite & bring people together. Much like footy, the inspiration behind it all.

When CLUBELEVEN first came to us with their game, it was very much still in
the design phase. They had a great concept but needed some assistance putting it
over the goal line, which we were happy to provide.

We tested different designs and formats until we found the magic recipe. Playing
the game is super simple. All you do is shuffle your cards then pull your first prompt.

Players then take turns drawing cards, discussing the prompts, and the banter begins! Each
deck is made up of action cards, discussion-based cards, and some that are just silly & fun.

All three come together to help spark insightful banter, all centered around soccer.

We worked together to polish things and create a beautiful product to be enjoyed by many.

The team behind Give & Go printed a few prototype copies at first just to playtest.

The played in different cities and settings – at home, the pub, bus rides, and even a little at work.
This allowed them to really  test the game and see what it is capable of.

Their testing went incredibly well, with the team receiving responses like
“I can’t believe this doesn’t already exist”, “This game is fire”, and
“This has brought back footy memories I haven’t thought about in years.”

It’s safe to say they were successful – Give & Go is already bringing people together,
creating camaraderie, and celebrating the beautiful game like never before.

After all those months of designing and playtesting, their project is now live on KickStarter!

We have loved seeing this project come to life and hope you check them out!

You can see their full story here: KickStarter. We also encourage you to see what they
are up to on their website, Instagram, and TikTok

Have a card story you want to share with us?
Please reach out to our team at social@shuffledink.com

How it Began:
Rt. 60 Man Gaming Co.

Posted on April 25, 2024 by - Uncategorized


Rt. 60 Man Gaming Company creators Caleb Huff,

Michael Valentine, and Kyle Quinn

ONCE UPON A TIME…

In the spring of 2018 in Huntington, West Virginia, my cousin Caleb Huff told me

he had a bunch of ideas for board games. That’s nice,” I thought. It was only a few weeks

later  that my longtime college friend Kyle Quinn, unprovoked and out of the blue said,

“I’d like to make a board game, I just don’t have any ideas.” “That’s nice,” I thought…

Wait a minute…a rusty cog started to slowly turn in my brain as I connected the dots…

“My cousin was just telling me about all these ideas he had for board games! Let’s sit

down with him.” And so began my unpurposeful interest in designing board games,

stuck somewhere in between creativity and craftsmanship. Caleb pitched us a few

suggestions, some lavish, sprawling, complicated, worker-placement games  with

resource gathering-over my head, but others closer to my level of competence  and

patience,  such as one idea that captured our imagination immediately –

A game he was considering naming ScrapBots.

The original proposal involved collecting money and multi-tiered upgrades,

but being the resident dummy in the group, I championed for stripping it

down to its essence and trimming out any of the over-complicated concepts.

We beat it around for a couple weeks and once we had our mechanics settled

on and did some play testing, Kyle and I (being former art majors at Marshall

University) went to work drawing out the 60 Mission Cards,

110 Junk Cards, and 105 Robot Parts.

Some of Kyle Quinn’s prototype homework

Finally, after settling on the name JunkBots, we met at Caleb’s office with a paper

prototype – he’s one of those baby-delivering doctors btw.  Hey,” we thought, “This

game is actually fun. How did we do this? Making games is easy.
We might have this printed in a few months.” Har har.

How innocent.  How ignorant.  How imbecilic.

Caleb Huff and Kyle Quinn take the prototype for a spin.

We knew right away who we wanted to do the actual artwork.

In art school, Kyle and I had become close friends with Glen Brogan,

who has earned a name for himself doing illustrations for Disney, Marvel,

and many other big time fancy-shmancy corporations. We anxiously

wondered if he could make time for his old pals in between his more

illustrious gigs, and he did…kind of. Glen began by designing the

box art and creating three of the 21 full robots for the game before

he got buried in other work. Of course we totally understood  and were

grateful to even have some of his original art included in our game. The reins

were picked up by Jesse Lewis, an artist I had worked with while managing

a frame shop a few years prior. We waited patiently – drawing hundreds of

pictures can take a while – especially when you have another full time job!

RustBots artists Glen Brogan and Jesse Lewis

When we finally had our art, we produced 3 copies of the game, ordering the cards

through Game Crafter, then spray gluing to chipboard and cutting the robot pieces

by hand (for those of you keeping count at home, that’s 105 pieces x 3 = 315 at 4 cuts

for each side, drumroll…1,260 cuts, phew!)  Now who is going to print this thing?

Having no clue what we were doing, we more or less flipped open the phonebook

and stuck our finger down. Got a few quotes from China and actually began working

with a company that ended up changing ownership and in the end didn’t seem to fully

understand what we were asking for. We decided to find a printing company in the

United States so there would be no language barrier misunderstandings. Staring at a list of

US printers I found online-…Hmm Florida. Sounds exotic. Shuffled Ink it is!

So totally by random chance we began work with the Americans at Shuffled Ink and

couldn’t have been happier with their customer service. Charles Levin and his team are

professional, patient, and detail oriented. He had every opportunity to take advantage of

us  (again, if all we knew about producing a game was leather, we couldn’t saddle a flea),

but rather, mentored and advised us even when it meant making less money for his company. 

And here comes October 2020. It is brought to our attention that there is a toy called

JunkBots where you use pieces of trash to build robots. Sound familiar? Oof.

Rather than chance it, we renamed the game to RustBots and with some clever photoshopping,

were able to redo the box title. With the new name in place, it was off to Kickstarter where we were

most thankful to have our project successfully backed by 260 wonderful individuals! Next came

some final tweaks to the art -I’m sure my over-attentiveness to tiny details bugged  the snot out

of the Shuffled Ink staff, but they remained tolerant throughout the years of email exchanges.

It was exciting for us to receive our white box and proofs from the printer as well as to approve the

production copy which began the process of manufacturing 1,000 of our games. We couldn’t have

been happier with the quality of the components. After five years of on and off work and through

our trusted relationship with Shuffled Ink, in February of 2024 we finally got to hold our

completed games. It’s a pretty crazy and humbling feeling to go from scribblings on a

piece of notebook paper to something that looks and feels like a real live

board game and further unfathomable that is now on four continents!

-Michael Valentine, co-creator of Rt. 60 Man Gaming Company/RustBots

Caleb Huff and Kyle Quinn contain their excitement

checking out the first RustBots shipment

Check out what else we are working on at: rt60mangamingco.com
Or, you can find Rt. 60 Man Gaming Company on Instagram and Facebook

ATTENTION ALL ARTISTS AND DREAMERS: IT’S HERE!

Posted on April 17, 2024 by - Uncategorized

Our Brand New Artist Affirmations Deck is Live

and Ready to Help You Become Your Best Self. 

This project has been a long time in the making, but well worth it. 

Back in August, for artist appreciation month, we conducted

our largest contest ever and collaborated with 54 different artists

to bring you an amazing deck filled with insight and whimsy! 

After sorting through hundreds of contest submissions,

we picked the best and brightest affirmations to help

get you through any situation. 

One of the main benefits of affirmation cards is building a more

positive mindset, and we like to think we’ve accomplished that

with the help of our contest winners.

Affirmations are a great way to practice self care, and we kept that

in mind while selecting the artwork. One of our favorites is

“Embrace your Weirdness”, something we do every day here

at Shuffled Ink. It’s a great reminder to embrace and

encourage what makes you you! 

Did you know affirmation cards actually have scientific backing

behind them?  Studies have found that affirmations activate the

reward center in our brain, which then elevates the mood.

These mood elevations encourage real-life behavior changes.

Affirmations have also been linked to an overall decrease in stress.

How cool is that?

Artistic Affirmations is not just a fun product, it’s actually good for you!

All proceeds of this gorgeous deck benefit ArtCares for Kids, an amazing nonprofit!

They are located in the Miami area and work in hospital settings

to help children dealing with physical, emotional, and psychological challenges.

They aim to nurture a child’s spirit through art, and have been doing so since 2010. 

There were a lot of nonprofits to choose from, but we ultimately picked

ArtCares for Kids due to their incredible work helping kids foster their

creative spirit, allowing them to heal inside and out. 

Congratulations to all of our artists, and to those who purchase this deck!

Go ahead and pick it up here ✨Artist Affirmations✨

Here’s to being the best version of ourselves possible!  

If you are interested in participating in a future contest,

please keep an eye on our Instagram

BASKETBALL BRACKETS
The Board Game

Posted on February 26, 2024 by - Client Feature, Uncategorized

Brand New Board Game – Basketball Brackets!

Where March Madness Meets Monopoly!

Brilliantly Conceived by a 12-Year-Old Grandson!

Made a Reality by his Grandma’s Undying Gifts of Love!

Challenge Your Bracket Opponents to Make it to the Final Dance!

Strategically & Luckily Dribble Your Way Around the Board!

You’ll Have to Take the Shots and Make the Hoops to Win the Championship!

” Everyone who plays this game absolutely loves it,

and wants to play it again. I purchased one for a

basketball coach who thought it was so unique

with qoutes on the assist and turnover cards

and fun baskets that he wanted more games.”

Kellie Ehlers

ORDER NOW – FREE 2-Day Shipping

When Mason was 11, his mother tragically died and he endured great sorrow. I was blessed to be able to help take care of this kind, good-hearted, smart young man. One day he came home from school and I asked him the usual question, “how was school today?” However, on this day, he didn’t give me the usual 12-year-old “boring” response. Instead, he said that he made up a new game and drew it in his notebook.

After a lot of hard work, continual revisions, creative improvements, and his “never-give-up” attitude Mason’s March Madness “Basketball Brackets,” was ready to become a reality.  The game is amazingly strategic, with a little bit of luck mixed in and is a load of fun with every move and every basket!  

I soon took him to a craft store to help him buy supplies to make a prototype. We had so much fun cutting out the hand-written game cards and player pieces and and even more fun and laughter playing it. It was music to my ears to hear him laugh again! The game plays on the level of many top shelf games and is the only one of its kind that is devoted to “March Madness.”  Even better, you can play it any time of the year and still have a great time.

 

When we completed the 1st prototype Mason had just turned 13. I then encouraged him to go online and see if any game manufacturing companies would be interested in bringing his game idea to life.  Mason spent weeks and then months searching but was only met with constant rejection. Two companies wouldn’t even accept a game description without an agent. Next, tried out an “invention” company and sent in an application. Almost a year later, this company called and said that they just found the application and were interested. I asked Mason if he was interested. Mason, now being older, said that he needed to make some improvements, which he did, and sent the game to the company. This turned out to be a HUGE MISTAKE!  They took a lot of my teacher’s retirement money up front and every few months kept asking for more.  After draining us for more and more while they threatened not to continue if we didn’t keep sending more, we stopped with them. Neither produced a thing for us while my retirement savings was taking a big hit.

After dropping this company one of the managers called me to say that he liked Mason’s game so much that he’d share what the next step should be: to try to find a manufacturing company on our own and eliminate the middleman. We tried places in our home state of Ohio. No luck!  Mason’s “never-give-up” mindset forged ahead  despite his disappointments and demand to search and work harder. All the while he continued to make enhancements to the game. I was so proud of him!

It was Covid times by now, and his school shut down. However, Mason used this difficult time to keep on keeping on! During this time I would meet with him at an outdoor park near his house. There he designed a better game board, moving around cut-out paper squares and re-taping them onto a big piece of cardboard until they were just where he wanted them. He wrote 70 game cards: 30 “Assist” cards, 30 “Turnover” cards, and 10 “Heal” cards all with basketball-themed wording. He designed a spinner for concessions and he designed an actual basketball shooter among other items for his “Basketball Brackets” game.

” The game is a lot of fun; it’s like

March Madness Meets Monopoly Basketball!”

Dave Grendzinski

What happened next was Heaven sent!

We found a game manufacturing company called, Shuffled Ink whose owner, Charles Levin, is an out-of-this-world kind, helpful, caring, honest, and interested man, who agreed to manufacture Mason’s game! Can you even imagine my joy at realizing that my grandson’s creativity and hard work would become a reality?! Mr. Levin connected us with his lead graphic designer, Steve Sherrin, who is a talented and also very caring man! He and Mason emailed countless times for months to get the designs, box, game pieces, cards, spinner, directions, basketball and lever, and etc. just right and works of art. Steve often complimented Mason on his creative ideas and even on his proofreading skills. (Meanwhile, to save attorney fees, Grandma Margie wrote 21-pages to receive a gov’t patent pending for Mason’s game.)

Throughout this time, another heart-touching thing happened. I was worried that my lapses in communication (due to cancer surgery and radiation treatments) would halt some of this game manufacturing process. So I informed them about my physical condition. Unbelievably, Charles didn’t charge me for months and told me not to worry about money until we get everything done. Charles & Steve kept checking on me, just for my health and not for business or fees. Charles even sent me uplifting emails with happy emojis showing such encouragement and kindness. Honestly, this level of genuine care and kindness from a stranger throughout his dealings led to a trust and gratitude that I believe truly helped me through my cancer fight. Charles was more interested in helping me live to see my Grandson bring these games to market than getting paid. I was so blessed! What business people care more about a person, a client they never even met, than the money payment they were entitled to receive? Charles and Steve cared! Even now, I’m crying as I’m writing this remembering how much their caring helped me during my bad days even during Covid when none of my 4 children were allowed to visit me in the hospital or afterward. I fought my cancer with extra determination especially because after all the sorrow that Mason had already gone through with his mother. I just had to be here for many more years for my creative, loving grandson. So every MRI, every CAT scan, every radiation treatment, every needle in my chest, or every staple shot into my breast was okay as long as that would help me recover for my grandson, and, of course, for my whole family.

Finally, 6 years after Mason first invented his game, it was completed and on its way to the USA.

Finally, Basketball Brackets arrived in Orlando, FL with Shuffled Ink to store for us.

Then, another Charles Levin kind gesture! He paid to transport games to my house in Columbus, Ohio, and stored the rest in his shop, free of charge. His generous gestures during my medically and monetarily tough time, helped me not only with bills but also made me realize the goodness given to me through a stranger, a businessman, Charles. I was uplifted to recover! Most importantly, my grandson, Mason, (who is now a freshman majoring in business) has a business role model worthy of emulation. He sees, through Charles, an unselfish example that business is more than just making money, but can be about really helping people along the way!

I stored under beds, in the basement, on top of cabinets, under tables, and in every room. My house is tastefully decorated in matching brown-box décor.) Shuffled Ink stored the remaining games. I asked Charles if he would attend the Game Show Convention in Columbus, Ohio, near my home. I even offered (tried to bribe him) to make him my homemade meatballs and lasagna if he would come to the convention to help sell Mason’s games. Unfortunately, Covid postponed the convention, and Charles could not attend. (Not attending was probably a good thing for Charles because after tasting my authentic Italian cooking, he would have owed me, instead of my owing him for the work done. Ha ha ha)

UPDATE: A year later, Charles did in fact travel top Columbus and came to my home for my meatball, lasagna, shrimp cocktail, salad, 3 side dishes and 2 very large home-made pies!!!  After dinner Charles and Mason went down in my basement and played Basket Ball Brackets for hours. All I could hear was laughing and carrying on so, of course I went down to serve them a lot more pie!  It was a wonderful night!

Mason and I have tried to sell some games in Ohio to family, friends, former coworkers, coaches, and others and we have made just a few sales. I’ve set up tables at bazaars and have been given wonderful feedback from buyers, several returning for multiple copies saying that the game is so much fun to play. “March Madness Meets Basketball Monopoly” is the phrase that one return buyer coined for Mason’s game. Players compete to win their teams’ brackets and also travel around the outer game squares earning and losing money which will be needed later for the Championship Game where players use their skills to shoot mini baskets.

Marketing & Sales has proven to be our final nemesis as it has been extremely difficult for us to break through and sell more games.  Without the needed knowhow and a large enough marketing budget it has been very tough going.  Charles from Shuffled Ink has tried to help us but he’s a manufacturing guy and this is not his forte.  While sales have not worked out for us, the experience and meeting Charles and working with his company has been wonderfully uplifting in a world of so much divisiveness and selfishness.

Mason’s dream and my dream for him continues and we hope that you will support us and buy a game!  Not only will it help us but we promise you will have many great times playing Basketball Brackets!

Mason hopes to sell out and support his college efforts as well as share proceeds with charities such as World Central Kitchen, St. Jude’s Children’s Cancer Hospital, and Special Olympics.

There’s a true joy in seeing my Gift-From-God-Grandson feel proud of his work and use it to help others.

On an even happier note, God is great, and today, I am doing very well.

ORDER NOW – FREE 2-DAY Shipping

 

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SHUFFLED INK RECEIVES AWARDS FROM FLORIDA PRINT AWARDS.

Posted on December 21, 2023 by - Uncategorized

 

 

New Achievements Unlocked!

Shuffled Ink is proud to announce that it has been awarded several accolades from the Florida Print Awards. This year also marks our 24th anniversary in the printing business. Over the years, we have had the pleasure of working with numerous creative clients, bringing their ideas to life! 

We are grateful to the Florida Print Awards for recognizing our efforts, which include: 

– 5 Judges Awards 

– 5 Best of Category Awards 

– 5 Awards of Excellence 

We are thankful for the 24 years of support and look forward to more collaborative opportunities for the 2024 year!

 

HOW TO BREAK IN A NEW DECK

Posted on December 7, 2023 by - Uncategorized

Breaking in a new deck: how do you do it?by EndersGameExperienced card handlers will often talk about the benefits of “breaking in” a brand new deck of playing cards, to make it perform and handle optimally. So suppose we do want to break in our deck, how should we go ahead doing that? Let’s imagine that our deck is still staring at us from the kitchen table, grinning at us from within its cellophane. Starting with the very beginning, we’ll run through a whole process of things we can do to get our new deck working as smoothly as possible.

Step 1: Preparation

 

So what do we need to get started?● Be clean. You didn’t see that coming did you? There you were, with your grimy hands, all ready to rip into your brand new deck, and you almost forgot this important step! The oil on your hands, and any unwanted grime that might be invisibly clinging to it, will quickly transfer to your brand new cards, and before you know it they will start looking grimy as well. So it’s important to get rid of any sweat, dust and dirt that your hands might be carrying, and give your new deck the very best start it can, rather than throwing mud at it on its first test drive! So before going any further, go ahead and wash your hands. Oh, and also be sure to dry them. Thoroughly – because we don’t want to add any moisture to our paper cards either.● Get your tools. Don’t worry, you won’t need a hammer or any heavy equipment! But a sharp knife will come in handy shortly, in order to do a neat and tidy job of opening the seal.

Step 2: Opening the Tuck Box

 

You didn’t really think that the cards magically pop out of that wrapped box, do you? This process involves several steps:● Cellophane. We begin by opening the cellophane, or shrink-wrap as it’s sometimes also called. Rather than ripping this from the top or bottom, I usually like to pull the tab provided for this around the deck. What this does is divide the wrapper into two halves. I typically remove the smaller top half, but leave the larger lower half on the deck. This provides additional protection to the tuck box, helping it stay in shape, and preventing the corners from becoming dinged up or tearing. Fortunately not too much can go wrong when removing the cellophane – unless you’re using a knife, in which case be careful that the sharp blade doesn’t slip and leave an unplanned but permanent tattoo on your skin or on the tuck box!● Seal. Now for the seal itself, which is the adhesive sticker on most decks that keeps the deck closed, and which needs to be cut or removed in order to open the top flap. Again, there are wrong ways to do this. Rather than just tear this in any fashion, I like to preserve the seal as best as possible. With a custom deck, the seal has often been thoughtfully and deliberately designed with unique artwork to suit with the rest of the deck, so it’s nice to preserve as much of that as possible. Cutting it parallel with the top of the deck along the upper flap is less than ideal, because it means you’ll invariably have part of the sticky side of the seal facing inwards, where it will occasionally attach itself to a playing card, and over time accumulate dust and dirt. Instead, it’s often best to get a sharp knife, and cut the seal right along the semi-circle shape. In a pinch, you can use a thumb nail to do this. The result of breaking the seal along the semi-circle shape will be very neat and tidy, because when the tuck box flap is closed, you’ll see the two parts of the seal come together in entirety. And there’s the added advantage that you won’t be leaving any sticky surfaces around to attract grime.● Top flap. Ideally you want to bend the top flap backwards. There is usually a line about 1cm below the top flap, which has been pressed into the deck during production, and that’s where you want to bend the top flap backwards – not at the very top of the deck itself. What this does is reveal the top centimeter of the cards, making them easy to grab. If you don’t do this, and the cards are somewhat of a tight fit in the tuck box, you may find yourself butchering the top of the case trying to get the deck out.

Step 3: Removing the Cards

 

Wait, do we really need a whole step that explains how to remove the cards from the tuck box, and do I really think you have an IQ lower than an Ace of Spades? I’m sure you’re bright enough – after all you’re reading this! – but the truth is that you can butcher this part of the process as well.● Take out the cards. If you have pushed back the top flap at the line described in the previous step, you should be able to get your fingers on both sides of the top of the deck. The most natural way to do this is to have your thumb on one side of the deck in the semi-circular thumb tab (another reason for not cutting the seal directly across the top!), while your forefinger grabs the other side of the deck along the top centimeter of the cards that has been revealed when you bent the top flap of the tuck box backwards. Now you can just pull the cards out, but even that can be a little tight at times. Get gravity to help, and tip the box over, so that the cards fall naturally into your hand. Don’t forget to inhale that new deck smell – that’s not something you want to miss is it? Breathe in deeply, and smell those new cards – you know you want to! This is also a good time to remove the ad cards, so that what you’re handling is a 54 card deck without unnecessary extras.● Smooth the edges. In the case of a USPCC produced decks, the edges of the playing cards of a brand new deck will feel noticeably rough. While this can improve over time, you might want to take your deck and rub all four sides a number of times against some fabric – denim jeans are perfect. This will remove any loose bits and can help reduce some of the roughness.external image

 

Step 4: Conditioning the Cards for Optimal Friction

 

Some swear that there’s a particular order of steps that must be followed when breaking in a deck in terms of how you handle the cards for the first time once they’re outside the box. Personally I fail to see how the order of what follows matters too much – although I wouldn’t begin with a riffle shuffle or spring for reasons I’ll explain in a moment. So here are the moves you should consider doing to make your cards perform better than when you have them in your hands for the first time.First of all, you want to give your cards a workout to help ensure optimal friction. These first moves are geared to ensure that the cards slide smoothly over each other. Cards have a coating that is designed to optimize how they glide over each other. But in the factory the cards have just been produced, and have never actually rubbed over each other yet, so there may be some small imperfections. We want to make sure that with the help of some warmth, wear, and pressure, everything is in good order and sliding smoothly and evenly. A helpful way to think of this is that you are polishing the cards by rubbing them against each other.● Overhand shuffle. Shuffle off all the cards one at a time, to ensure that all the cards move freely, and there are no clumps of cards sticking together. It’s important to make sure that all the cards are properly separated.● Wash. At this point some people recommend “washing” your cards. No, don’t get out the soapy water! A wash refers to spreading all the cards on the table, crudely overlapping each other, and shuffling them around over each other. The term “granny shuffle” is also used for this method. Personally I think that a systematic series of overhand shuffles accomplishes the same thing, is neater, and does a better job of looking after your cards, but you might find it more satisfying and effective to give your cards a “wash” as just described.● Fan. A few fans are now the order of the day, in both directions. The idea of this and the previous step is that you get the cards sliding over each other every which way.If you did the above steps face up, now repeat them face down. This ensures that each card has gone through its paces in each and every direction, from both sides.Step 5: Conditioning the Cards for Optimal FlexibilityBut cards don’t only need to slide over each other smoothly, they also need to be able to flex in different directions. If they were stiff and rigid like wooden boards, there’s no way you could handle them at all, so we want to make sure that they are malleable and soft. That’s something that the printing process won’t do for us by bending them in different directions to soften them up, but fortunately it’s something we can easily do, by giving the cards a workout to help ensure optimal flexibility.These next moves are geared to ensuring that the cards flex properly, and return back to their natural shape easily and quickly. I strongly suggest doing these steps after the ones just described to get optimal friction, because when sliding the cards across each other, you don’t want them to be previously bent as a result of riffle shuffles or springs. Although if you find that your deck is warped out of the box, these flexibility routines will help straighten it out, so you may need to adjust the order of things.● Aeration. This is a simple and interesting “flex-ercise” in which you hold the deck similar to the beginning of a spring, squeezing both ends towards each other. This causes the deck to bend into a C shape, and you’ll notice the cards all separating from each other with a layer of air between them. This helps separate the cards, and helps prevent the oil or coating causing them to stick together. Do this in both directions.● Riffle shuffle. Now it’s time for a good riffle shuffle, since not only do you want the cards sliding smoothly over each other, but you also want them flexing nicely. Do this both face up and face down, completing each shuffle with a bridge, so you don’t end up with bent or warped cards, and so that the cards are flexed in both directions.● Faro shuffle. Another good move to do at this point is a faro shuffle. Given the new deck order, the central place that splits the deck exactly should be even easier than usual to find – for most standard decks it will be right between the King of Clubs and King of Diamonds. You can complete the shuffle by bridging the cards, or by cascading the cards together if you know how to perform that flourish. A faro shuffle will also tell you immediately whether or not a deck has a traditional cut or a modern cut, depending on which way you need to weave the cards together for the faro shuffle.● Spring. Just like a riffle shuffle, a couple of good springs will help, and be sure to do these in both directions (face up and face down).To round things off, you might want to conclude with another series of overhand shuffles, just to make sure that the factory coating has had another pleasant polish and final warm up, so that it can behave optimally.external image

Closing Thoughts

In most cases, for the average person anyway, there’s no real need to artificially “break in” a deck. Just go ahead and use it! How it will handle and feel will change naturally over time, and as long as it’s a good quality deck, often this may make the handling smoother and better.But if you’re a performing professional, it may be important to make sure that a deck is in optimal handling condition ahead of a performance. In that case you will want to put a new deck through its paces before using it for the first time on the stage. Usually the best way to do this is by a systematic series of shuffles, fans, spreads, and springs, as described above, to break the cards in faster, and to ensure that they have optimal friction and flexibility ahead of your performance. It’s not a complex process, and simply spending five or ten minutes with your deck in this way should do the trick.For most of us, none of this really matters enough, and wearing in a deck is what happens automatically as we use it. Even so, it is good to be aware of how to treat a deck well, and to be familiar with some of the things you can do to help give your playing cards that familiar feel, and ensure that they won’t let you down. Treat your cards right, and they’ll treat you right!About the writer: EndersGame is a well-known reviewer of board games and playing cards. He loves card games, card magic, and collecting playing cards. This article first appeared on PlayingCardDecks.com here.

HOW LINDA CREATED THE NORTHERN ANIMAL TAROT CARD DECK

Posted on December 5, 2023 by - Uncategorized

Taking Art Skills to the Next Level

 

Many spiritualists love using tarot cards as a great tool to gain insight into the past, present, and future. With each card having a specific meaning for interpretation, this has inspired artists to create their own custom tarot card decks to become more significant and sentimental to them while also helping provide others with guidance and clarity. Today we are sharing the story behind one of many artists we have worked with who went above and beyond creating her own custom tarot card deck called “Northern Animal Tarot” by Linda.

“Look, Listen to the Nature Around You. Nature Is a Free Show. It Takes a Bit of Time to Enjoy It.” 

 

When we asked Linda about her creative process behind the “Northern Animal Tarot” deck, she shared with us that it was her first deck. She mentioned that she faced a nice challenge in making the entire deck feel cohesive. Linda also talked about how she drew inspiration from the forest creatures she observes in nature every day while creating these beautiful cards!

Advice for Artist

Great advice from Linda for those who are interested in creating custom tarot cards is to sketch them out on paper as mini cards to see the overall theme of the deck. This is a great tip for artists who are looking for new ways to take cohesive themes to the next level!

Why Shuffled Ink? 

Finally, we asked Linda why she chose to bring her wonderful project to life with us. Here is what she had to say, “Some deck creators get their decks made by you, and I had tried a few other places closer to home with mixed results. So, I thought I would give you a try since other deck creators were happy with your work. And now I see why – you listen, care, and have great communication throughout the whole process.”

We are grateful to Linda for giving us the opportunity to collaborate with her on this project. We hope her journey in creating custom tarot cards will inspire future artists! 

The Artist

 

If you are interested in purchasing your very one Norther Animal Tarot card deck, visit her online shop here and be sure to check out her Instagram for daily updates! 

 

Visit her Kickstarter for the next upcoming project!