Cards and magic, have gone hand-in-hand ever since the 1400s. From witchcraft debunking and poker trickery to street and stage performances, manipulation card tricks captivate the playing card community.
But why does there seem to be an eternal flame lit underneath card magic? Well, our fascination with card illusions can be attributed to the very first magicians who inspired today’s crop of recruits.
An illusionist and magician are interchangeable. Both perform in a public capacity and perform magic tricks like sleight-of-hand and other manipulation tricks with various props like playing cards, rope, handcuffs, etc.
Card Magic
The First Magicians
Robert Houdin‘s (1805 – 1871) background in clockmaking enticed him to implement electricity into his performances. He was one of the first magicians to do so. But it was a much simpler party trick that secured his claim to fame as the Father of Modern Magic. During the popular act, his son, while blindfolded, tried to guess objects that Robert held in the air.
Harry Houdini (1874 – 1926) added an “I” to the end of his stage name as a nod to the late Robert Houdin. Houdini was known for escape artist, successfully using strength, intelligence and agility to break free from chain and rope restrictions.
The card collecting process may be non-linear, but your deck display shouldn’t be.
What deems a deck worthy of collecting, let alone displaying? Well, there really isn’t a definitive answer to this question. Choosing which playing cards to display is determined on a collector-to-collector basis. But there are a ton of factors that go into the collecting process. Some collectors look for vibrant designs that stand out. For others, it is the brand that secures a spot on the self. There are even collectors who seek misprint decks because of their one-of-a-kind flaws. But really, the art of collecting is based on preference, and even that isn’t always consistent.
Here’s another commonly asked question: Are you are a card collector or a box collector?
Unlike box collectors, who see breaking deck seals as a collecting sin, card collectors don’t necessarily share that mindset, especially if they aren’t interested in selling or trading their cards. Card collectors enjoy tearing away the cello wrap and seals in order to admire the card’s design. Now, one collector isn’t superior to the other, but this distinction does impact how collections are displayed.
The card-collecting process may be non-linear, but your deck display should not be. If your decks are shoved in a junk drawer or hidden in boxes under your bed, and you’re looking for a way to better display them, then you’re in the right place. In this article, you will discover how even the most mundane household items can be repurposed to display your unique collection.
For Box Collectors:
1. Shelf Display
Let’s start off with one of the most common display options. This presentation can kill two birds with one stone by using one space for multiple collections. Now, of course, this doesn’t have to be a shelf filled with books or even any type of item besides your card collection. We just like to remind you that it isn’t necessary to clear an entire shelf for only cards unless you’d prefer it that way. Here are some ‘bookshelf display’ examples from a few of our clients.
(Please note that Shuffled Ink did not produce every deck in the photos).
2. Bottles
Think back to the first deck you ever owned. Why did you get it? Was it a gift? An impulse purchase? Did you design it yourself? Has that one become a party of five…and five turned into twenty and beyond? Do you know where they are now?
If your answer to the last question is along the lines of ‘hidden away and out of sight,’ then we have a solution for you. This method repurposes wine bottles and
For Card & Box Collectors:
1. Shadow Box
The Shadow Box method is one of the coolest ways to showcase both the playing card and box design. Place each card box on the far left of the case and in every space thereafter display your favorite cards from that deck.
The community of playing card collecting is a place for 1,000-deck veterans; for newbies navigating their way through the hobby; for manufacturers like us who want to better understand your fascination with specific decks.
Collectors, designers, backers — these are several types of members in the playing card community. A wonderful thing about being a part of this world is the support from the members. There are tons of social media groups that guide such a hobby.
(multiple display cases on the wall); (displayed on bookshelf with her favorite books)
Artist Delilah Miske masterfully modernized the Rider-Waite-Smith deck in the winter of 2020. Rooted in relevance to the 21st-century reader, Adapt Tarot is a 78-card ensemble of upcycled material.
With a focus on collage art, inclusion and the environment, this deck is for anyone wishing to investigate the mysteries of the inner world.
In this exclusive Shuffled Ink Card Story, Delilah Miske shares how she used materials destined for the trash to capture the Major and Minor Arcana.
Restoring Centuries-Old Tarot Symbols
Delilah’s Card Story began well before she was even born.
In the late 1960s, while moving into a new home, Delilah’s grandmother discovered a tarot deck in the attic. Intrigued by the neglected pack of card art, she soon learned how to read the set.
Decades later, the family matriarch kindled the same passion in her granddaughter Delilah by gifting her a tarot guidebook.
For many years, Delilah either read tarot cards quietly in her room or with close friends. And when the pandemic hit, she found a social connection through tarot influencers like @laetitia.cartomancy, @thejessicadore and @em0tional0nline333 on Instagram.
Motivated to contribute to and make her mark on the world of tarot, Delilah spent her time rummaging through thrift stores, bins and other forgotten and abandoned sites to find and piece together images best suited to bring her custom tarot project to life.
The Making of Adapt Tarot: step-by-step
I hadn’t seen many tarot decks using collage, and I thought that I had something new to bring to the community. –Delilah Miske
Thrift All Materials: As a painter, purchasing new materials can be pricy. To avoid buyer’s remorse and racking up the bill, Delilah suggests shopping second-hand.
Cut Out Images: For this particular tarot project, she found old books from thrift stores, flipped through its pages and cut out eclectic designs and poems.
Make Arrangements: Then, she determined which pictures/symbols fit well together.
Glue and Label: 78 collages later, she glued each assorted image onto its respective piece of Bristol paper, then labeled each one; 22 Major and 56 Minor Arcana.
Scan the Images: At a local scan shop, she scanned the finished artwork.
Choose a Printer/Manufacturer: Delilah trusted our team at Shuffled Ink to bring her tarot restoration project to fruition. Using our free custom art templates, she submitted her artwork to us with ease.
The Rider-Waite-Smith Wheel of Fortune card (left) and Delilah Miske’s restored Adapt Tarot version (right).
The Rider-Waite-Smith Judgement card (left) and Delilah Miske’s restored Adapt Tarot version (right).
Make Your Next Project Eco-Friendly
Adapt Tarot belongs to the beholder and the ambivalence inside us all. Delilah asks that you use these cards to tap into your intuition and let in the symbols that resonate with you.
Delilah’s handmade tarotcards, enclosed in a Brown Eco Kraft Tuck Box, are made with components of post-consumer recycled fibers.
Wondering how to incorporate environmental initiatives into your custom project? Request complimentary samples of our sustainable products to touch and feel the quality for yourself!
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.
SHUFFLEDINK Guests on THIS DREAM HOUSEOhio Radio Show
We do everything to help (our clients) create what they see in their minds.Charles Levin, Shuffled Ink Founder & President
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.
(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!
Our clients’ custom cards serve a unique and clear purpose. They create decks to raise awareness and educate, market their artwork, celebrate milestones and so on. With Shuffled Ink, the creative playing field is vast because there isn’t a cap on personalization options.So, if you’re looking to create a deck of cards with a distinct purpose, then feel free to follow our 4-step design guide. In this article, you’ll find helpful suggestions and strategies as well as examples of our clients’ custom card products.
1. The Purpose
Staying ahead of the game means constantly implementing new initiatives. If you’re a professional seeking to promote and market your brand or logo, an artist looking to use tarot cards as a canvas, or a card game designer working to crush your Kickstarter goal, then Shuffled Ink is best suited to bring your vision to reality.So, let’s run through the basics.Marketing 101
Who is your target audience?
What is the message/purpose?
How will you promote this campaign?
All three steps are extremely critical, especially if you’re designing custom cards for marketing, branding, promoting, client gifts, sales leads, trade shows, etc. It’s essential to nail down each of these steps, for example, you can easily craft an excellent message but misinterpret who the target audience is.
2. Choose Your Custom Product
We are positive that our dedicated service and graphics team will suit your needs and help cultivate your message. One of the fantastic parts about creating with us is that any product you choose is entirely customizable, so you make the rules. While Shuffled Ink provides the blank canvas, you are the artist — paint anything you like and in any color(s).Here are our products:
We have a variety of clients with bold visions for their playing card decks. Here are some messages that are often pursued:
Bringing Awareness: Speak to others through art. Many creators use playing cards to bring awareness to various subjects like saving endangered species and our ecosystems, portraying history, etc.
Promoting Brand/Company: Our clients also choose to print their company emblem, website and/or social media links on their deck of playing cards. This may seem like a simple act, but the impact is tremendous. Now, every single person who interacts with your playing card deck will have access to your supplementary content.
Merchandise: Selling or handing out company merch is a fantastic way to manifest your message into clients’ minds.
EXAMPLES:These illustrations by Give Me a Brief, raise awareness for our planet’s most endangered species.
This deck was printed for both gaming purposes and to raise awareness about the Spotted Lanternfly invading our ecosystem.
Astrodog Media is a Video Production Agency known for crafting high-quality videos and other digital media for businesses, agencies, and brands. The custom faces include different types of dogs floating in space and the backs show the logo.
The SD Office of Highway Safety designed custom playing cards to emphasize the importance of safe driving. Their message is clear: Beat Death. Don’t Cheat it. Instead of including tips and strategies, they let the artwork do all the talking. Each face card includes a reaper-like creature to instill the lurking reality that if you drive recklessly, death may be around the corner.
Flash Cards
If your purpose relates to teaching or training a certain skill, then flash cards are the route to go. Our endless custom options are perfect for educational cards since every person has a different way of teaching and learning. Basically, you dream it, we print it!
Train Employees: Creating PowerPoint presentations are not always an effective route for some business settings. These training flash cards encourage time management, communication skills, risk management, etc. It also reiterates the expectations that employers have for their employees and vice versa.
Teach Interview Skills: It’s never too early or late to start prepping for an interview, which is why there will always be a consumer for this custom card product. Whether it’s their very first one or their hundredth, it’s important to cultivate how they are going to present themselves to a potential employer. Putting one’s best foot forward means that they aren’t reading off a script and studying the basic interview talking points. Rather, they are prepared for the most difficult questions.
Learn a Language: Our clients are constantly setting the bar to new heights. An age-old skill like learning a new language can be interactive and exciting when you implement both visual and auditory elements. Our suggestion is to set your purpose apart from all others. Go against the grain and introduce a new way to learn a language. Consumers are always looking to try new things and if they like what they experience, then word will spread, and you’ll gain more clients.
EXAMPLES:These flash cards are for training purposes in a work environment.
This ultimate Interview Survival Kit includes over 50 tips & strategies to help secure your dream job.
These audio-enhanced flash cards, known as Linguacious are geared toward children. An image of the designated word is displayed with a QR code. Upon scanning the code with your phone, you will hear the pronunciation of the word in the targeted language. Here is a visual of the fronts- and backs- of these game-based vocabulary flash cards.
Card Games/Board Games
The overall purpose of card and board games is to entertain, but there’s obviously more to it than just that. If you’re looking to create a custom card game, the message should be locked down and clearly stated. A card game has a lot of different moving parts before it’s printed.
Identify the theme: Having a distinct, unique and fun game will help set yourself apart from other game makers. Right now, you probably have an idea of what the game will be about. For example, will it feature zombies, robots and aliens? Or does it follow a question/answer format (similar to Cards Against Humanity)?
Establish the Rules: This is the fun part! You are the all-knowing creator who is bringing this game to life. But make sure to keep your game’s purpose in mind at all times. You don’t want to stray away from the designated message you’re trying to relay.
Graphic Design & Game Pieces: Customize your game to your heart’s content, including but not limited to the card size, card stock, number of cards, spinners and dice, booklets, instructions and game tokens.
“Some write books to be remembered. Long after you are gone, you will be remembered for the game you have made. So pour your heart out and make a great game…”True Frenemies Board Game Creator, Derek White.
Elephant in the Room Card Game. Players use the white cards to disclose whether they personally agree or disagree with the statement or not.
Tarot & Oracle Cards
If you’re passionate about sharing your knowledge and insight through tarot and oracle cards, let our team print your custom designs. Our clients use tarot to reimagine the world. These pieces are not only eye-catching but the meanings behind each one are equally enticing.
Reinvent: Tarot has an extensive amount of history. Some clients enjoy reproducing decks that are decades old. This allows new tarot designers to reflect on the past and remember where the art form originated.
Readings: Tarot and oracle readings can become quite deep and personal, so consider adding your own original designs to the deck.
Market Art: If your art fits well in the spiritual realm, market using tarot or oracle cards. These decks include however many cards you desire, which allows for an endless supply of art concepts to dabble in.
Nicolas Conver’s 1760 tarot deck was faithfully reproduced by one of our clients for the purpose of restoring history. The deck is also available for purchase.
Make the mundane magical with custom oracle cards. This deck holds 36 allegorical messages to inspire your inner self.
The Wayhome tarot deck by Everyday Magic features images that weave in the magic of the mundane and imbue them with an enchantment that asks us to look a bit harder.
3. Exposure
We’ve found that online exposure is key to relay your brand’s purpose with custom card products. Simply being active on social media is a beneficial form of marketing.Over the past couple of years, we have used social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to market our custom cards. Recently, we started posting content on LinkedIn, which is an incredible site for companies and individuals alike to network and craft a professional message.
4. Client Product Shop
Once your cards are printed (even if we didn’t manufacture your product), you have the option to become a member of our Client Shop.
INCREASE AND DIVERSIFY YOUR SALES: Shuffled Ink’s goal is to invest in and cultivate a tight-knit community for our clients to feel comfortable marketing, promoting and selling their custom products. Many alternative online marketplaces charge significant referrals, percent of the sale and other exorbitant fees. This is not our approach! We truly believe that we will achieve our greatest success, by directly partnering and investing in our clients’ success.
MEDIA PROMOS: Most e-commerce sites will put your product live on their site and leave it collecting dust. That is not our mindset. Our goal is to actively communicate with you to ensure your message is heard. We will work alongside you to market, promote and sell your custom products on our media platforms. Prior to publishing content, we work with you to perfectly cultivate your desired message.
Here are a few examples of how we promote our clients’ products on our social media (whether available in our shop or not).
Contact us to become a member of our Client Shop or for general information about our products.
Custom Cards with a Purpose
We’re more than happy to chat with you about any and all of your ideas. Our purpose is to assist you. When you choose us to print your products, all hands are on deck. After all, your success is our success.To receive complimentary samples of our card products, include your delivery address and phone number on your custom request a quote form.
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Tarot Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Flash Cards 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, 
