ExtraOrdinary Oracle
Hello, soul friends!
Today's review is covering a deck that caught my attention as soon as I saw it on Instagram. I have been so busy with unpacking and getting myself settled here, I figured a small break to do another card deck review might get my mind back to straights.
After checking out the owner's Instagram account in 2016, as I figured it would be something different than the other oracle decks I own, so it would be a fun addition to my collection. I am eclectic and don't like to purchase similar decks. Plus, I love seeing other Indie decks, and checking them out!
I hope you enjoy my review and generous pictures!
Extraordinary Oracle
I purchased this deck when the owner's had first created it, and had to wait a bit until it arrived. It was a fun process, and I do enjoy seeing creators bring their decks to life. It is a fascinating process and I enjoy supporting others who are into the same stuff I love and use. As stated above after seeing a few posts on Instagram showing these gorgeous cards, I knew that I wanted to get my own. I found it to be an intriguing and interesting deck. I love the colorful, vibrant artwork, and also the fact that it is an independently published deck.
The ExtraOrdinary Oracle description:
A divination deck featuring ordinary objects that transforms the mundane into magic.
The spirit behind ExtraOrdindary Oracle is simple – that magick can be found absolutely everywhere. This deck is an exercise in self-trust – giving yourself permission to interpret messages as you feel their being received. Letting go of expectations for a divine message to fall out of the sky and into your lap. This deck is about connecting with yourself. It is the hushed voice from the universe that whispers to you every day – You are magick.
The ExtraOrdinary Oracle Deck contains forty cards that arrive in a hand-stamped cotton keepsake bag. Our original art is beautifully matte printed in Nashville, Tennessee. Each deck comes with a easy to follow, insightful, hand bound guidebook that connects you to the imagery and meaning of the cards.
About the Creators
ExtraOrdinary Oracle is the quixotic passion project of two starry-eyed girls who, with their powers combined, are seeking to break the boundaries between the mundane and magick. While the terms “quixotic” might make our quest seem idealistic, we embrace it. We embrace the vastness of each individual, and the complex nature of countless different realities contained within. It’s that infiniteness that keeps our small, humble mission pressing forward.
Amanda has been a witch forever but has read cards for only 15 years. Her favorite things are storms, dogs, dancing badly, and strange documentaries.
Natty is a jack of all trades with a passion of comics, hand-lettering, and design. She enjoys the company of the elderly (they have the best stories) and cannot wait to cherish her very own "golden years."
My Personal Review
This 40 card deck is meant to be used as an Oracle deck. I wasn't really aware of what to expect with this deck, so upon receiving the deck, I loved the vibrant tones and illustrated artwork. It is a fun and kitschy kind of deck, that was printed on quality stock, and made with a lot of thought and love.
The artwork was something that had called me with this deck, as I stated above and why I was excited to get my hands on a set. It was variously different from anything else I have seen and I loved the unique approach to the whole deck. Although, I am typically drawn to using this deck during Halloween, the images are safe to use year round. This deck is fairly versatile and very easy to pick up and go, and I find it versatile and well-received by clients. There are no dark or scary images, nothing is going to horrify those who scare easily. There are some darker colored cards, but again, the images are all very symbolic and beautifully illustrated with a simplicity that is nice to use.
The cards have number titles, which does help, but they are Roman Numerals, so if you are not familiar or a bit rusty with them, I would suggest brushing up a bit, so that you can easily identify the messages in the guide book. No other words are on the card borders, and my deck was unfortunately not cut correctly before being shipped out, so one of the corners is not rounded. The cards were easy to pick up and use, and also I enjoyed seeing the interpretation of some of the familiar symbols from a different lens, or with more interesting explanation.
The card stock is not very thick, semi-matte finish, smooth to shuffle, and allows you get a nice bend without cracking the card stock. The finish really helps make the artwork truly stand out. The cards are actually one of my favorite. They smoothly shuffle, they don't crack, and the edges are still together. A big plus! Also, the simple white border brings uniformity to the deck and allows the eye to be drawn in to the fun artwork. The size of the cards is an average tarot size. Not too large, and not too small. Great even for small hands like mine. My only complaint is that my deck has the one square corner, so it seems as if the first printing of this deck, may have had a few little hiccups - completely understandable.
The backs of the cards have a wonderful melangerie of witchy and Halloween images with a black background and contrasting white artwork. I find it to be absolutely adorable and loved the simplicity of it. While reversed meanings are up to the individual, I am not sure that you could just do a reversed meaning without knowing the card is upside down prior, while drawing the cards.
No box was included, only a drawstring bag with a cute logo stamped on it, and a small guidebook that arrived a little less than stellar for me, as the string holding it together was already coming apart. I have been as gentle as possible as I can with the deck since I received mine in 2016, but I have to be even more careful with it as I continue to use the deck.
I am not sure if they have improved on a few things since the deck originally launched, but I do hope that they continue to print new versions that allow for subtle changes and improvements. I think it is a fun addition to my collection and a great tools for those looking to utilize something not mass produced or tired. The meanings are fresh, interesting, and also the artwork is completely different from anything else I have seen. It is simple, yet so intricate and also subtle once you start studying each of the cards.
Initially, I was a bit disappointed with the lack of a meatier little white book, but the bright and fun artwork completely made up for the lack of in-depth explanations of the cards. After all, the symbolism is flexible as you don't have to adhere to just one meaning or interpretation of the cards. There are various ways to use the symbolism in this deck. Plus, once I dove in more - I realized the guidebook is quite well-appointed. Not too much and not lacking substance. It allows the tension of offering and devising your own specific meanings.
Here are some extra pictures of this fun creation and guidebook:
Overall, I think this was a fun and interestingly well-executed deck.
My overall opinion is that this deck is a 4 star choice.
Artwork - 5 stars
Card stock - 5 stars
Ease - 3 stars
Guidebook - 3 stars
I hope that you enjoyed my deck review, and also enjoy other deck reviews that I add to this site. I have a passion for exploring new decks and also finding various ways of connecting to my intuition. I appreciate you checking out my site and taking the time to read my review.
Happy Reading!
