Author Archives: Jyl

Sideshow Playing Cards by Str8Games – Funded Successfully on Kickstarter

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“Roll up! Roll up!! Enter if you dare! Be prepared for some spine chilling sights in the Pit of Curiosities! The Greatest Show on Earth is here for your entertainment. Roll up!!”Slideshow Playing Cards

“Children with candyfloss, and prizes of goldfish.

Young men kill tin ducks, in sharp shooter poses.

The laughter of the lovers, on the rickety stairs.

The rumble of the diesel, and the sounds of the fair…”

The opening bars of the song “Fairground Attraction” by the Scottish band of the same name started playing in my head when I first saw this Slideshow Playing Cards deck by Str8Games. These take you back to an era gone by where fairgrounds were bustling gatherings of all walks of society getting together to be entertained, amazed, enthralled and yes, even horrified. Continue reading

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Duel Playing Cards | Vanda Artists Series – Live on Kickstarter!!

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This 2D, Harlequin-esque, minimalist, basically-designed deck of playing cards is an absolute must-have for the serious collector. Or even the not so serious collector. Or for you, even. Look at it. It’s beautiful. What would YOU do differently……? Can’t think of anything? No wonder.

Duel Playing Cards are live on Kickstarter right now and there’s just over 2 days left guys…..!!

{Anyone who wants to know any more about the workings of Kickstarter please click HERE for a breakdown.}

Duel Playing Cards

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Learn Spanish or French (while) Playing Cards – On Kickstarter NOW!

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BANNER

Learning to speak a new language for any age group can be a daunting task. There are so many words and phrases in the English language that it’s hard enough keeping up with THEM let alone learning how to articulate ourselves in another dialect. Well, that’s where these cards come in. Aptly named ‘Learn Spanish or French (while) Playing Cards’ (gedditt??) this is one set of cards that you WILL be putting in the kid’s Christmas stockings. AND you’ll be packing them in your luggage too because they cater for both old and young. I’m an avid supporter of kids learning to play card games, and these 2 decks are surely the perfect introduction. The campaign is live right now on Kickstarter, and you have until 29th of September 2015 to get your hands on a few decks, so head on over there now.

Learn Spanish or French (while) Playing Cards

Learn Spanish or French (while) Playing Cards

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The Fall of Troy ][ Epic Playing Cards. On Kickstarter NOW!

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BANNER2

I remember many, many years ago, a good friend of my Mum’s went to Greece for a holiday. She brought my Mum back a couple of hand-made and hand-painted plates, depicting various highly dramatic scenes involving Ancient Greek characters. I had no idea who they were or what they were doing. None. But I didn’t care. The plates were painted in dark reds and browns and blacks. The characters were strong and fascinating. I loved those plates. They hung on the living room wall for years – long after I moved out. Until of course my Mum was redecorating and they didn’t quite ‘go’ with the rest of the decor. She was going to store them away, but I asked if I could have them because I wanted them on MY wall. Well, I brought the plates home and, unbeknownst to me, my room mate put them into the dishwasher to clean them…. the dishwasher……… hand painted plates…. they were ruined….. I was devastated………. This deck reminds me of those plates :) The Fall of Troy ][ Epic Playing Cards are on Kickstarter NOW.

The Fall of Troy Playing Cards

The Fall of Troy Playing Cards

duxoop LogoDesigned by Chris Staples of duxoop (if you’re wondering how it’s pronounced, his logo is a soup bowl with a duck in it…. geddit….?) this deck features the main players in the Trojan War which is believed to have taken place some time between 1260 – 1180 BC. Chris has taken inspiration from various artworks which have depicted the War, but he has painstakingly reworked each design to achieve the 2-way symmetrical images we are familiar with in ‘modern day’ playing card design. Ancient script adorns the background of each card – courts and pips – which gives this deck a truly raw, handmade feel. The pips are all custom hand-drawn too, so it’s clear to see that a LOT of work went into designing this deck. Which is no surprise really, considering that Chris Staples has worked on some of the most well known animated films and TV shows in recent years. {Keep reading for more details….:)} Continue reading

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Medical Cannabis Playing Cards – On Kickstarter NOW!!

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Some of you may think this is a bit of a controversial review, given the nature of the subject matter. And up until recently you *could* to some degree have had a valid point. But taking into consideration that very recently, the US Department of Health has confirmed that cannabis CAN kill cancer cells, it makes sense that someone should create the “Medical Cannabis Playing Cards”, showcasing various cannabis strains and their effects. Funding is live on Kickstarter right now, so get over to the project page and show them your support.

Cannabis Sativa Plant

Cannabis Sativa Plant

On its website, The National Cancer Institute (part of the US Department of Health) said: “Laboratory and animal studies have shown that cannabinoids (the active ingredient in cannabis) may be able to kill cancer cells while protecting normal cells. They may inhibit tumour growth by causing cell death, blocking cell growth, and blocking the development of blood vessels needed by tumours to grow.”

While it has to be stressed that so far there has been no such claim made about treating cancer cells in humans, and that various cancer charities are treating this news with caution, it also has to be noted that the laws against the use of marijuana have been relaxed or amended not just in many US states but also in some countries around the world. I’m not making any major medical statements here, I’m just going to tell you about this deck in the same way as I’d tell you about a deck of unsolved murders without advocating going out and killing someone….

Medical Cannabis Playing Cards

Medical Cannabis Playing Cards

This deck is the brainchild of  Mike Mikolajczyk and his wife Brenda of Philadelphia, PA. Brenda is described in their bio as a “compassionate registered nurse”. So I’m guessing that she has dealt with and treated many patients who she knows, in some way or another, could benefit from the use of medical marijuana. It must be very hard for someone who has dedicated their life to helping people in pain to have to sit back and watch them suffer when there is something out there that could help ease the suffering, if it was only legal… Mike describes himself as a “Libertarian, and a champion for those without a voice” and he says that “we hope this project will help bring more awareness to both the benefits of medical marijuana as well as the need for more research.”

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Rogue Queen Playing Cards by Galen Nicole – Successfully Funded on Kickstarter!!

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147 Kickstarter backers pledged $9,391 to help bring this project to life.

Galen Nicole

Artist and Designer Galen Nicole

 

“Bold and Timid, Honest and Frank, Kind and Generous, Feisty and Gentle, Giving and Passionate, and above all oh so very Magical, this is what I think of when I think of Galen.”

– Galen Nicole’s Mum, Paula

Rogue Queen Playing Cards Tuck Box

Rogue Queen Playing Cards Tuck Box

This review is going to be slightly different than my others, and I make no apologies for it. Usually, I talk about the actual deck of cards. This time round I’ll be concentrating on the artist herself – Galen Nicole. Sadly, Galen passed away last year after losing her battle with a rare form of cancer. But the legacy that she left behind is truly a credit to not only her pure artistic talents but also her determination, positive outlook, selflessness and fighting spirit. The Rogue Queen ‘Genesis’ Playing Cards occupied much of Galen’s time during her illness and it was her dream to get this deck finished and onto Kickstarter. Now her parents Paula and Lee have made that dream a reality. The Rogue Queen ‘Genesis’ deck has been successfully funded on Kickstarter :) Click here to visit the project page. Continue reading

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‘Olympus’ Playing Cards Review – On Kickstarter NOW!

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So, you’re about to get married to a beautiful Greek girl and you want to give your groomsmen something special to commemorate the occasion, what do you do? Go out and get matching ‘bro’ tattoos? No, of course not. You design a deck of playing cards that not only relates to their personalities, but also reflects on the heritage of your wife-to-be. You base it on the Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greece. You launch it world-wide on Kickstarter. You don’t get just anyone to print it either. You get Legends Playing Card Company to print it on top quality card stock. And you call it ‘Olympus’ Playing Cards. This is exactly what Tom Anderle has done. It’s his first Kickstarter project, and what a deck to kick off with.

Olympus Playing Cards Tuck Box and Zeus

Olympus Playing Cards Tuck Box and Zeus

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Uncut Sheets. The Unsung Heroes of the Playing Card World.

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Imagine, if you will, the scene. You’re in a playing card making factory. Perhaps not unlike that of the United States Playing Card Company (but for the purposes of copyright etc. somewhere totally different…) You are watching the presses print sheets upon sheets of playing cards, that are then taken from the presses to be brought to the cutters. They are then cut into the playing cards and stacked, neatly, to then be packed into tuck boxes and sealed in cellophane, to then be sent out to the retailers or Kickstarter creators, to then be distributed amongst the purchasers……. It’s all very exciting isn’t it…?

The Bicycle presses at United States Playing Card Company (Photo (c) USPCC)

The Bicycle presses at United States Playing Card Company (Photo (c) USPCC)

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Mighty Super Heroes Playing Cards – Review

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We all know them. We all have our own favourites. We all envy them, and secretly wish we were one of them. No… I’m not referring to One Direction…..!! I am, of course, referring to Super Heroes. Saviours of the Planet Earth. Upholders of the law. The Good Guys. Some of us even prefer the Villains….. and who is anyone to judge…? This new deck of playing cards, Mighty Super Heroes Series 1.1, (now being funded on Kickstarter) is an homage to both the goodies and the baddies of the comic books and graphic novels of the likes of Marvel and D.C. and is jam-packed with all your favourite characters as well as some you may not be familiar with. Have a look at all the images in this review and see how many you can recognise…….

Mighty Super Heroes Playing Cards

Mighty Super Heroes Playing Cards

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‘Chord Cards’ Playing Cards – Learn Guitar the Fun Way!!

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For those of you who – like me – love the idea of being ‘able’ to play the guitar, but just can’t get the hang of where to place your fingers to get the guitar to make those beautiful sounds, then this deck is for you. The ‘Chord Cards’ deck is now being funded on Kickstarter with funding closing on 15th August (2015).

{Anyone wanting an idea as to what Kickstarter is all about, please read my beginner’s guide for details.}

Chord Cards Playing Cards

Chord Cards Playing Cards

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