Designing a Tarot Card Deck

The Major Arcana in this deck centers on transformation, fate, and personal growth, but with a twist—seen through the lens of childhood memories and eerie, dreamlike imagery. It unfolds like a collection of personal snapshots—each card offering a glimpse into a world that’s both familiar and slightly off-kilter.

Each card reinterprets familiar archetypes, offering new layers of meaning: The Fool is a curious dreamer, stepping into a world of glitter and plastic, full of potential but unaware of what lies ahead.

The High Priestess, on the other hand, is welcoming, represented by a quiet scene of two chairs and a cup of tea—a symbol of invitation, mystery, and contemplation. It hints at knowledge and wisdom, but only if you’re willing to sit down, slow down, and listen to what’s hidden in the silence.

This deck doesn’t lay out a clean, straightforward path of growth. Instead, it hints at a journey that’s messy, a bit strange, and full of unexpected turns.

Representing Wands and Fire

Stars are bursts of energy, creativity, and drive—like Wands, but with a dreamier, more cosmic twist. They represent wishes made at night, glow-in-the-dark constellations on bedroom ceilings, and the endless imagination of childhood. Stars flicker between possibility and illusion, reminding us of the things we chase, the things we outgrow, and the things that never really leave us.

Representing Cups and Water

Flowers hold the tenderness of Cups—emotion, love, memory—but with a faded, bittersweet quality. They feel like pressed petals in an old diary, plastic roses in a thrifted vase, or the floral patterns on vintage bedsheets. Beautiful, delicate, but not always alive. This suit speaks to nostalgia in its purest form—the way feelings linger, how the past can be both comforting and haunting, and how something once fresh can take on a new kind of meaning over time.

Representing Swords and Air

Swords have always been about intellect, truth, and sometimes painful clarity. In this deck, Wings take on that role—symbolizing sharp insight, freedom, and the weight of knowing too much. There’s something unsettling about wings; they promise flight but also the fear of falling. Think angelic motifs from Y2K pop culture, paper cutouts, or old-school Lisa Frank butterflies—bright, delicate, but with an edge.

Representing Pentacles and Earth

Pentacles are tied to material reality, stability, and the physical world. In this deck, they become Eyes—watchful, mysterious, and deeply tied to perception. Eyes represent awareness, perspective shifts, and the uncanny feeling of being observed. They fit perfectly with themes of nostalgia and kitsch, evoking those “googly-eyed” trinkets, fortune-teller aesthetics, and the eerie, almost surreal quality of childhood objects taking on a life of their own.

While creating the cards, I referenced Simply Tarot by Leanna Greenaway. This book breaks down Rider-Waite tarot card meanings and additional symbolism.

I also referenced Labyrinthos, my favorite tarot website.

These materials helped me gain a better understanding of the cards outside of their suits and original imagery.

To create this set of cards, I used Canva.While it’s not my go-to design tool, I was drawn to their extensive collection of collage-style digital assets, which were perfect for the look I had in mind.

Once I had the template set up, the process for creating the cards was straightforward. I assembled the collage on a separate canvas, then exported the image. After that, I simply uploaded the collage into the frame.