Pick a Card, Any Card
I’ve never fully introduced the cards and all of the fun things you can do with them, so I thought I’d take a moment and devote a whole blog post! Plus, since Labor Day is almost upon us, it’s also the perfect time for a little shameless promotion! Did I say that? Yes.
The Origin Story
I decided to make these cards after researching products for the Suthin Girl Summer Box and thinking, “what would be a unique product that I could make that isn’t all over the place? What would be the perfect little gift?” That’s a tough couple of questions. It had to be small enough that I could store a large quantity easily, and the price had to be low enough for me to buy at a “I’m storing these in my office” quantity. Lots of quantity thoughts.
After a ton of painting and thinking and sourcing, I finally had the Safari Deck. I’m obsessed with these cards. They have a little whimsy, but still maintain the parameters of the standard poker deck: classic red and black hand-painted pips, a standard 54 cards, and standard poker deck measurements. They come in a sassy clear acrylic case, and the printing is vibrant and lovely.
When I first posted the cards, I had no clue what kind of response I would get. In-person, the few people I told were a mixed bag. Some were EXCITED, in all capitals, but some were much cooler towards the idea. (Why would I pay $21 for playing cards? Why are you doing playing cards? Isn’t that a little grandma-ish? were a few of the comments I heard.) So you can imagine that when I sold out twice I was thrilled! They were received so well, and I immediately started thinking on expanding them.
Dog Decks
With this deck, I decided to riff on the classic card deck a little more (vs. going in a totally original direction). I have a HUGE archive of dog paintings that I’ve done in the last five years that I am in love with, and I wanted to take advantage of those pieces and their absolute cuteness, too. So we sat down and chose some fan favorites: Snoop the Dachshund, Ranger the Golden Retriever, Briar the Black Lab, and the sweetest bulldog on earth. Then, we looked at the other cards: I wanted a Cavalier King Charles for the King card, a Corgi for the Queen, and then we went for Captain the Goldendoodle and this smiling poodle for our Jack and Ace. I opted for navy and hot pink pips to match the paintings in the cards and the fun vibe, and used my signature font for the numbers. Finally, we used the standard measurements and 54-card decks, as we did with the Safari cards, and used a classic layout for the dog faces (as they would appear on a standard deck.) These also come in acrylic cases, and I think they are just perfect for the game drawer!
Let’s Play
Here’s a list of 5 card games to keep handy while you’re at the beach:
1: Go Fish! My childhood favorite. Add a new 21 and over twist by drinking anytime someone doesn’t have the card you asked for. (Please drink responsibly!)
2: War. Another favorite of my younger years. I used to play this one with my grandma all the time!
3: Blackjack; We all know about blackjack, but it is so fun to play in a group!
4: Poker: I’ve never mastered poker, but I think it’s a classic everyone should know. Don’t bet too much until you’ve learned it!
5: Solitaire; The game I will forever go to and love. AND you can play it by yourself!
Luckily, my card decks are perfect for all of these games and any card game you can play with a 54-card deck. Get one before Labor Day as a hostess gift or to pack in your bag!