Create Your Own Tarot, Oracle, Hybrid or Coaching Deck

A creative workspace for developing tarot, oracle and hybrid decks

Deck Creator Studio is a specialised creative development and publishing environment within Tides of Knowing.

It is designed to support people creating original tarot decks, oracle decks and systems that combine elements of both.

Its purpose is to bring the many interconnected parts of deck creation into one cohesive working environment.

Rather than managing card meanings in one document, artwork in another, research across multiple notebooks and guidebook drafts in separate files, the Studio is designed to help you develop these elements as parts of one connected project.

The Studio provides structure without prescribing your creative vision.

The broader system encompasses the following areas.

Deck philosophy and creative identity

Define the purpose of your deck, its intended audience, underlying philosophy, symbolism and distinctive interpretive approach.

Explore what makes your project meaningful and how its central ideas can remain consistent throughout the deck.

Card architecture and interpretation

Develop your card list, meanings, categories, suits, relationships and interpretive framework.

Whether you are working with traditional tarot structures or developing an entirely original oracle system, the objective is to create a deck whose individual cards work together as a coherent whole.

Guidebook writing and editorial development

Develop your accompanying guidebook alongside the cards.

A good guidebook does more than describe individual meanings. It communicates the philosophy of the deck, explains its symbolism and helps the reader develop a meaningful relationship with the cards.

The Studio is designed to support the creation of a consistent, well-structured manuscript.

Artwork and visual planning

Organise visual concepts, reference material, creative briefs and artwork requirements.

You may be creating your own illustrations, commissioning an artist, using photography, exploring digital techniques or still determining the visual direction.

Completed artwork is not a requirement for beginning your project.

Creative journaling and research

Record intuitive insights, research, visual inspiration, reflections and evolving ideas.

Creative projects rarely unfold in a perfectly linear sequence. The Studio is intended to accommodate that reality while helping you retain connections between your discoveries and the developing deck.

Copyright and publication preparation

Maintain records of your creative work and explore the questions surrounding authorship, permissions, attribution and intellectual property.

The wider Studio framework also addresses artwork collaboration, production planning, printing, publication and crowdfunding considerations.

Not every creator has the same destination. Some want a personal or gift edition. Others intend to publish independently or launch commercially.

Deck Creator Studio is designed to accommodate these different ambitions.

The platform is already in development and has working capabilities. Additional features form part of its continuing roadmap. Founding collaborators will work with the existing Studio and contribute feedback that helps determine which further capabilities will provide the greatest benefit.

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The Aotearoa Bird Oracle

My own creative journey provided the inspiration for Deck Creator Studio.

I am currently developing the Aotearoa Bird Oracle, a substantial channelled and researched work that has evolved into a 78-card oracle and tarot hybrid.

It brings together the birds of Aotearoa New Zealand, their symbolism and a broader system of intuitive interpretation connected with traditional tarot.

As the project developed, I found myself managing an increasingly complex collection of card interpretations, artwork, research, creative notes and evolving ideas.

I had numerous open files, illustrations and written fragments, all contributing to a project whose meaning was continuing to deepen.

The challenge was not a lack of inspiration.

It was finding a way to hold everything together without losing the creative and intuitive nature of the work.

I needed more than somewhere to store files.

I needed a system that could accommodate the unfolding creative process while providing the editorial structure required to bring the project towards publication.

That need became Deck Creator Studio.

The Aotearoa Bird Oracle is being developed within the Studio, with a Kickstarter launch planned for early 2027.

Through creating the platform for my own work, I began to recognise how valuable it could become for other deck creators facing similar challenges.

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A collaboration, not simply a software beta

I am inviting six creators because I want the opportunity to work alongside people developing different kinds of decks.

Deck Creator Studio is not merely an undeveloped concept awaiting its first users.

There is already a substantial platform and an established development vision behind it.

What I now want to understand is how well the Studio supports different creative approaches.

Some people begin with artwork. Others begin with card meanings, intuitive messages, philosophical ideas or extensive research.

Some have nearly completed manuscripts. Others are still establishing the structure of their decks.

Each approach raises different practical and editorial challenges.

By working directly with six creators, I will be able to observe how the Studio supports their development and identify where additional capabilities would make the greatest difference.

I want to know what works, what feels unnecessarily complicated, where people become stuck and what tools they would find genuinely valuable.

A genuine exchange of value

Your participation will help me refine and improve Deck Creator Studio.

In return, I am offering a substantial level of personal editorial and creative-development support at a heavily discounted founding rate.

You will not simply be testing software.

You will be developing your own deck with professional support while helping shape a platform intended to serve other creators.

This arrangement is exclusive to the first six founding collaborators.

It does not replace the Studio's established commercial programmes or change our longer-term plans, including the future introduction of a free entry-level service.

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Four decades of tarot experience. Three decades of professional editorial work.

My background combines more than 40 years of experience as a tarot Reader with 30 years working as a professional journalist and editor.

These disciplines complement each other.

Intuitive work involves recognising patterns, understanding symbolism, perceiving relationships and discovering meaning.

Editorial work involves examining complex information, identifying its underlying structure and communicating it with clarity, consistency and purpose.

Creating an effective tarot or oracle deck requires both.

A compelling idea is only the beginning.

The deeper challenge is developing that idea into a coherent system of cards, imagery and writing that expresses its meaning while remaining accessible to the people who will eventually use it.

That is where my particular combination of skills can be especially valuable.

Editorial guidance that respects your creative vision

I can help you examine your deck's underlying philosophy, strengthen its structure, develop its interpretive language and recognise the connections that give the work depth.

I can also help you identify inconsistencies, unnecessary repetition, missing elements and areas where an idea requires further development.

Just as importantly, I can help you recognise when it is time to stop exploring possibilities, make a decision and move forward.

My role is not to create your deck for you or impose my interpretation on your work.

It is to help you recognise what is already there, develop what is missing and bring the different elements together into a coherent creative project.

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Stage 1: Studio onboarding and a setup session with me

Beginning in November 2026, with onboarding dates arranged with selected participants

We will begin with two preliminary live online sessions: first, onboarding into Deck Creator Studio; second, a setup session with me. Neither session carries a payment obligation.

These will be practical working sessions in which I introduce you to Deck Creator Studio, explain how the system operates and guide you through establishing your own project.

Because participants may be based in different countries, I may arrange these sessions across two or three smaller groups to accommodate different time zones.

The objective is to get you actively working inside the Studio, rather than simply watching a demonstration.

Stage 2: Explore before making a financial commitment

Decide after both preliminary sessions

Between and after these preliminary sessions, you can begin using the Studio with your own project.

During this introductory period, you can explore its capabilities, begin developing your deck and reach out with questions as they arise.

I intend to use the existing Tides of Knowing community infrastructure, which is being refocused towards deck creation, as a place for questions, feedback and ongoing discussion.

After your Studio onboarding and setup session with me, you can choose whether to proceed into the paid founding collaboration, based on fit and value.

No payment is required before that decision.

By this stage, I want you to have enough experience to judge whether the Studio and my professional support will be valuable to you.

If you decide not to continue, there is no financial obligation.

Stage 3: Active editorial collaboration

Approximately two to three months in total

For those who continue, we will move into a structured period of editorial and creative development.

I anticipate meeting approximately once a week via Zoom, with the schedule agreed collectively to accommodate participants wherever possible.

These will be purposeful editorial working sessions, not simply general conversations about creativity.

We will examine your progress, discuss challenges, review areas requiring attention and identify the decisions needed to move your project forward.

Our work may include:

• Refining your deck's philosophy, purpose and interpretive framework.
• Reviewing card structures, meanings and symbolism.
• Developing the relationship between written material and artwork.
• Strengthening guidebook organisation, language and editorial consistency.
• Examining creative and practical obstacles.
• Discussing copyright, permissions and publication considerations.
• Reviewing progress against agreed milestones.
• Identifying the next steps required to move closer to completion.

The precise emphasis will depend on the projects and the needs of the group.

Individual support between meetings

I also expect to be personally involved between our scheduled sessions.

There will be opportunities to reach out when you encounter a difficulty or need guidance on an issue holding up your project.

This individual attention is an important part of the founding collaboration.

I want to understand your creative journey, not simply hear about it once a week.

At the same time, our meetings and individual support will remain focused on helping you progress rather than turning into open-ended conversations.

Stage 4: Continue developing your deck

The end of our supported collaboration does not mean your project has to be finished.

Your founding place includes six months of Deck Creator Studio membership, beginning with your initial onboarding.

If our active collaboration lasts three months, for example, you will still have three months of included membership to continue working on your project.

Your project may require additional writing, artwork, editing or production preparation after our direct work together concludes.

You will have that additional time within the Studio to continue developing it.

I do not expect everyone to have a printed deck by the end of our collaboration.

I do expect genuine commitment to making progress and ultimately completing the work.

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Your founding collaboration brings together professional editorial guidance, structured creative development and continued access to Deck Creator Studio.

Direct editorial and creative-development support

You will receive approximately two to three months of close editorial collaboration, including regular Zoom working sessions, project-focused feedback and individual guidance as needed.

Six months of Deck Creator Studio membership

Your founding arrangement includes six months of Studio membership at the established rate of US$197 per month.

Included membership value: US$1,182.

This access begins with your initial onboarding, including the introductory period.

If the supported collaboration lasts two months, you will have approximately four additional months of membership.

If the collaboration lasts three months, you will have approximately three additional months.

A small, committed creative group

With just six people involved, the collaboration can accommodate individual projects while creating opportunities to learn from the experiences of other creators.

You will be part of a group actively developing original decks, rather than a large course in which participants work independently without direct contact.

A practical development pathway

Our objective will be to establish meaningful milestones appropriate to your project and help you work towards them.

Those milestones might involve completing a card structure, establishing your interpretive framework, strengthening your guidebook, organising your artwork requirements or preparing a realistic publication plan.

Your success will be measured by meaningful progress towards your own intended outcome.

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US$495 total

For up to 12 weeks of direct editorial support working with Leilia. Alternatively, US$595 total over three months.

Your first session is Studio onboarding; your second is a setup session with Leilia. Both preliminary sessions carry no payment obligation. After these sessions, you can continue or decline based on fit and value. Payment is required only if you choose to proceed.

Support-value comparison: Private Deck Partnership is US$1,495 per month. The founding collaboration offers comparable depth of professional involvement through group editorial meetings and individual guidance, not identical private-session entitlements.

Understanding the value of this opportunity

Deck Creator Studio has an established commercial structure offering different levels of professional involvement.

Our standard programme pricing provides context for the value of this founding collaboration.

Established programme	Standard investment
Deck Creator Studio	US$197 per month
Guided Deck Circle	US$597 per month
Private Deck Partnership	US$1,495 per month

For this first group of six founding creators, I am offering two to three months of close editorial collaboration for:

US$495 in total

That is less than the usual cost of one month in the Guided Deck Circle.

The founding collaboration is intended to provide particularly hands-on support, comparable in depth and professional involvement to the Private Deck Partnership.

At standard pricing:

• Two months of Private Deck Partnership: US$2,990.
• Three months of Private Deck Partnership: US$4,485.
• Six months of Deck Creator Studio membership: US$1,182.

The founding programme is delivered through a combination of group editorial meetings and individual guidance, rather than identical private-session entitlements.

Nevertheless, it represents an exceptional opportunity to work closely with me at a fraction of the established investment.

Your founding payment options

Option 1: US$495 single payment

One payment covering your participation in the founding collaboration and the included six-month Studio membership.

Option 2: US$595 across three months

For creators who would find instalments more manageable, the same founding collaboration is available for US$595 in total, paid in three instalments:

• US$198.33
• US$198.33
• US$198.34

No payment is required during the initial onboarding and exploration period.

You decide whether to proceed after your Studio onboarding and setup session with me. Both preliminary sessions carry no payment obligation.

Why such a substantial reduction?

Because this is a genuine exchange of value.

You receive professional editorial guidance, practical creative-development support and access to Deck Creator Studio.

I gain the opportunity to work alongside creators using the platform for real projects, learn from their experiences and refine its capabilities.

Your constructive feedback, commitment and active participation are valuable contributions to the Studio's future.

This founding offer is unique to the first six collaborators and does not alter the established prices of the ongoing programmes.

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Your deck remains yours

Everything you create remains your intellectual property, subject to any rights already belonging to third parties.

You retain authorship, creative control and ownership of your original card meanings, manuscripts, artwork, research and other original creative materials.

Participating in Deck Creator Studio does not transfer ownership of your work to me or to Tides of Knowing.

Nor does participation give Tides of Knowing an entitlement to a percentage of future deck sales or royalties.

Your deck remains your project.

The Studio is designed to support project exports so that you can retain independent copies of your creative work.

Copyright guidance and publication considerations

Copyright and intellectual property will also be part of the wider editorial development conversation.

Depending on your project, we may explore:

• Documenting original authorship and creative development.
• Understanding copyright ownership and attribution.
• Permissions and agreements involving commissioned artwork.
• Licensing and the use of third-party material.
• Practical records that may be useful when preparing for publication.

I can help you navigate the editorial and practical considerations and recognise when specialist legal advice would be appropriate.

This support does not replace jurisdiction-specific professional legal advice or guarantee copyright registration or protection.

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You do not need a finished deck

I am looking for six people with a genuine intention to develop and complete a tarot, oracle or hybrid deck.

You do not need to be a professional artist, an established Reader or a published author.

You do need a meaningful creative idea, a willingness to develop it and an understanding that completing a deck takes sustained effort.

You may be someone who:

• Has been developing a deck for some time but struggles to organise the work.
• Has written card meanings but needs to create a coherent guidebook.
• Has artwork or visual concepts but needs help developing the interpretive system.
• Has a strong intuitive or philosophical vision but needs editorial structure.
• Has started a substantial project and become overwhelmed by the number of decisions involved.
• Wants guidance preparing for independent publication or a future crowdfunding campaign.

You can be at the very beginning of your creative journey, with only an idea, or you may already have artwork, written material or a substantial deck under development. How far you have progressed will not make you eligible or ineligible.

What matters in selecting the six collaborators is that you genuinely want support bringing your vision to life, are willing to put effort into that work and feel comfortable providing honest, constructive feedback about what you want or need from the Studio. You do not have to praise features that do not work for you. Candid feedback is part of the value of our collaboration.

What I will expect from you

This is a working collaboration, not a passive learning experience.

I will ask participants to:

• Commit regular time to developing their projects.
• Attend our agreed editorial meetings wherever possible.
• Work independently between sessions.
• Participate constructively in the group.
• Share candid feedback about the Studio.
• Remain focused on progressing their deck towards completion.

You will not be expected to share unpublished material publicly.

I recognise that creative projects can contain personal, confidential or culturally sensitive material, and we will respect appropriate boundaries around what is shared within the group.

What matters most is that you are ready to take your project seriously.

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Because I will be working closely with each participant, I want to understand your project before confirming a place.

I have prepared a short questionnaire covering your creative vision, current progress, artwork, writing, publication intentions and the kind of support you believe would make the greatest difference.

I will also ask about your availability and your willingness to participate constructively in the collaboration.

I am not simply looking for the most advanced projects

A nearly completed deck may need extensive editorial refinement.

An earlier-stage project may have a distinctive vision that would benefit greatly from structure and professional support.

I am interested in selecting a small group whose creative projects, development needs and commitment make this a productive experience for everyone involved.

I will personally review expressions of interest and contact selected applicants about the introductory onboarding process.

There is no application fee, and submitting the questionnaire does not create a financial obligation.

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Tell me about the deck you want to create

If you have a deck you genuinely want to bring to life, I would welcome the opportunity to learn about it.

Step 1: Download the Founding Creator Questionnaire.

The Word document asks about your deck concept, current development, artwork, writing, ambitions and support needs.

Step 2: Complete the questionnaire.

You do not need to write lengthy answers. Please provide enough information for me to understand your project, where you are in the process and what you hope to achieve.

Step 3: Return your completed document by email.

Save the completed Word document with your name in its filename. Email it to [email protected] and attach the completed document. The email link opens a draft; you must add the attachment yourself.

Six founding places available. Beginning in November 2026, with onboarding dates arranged with selected participants.

After reviewing expressions of interest, I will contact selected creators to discuss onboarding and the next steps.

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Creating a deck can be one of the most rewarding forms of creative expression.

As the work develops, connections emerge, meanings deepen and the underlying philosophy often reveals far more than the original idea suggested.

But that same richness can also make the process difficult.

Ideas multiply. Artwork and writing evolve at different speeds. Decisions are deferred. And sometimes an important project remains unfinished because its creator has not had the structure, feedback or encouragement needed to move forward.

I understand that experience because I am working through it myself with the Aotearoa Bird Oracle.

Deck Creator Studio grew out of my determination to give that work a cohesive creative home.

Now I want to discover what it can make possible for other creators.

If you are ready to develop your ideas, strengthen the meaning behind your work and make a genuine commitment to bringing your deck into the world, I would be interested in hearing from you.

Leilia Spencer
Founder, Tides of Knowing
Creator, Aotearoa Bird Oracle
Professional journalist and editor, 30 years
Tarot Reader, more than 40 years