First, I want to begin with an apology for the long stretch of silence. I know it can feel unsettling when there aren’t frequent updates, especially on a project you’re excited about. The truth is, I didn’t want to keep sending messages that simply said “nothing has changed.” I’ve been waiting until I had something real and meaningful to share with you, and now I finally do.
As many of you know, the tariffs that were imposed last year created an enormous financial burden for our projects. Across everything we have in production, those tariffs added nearly $100,000 in additional costs, which forced all of our projects into a holding pattern while we tried to find a path forward.
During my last update, I had indicated that the decks would go into production on February 24th. However, because the U.S. Supreme Court was scheduled to rule on the constitutionality of those tariffs, I made the decision to pause and wait for that ruling before committing to production. If the tariffs were struck down, it would dramatically change the financial reality for us.
On February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that the tariffs were unconstitutional. That decision changed everything. The removal of those tariffs going forward saves us tens of thousands of dollars across our remaining productions. That shift is what finally allows us to move forward with Shadows of Wonderland Tarot and the other projects that have been paused since last spring.
There is another important piece of context I want to share as well, because it helps explain how our production schedule works. We work with two different printers, each chosen very intentionally.
The majority of pour projects (with the exception of our Earth, Moon, & Shadow Oracle), are printed using a very small, family-owned and operated print shop in Shenzhen, China. We chose this printer very deliberately. They are not a giant factory running endless production lines. They are a small shop run by a family that genuinely cares about their people and the quality of the projects they produce. From the very beginning it was clear that they take enormous pride in their craftsmanship, and that mattered deeply to us when deciding who we wanted to partner with.
However, being a small shop also means they simply cannot run multiple large productions at the same time. Unlike larger factories, they need to complete one project before beginning the next. Because of that, we have to space our projects out in their production queue.
Because several of our projects have been waiting in line much longer, those projects are now moving into production first. Shadows of Wonderland is still very much in the queue, but it will enter production after the earlier projects are completed. With the tariff situation resolved and our printer’s schedule now confirmed, we are able to share the projected timeline for Shadows of Wonderland Tarot.
Here is the updated schedule:
📅 Updated Timeline for Shadows of Wonderland Tarot
Printed with our small shop in China
Production Start: September 2026
Production Duration: ~60 days (Estimated completion: November 2026)
Freight Shipping: November 2026
Arrival to Us: December 2026
Fulfillment Begins: As soon as freight arrives
As soon as the decks arrive here at our studio, we will begin fulfillment right away.
I know this project has taken longer than I had hoped, and I want you to know how deeply grateful I am for the patience, kindness, and encouragement so many of you have shown along the way. The past year brought challenges none of us could have predicted, but the lifting of the tariffs finally gives us the breathing room to move forward again.
Thank you for sticking with us through this journey. It truly means more than I can say.
Before anything else, I need to say that I am so sorry for how quiet I’ve been. Letting go of my whole staff, something I never thought I’d have to do, was the only way to keep the business alive during the tariff fallout. But the result is that I’ve been spread painfully thin, and my ability to communicate regularly has suffered. You deserved better than that, and I’m genuinely sorry.
You’ve stayed with us through tariffs, production delays, and a printing bottleneck we could never have predicted, and today we finally get to share good news.
Shadows of Wonderland now has a confirmed production date!
As many of you know, Rue & Vervain works with a very small mom-and-pop print shop in China. Their work is exceptional, but their size means they can only print one project at a time. After many conversations, we secured a slightly discounted production window right after Chinese New Year, when their workflow eases. This cost-saving shift gives us the financial breathing room to move ahead regardless of the outcome of the tariff battles. We are finally on solid ground, and it’s because of you.
📅 Updated Timeline for Shadows of Wonderland Tarot
• Production Start:March 2026 • Production Duration: ~60 days • Freight Shipping: May 2026 • Arrival to Us: Late May / Early June 2026 • Fulfillment Begins: Immediately upon arrival
And, we wanted to share all the finished artwork with you so I'm including images below. To date, all but 4 cards have the artwork either finished or in the progress. Anywhere you see the back of the card, that artwork is still in in the process of being inked or Kat is making tweaks that I requested. And please note that Kat just informed me she just finished like another 8 cards, but rather than push this update back again and making you wait while I format them into the their template, I will include those and all the other finished artwork in the next update.
I just noticed that the Shadows of Wonderland pendulum boards were not showing the correct price! They are only $40 each not $95 each. If you would like to add one to your order but have already completed your survey, please reach out and we can help you with that. If you have already purchased this item, reach out to us and we can refund you the difference in price!
I apologize for the misprint and any inconvenience this has caused.
As of today, over 77% of you have already completed your survey! A huge thank you to all of you have have submitted. Remember, BackerKit surveys will officially close on July 31st, 2025.
Reminder! You must complete the survey in order to receive your items. This will be your last chance to:
🎁 Add any extras or goodies to your order 📝 Confirm or make changes to your shipping address or item selections
After July 31st, all backer orders will be locked in so we can finalize everything for pre-production. To keep costs down, we are doing a very limited printing of this decks. So, if your survey isn't completed, we won’t be able to guarantee your items or shipping timeline. If you are having trouble with the survey, or cannot find yours, please just reach out to us either at [email protected] or via text at (443) 543-8288 and we can resend you your link.
So, if you’ve been waiting to grab that tarot cloth, divination board, or second deck, now’s the time! Thanks again for supporting this strange and magical journey through Wonderland. We can’t wait to get this deck into your hands.
With love and shadows, Serefina 🖤
P.S. More Artwork!! Enjoy this draft of the Judgement card!
We know it’s been a bit of a wait between updates and I thank you for your incredible patience and kindness. A big part of this gap was because our admin, Elysiah, was out taking finals and I, Serefina, had to fill her big shoes and set up both the BackerKit surveys and the preorder store solo. I'll admit it took me a little while to figure everything out and get it running smoothly, especially with everything else going on behind the scenes and being short-staffed. So, I appreciate your understanding as I worked through it!
On a personal note...
As you can probably tell from social media, the past several weeks have been incredibly heavy for me (Serefina), both mentally and emotionally. As a Mexican American creator, the current unlawful deportation crisis has hit painfully close to home. Members of my own community, including people I love deeply, have been caught in this storm of injustice. Balancing the heartbreak and trauma of these moments while trying to pour love and magic into creative work has been very challenging. Your patience, compassion, and support have meant more than I can possibly express. Thank you for standing with me.
I also have some bittersweet news to share. My sister Angel, who many of you know has been a co-owner at Rue & Vervain and has co-created these decks with me, has made the difficult but necessary decision to step back permanently from the business to prioritize her health. She’s been facing serious health struggles for the last year and a half and truly fought to stay connected to this part of her life because it brought her so much joy. Ultimately, though, she needed to put her well-being first. If you feel moved to, please send her your love and encouragement on Instagram @jesusandrag. This was not an easy decision for her to make.
Now, onto the campaign news!
✅ BackerKit Surveys Are Ready!
The next immediate step is what’s called a BackerKit Smoke Test. This means we’ll send surveys to a small percentage of backers (usually about 5%) just to make sure everything is running smoothly. That ensures no glitches or weirdness. If you’re one of the folks who gets the survey early, please fill it out right away so we can catch any hiccups! Also, if you notice anything odd or if something doesn't work properly, please reach out to let us know!
Once the smoke test is complete (usually within 24-48 hours), we’ll roll out the surveys to everyone. This is your chance to confirm your pledge, select any add-ons, and provide your shipping details. Please keep an eye on your email for your personal survey link—it’s crucial to complete it so we can fulfill your order correctly!
💫 Preorder Store Now Open!
We’ve also opened the Shadows of Wonderland Preorder Store on BackerKit! This is specifically for anyone who missed the campaign but still wants to reserve a deck or add goodies. If you have friends or family who didn’t pledge but would love the deck, you can share the link with them.
Important note for backers: If you already pledged during the campaign, please do not use the preorder store to add extras. You’ll be able to select any add-ons directly through your survey!
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being here...not just for this project, but for us. The world is a heavy place, but the community around this deck reminds me daily of the magic we can create together.
With love and a little bit of Wonderland mischief, Serefina & Kat
P.S. Below is recently completed artwork from Kat for The Moon card!
