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!
It’s been a hectic and whirlwind few weeks behind the scenes here at Rue & Vervain—but we have some exciting news to share!
🎉 Printer Confirmed! We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve officially locked in our printer for Shadows of Wonderland! Even better, despite the chaos the new tariffs have caused across the industry, we’re able to maintain the exact same deck specifications and pricing we originally promised. No changes. No compromises. Just the beautiful, strange, shadow-drenched deck you supported.
🕰️ Survey Update Due to recent staff reductions and the fact that our amazing admin Elysiah is currently deep in finals for her third year of college (go, Elysiah!), I—Serefina—am solo-managing our BackerKit survey setup for the next two weeks. As a result, the BackerKit surveys will now go out on June 21st. Thank you so much for your patience as we juggle all the plates!
Just a quick reminder: when the surveys go out via BackerKit, that’s your chance to:
Confirm your shipping address
Select your reward options (if applicable)
Add on any extra goodies you may have missed
Pay for shipping and applicable taxes
We’ll give you a full walkthrough when the time comes, so no need to worry, we’ll guide you every step of the way.
🧸 Pooh to the Rescue! In the meantime, we’ve launched our Pooh to the Rescue campaign—a fundraising effort powered by our remaining Wisdom of Pooh Tarot inventory. Every deck sold brings us one step closer to raising the funds needed to cover the terrible tariffs plaguing nearly all of our other print projects (Tigger Too, guidebooks, workbooks, sticker books, etc.). If you know anyone who loves Pooh or has been eyeing the deck, now’s the time to grab it at it's unbelievably new low price before it's gone forever!
Thank you for your continued support, grace, and patience as we navigate this wild landscape. Shadows of Wonderland is very much alive and moving forward...and it’s all because of you.
With gratitude and mad tea party magic, 💜 Serefina, Angel, & Kat
P.S. Below is the recently completed artwork for The Star card!
First and foremost—thank you. The overwhelming support, encouragement, and patience we’ve received from this community means more than we can say. 💜
We’ve seen some questions and concerns about our ability to fulfill Shadows of Wonderland, especially in light of the delays with our Tigger Too Tarot campaign, and we want to address those openly and honestly.
Here’s the truth: we have successfully created and delivered three decks in the last three years. We know we can do this, and we know how much love, labor, and logistics it takes. The issue with Tigger is not about our ability or commitment—it’s about manufacturing delays, economics, and global trade.
Tigger's project includes many custom components—a deluxe box set, collector’s books, journals, maps—all of which required specialized manufacturing. That limited our options when it came to printers, and it came with a high price tag: over $67,000 to print. And that does not include the new tariffs. Even with the reduction to the new 30% tariff, we are still looking at an additional $20,000 added to our costs overnight.
We don’t have an extra $20K lying around. We’re a small, women- and minority-owned indie company. And right now, we’re trying to figure out how to pull $20K out of thin air. That’s the dilemma with Tigger.
Shadows of Wonderland, however, is a different story.
Before tariffs were even on our radar, we made the intentional decision to keep this campaign simple and streamlined, no deluxe boxes, no add-on books or journals. Just the decks, the Little Book of Meanings, and the collectible tins. This allowed us to keep the deck affordable for you and more manageable for us.
Because of this pivot, the current tariffs have not impacted this project nearly as severely. We have options. We can use alternate printers. The only custom item is the mini deck’s tin, and if needed, we may pivot to a different tin style that still looks great but doesn’t require the same custom mold.
Still, like many small businesses hit hard by these tariffs, we’ve had to make tough decisions to stay afloat—including reducing our team from six down to three. That means our response times might be slower than usual, and we ask for your continued patience and understanding.
We’re here. We’re working hard. And we are absolutely committed to delivering Shadows of Wonderland—on time, with all the heart and magic you expect from us.
With gratitude and wonder,
Serefina (& what's left of the Rue & Vervain Team)
P.S. Below is some draft artwork for the Devil card that Kat just completed.
We’re entering the final stretch of our Shadows of Wonderland Tarot campaign—and what a journey it’s been! Thanks to you, we’ve reached 133% of our goal and brought this strange, beautiful deck to life. Your support means everything.
As we near the finish line, we want to let you know that any stretch goals or bonus items we didn’t quite reach during the campaign will still be available soon—through our preorder store, which will open shortly after the campaign ends!
So if there’s something you had your eye on, like that special tarot cloth or exclusive add-on, don’t worry—it’s not gone for good. You’ll have a chance to grab it soon.
Until then, thank you again for believing in Wonderland. Let’s make the final hours count!
With gratitude and wonder,
Serefina, Angel, & Kat The Rue & Vervain Team
P.S. Here is a sneak peek at The Empress Kat recently finished!
Now that the Shadows of Wonderland Campaign has ended, I wanted to share with you the next steps! We are currently preparing our surveys and getting our preorder store ready. The very next step will be to send out a Smoke Test.
What is a Smoke Test? A Smoke Test is a test run to ensure that we have set up the surveys properly. During the Smoke Test, a very small portion of backers will receive the survey. This is how we can see if there are any problems. Backers are selected at random, so if you happen to be one of these Smoke Test backers, please let us know if you have any issues! This will allow us to make any fixes or adjustments needed before we send it to the masses.
What is the Survey? The Survey is how we collect your shipping information as well as confirm your pledge and reward items. We are working with our partner BackerKit to help manage this process. During the survey process you will:
Confirm your items and have an opportunity to add on additional items if you wish.
Confirm your shipping address
Pay for shipping and any additional items you may have added on.
As soon as we finish building the surveys, I will be back with more detailed information and steps on how to complete this important next step.
Thank you all for helping to make this project a success!!!
With love and wonder,
Serefina, Angel, & Kat
P.S. I wanted to share more completed artwork from the deck! Below is the King of Staffs.
