Xia Hunt - The Children of Ostara Tarot

Prototype Altar Box is AMAZING and Estimated Shipping Costs
6 months ago – Tue, Apr 16, 2024 at 11:16:38 AM

Hi everyone, 

Yesterday... despite being a Monday AND Tax Day in the US AND other terrible things going on in the world...for me, was a WONDERFUL day because I received the prototype of the new 2-deck Altar box. It is so much more beautiful and more magikal than I could have ever imagined! I did a whole Instagram live video for the unboxing yesterday, so if you want to see it in all its live glory, please go and check it out! 

Remember, it is going to be a Kickstarter Exclusive and will not be sold in my store. If you want to own this sure-to-be treasured heirloom, add it to your pledge for $222, or you can order it after the campaign ends in my BakerKit preorder store for a limited time. That way you can defer the payment until later, and we can work with you on the best timing for you specifically. 

Here are some more pictures! 

This beautiful 2-deck wooden altar box is a Xia Hunt exclusive, hand made with care and precision by @reginaldspleen (on Instagram) in the Uk. Each box is filled with magick and hidden secrets. The lower drawer has an engraved triple moon pull, representing past, present, and future. This drawer holds up to two standard size Tarot decks (even when left in their own original boxes) plus a little room in between or on the side to put a hidden keepsake or crystal to charge your deck.

The top lid opens with an ornate brass closure, and the inside top compartment holds 8 back tins, to be filled with botanicals or whatever else you might like. It sits on a removable tray atop removable dividers, to customize your compartments or remove them entirely. In the bottom drawer there is a hidden section behind the decks to store the dividers should you choose to remove them. The lid is ornamented with four ornate brass corners and inlaid with a brass divination coin for “flight” in the center, surrounded by the 8-pointed star and wreath motif emblematic of The Children of The Wheel series. The crow in flight represents messages, both divine and mundane, travel both astral and terrestrial, as well as liberation, freedom, and prophecy. The 8 pointed star represents the four elements x the four cardinal directions, a symbol for limitless power, energy, and potential coming in and going out from all sources.

2-Deck Altar box Measurements in CM:

Outside of box. 22.2cm wide, 15 highcm, 18.7cm deep

Top compartment. 20.8 cm wide, 4.5 high cm, 17.3 cm deep

Main drawer. 19.8 cm wide, 6 cm high, 13.3 cm deep

Secret space at back of drawer. 19.8 cm wide, 6 cm high, 2.6 cm deep

Shipping Stuff

Meanwhile, I've been working hard to develop my "shipping profiles" to give you all as accurate estimate as I can of the shipping costs. Because it is based on weight and where it's being shipped, and because we have so many reward tiers and add-ons ranging from 2 ounces to 15 pounds, it's extremely time consuming to do all the research. But, I want to make sure you have an idea before the campaign ends (only 5 days left!) in case that impacts your choices. 

Remember, shipping will NOT be charged through Kickstarter. You will be billed separately for shipping a week or two before we start actually shipping (hopefully sometime in August/June). AND also if you live in the UK, we can drop-ship the 1-deck apothecary boxes and/or 2-deck alter boxes directly from the maker, which should save you a lot in shipping and taxes! 

Item Weight

Since shipping costs depend on the weight of your items, I wanted to give you some guidelines so you can estimate how much your package will weigh depending on what you are getting. 

Shipping Profiles

The following is the estimated shipping costs, by weight, for various countries/regions. If you don't see your country listed, please let me know and I'll research the rates for you. Since I can't yet see your addresses, I'm just basing my list on past Kickstarter campaigns. Thank you for your patience, support, and understanding!

United States (by State/Region)

International

Please note, these shipping quotes DO include insurance but DO NOT include customs/taxes/duties that you will be responsible for. 

As always, thank you all SOSOSO much. I know shipping is a real beast for a lot of us, myself included...and I appreciate your understanding and continued support. 

UPDATE: 2-deck Altar boxes!
6 months ago – Wed, Apr 10, 2024 at 10:08:19 AM

Update on The UPGRADED 2-Deck Altar Boxes

Hello everyone! I'm excited to finally be able to bring you this update...I know many of you have been looking forward to this! I apologize for the delay but it's been quite a process designing these wooden accessories, as it's new territory for me and my manufacturer is in a different time zone, so communication is a bit strained. So I thank you all for your patience and understanding while I figure this out!

Things are still being refined, but my craftsman has been hard at work making a wonderful prototype that is ALMOST photo-ready! They are truly going to be breathtaking when done, truely destined to be a treasured heirloom. Keep in mind that each box is made individually, by hand, by an actual craftsman. These are not mass-produced by a machine! So there may be slight variations from box to box, in terms of wood grain and stain color and such. 

Now, I am SUPER excited to reveal some IN-PROCESS photos of what we have so far. 

Lid design mock-up

For now I just have a mock-up of the lid, as I have sent the craftsman my signature coin (the subtle Xia Hunt crow logo) to inlay and he has to configure his laser blade etching thing and we are still tweaking the design, so actual photo is still pending but this will give you a good idea of the lid. 

Note that the brass corner details are on the top (instead of the corners at the bottom like in the 1-deck apothecary box). This is because, as you will see, we are adding a drawer to the 2-deck altar box's design and the brass corners would get in the way. 

Front view 

This is the front view of the box. Look at that cool moon phase/triple goddess drawer pull! It reflects the moon in the coin too.

Inside view

As you can see, the top lid lifts up and within that section you can store 8 herbal tins. There are additional compartments below for whatever you like. In the bottom section, a draw opens up to a compartment big enough to hold two Children of the Wheel decks side by side. This inside of the lid and the compartments are lined with black felt. 

A neat feature my craftsperson added is that the tin tray lifts out and the partitions below are also removable, so you can adjust the inside configuration to fit all your specific needs. 

Questions & Answers

How much will it cost? 

Each box is lovingly handmade to custom specifications and is a beautiful luxury item that will truly become a treasured heirloom. These boxes are very labor intensive to make and at 5 LB each, will be very expensive to ship to me, so I can ship them to you! Therefore, they are more expensive than the 1-deck apothecary boxes. They will cost $222 and are now available as an add-on.

Can I upgrade my current box pledge?

Yes! Those of you who have already pledged for the 1-deck apothecary box and want to upgrade to the bigger 2-deck altar box can do so by increasing your overall pledge to accommodate the difference between the 1-deck box and the 2-deck box. Here is how:

• The 1-deck apothecary boxes are $77 for Kickstarter backers. If you want to upgrade to the 2-deck altar box, click "Manage Pledge" and add $145 to your pledge (222-77=$145). 
• If you pledged for a tier with two of the 1-deck apothecary boxes, same rules apply: ($77x2= 154, 222-154= $68) Click "Manage Pledge" and increase your pledge by $68.

If you upgrade, please also mention it in the open notes section of your survey at the end so we are all on the same page!  

Will these be available after the Kickstarter campaign ends? 

Nope. These 2-deck altar boxes will be Kickstarter-exclusive items. Our craftsperson can only make one of these 2-deck altar boxes at a time (as opposed to the 1-deck apothecary boxes, where he can make a few at the same time). This means they take A LOT more time to make, and in his words "time is money." These 2-deck altar boxes will be hand-made to order, one at a time. I need to be perfectly clear: These boxes are going to be KICKSTARTER EXCLUSIVE rewards, and I will ONLY be making exactly as many as are ordered during the campaign or in the backer-kit pre-order store. This means they will NOT be available on my site after the campaign. Maybe I can re-release them in future Kickstarter campaigns, but I can't afford to inventory them. 

How long will these take to make? Can they ship separately from the other rewards? 

Depending on how many orders we get, we may need to ship these bigger boxes separately as they are completed. Otherwise, it could potentially hold up shipping your other items. If you order the altar box, I'm thinking we will let you decide. You can choose to have us hold all your rewards and send everything together, or you can have your other rewards sent out first and the altar box shipped separately as it is completed. I can't ask him to go faster than he can go, so we just have to exercise patience! I truly believe they will be worth the wait. 

If you choose to have the box sent separately, please note:

1) You will have to pay 2 separate shipping fees at the end, one for the box and one for all the other stuff in your pledge.

2) Your box will come to you empty. I won't be able to fill the tins or put your decks inside.

I live in the UK...can the craftsperson drop ship the box directly to me?

Yes. our craftsperson has generously offered to drop ship the altar boxes separately to backers in the UK to try and save us all a bit on shipping. If you are in the UK and choose this option, please note: 

1) You will have to pay 2 separate shipping fees at the end, one for the box, and one for the other stuff in your pledge that will be shipped by me. But shipping is based on weight, so your box from the US will be lighter and therefore less expensive. 

2) Your box will come to you empty, as it will be shipped from the craftsperson making them and not from me. 

So that's where I'm at! I should have more photos of the 2-deck altar boxes soon. 

Thanks again so much to everyone still with me! I could not have done any of this without you, and I really appreciate your continued support! We are getting close to the end...only 10 more days. Please spread the word! 

Sending all of you much love and light.

-Xia

Quick update! More add-ons!
6 months ago – Thu, Apr 04, 2024 at 08:38:59 AM

Altar cards are now available!

I am now offering my 9"x6" Altar cards as a complete set or as a single card! 

The COMPLETE SET comes with 24 cards: Large print versions of all 22 Major Arcana cards from either The Children of Litha (plus The All and The Void) OR The Children of Ostara (Plus The Above and The Below). 

These are printed on high-quality card stock with a luxurious velvet matte finish ("rose petal", like the regular black edition cards), which makes the illustrations very vivid and soft to the touch. The backside features the same image as the back of the card. They measure 9 x 6 inches. Suitable for framing or simply placing on, near, or above an altar/ sacred space. 

PLEASE NOTE: Only The Children of Litha altar cards are shown in the picture because I have not made The Children of Ostara's altar cards yet, but you will be able to choose which set you like at the end through your survey.

As always, thank you all so so much for your support and patience. It means so much to me and I hope you are as excited as I am!

Wooden Wheel of the Year Stretch goal UNLOCKED! Plus more art!
7 months ago – Mon, Apr 01, 2024 at 11:50:49 PM

Hand-painted Wooden Altar Wheel of the Year(s) have been unlocked! 

Wow, okay, YAY! 

First of all, as always, THANK YOU to everyone who is supporting this. You guys are amazing. Second, I am sorry in advance for any typos, I have been working non-stop for days, I think I'm getting sick, and I am just exhausted. BUT! I am also SO excited to announce that the Wooden Wheel of the Year stretch goal has been UNLOCKED! YOU CAN NOW ADD THEM TO YOUR PLEDGE!

I was really hoping we would get this far. I was so hoping for it, in fact, that I already paid the initial down-payment fee out of pocket a while back to get these guys working on this reward early! I knew this amount of artistry would take a while, and I wanted to give the craftspeople as much time as possible to finish such a large order. I considered it a kind of...show of faith, or sacrifice, towards manifesting this goal. Now that we are here, I could not be more pleased! 

These hand-painted wooden wheels are 10" in diameter, and I have added the astrological decans to the design. In astrology, decans refer to the 10 degree subdivisions within each 30 degree zodiac sign, each of which is given 1 of the 7 classical planets as its own sub-ruler. The decans are  responsible for the astrological associations of cards 2-10 of the minor arcana, so this makes these wheels more accurate astrologically, as well as more relevant from a tarot standpoint. 

The Above and The Below cards are FINISHED. Finally.

The 2 EXTRA cards available only with the LIMITED GOLD EDITION "The Above" and "The Below" are FINALLY done! Here is a look!

As you can see, the two cards form one complete image when stacked on top of each other. There are symbolic reasons for this that inform the meaning of the cards, but let's save some mystery for the guide books, shall we? ;)

Also, I have decided to look into offering the complete image of these two cards as a print...as well as a set of altar cards with the entire collection of the major arcana (+ The Above and The Below) as add-ons...But I will have to see what the options are size-wise, as the illustration of both cards is not a standard size print. So more on that later! 

Thank you all again so so so much, and now I need to go to bed. 

Much love and good night

-Xia

We broke 100k!!!! Also! Coin art is done!
7 months ago – Mon, Mar 25, 2024 at 04:16:29 PM

Hello everyone!

WE BROKE 100K!!!! Wow, this means so much cool stuff will happen--but first let me say THANK YOU...and share some new artwork!

Thank you all so much for your patience as I catch up on our unlocked stretch goals! I have just finished the Earth/Air and Fire/Water divination coins. They still have to be approved by the manufacturer, but... without further ado, here are the designs! 

The Fire coin features a salamander inside the elemental glyph for Fire, surrounded by flames and held up by the sun! It was believed in European antiquity that salamanders were born from the flames, and capable of starting or stopping fires at will. For this reason, spirits of fire were referred to as "salamanders." These lizards make many appearances in old alchemical art to depict the fire element and it's ability to purify as well as immolate. This coin represents the element Fire, which in turn represents our spirit, or life/animating principle. It is our drive, motivation, ambition, and desire. When we experience an intense wanting, after all, we describe it as a "burning desire". When we "light a fire beneath someone", we mean to say we are motivating them and getting them to act! 

The water coin depicts a white koi fish inside the elemental glyph for water, with waves in the background and the moon and stars overhead. The moon is often associated with the elemental water due to her part in controlling and portending the changing of the tides. The element Water represents our intuition, emotions, and the subconscious. Like the tides, our feelings undulate. Like water, our emotions are renewing and necessary, yet easy to drown in. Like the moon, our intuition offers us peace and clarity in darkness and yet waxes and wanes beyond our ability to control. Fish were seen as messengers of the subconscious, due to their elusive nature and grace within the mysteriously deep element of water.

The Earth coin features a tulip flower inside the elemental glyph for Earth, with a mountain background that subtly takes the shape of a "mother goddess" figure towards the peak. The climbing ivy around the borders represents tenacity and a flexible sort of strength, whereas the tulip represents prosperity and grace. The element Earth represents the material world and all its resources and obstacles. If we are to weather the storms of life and climb our proverbial mountains, we must strive for strength and grace, flexibility and durability.  

The Air coin features feathers floating inside the elemental glyph for air, with stormy clouds underneath and lighter clouds on top. Here, the rising sun is just beginning to break through the darkness. Air represents our thoughts, intellect, and logic. Like feathers, our thoughts are many and weightless and yet they can wing us over complex feelings or past overwhelming physical obstacles... However,  despite the insight offered by reason and logic, it is a double-edged sword. Not all winds carry us upward. some are warm, but many can spiral you around like an unending tornado, or chill you to the bone. 

So that's that! If you want these, you can add one or both of these coins to your pledges by choosing the "single coin" option add on, or add the complete set (in which case they will be automatically included).  At the end of the Kickstarter, you will be able to specify which finishes you want (gold, silver, or copper) as well as coins (if you choose individual ones). 

Guidebook for the coins?

Someone asked me if there was a guidebook for interpreting the coins. The answer is: No, there isn't...yet! So far, I have just been writing up the individual meanings on my site for each coin ...But since all 8 coins are intended to act as a set of Witch's runes when used together, I think it is time to write one up! So after I finish The Above and The Below cards, I will be writing a little guidebook that you guys can add on to your coins, if you like. It shouldn't be too expensive to have made, but more on that once I figure it all out! 

WE UNLOCKED THE UPGRADED "ALTAR BOX!"

At 99,999k, we unlocked The Wooden 2-Deck Altar box--an upgraded version of the Apothocarry boxes currently available. 

Unlike the apothecary deck boxes, which hold 1 deck and 6 herbal tins, this UPGRADED wooden Altar box will be more than twice as big, holding 2 decks below, and 8 herbal tins on top...AND have an additional 4 empty compartments to hold your insense, crystals, coins, and whatever else. The only issue with it is...I don't know how much they will cost. 

Because it was only just unlocked, I am still working out the details with the craftsperson making them, so we don't have a price nailed down ...and that means I can't list it as an add-on quite yet (since I don't know how much I need to charge for them!). He is going to get me some prototypes and price quotes ASAP, and as soon as that is all figured out, I will add it to the add-on list and let you know! 

Here is an updated look at the design

We had to move the long skinny compartment down, so that it could hold a 9" intense stick, and that meant moving the tins up...so as you can see, we are still working things out! I will keep you updated as I get more information. 

Once again, thank you all so much for your patience and continued support. It means so much to me, and I hope you are all as excited as I am about the new stuff!