Oracles of July

All surfaces in the studio have been taken up lately as we’ve been finishing lots of new Oracle-made items! Frames! Domes! Articulations! Our Nature-scape domed specimen have been really popular and they are getting snatched up almost as soon as they are finished!

Melissa’s scorpions posed on crystals are always so well composed and reveal her love of classic Japanese prints in their arrangement. Alessandra’s been making some absolutely stunning and unique work… the taxidermy and skeletal articulation combination of the Domestic Pigeon. Not only is it fascinating to see the skeleton nestled within its feathery exterior, but this bird still has personality in his pose! A complete blend of science and art.

Rattle Snake Skeleton

And of course our in-house made frames highlight some of our favorite specimens. These two moths demonstrate that not all of the stars in the Lepidoptera world are butterflies… The infamous Death’s-Head Hawk Moth is known for its skull-like marking on its body. Hang him as a focal point in a place of honor OR nestle this small frame amongst a collection of art! Every once in a while, one specimen just completely takes our breath away… the Celestial Moon Saturn moth is one of those. The dark wood Oracle-made double-glass frame showcases its full beauty in an elegant and understated way.

July is a good month to do a midyear check-in reading for yourself. The vibrant colors and bold designs of The Outsider Tarot just really “feel right” for the summer heat with its visual excitement and vibrant irreverent energy. The Numinous Tarot is a joyful non-binary LGBTQ+ designed deck and could be a restorative deck to delve into after Pride. Both decks don’t shy away from color or contemporary imagery!

The Outsider Tarot

Numinous Tarot

So with that, we wish you all a safe and happy July. From Oracle! If you’re in KC during our shop hours (Wednesday through Sunday 11am to 6pm*) *We will be closed for vacation on July 3rd and 4th. See you again on the 5th!

— Laura

Oracles of February

Here we are one month into 2024: February, the month of love and Winter weather. We’re all (somewhat) recovered from the holiday season and the multiple ice/snow storms. We are so happy to be back in the studio working on projects!

Feeling grateful for our community, our friends, our fans, our fellow artists. We made it through the past few years with hard work, quick pivots, true luck… and most of all, with your support! Thank you!

So obviously we’re feeling a little lovey-dovey and we decided to lean into the “month of love” theme. And we mean ALL the love (not just romantic partnerships). It seems like a great opportunity to make sure you let those in your circle know what they mean to you.

And if you’re like us (which given that you’re reading the Oracle blog, there’s a strong chance you are)… then the way to your heart is through science, nature, and magic!

So here are some gift ideas for the curious at heart:

• Send a bit of fun in the form of a fortune scratch-off card.

• Set the mood with Smells Like Spells incense. Beauty, intelligence, success, and vivacity.

• Our bookish friends might enjoy Magic Flowers by Christine Blystone. Part plant folklore and ritual reference, part poetic memoir; Magic Flowers “asks us to dare to love a thousand times — especially when we don’t know if we’ll ever bring some of our deepest desires to fruition.”

• Why give a regular bunch of flowers when you could honor your love with a beautiful Curioscape art piece by Atropos Curios. Beautiful glasswing butterflies alight upon poppy flowers and lavender over a bed of crystals and a skull cap nestled within a hinged glass curio box.

• For the loved-one that truly has everything… the heart from the famous two-headed calf!

We’ve been working in the studio creating some fun Valentine-themed gifts. A sweet spin on our signature insect specimen mini-domes make lovely mementos. The Bee Sweet dome has a bee pinned in “mid flight” just above a small rosebud, a moment frozen in time while the Romantic Weevil cheerfully holds up his rosebud.

Alessandra and Melissa working in the studio.

Oracle Valentines

And because you all loved our Oracle Holiday Ornaments so much… we made Oracle Valentine Sets! Set of three specimen vials each individually labeled with a cute message card. Three styles: friendship, sweetheart, and just-for-fun/suggestive.

Love Oracle? (Awww… we love you too!) Now we can all rep our favorite taxidermy studio everywhere we go! “Science is Magic” illustration of a fox skeleton and dermestid beetles by our very own Melissa Chepren and printed at Oddities Prints in KC. Long-sleeve sweatshirt (with bone motif on the sleeves!) or T-shirt styles available. Warm weather or cold, we’ve got you covered… literally.

Science is Magic shirts.

Laura writing for Oracle.

- Laura

Oracle's Card of the Month: October '23

This month we pulled The Ship card from Lulu’s Lenormand. In traditional Lenormand decks the ship takes the form of a tall ship with sails out on the sea. The Ship card refers to movement, travel, and foreign places. It can be a call to get out and explore or a signal that your “ship is about to come in.”

In a world of daily international travel and global communication, Lulu’s Lenormand takes the Ship’s province even farther outside with a vintage-style UFO (or UAP as they’re now labeled). Take the appearance of this Ship as a sign to not only get moving or explore new places… but also as a call to get “outside of the normal.” Investigate places both outside and within.

This October get outside of your comfort zone, get weird, and look to new horizons!

If you’ve been in our studio this year you’ve seen the ongoing installation art piece “Odyssey of the Oracle” by Dani Hurst Brown. This large hand-woven wreath has become a beautiful document of the turning seasons. Dani has now released a zine that takes you through the practice of “Seasonal Wreathing” in which the creation of your own handmade wreath becomes a work of art, a nature offering, and a diary of the year.

For a cute pick-me-up or to gift as a little token of friendship we have new enamel pins by Kitty with a Cupcake! The Kitty Tarot Death card and the Pocket Familiar bat are adorable and fill that Halloween fun need.

This month we head out to Philadelphia. Alessandra and I will be joined by Tyler Thrasher, Ash Miyagawa, Jane Almirall, and Sweet Destructor for a weekend pop-up event at Bloodmilk’s Sphinx and Snakeskin 45 N 2nd St, Philadelphia. Friday the 13th 6-9pm and Saturday the 14th 12-5pm. If you’re in the Philly area come say hi! And KC folks, Melissa is holding down the fort in our studio so we will be open our normal hours still!

If you’re looking for some ideas for trying something new… Oracle has several classes on the roster for October. On Friday the 20th I (Laura) will be teaching a Candle Divination class. That Sunday the 22nd Alessandra will teach a Scorpion pinning class. And on Thursday the 26th she will give a Bone Lecture.

So this October have some fun trying out new things, stretching your wings, and go for a wild Autumn ride! - Laura Pensar for Oracle Natural Science

Oracle's Card of the Month: August '23

August is a transitional month as schedules change and the heat of the Summer brings its full energy. For August we turned to The Forbidden Forest (playing cards by the Toronto-based design studio Humble Raja) and pulled the High/Red Joker!

The High Joker is Wild Light. Unpredictability, spontaneity, and general antics out in the open. This Joker brings their wild side into the light and embraces all the chaos under the sun.

The High Joker in The Forbidden Forest has popped some fresh cut Summer flowers into a skull and made a lively vase out of decay. But on closer look we see that what appears to be a skull is truly just a vase with strategically placed blooms and leaves… not so scary after all. A reminder that even in the light of day things may not always be as they seem.

This month embrace your wild side and let your individual quirkiness see the light.

Hyenas seem like a fitting symbol for the wild energy of the High Joker. With their unusual vocalizations, ability to seemingly double their size by raising the hair along their back, and bone-crushing teeth (just check out the jaws on this Hyena skull!)… Hyenas are very unique creatures. So take up space, gnash your teeth, and make whatever noises feel right. Get wild.

Tourmaline is a highly sought-after crystal… and the green variety is particularly lovely. It can range in color from a pale mint green to a deep emerald hue. A great stone for staying brightly active during the heat of the summer. Green Tourmaline is said to be associated with healing, strength, vitality, and wholeness. A gentle reminder to tap into your stamina and embrace all aspects of yourself.

This month we head out to Denver for a pop-up and jam-packed weekend of classes at RitualCravt! Oracle will be there along with Tyler Thrasher, Moth & Candle, and Weaves-Shoots-And-Leaves. There’s a Candle Divination class, Spider Magic class, Wreath Art class, and Bone Articulation workshop! So if you are in the Denver area come take part in the fun! Our KC studio will be closed while we head West (August 17th-20th), but we will be back to normal shop hours August 24th!

And finishing out the month, we will be hosting Handsome Devil Puppets for a special KC show on Monday the 28th. HDP shows are always a special experience. Tickets tend to sell out quickly so if you think you want to be there you may want to reserve yours now.

This August I hope you can feel at-one with your inner Joker and when life throws you a wild card keep it light! — Laura Pensar for Oracle Natural Science

Oracle's Card of the Month: July '23

July is Summer break… which somewhat ironically is hardly a break at all for many of us! This month we’ve pulled the Spoonbill + Labradorite card from the Obsidian Oracle deck by Megan Buccere.

This card is associated with taking a break and introspection. While it may seem counterintuitive to be thinking in terms of taking a break just as Summer activities are ramping up, it’s important to remember the value in rest.

“There’s no shame in retreating from the world to indulge in some introspection. Don’t be afraid to give your mind and spirit what they need . . . give yourself time to breathe and think.” (From the Obsidian Oracle guidebook by Trish Sullivan).

This month take a break here or there to center yourself and tend to your needs. Maybe wade through some shallow water and feel your way forward really connecting to your tactile senses.

The Spoonbill’s skull is so distinctive from other birds, including its close relative the Ibis, because of the flat spatula-like bill. The Spoonbill’s nostrils are close to the base so that it can breathe while the rest of its bill is submerged in water. Spoonbills forage by slowly wading through shallow waters and feeling for food with their sensitive bills. While they remain in large colonies, they are focused as they take care of their individual needs.

Labradorite is a stone associated with connecting to your inner vision and higher awareness. Labradorite has an iridescent quality known as labradorescence: “the peculiar reflection of the light from submicroscopical planes orientated in one direction.” Each piece of labradorite is a unique visual experience, a world of its own.

This month our friends from RitualCravt in Denver will be coming to KC for classes and a special market pop-up in Oracle! Friday, July 21st Jess Ellis (Atropos Curios) and Alessandra Dzuba will teach “The Magic of Spiders” workshop. Saturday the 22nd will be the pop-up market from 11am to 5pm here in the Oracle studio. And Saturday evening Missy Rhysing will lead a Beginning Past Life Meditation workshop.

And following our own advice… we will be taking a very small break ourselves. Oracle will be closed on Sunday July 2nd. (But back in the studio and open again on Wednesday July 5th!)

This July I hope you can find some time for yourself amongst the hustle and bustle of the Summer. — Laura Pensar for Oracle Natural Science

Oracle's Card of the Month: March '23

This month we’ve pulled the Spanish Luna Moth + Rose Quartz card from the Obsidian Oracle deck by Megan Buccere. The associations for this card are appreciation of self and getting to know yourself. The luna moth as an icon of cycles and impermanence coupled with the universal love and harmonious nature of rose quartz makes this a balm for the soul this March. As Trish Sullivan says in the guidebook for this deck,“You are a never-ending journey of self-discovery.”

March gets its name from the Roman god of war, Mars. Perhaps the stir-crazy cabin-fever from waiting through the months of winter lead to amped up aggression just waiting to burst forth at the first thaw? Personally, the frustration of navigating the fresh crop of potholes in the streets after all of the midwestern ices and thaws definitely leaves me feeling… emotionally itchy. And when that tendency towards conflict arises (hello, Mars) sometimes what we really need to do is take a step back to look at what needs of our own are not being met. If we can fill our own cup or reinforce our boundaries reasonably, most of the time the friction will be eased before escalation.

Here in the studio, when visitors ask us what they should get for a particular need we generally suggest as a first step, “Take a look around and notice what you are drawn to.” Almost always when we look up the associations for those items they line up with the energies that we were needing to call in anyway!

Allowing yourself (within safety and reason, of course) to linger with the things or experiences that we are drawn to is a way to honor ourselves and our intuition. Go to a greenhouse or garden center and allow yourself to be drawn in by the plants that are intriguing to you. Visit a museum or gallery and rather than trying to “take it all in” or go to the “important” pieces… go where your eyes take you. Spend extra tie with the things which spark your curiosity or amplify certain feelings for you. Rather than worrying about looking at, being near, or having the “right” things… give yourself some moments of exploration.

Rewild Yourself by Simon Barnes “features numerous spellbinding ways to bring the magic of nature much closer to home … you will discover new creatures and with them, new areas of yourself that had gone dormant.” There is plenty of research backing up the assertion that experiencing nature is a key component to cultivating a sense of awe and happiness. (Article 1 / Article 2 / Article 3 ) We feel more ourselves by actually getting outside of ourselves… and experiencing the interconnectedness of life.

Rose Quartz is a stone associated with gentleness and calming energies. A member of the Quartz family it is a strong mineral and carries amplifying characteristics, while trace amounts of (generally) titanium, manganese, and/or iron give it that sweet rosy hue. These rose quartz towers make a lovely addition to your desk or personal alter as a way to focus and amplify a soft connection with your spiritual aspects. For a touch-stone of calming and release of stress, these deep pink rose quartz palm stones are perfect pocket companions during difficult times.

While I know they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, I am personally biased towards moths (and butterflies). And I love looking at the ways various artists choose to depict them. The Luna Moth Card by Moth & Myth highlights the inherent “painterly” feel of real luna moths and places it in a lush laser-cut Art Nouveau inspired background.

Fawns are a quintessential symbol of the beginning of Spring. This sweet vintage taxidermy fawn stands peacefully by as a reminder of the coming equinox. Deer are often seen as messengers of the heart, gentle and wise. And the tasty plants in my garden often prove too tempting for these amazing creatures to pass up in the warmer months… darn it. But in March, we have a peaceable understanding.

March may feel like a strange time in-between seasons, somewhat unsettled. And if you find your inner Mars all armored up holding a spear and tapping on your shoulder ready to go to battle over every minor aggravation… remember to take a moment to care for your needs. Sometimes what we really need to do is draw better boundaries and make sure our heart has been nurtured. Tap into the fleeting artistic beauty of a moth and ground yourself in the comforting smoothness of rose quartz. May your March be filled with things that draw you gently and curiously into the world.