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Here's a write-up I put together about this project. This may show up on Kickstarter as a first project, but don't let that hold you back, because Stacey has been working in the playing card industry for a long time, and has also run previous projects.

Kickstarter: Sardines Playing Cards in Tomato Sauce

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sq ... mato-sauce

Luxury playing cards illustrated by Stacey Jay Kelly

Cost: £12 per deck
Project ends: 9th December 20:00 GMT



Squiddle Ink is the brand name of artist Stacey Jay Kelly, who has lots of experience with the playing card industry. Two of her previous decks include Fishing For Compliments and Legends Digital Petroglyphs. She also gave a presentation at one of the virtual conventions for 52 Plus Joker (the world's largest playing card club), which you can view here, in which she discussed her playing card designs, as well as her work with the Worshipful Makers of Playing Cards.

The goal for this fully-customized deck was to create a clean design, that blends a modern and vintage style, so that the deck looks like it comes from an artisanal Spanish sardine-canning factory.



The tuck box will be made from pearlescent stock, and have embossing, a custom seal, and internal printing with a wave pattern set on a yellow background. It has a nautical theme using anchors, rope and marine vegetation with the back of the tuck being reminiscent of the traditional sailor's tattoos.

The card back features a two-way design depicting a sardines tin with the lid being peeled back to reveal four sardines inside, which are placed so that fans reveal fish along the sides. One of the stretch goals is to have the area on the card back that depicts the tin peeled back printed in hot foil, creating a silvery metallic effect.



The Kings depict sea fishermen, the Queens mermaids, and the Jacks skippers-in-training.







The custom Ace of Spades includes nautical details and a sardine tail.



The pips are also completely customized, with the Spades featuring a sailor's knot, the Diamonds an anchor, the Clubs a starfish with seaweed, and the Hearts a shell design.



The Jokers feature the sea otter holding a playing card.



The deck will be printed by Legends Playing Card Company on their popular Viper Finish, and the goal is to have silver hot foil on the card backs.



Another stretch goal is a customized embossed printed tin to house the deck. Other add-on items include t-shirts, an enamel pin, uncut sheets, and art prints, so Stacey has thought of everything!



I've followed Stacey's work in the past, and really enjoyed her 52 Plus Joker presentation, so I'm excited about this project, and am confident that playing card enthusiasts and collectors will just love the quality and look of this great custom deck she has created!

I also like the fact that despite being fully customized, it's still very functional and usable for playing card games. I've got quite a few decks that use LPCC's Viper Finish, and really like the handling feel and quality, so this really does tick all the boxes. Bravo Stacey Jay Kelly!

Project link

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sq ... mato-sauce

I'm not usually one for add-ons but I think that tin makes too much sense. I hope the stretch goal is reached!

I'm a bit unclear on how the tin stretch goal works. The first 1000 decks get a tin, does that mean people who buy bricks will get every deck tinned? Or since it says the tin will be given free to early backers, does that mean only early bird backers get the tin automatically?

So the first 1000 decks sold through this campaign will be in tins If we hit the stretch goal of £26,000. It has nothing to do with the early bird reward tiers. So if people have bought a brick and they are in the first 1000 decks sold all those decks will arrive in tins. I can see a log of the order that all the decks are purchased, so I can see the first 1000 tins sold and who bought them. This is a way for me to reward my early backers and use the profits to make the deck extra special in the event that we do extremely well.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I certainly hope you get to 26k on this.

Would be a hell of fun if these where actually tinned like sardines. Fun strech goal regardless.

I was at first considering actually canning these decks in a real ring pull printed sardine can. But it would only really work for collectors who don't open them.

Squiddle_Ink wrote: ↑Sun Nov 13, 2022 6:33 am I was at first considering actually canning these decks in a real ring pull printed sardine can. But it would only really work for collectors who don't open them.

Hello. Did someone say my name?

Squiddle_Ink wrote: ↑Sun Nov 13, 2022 6:33 am I was at first considering actually canning these decks in a real ring pull printed sardine can. But it would only really work for collectors who don't open them.

I have opened almost all of the decks I have, excluding duplicates or special editions that contain the same cards as the basic editions. I definitely would enjoy opening a real canned edition and I would get a second one, to keep it sealed, haha. I like to do something that I know I can't reverse.
I know that mileage varies and I might be in the minority but a tin boxed deck is nothing special from my pov - Bikes came in tin boxes, Meadowlark did it just recently. One out of many. But really embracing the theme would have made these special imho. As is, I really like the deck a lot and I wish it all the best but it's nothing that makes me pull the trigger due to having loooooooooads of cards already and other hobbies. Having something that sticks out, would have made me grab a pair.

Squiddle_Ink wrote: ↑Sun Nov 13, 2022 6:33 am I was at first considering actually canning these decks in a real ring pull printed sardine can. But it would only really work for collectors who don't open them.

I never open any of my decks

https://www.portfolio52.com/profile/27521

Keep the pip locked up, I say!

26 decks of her first deck, Fishing are available as Add Ons.

I unfortunately missed out on the add-on If anyone got multiple and can send me one, or drop one for me to pick up, I'd love that.

Wow, super exciting, I'm happy to announce that I just hit the funding goal. Thank you to everyone who has shared this project and backed it thus far. What a delightful stage to be at in the process.

Squiddle_Ink wrote: ↑Wed Nov 16, 2022 2:30 pm Wow, super exciting, I'm happy to announce that I just hit the funding goal. Thank you to everyone who has shared this project and backed it thus far. What a delightful stage to be at in the process.

Congratulations, that's fantastic, and this project deserves it!

Extremely happy this is 100% funded. It's going to be a stunning deck! Only halfway to the goal of the tin, but there's still 22 days. Anything can happen! What is the stretch goal for the hot foil?

Swiski66 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 16, 2022 10:24 pm Extremely happy this is 100% funded. It's going to be a stunning deck! Only halfway to the goal of the tin, but there's still 22 days. Anything can happen! What is the stretch goal for the hot foil?

From the project page:

"If we manage to raise £12,000 we will add silver hot foil to the card backs."

Great news. I'm happy to see these funded.

Here's a few more pictures, to help us stay keen:

Closing in on that first stretch goal. Not sure it will make it to the second one but I think foil on the backs will really make these cards pop.

We did it! Hot Foil is officially on the cards.

Well deserved.

Harvonsgard wrote: ↑Wed Nov 23, 2022 8:32 pm Well deserved.

Ditto. These are going to be wonderful!

Besides the cards, the lovely trailer should get some deserved attention as well.

If this gets the second stretch goal with the tin box, I hope the embossing-debossing on the bottom of the box looks something like this. I know this is more of a third stretch goal, because embossing is probably very expensive. Wishful thinking, right?

That's so funny, as I mentioned previously I really considered trying to physically 'can' these cards in a true sardine tin but I chickened out when I considered people may open them and try to keep the tin and potentially cut themselves on it sometime. It really would be such a sweet feature if we could peel back a ring-pull to open these cards though, wouldn't it?

Squiddle_Ink wrote: ↑Sat Nov 26, 2022 10:34 am That's so funny, as I mentioned previously I really considered trying to physically 'can' these cards in a true sardine tin but I chickened out when I considered people may open them and try to keep the tin and potentially cut themselves on it sometime. It really would be such a sweet feature if we could peel back a ring-pull to open these cards though, wouldn't it?

That would be cool! Just don't have the deck submerged in oil inside the can...LOL! This deck is going to be a fan favorite even without the can. The foil accents will be a fantastic addition.

Squiddle_Ink wrote: ↑Sat Nov 26, 2022 10:34 amIt really would be such a sweet feature if we could peel back a ring-pull to open these cards though, wouldn't it?

.

So proud to be featured on the Kardify website this month and even more excited to hear that the Sardines deck was the cover feature for this month's issue of the Kardify magazine. This campaign has been such a wild ride and as we enter the final week I wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who showed their support! It is not too late to grab yourself a deck...
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sq ... mato-sauce

So we are approaching the end of the project and I would like to take a moment to thank everyone once again for backing. It has been amazing to see the support and interest and of course to smash the first stretch goal. There are now just 3 days remaining on this project and there is still time for anyone who would hasn't backed the project to grab themselves a deck.