Self-Nurturing Solitaire

Artwork by Idelle Jones
Written by Jean Zartner

"For singles and anyone else learning to be more loving to self and others."

www.SelfNurture.com

Self-Nurturing Solitaire is a deck of cards designed to improve Self-Esteem. It started out as a small edition between friends, and by building on earlier experiences it has now emerged in a new edition of almost 200 decks, collated and shrink wrapped by CTS Printers. It is illustrated by Idelle Jones with the text written by Jean Zartner. Packs are available directly from Jean Zartner at the price of $15 or $20 including international postage and handling. Payment may be made by Visa or Mastercard.

"The deck is probably very different from other decks you review, because they weren't primarily meant to be used as playing cards. Their primary use is for the self-nurturing tips on the backs."

Jean Zartner Author of "Self-Nurturing Solitaire" Editor of "The Upside of Being Single" newsletter Teacher Speaker Author Catalyst

Idelle Jones is a designer who lives on the east coast in Ellicott City, Maryland. She was born in Beaufort, SC, and then moved to Colorado, where she lived for 22 years. She enjoys all areas of art, but her love is in printmaking. For the day job Idelle works as a Graphic Designer, which caters to her creative side. While working at the same company as Jean Zartner, the two were introduced, and Jean told Idelle about her ideas for a deck of cards. They worked together brainstorming ideas on the concept of the deck. Idelle illustrated the cards in an Art Noveau style, because of it's decorative and beautiful characteristics. Though Idelle has done various illustrations, this was one of the largest projects she has worked on, and the most creative. Jean was very open minded, and had great ideas about the symbols and colors of the deck. Each suit has it's own unique qualities, and the faces of the cards reflect the ideas around the symbols : the clover represents luck, the heart for self-love, the spade for growth, and the diamond for light. As a result of a great team, Jean and Idelle produced a unique and and useful deck of cards for those who need a little "Self Nurturing".

Each card has a positive idea printed on the back, designed to help you improve your inner life and become a better person. Idelle's water-colour paintings are bright and youthful, sometimes dreamy, adding a mystical and self-nurturing feel to the pack. The club suit-sign is a four-leafed clover, and the heart symbol is a self-hugging heart. The indices are in a typeface reminiscent of hand lettering which works very well. Overall, nice cards! Very gentle and perfectly balanced - ideal for their purpose.

Are the 'clubs' four-leafed clovers? "Yes. The artist and I wanted to get nature into the artwork, so she made the clubs look like clovers, the spades look like leaves, and the diamonds have rainbows in them. As for the heart hugging itself, that sort of self-acceptance seems difficult for most of us, but not for a baby - still in its natural state, so to speak."