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 Pensar for Oracle Natural Science

{ Valentine Gift Guide For Black Hearts }

Valentine's Day is upon us, and for some of you, this fact may fill your black heart with dread. Admittedly, it's a schmaltzy holiday, replete with unwanted Teddy bears trapped in heart-shaped balloons, subpar chocolate offerings and heart-themed jewelry (as ubiquitous as it is repellent, shudder). If you have ever been on the receiving end of these crummy, landfill-destined gifts, it's possible you may loathe Valentine's Day just by that association.

I am here to offer several alternatives for those of you who like good presents and who want better things for your loved ones, to make Valentine's Day (or Friendentine's Day) great again (but for real, think Halloween For Lovers)!  

:: Framed Insects And Butterflies :: Each beautiful piece at Oracle is preserved and framed by the artists in the shop, making every single specimen a unique and special work. I am especially enamored of the dried flora pieces created by Alessandra Dzuba and Ash Miyagawa, they are romantic and timeless and would surely win the heart of the natural science lover that you know!

:: Jawbone Talismans :: Our jawbone talismans are intuitively created in shop and are imbued with blessings to bring protection and abundance to the recipient. Each piece is constructed with loving intention and care, and no one talisman is alike - perfect for the Brujas and Brujos in your life.

:: Witch Club ::  -  Witch Club is a monthly subscription box and makes an excellent gift for someone who is looking to amplify their spiritual practice! Available for purchase in monthly, three month and six month installments - each month our Witch Club members receive crystals, incense and resins, dried herbs and flowers, and a special, hand selected monthly bundle to incorporate into your ritual or meditation practice. Items are chosen with the lunar cycle in mind but can be used however you see fit! This is a wonderful gift that keeps giving into extra innings because Love should be celebrated all year round!

*We also carry specially crafted Witch Bundles which are available in shop and online, a wonderful gift on it's own!

++ It is our pleasure to recommend items from these other makers and sellers whom we love ++

:: Chocolate ::  - Fatally Yours Vegan Treats - Holy smokes y'all - when you have a black heart but a sweet tooth this gourmet chocolate box is everything!

:: Divination ::  - Vessel Oracle Deck - I am a huge fan of Mary Elizabeth Evan's Spirit Speak deck and I absolutely love her charming illustrations for this oracle deck. Mary Evans puts so much care into her work and her divination tools have wonderful energy - I want one (subtle hint *cough* gimme)!  - She Wolfe Tarot - This Tarot deck by Devany Amber Wolfe is beautifully rendered with photographs and digital collage - this potent, sexy deck makes an incredible gift for a witch you are into!

:: Jewelry ::  - Mercury Hour - Scarlett C. Dancer's work is so awesome, I would be hard pressed to choose just one piece, but her Love Ballad series is spot on for V Day. - Arcana Obscura -Kate Hockstein creates the most wonderful, occult-themed jewelry - each piece is a unique work of art, perfect for those who like to keep it dark, I love it all!  - Omnia Oddities Studio - Artists Keri Newton and Nate Allen have created this incredible jewelry studio and there is no shortage of excellent adornment here - seriously, have a look and try not to buy everything for yourself!

:: Perfume ::  - For Strange Women Perfume - Jill McKeever is botanical perfume genius, her scents are evocative of magical woods, fairy tale forests and the kind of memories you create by firelight. It can be difficult to buy scents for other people, so I highly recommend giving the gift of the Lunar Amulet series, in which the lucky recipient receives a new perfume every 29 days for 12 months to celebrate the new moon! 

:: Incense and Candles ::  - Ritualcravt - Literally every single thing in this shop is imbued with magic (made by witches for witches, y'all!) and you will find many beautiful offerings for your loved ones. Of particular interest for the upcoming holiday, is this sweet little Love Spell Kit - it has everything you need to bring love to you! That said, if you have gone through a breakup or just aren't feeling this particular holiday you will also find excellent potions for self-care and to mend a broken heart. Ritualcravt blends their incense, teas and dressed devotional candles in shop, by hand - and every single one of them is gorgeous.

{ Three Card Monday }

- Four of Cups - The Cups usually relate to our emotions and heart feelings and this is no exception. This card symbolizes a time for re-evaluation. You may have experienced some boredom, disillusionment and/or unfulfilled expectations. While feeling like this is always a bummer, it can also be a gift - look carefully into your personal value system and decide what needs to change.

- Six of Cups - I know we all didn't have the best childhoods, BUT! Remember what it felt like to go out and play and and have fun? It's time to get back to those childlike feelings and create ease and a gentle space for yourself. Use your imagination and take pleasure in simple joys. 

- Queen of Pentacles - This week we are called to embody the characteristics of the Queen of Pentacles - a calm, practical and charitable person. This Queen is a nurturer, particularly concerned with caring for the Earth, as well as all it's inhabitants. She cherishes family, security and comfort - her appearance in this reading reminds us that we need to care for our environment, as well as for our neighbors. 

So, I'm going to to kick this off with an UNDERSTATEMENT and say that last week was pretty terrible (elections always are...), with that out of the way, let's break this reading down, shall we? 

There's a saying that I love, 'you can either change your situation, or you can change your perspective about the situation.' If you are stuck in a rut or just feeling a let down, it's time for your to take an honest peek under the hood. It's always easier for us to point the finger at others and lay blame for our unhappiness (and sometimes it is totally their fault), but now is the time to look within. Are you engaging in a cycle of behavior that keeps landing you in a bad spot? Are you attracted to unhealthy patterns - or people? Fear and habit keep us in bad places - emotionally speaking - so it's good for all of us to re-examine our relationships and how we engage with others.

I'm super glad that the Six of Cups came up Y'all! We are so serious all the time and forget the simple joys of playtime and creative exploration. Give yourselves some space to have fun and donkey around. Sign up for that dance class that looks fun as hell but scares the crap out of you! Go outside for a walk or run, get some fresh air and keep your eyes peeled for hawks! You've been wanting to dye your hair purple for months now, and I think you should. Think about the things that really sparked you when you were a kid and then explore those things - and be gentle with yourself. 

I think the next card is an easy one to summarize thusly; DON'T BE A DICK. Recycle. Turn off the tap when you aren't using it. Work for a local environmental charity that you care about...and while you are at it, take a look at how your own actions affect the land (and people, and critters, etc) around you and make changes to be a better steward to your planet. For the love of all that is holy, be kind to your neighbor and use your skill set and talents to create a better place for those around you. We are all the same under the skin and we all have to share this planet together, so let's do our part to not make our limited time here so awful.

 *These three card readings are intended for us all as a community and are therefore broad. If you are interested in a more specific, in-depth reading - we offer individual readings at Oracle as well! If you would like to schedule an appointment for an individual reading, you can do that here or give us a ring at 816.982.9550. You can also join us for one of our monthly Tarot Workshop & Happy Hour events and learn more about cartomancy!