The Seasons Series is my ode to the WSJ Magazine interview cover story. The potent questions illuminate what’s important for the celebrity du jour. For me, during each season of the year in the North East, I adore interviewing those who inspire me.
My Love of paper might shock you. I joke with friends about their paper planners and lack of Google Calendar access, but truthfully—I love journals, to-do lists I can cross off on notepads, books I can highlight, and sending snail mail.
We are still in summer for another few weeks despite temps in the northeast moving quickly to October vibes.
Use code: LOVE20 for 20 percent off Sabrena’s Deck (You are welcome readers)
Several years ago, I asked Sabrena Burnett, of Dear Lola Letterpress, to create a custom letterpress card for me—white on white, with “In Good Energy x Lynn Mull” engraved. The grooves are deep, but the monochromatic design is the subtle luxury I crave.
Sabrena and I share a mutual spiritual friend, so even after my order, I followed her vibrant letterpress posts—drooling over the hues, machinery, and card stock. When she reached out about creating a deck of her own (She knew The 24 Oracle Deck was a passion project from start to print!), we got to chatting about our shared love for something entirely new. You all know I love a deck—especially a free-form oracle deck where you choose your own adventure. I always carry a card in my bag or purse. I’ve even considered laminating my favorites.
Check out Sabrena: @uncoupledcards, @dearlolaletterpress, and at dearlolaletterpress.com where you’ll learn more about her own journey in this snippet. ‘My ex and I now co-parent with love, spend holidays together, and have built a peaceful, collaborative Family life. We’re still very much together, even though we are separated. It’s our own version of the perfect family.’
Lynn: Give us a mini bio—what are you up to these days? Where are you based? My first introduction to you was when your letter press was in Southern California.
Sabrena:
Hi everyone here— I’m a designer and creator living in Austin, Texas. I’m a letterpress printer, designer, and now a card deck creator! I moved from California and never looked back.
Lynn: This is such a great new addition to your ‘titles’. Let’s dive right into how you added a deck to your world after years in the press business. We both love paper!
Lynn: Tell us more about your Oracle deck called Uncoupled. How did it go from idea to print? What was the most creative part for you?
Sabrena:
I was pulling a card from a deck I owned in my living room and my boyfriend said, “You should design a pretty deck.” Since I’m a designer with a spiritual disposition, it made sense to weave a few pieces of me into it. My first thought was, There isn’t room for another deck. But a few weeks later, after a little plant medicine ceremony with some friends, the idea came to me to make a super niche deck about Divorce and breakups. And Uncoupled was born. The most creative part was drawing and designing the entire thing myself.
Lynn: In general, what do you love about using decks?
Sabrena:
They bring me so much Clarity, peace, and trust. It’s such a sweet ritual to pull a card, read it, and meditate or journal on it. It feels like a warm hug from the universe.
I especially love when the cards basically choose themselves—when they fall out or just want to be pulled. Those are always so spot-on, it makes me laugh.
Lynn: For someone who does not own any decks or wants to start, share with us how did you start using decks?
Sabrena:
One of my good friends, an energy healer, has a large collection of card decks. We would always pull at her house—and I got hooked. It became a ritual to do with friends and a beautiful way to connect.
Lynn: It’s fun to start in a group. I started pulling a card before every Yoga class during covid. I did yoga religiously every day so I get the ritual of the pull, too. It’s a great way to start out.
Lynn: What’s important to know about oracle decks vs. tarot?
Sabrena:
Simply stated, oracle decks are less rigid and strict than tarot.
Lynn: I feel the same way about the simplicity of oracle. After years of compliance and rules and regs at my 9-5, being more intuitive and playful with oracle feels so good. Tarot decks follow a traditional structure—78 cards, with major and minor arcana—and each card has specific symbolism, often based on centuries-old archetypes. It’s like learning a language; which I am not in the mood for right now.
Oracle decks, on the other hand, are more intuitive. There’s no set number of cards or fixed structure. The creators, like us have full creative license to theme it around everything and anything.
I love that freedom. Oracle decks feel more like a gentle conversation, while tarot can sometimes feel like a full-on Therapy session. They can both be powerful, but I think oracle decks make a softer entry point for anyone just starting out or looking for daily guidance.
Lynn: What was the first card you created in the deck? I started the 24 Oracle Deck with the “&” card and the Roots & Peaks deck. They were the concepts that helped me the most in my practice.
Sabrena: I created the idea for card about attachment: “If it comes, let it. If it goes, let it.”
It’s one of the hardest lessons I’ve had to work through and be okay with. So it was definitely healing to write a card on that topic.
Lynn: How do you use cards in a way that might surprise people? I carry a card with me when I need to focus all day on a mantra that serves me.
Sabrena:
I tuck them into books, notebooks, and sometimes even slip one into a friend’s bag. I treat them like little reminders from the universe.
Lynn: I carry cards in my bag, too, when things are really dicey and I need an anchor.
Find Uncoupled Cards @uncoupledcards or uncoupledcards.com.
