Card Gear: Caroline RAVN

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup, and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

From Stockholm, Sweden, Caroline Ravn is one of the world's few female magicians. She charms her audience through sharp wit and graceful sleight of hand. It did not take long until Caroline Ravn made a name for herself in the business. Just one year after her debut, she won a Swedish Championship gold medal in Parlor Magic and silver in Close Up Magic. She was awarded "Inspirer of the Year" in 2014 - a prize she was very proud to receive. Caroline performs all over Sweden and across the world as an entertainer, host, and inspirer.

Together with Stockholm17, Caroline is currently funding the RAVN Mani and Sol Playing Cards on Kickstarter! These beautiful decks are fully custom and crafted for both magicians and cardists in mind. They are planning something crazy once they hit the 200% funding goal. Don't miss out! Caroline's Gear (Italics are Caroline's comments):

+ Macbook Air (It's my Macbook Air that I bring everywhere. I store all my pics, videos and documents in the cloud. That way I can travel with a smaller computer and it allows me to work anywhere.)
+ Apple headphones
+ Wallet (My wallet is not a magic wallet, even tho it probably should be. It's just a brown leather wallet containing the most important everyday stuff like my visa card, metro card, ID and my movie royalty program haha. I love going to the movies. And not having to pay for popcorn.)
+ Medusa lipstick (I'm not much of a lipstick girl but lately I've been carrying a Medusa lipstick in the shade 'Sugar Daddy'. 
+ Studio Fix powder from MAC. (It's my go-to product that I apply throughout the day. Sweden can get both very humid and very dry and this works for all weather conditions.)
+ RAVN Purple Haze Playing Cards (I never leave my house without a deck of cards. Right now I'm carrying Ravn Purple Haze but soon I'm switching to either Sol or Mani. I'll probably do Mani first and then Sol when spring is coming.)

You can follow Caroline Ravn on Instagram (@ravnmagic). If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, feel free to contact us.

Card Gear: Wonderful Mystical

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup, and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

Ferdinand Göldner is a self-taught photographer from Ulm, Germany. He started photography about 10 years ago but lost interest somewhere along the way. When Ferdinand discovered Peter McKinnon and Chris Ramsay on Youtube a couple of months ago, He got interested in cards and couldn’t help himself but order a bunch of decks online. The design of High Victorian by Theory 11 and Blue Wheel by DKNG and Art of Play were so intriguing that he had to dig out his camera and take some shots of it. They landed so well on his Instagram (@wonderfulmystical) that he decided to dive deeper into the field. Since then, he has never stopped practicing with his my cards and camera.

For me, photography is a way to share what I value most, with the world, through my eyes. I am all about telling stories with my photography and creating compelling images. I don’t ever want to get hung up on the tools I’m using when creating. 

His focus is on creating and editing, not following the newest hype of software or devices.

I make sure my processes are streamlined, and I try to remove as much friction in the creation process as possible. Since I’m a computer science student, I love to automate many of the processes like importing and backing up files using custom scripts and other automation tools to make things run smoothly.

Ferdinand's Gear:

+ MacBook Pro 15“ Retina (This thing is my absolute MUST! I never leave home without it. It’s the greatest asset that I have)
+ Magic Mouse together with "Better Touch Tool“ Software (My key to streamlining many processes. I have touch gestures for everything!)
+ 2 TB External USB 3.0 Drive (I back everything that I shoot up. My worst nightmare is to lose any of my shots)
+ Apple Thunderbolt Adapter (A must if your backing up anywhere over a network)
+ Mint Drops  (I need these bad boys after coffee. 😉)
+ Sony a6000 (Yup, I don’t have anything fancy to shoot with. I focus on creating great environments, the technology comes second)
+ Sigma 30mm 1.4 Contemporary (The only lens that I use. Don’t know what the future will bring, but this is the only lens that I use so far)
+ Extra battery (Makes sure I never run out of battery)
+ Green Wheel playing cards (I’m in love with these! My absolute favorites. Apart from these, I use standard Bicycles for practice)

Software:
+ Better Touch Tool
+ Adobe Lightroom Classic CC
+ Custom AppleScripts for streamlining my process
+ Alfred
+ WordPress
+ Pagico

You can follow Ferdinand's work on Instagram (@wonderfulmystical). If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, feel free to contact us.

Card Gear: Card Mafia

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup, and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

This month, we feature the EDC of Kevin Yu from Toronto, Canada. Kevin's Instagram account (@kevinyu97) features an incredible array of decks from the very rare Red Fontaines to decks that he helped produce under the Riffle Shuffle brand which he started.

Kevin has been collecting playing cards for 4 years. Besides cards, Kevin is studied Business at the University of Toronto. He enjoys skateboarding and playing tennis. Kevin's gear:

+ Black supreme cap
+ Gucci waist bag
+ Minoita X 700 film camera
+ Skateboard deck
+ Helius sun deck
+ Peelers
+ Canon t5i
+ Apple headset
+ Batteries for t5i
+ Handmade leather close up pad
+ Supreme water bottle,
+ Paper notebook
+ Snakeskin card clip

If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, feel free to contact us.

Card Gear: Sherman Tsao

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup, and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

This month, we feature the EDC of Sherman Tsao from Shanghai, China. Sherman is the founder of Carat Case Creations (previously known as Carat Card Cases). He started the company a little less than a year after he started collecting playing cards. Originally, he created the cases for himself but realized that other collectors liked them as well,  and decided to try and provide the community with affordable display options for their collectibles.

Sherman grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA and graduated from Penn State University in 1990 after which he moved to Chicago to work. In 1993, he moved to Taipei, Taiwan and in 2004, he moved to Shanghai, China where he has been living ever since. In his spare time, other than obsessing over playing cards and coming up with new display ideas/designs, he enjoys spending time with his wife and 8-year-old son. Sherman's gear (Italics are Sherman's comments):

+ iPad Pro 9.7 inch
+ iPhone 5S
+ Plain Titanium Money Clip (for bills) and homemade ID/Credit Card holder (just a plain wide black elastic band sewn in a loop)
+ Titanium Boker Plus Tactical Pen Cid Cal .45
+ Pental Sharp Drafting Pencil (an all-time classic that I have been using for over 25 years...no, not the same pencil)
+ B5 (176 x 270 mm) sized graph paper note pad (for sketching my new product ideas and designs)
+ Gold Monarch Planks by Ben Kolozsi in a Natural Whiskey Magic Wallet made by Alstad Goods and sold by Dan & Dave)
+ Deck of the Week: Draconians Spitfire in a Carbon Fiber Card Clip by EPCC (The Draconian backs are so mesmerizing and has been one of my favorites ever since I started collecting)
+ Rolex Datejust 2 (One of the few higher end watches that can stand up to my abuse…I love the blue of the watch dial)
+ Davey Jones’ Locker Hobo Coin by Chris Odviyenko (This has replaced Chris’ Morgan Dollar Hobo Coin as my favorite fiddle coin)

If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, feel free to contact us.

Card Gear: Eddycava

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup, and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

This month, we feature the EDC of Edoardo Cavalieri from Turin, Italy. Edoardo's Instagram account (@eddycava_) is one of the most inspiring and creative we follow on the platform. Check out his account for some amazing digitally manipulated images of playing cards.

Edoardo has been doing magic for close to 5 years, and photography about 2 and a half years. Besides cards, Edoardo is studying Communication Design in a University in Turin. He aspires to be in the advertising and communication industry once he graduates. Edoardo's gear (Italics are Edoardo's comments):

+ Skater Shield backpack by Dollynoire (an Italian street wear brand. It fits everything)
+ Primaphoto tripod (an incredible tripod which I carry with me always)
+ Yongnuo yn300 (a powerful LED spotlight)
+ Olympus omd em-10 mark II (my first camera. A mirrorless with a micro 4/3 sensor. Incredible camera with awesome features)
+ Olympus kit lens (14-150 f4-5.6)
+ Canon 50mm 1.8 (vintage lense I've found at home)
+ Canon 28mm 2.8 (another vintage lens. All the photos I'm taking since November have been with the beautiful lens. Love it!)
+ AEY Catcher v2 (the deck I carry with me always and everywhere. Cartamundi B9 finish)
+ Wood stick (I use it for the 'floating cardistry' series and for all the floating photos)
+ iMac 21.5" early 2015 (not pictured. A little old but still gives me a lot)


If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, feel free to contact us.

Card Gear: Kings Wild

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup, and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

When we first started the Card Gear feature 2 years ago, we always wanted to get Jackson Robinson's EDC on Kardify. But for some reason, that did not happen... until now. Jackson is the founder of Kings Wild Project and is well-known for his work with custom playing cards. In 2013, Jackson's Federal 52 deck took the community by storm and opened the Kickstarter floodgates for every aspiring card designer since. His other incredible work includes Sherlock Holmes, KW Tally-Hos, Silver Arrows, Civil War and Independence.

When not designing playing cards, Jackson tells Kardify, "I'm trying to learn something new. Preferably learning how to make something new with my hands or trying to learn a new hand skill. I spend much of my spare time with my family and also close friends. I like playing board games, brewing IPAs and smoking tobacco pipes". Jackson's gear (Italics are Jackson's comments):

+ 1880 New Testament bible
+ Big Bend tobacco Pipe
+ Kings Wild Zippo (the phrase "That which never was, was now the first" a quote from a fantasy novel I am currently writing)
+ Kershaw knife
+ A field drawing journal
+ #2 ticonderoga pencil
+ Vladislav Erko playing card deck

If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, feel free to contact us.

Card Gear: Adam Borderline

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup, and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

This month, we have the EDC of Adam Borderline from the UK. If you are on the popular social media platform Instagram, you've probably seen Adam's incredible photography (Instagram: @adamborderline). Adam has been gaining attention through his mind-boggling #fluidcards photography series.

Adam has been doing magic for close to 6 years, and photography about 5 years. Choosing liquid for his card photography is Adam's way of showcasing how he believe good magic and cardistry should be. It should be fluid, effortless and create a sense of wonder. Adam told kardify, "I’m very grateful everyone is enjoying something I love doing." Adam's gear (Italics are Adam's comments):

+ National Geographic backpack (the best backpack I’ve ever owned, carries everything)
+ Apple MacBook pro (My workhorse, I’d be lost without it)
+ Joby Tripod (Perfect for on the go)
+ Air blower (Blow the dust off your lens before cleaning it, otherwise you’ll scratch the coating,  This handy item is invaluable)
+ DSLR cleaning brushes (Lens, body, filter )
+ Variable ND filter (When shooting long exposures or video in mid day sun)
+ Canon 85mm 1.2L USM Lens (My portrait warrior, the bokeh and feel this lens can produce is only something this is able too do)
+ Canon 35mm 2.8 Macro Lens (All my card photography is done with this little beast)
+ Black edition Cherries by Pure Imagination (The stock, cut and finish is perfect)
+ Gold Monarchs from Theory11 (Use your cards, don’t let them gather dust, plus they’re awesome!)
+ 3 sided mirror/mat from Vanishing Inc (When i’m not shooting, it’s practice, practice, practice)
+ Various stickers from Papercuts, Supreme, Hocus Pocus, Theory11 and Gamblers Warehouse. (Who doesn’t like stickers!)

If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, feel free to contact us.

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Card Gear: Magic Encarta

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup, and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

This month, we have the EDC of Vivek Singhi from Mumbai, India. Vivek is a magician and got into magic in 2009. For the past 2 years, he's been working to bring his passion to the magic & cardistry community and founded Magic Encarta (Instagram: @magicencarta), an account where he showcases all the products and effects that he worked on over the years with the key focus being accessories like Cardistry Trainers and Card Cases.

When not working on anything card-related, he enjoys playing the guitar, creating music and enjoys traveling and exploring new places to keep his creativity flowing. Vivek's gear (Italics are Vivek's comments):

+ EATCT Journal, EATCT Pen, Pencil and Sharpie (You never know when you get an idea for a new effect or a design, which is how I designed my first deck called Cairo Casino you see in the picture plus it helps me keep me on track with my plans and future projects. Sharpie is for when I am performing and need something to be signed)
+ 3 Pen Case by Constellations88 ( I carry my writing tools safe in this awesome case by an awesome guy)
+ iPhone 7 (Most of my pics, video edits are done with it and you cannot forget emails)
+ Deck of cards (I have always one in my pocket. Cairo Casino Prototypes, Moranges Prototype and Absolut Deck are the 3 decks I currently carry)
+ Money Clip (I am more of a money clip guy than a wallet guy) Earphones (Magic & Music are my world)
+ Cardistry Trainers (Perfect to practice anywhere anytime without having to worry about dropping them or getting them dirty. Currently using the NOC PACs I did for HOPC with Alex Pandrea and the Fiberboard Trainers)
+ Wild Pocket Card Case (That's how I carry my deck along with a few packet tricks, gaffs & a few guitar picks too)
+ Begleri and Fidget Roulette Spinner (To play around and also use em when clicking some pictures wherever they blend in)
+ Mini Mints (Keeps on changing, currently using some THOR mint just coz I love the packing.. haha)
+ Lighter (I carry it to incorporate it to my magic performances, fire makes magic so much cooler)
+ My favourite line - Impossible Is Nothing... (Which is what I used on the White Card Clip)

If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, feel free to contact us.

Card Gear: theDoc318's Bag of Toys

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup, and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

Mike's EDC is by far one of the coolest Card Gear we've seen in a long time! Better known as @thedoc318 on Instagram, Mike's account is one of the most visually inspiring playing cards related accounts we follow on Instagram. Recently, Mike successfully funded the Oculus Playing Cards with Randy Butterfield of Midnight Cards.

As for the backpack of toys? Autism is the world Mike lived, worked and loves for over 20 years, so he explores different sensory uses for anything and everything he finds. Mike uses cardistry and magic to help build social skills. He uses different card stocks, finishes, and even cardistry trainers to help accommodate certain kids that may be able to use one better than the other. Mike's gear (Italics are Mike's comments):

+ Fred Water Bottle from @fredwater.
+ Communication Symbols (used to help communicate by limited sensory input to primarily visual).
+ Play-Doh (used for fine motor and fidgeting).
+ Weighted Fidget Spinner.
+ Planks by @benkolozsi (used to improve dexterity And fine motor skills).
+ Wood Trainers (handmade by myself to accommodate different hand sizes for fine motor and dexterity).
+ Squids from @pocketprk (used when more grip is necessary for individuals with less hand strength to develop better fine motor skills).
+ Kururin (used to improve eye and hand coordination).
+ Emotional IQ from @blackforeststudio (used to help understand and express different emotions and body language)
+ Sensory Slap Bracelet
+ Mario Uno (used for conversational skills).
+ Story Cubes from @rorys_storycubes (used to improve creative thinking skills).
+ Arrow Pencils and Confidant Notebook from @Baronfig.
+ BUKUL from @thebukul (holds my grab and go stuff).
+ iPhone 7s Plus.
+ Cherry Casinos from Pure Imagination Projects.
+ Origin Touch from Cardistry Touch.
+ Blue Choice by Penguin Cards and Ben Kolozsi.

If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, feel free to contact us.

Card Gear: RunIt Decks

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup, and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

This month we have the EDC of Jed Frayne Kua, owner of RunIt Decks, a playing card retail shop based in the Philippines. RunIt Decks was created in 2010 for the sole purpose of providing access to decks to fellow cardists and collectors alike. Jed is a former information systems auditor for Philippines' Largest bank but quit his job to go full time with his passion - RunIt Decks. Jed is a collector of vintage casino decks, but when Jed is not collecting or running the store, he is a Gunpla hobbyist; a huge The Killers fan; and a player of Marvel Future Fight.

Here is Jed's gear:
+ Baxter Clay Pomade
+ ASUS ROG Laptop
+ Earphones
+ Wallet
+ Business Cards
+ Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
+ Samsung Powerbank
+ RunIt Deck 2011


If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, feel free to contact us.

Card Gear: Alekz

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup, and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

One of our reader from Romania shared his EDC with us. Alekz is a Back Office Agent for an international corporation. He is a magician and has been performing close-up magic for the past 5 years in pubs and other private events. When not doing magic, Alekz enjoys playing video games, collecting playing cards and a passion for photography.

Here are Alekz's gear (Italics are Alekz's comments):
+ Card Clip Joe Porper (An item designed to keep my cards straight and safe)
+ Butterfly Knife (Could be handy in any situation)
+ Apple Watch 42mm (Keeps track of my movement and helps me with some magic apps)
+ Rosary Prayer Beads Onix and Silver (I have a few rosaries, they fit my style very well)
+ Erdnase Deck (A simple deck with no complicated graphics on the back).
+ Razor Clip and Kings Cards Holder (It's an impression device, a deck holder and a bottle opener at the same time).
+ Dapper Deck (An elegant deck for fancy locations).
+ Spider Pen Pro (I love this. Levitating things I blows people's minds).
+ Half Dollar Coins (I keep this at hand for any coin tricks).
+ Executive Rubber Bands (I wear them near the bracelets).
+ Bracelets (Most of them are gifts and I wear them for fashion too).
+ Sticky Notes (There handy for mentalism tricks and when you want to note something down).
+ iPhone 7 128GB (It's my personal assistant in all things... including magic, I use it especially for Myke Philips and Greg Rostami apps).
+ JOL Wallet and Gimmicks (I use it for peeking, card to wallet and storage :D).
+ Smoke Sharpie by Alan Rorrison (Best smoke device in my opinion).


If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, feel free to contact us.

Card Gear: Flaminko

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup, and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

Graphic designer for Flaminko Playing Cards, 22-years old Nick Zeitoun is a game and graphics programming student at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia. During high school, Nick used to be a card manipulator but now, mostly collects interesting and fun playing cards.

As a fan of trading card games, Nick has always enjoyed creating games and art. When not playing with or designing cards, he enjoys fencing (sport) or programming. Nick is currently funding the Burger Playing Cards project on Kickstarter. Nick's gear (Italics are Nick's comments):

+ Flaminko Business cards case (cards are UV raised but outdated).
+ Staedtler multi-colored fineliner set.
+ Flaminko stAR cARds: Augmented Reality playing card game prototype (currently in development, I carry the prototype and its accompanying app everywhere I go).
+ Notebooks (one dedicated entirely for Flaminko the other general note-taking).
+ Personal copy of Cartamundi B9 Burger deck (prototype).
+ Vanda (Gold Edition) playing cards.
+ Minim Black playing cards (not a fan of the materials but can't argue with its aesthetics).
+ Samsung s5 (switched to android from apple never looked back).
+ Wallet (flame wallet with a defective flint that hurts my finger and doesn't ignite).
+ Mechanical pencil (graduation gift from family friends, 0.5 HB lead).


Don't forget to check out the Burger playing cards on Kickstarter or follow @flaminko_playingcards on Instagram. If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, contact us.

Card Gear: antnO

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup, and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

From Málaga, south of Spain, Antonio's account is one of the most creative and visually inspiring playing cards-related accounts we follow on Instagram (@antnO). antnO is a team member at Art of Play and is responsible for taking photos and playing a big part in creating contents that Art of Play publish. When not working on anything card-related, antnO is a freelance who works for an advertising agency, specialized in graphic design and motion graphics.

Here's what you can find if open antnO's bag (Italics are antnO's comments):
+ Notebook & pencil (You don't know when or where you can have a good idea)
+ iPhone 6s (This is my work tool. All my pics have been taken with it)
+ Deck of cards (I have always one in my pocket. Cardistry Con is perfect for this July)
+ Wallet (You don't know when you have to bribe someone)
+ Headphones (I don't imagine the world without music)
+ Phone case with Extra battery (Due to I work a lot with my phone I need it protected and full of battery)
+ Games or puzzles (perfect for entertain yourself when you're waiting in a queue or a traffic jam)
+ Sunglasses
+ Car keys
+ Brick of playing cards (Have a brick of different cards that allow you have always the perfect deck for taking a picture)
+ MacBook Pro (Perfect tool for design and make my animations)


Don't forget to subscribe to antnO's Instagram. If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, contact us.

Card Gear: 56Sealed

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup, and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

This month, we have the EDC of 56Sealed. For the past 5 years, Ryan has been living in Chicago and works for a Proprietary Trading Firm as a Risk Manager. He picked up cards collecting to occupy his down time at work. Researching, tracking down, and acquiring certain decks is both challenging and rewarding!

You can often find Ryan sketching out plans for the next deck display build or researching the back story for his next deck review for Hocus-Pocus Magic. If he's not with his cards, he's probably cooking out, enjoy some drinks with friends, or trying out the newest restaurant in town! His goal for 2017 is to bring a product to market that represents his creativity and allows him to share his passion with the community! Ryan's gear (Italics are Ryan's comments):

+ Jetsetter Playing Cards (Everyday I make sure a deck of open cards in hand).
+ A notebook and something to write with. (These are my essentials and I feel like I forgot something when they are not with me. My daily planner keeps me on track and my notebook allows my brain to run wild! I take notes about ideas and make sketch about future projects and builds. I highly encourage everyone to try keeping a small notebook with them for a month and write down any and every thing!)
+ ID
+ Debit card
+ Transit card
+ Keys
+ Cash
+ Flash drive (for work and such).
+ Iphone (Not shown. Currently my only picture taking device)
+ A magic related book (to be fair I just finished reading the Al Flosso book; The Cony Island Fakar, and haven't picked up a new one yet!)

Card Gear: Thirdway Industries

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

This month, we have the EDC of Giovanni Meroni, founder of Thirdway Industries. Giovanni is based in a small city- Lentate sul Seveso, north of Milan, Italy and also the designer of the stunning OMNIA decks. When not designing decks, Giovanni works for an e-commerce company as art director and work nights/weekend to cards.

Giovanni is currently funding SINS Playing Cards on Kickstarter. The project is seeking €17,000 and is already 303% funded with less than 5 days to go.

Giovanni's gear (Italics are Giovanni's comments):

+ Thirdway Industries business card (with a custom, gaff illustration on one side)
+ Dedalo Oracle Card
+ Omnia Oscura
+ Dedalo Alpha
+ Leather fat wallet full of silly stuff, almost destroyed
+ Keys of home
+ Ray-Ban sunglasses to look cool
+ Nexus 6P (not included it the image, but it's here since Giovanni used it for shoot)


What’s yours? If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, contact us.

Card Gear: Joker and the Thief

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

This month, we have the EDC of James Milaras from the Joker and the Thief Playing Card Company. James is a cardist based in Australia and also the producer of the stunning Joker and the Thief Playing Card decks. Also, James has just successfully crowd-funding his next deck, Dystopia Playing Cards on Kickstarter. Congratulations!

Due to living in a hot climate, he enjoys simplicity, as carrying too much at any given time can become uncomfortable. All the items in his everyday carry have practical and minimal use. James' gear (Italics are James' comments):

+ iPhone 6s (Mobile powerhouse, allowing James to run Joker and the Thief on the go, with all the reliability and functionality.) 
+ The Old Timer knife (An occasional carry in actual fact, but is used frequently around the house for general tasks. The multiple blade types this knife sport allows for a series of tasks to be easily dispatched.)
+ The Brass Zippo lighter (Also more of an occasional carry. With its classic look, feel and function, all fire based tasks are attended by the help of this reliable tool. Plus it’s fun to practice tricks with.)
+ Moleskine notebooks (Clean, and look great. This is an essential. Along with an Artline pen, all ideas, tasks, and notes are jotted down, tracked and taken care of.)
+ Joker and the Thief Playing Cards (Of course!). (During Australia’s hot months, the Joker and the Thief decks prove to be the perfect everyday carry. With enough durability to keep up with the demand of Cardistry in a hot climate, and sporting fantastic looks to boot - The Joker and the Thief range serve as excellent everyday decks.)
+ Dan and Dave X Joker and the Thief’s croc clip (every bit Australian, and proves to be a luxurious yet functional item designed to keep your cards straight.)


What’s yours? If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, contact us.

Card Gear: Seasons

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

For the first card gear of 2017, we have the EDC of Alexander Chin, founder of Seasons Playing Cards (@seasonsplayingcards) which released the Seasons, Magna Carta, and most recently Apothecary series. The 27 year-old designer Chicago-based designer also created Portfolio52 which is the world's largest online playing card database dedicated to helping collector's manage and grow their collections. He has an obsession for cards as a medium of portable interactive art.

Alex has a background in Architecture and is extremely interested in packaging and interactive design experiences. Currently when not designing cards Alex is writing his first novel which has been a long standing bucket list item he's hoping to finally cross-off for 2017.

Alex's gear (Italics are Alex's comments):

+ Skagen Watch with Secondary Date Dial (I use the secondary dial as a visual progress bar for the month which helps me stay on track with my goals.)
+ Samsung Galaxy S7
+ Home Made Black Leather Wallet
+ Magna Carta Royals Deck
+ Jaybird Wireless Headphones (I'm super big on podcasts and audiobooks and when you move around a lot in the office, wireless makes the biggest difference especially when drawing.)
+ Stabilo Black Marker (Any gel/felt black pen 0.4 or under is good by me.)
+ Mini Post-It Pad (I used to carry a small notebook but it was too bulky. The post it pad is great for reminding me of my priorities for the day or jotting down random ideas so I don't forget. I like keeping things physical over using my phone for this kind of stuff.)


What’s yours? If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, contact us.

Card Gear: Revelation

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

For the final card gear of 2016, we have the EDC of Blake Brenneman, founder of Kairos Playing Cards and producer of the Revelation playing cards, a deck that was born of Blake’s love for theology. Ordained as a pastor, awarded an honorary doctorate in Divinity, and an atheist by the time he was 22, Blake has distilled his love of religion and medieval architecture into that deck of cards.

When he isn’t producing playing cards, Blake is studying Marketing and Behavioral Economics at George Mason University, right outside of Washington, DC. He has a special interest in proposition betting and gambling sleights, as can be seen in his gear spread: lucky dice from the Civil War, a half dollar, and an Erdnase pocket bible, among other essentials. He is always looking both backwards and forwards for inspiration.

Feel free to check him out on Facebook or Kairos Playing Cards. If you like the art of the Revelation deck, check out the very talented artist on Instagram (@mfmessar).
+ Lucky Civil War Dice (1863)
+ Kennedy Half Dollar
+ Skagen G.E.E.F Special Edition
+ Retro 52 Pen Joker Special Edition
+ Lanxivi Jinhao Century Celluloid Pen in Smoke
+ ZTE Prestige
+ Sacchi Leather Card Case
+ Orange Expert at the Card Table Pocket Bible
+ Brown Leather Journal from C.R. Gibson


What’s yours? If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, contact us.

Card Gear: Cardistry Revolution

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup and accessories used every day by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

For this month, we have the EDC of Nicolas Molines (Instagram: @nicolas.molines) - collector, cardist and founder of Card Tutorial Only (CTO). CTO features cardistry tutorials for all levels with multiple categories to help cardists find what they want. CTO also features a world map to help cardists connect with each other. 

Nicolas' gear:
+ Prototype CTO Deck
+ Sponsored Magicencarta card clip
+ Iphone SE
+ Revolution By Greg Wilson (his only gimmick)
+ Spiderco Knife

What’s yours? If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, contact us.

Card Gear: Connected

Card Gear is our monthly feature dedicated to discovering new inventory, setup and accessories used everyday by card designers, cardists, magicians and collectors. The concept originated from the popular social media site, Instagram: #passthepockets. Whenever one of these hashtags come up on the social news feed, there's always something new to discover, no matter who that person is.

It's been more than a year since my first Card Gear. Here are my gears that I've been using daily for the past month:
+ HuMn v1 Wallet
+ KeySmart with USB
+ Solid Titanium Pen + Stylus by Big Design
+ Apple iPhone6
+ The Dash (Black) Wireless Earphones by Bragi
+ Viridian by TriKard
+ Original Joe Porper Card Clip
+ Garmin VivoSmart

What’s yours? If you would like your card gears to be featured on Kardify, contact us.