Starting a DIY Postcard Swap for the First Time
I’ve had a blog for a long time and joined several fun swaps and trades, but never hosted anything on my own. It is a Good Idea to join a swap (it gets your creative juices flowing!) and for me this will be a New Adventure for the new year! I’m very excited about this! Welcome everyone to join in and swap 10 postcards that you made and get 10 handmade in the mail!
I’ve been thinking about this for quite a while and at the twitter event #craftsocial atc’s, mail art and postcards came up in the discussion. I suggested I could set up a postcard swap for everyone to join. SO, here it is! :-)
The Postcard Swap Rules
The rules are simple, but please read through them and follow them. Thanks!
1. Join the swap by sending me your information (full name, home address, e-mail and blog if you have one). If you’re not a regular visitor I’d love to know where you read about this swap, I’m a curious gal!
Last sign up day is 7th of February 2010!
2. Make 10 handmade postcards any style (do collage, mixed media, print your own photos, print digital collages, create flat fabric art, alter an existing postcard in your paper stash (!), paint with watercolors, draw mandalas, make postcards with a scrapbook style, embellished, painted, embroidered, etc)! Take photos, scan your finished result and we’ll make a Flickr group for you to show us your creations later.
3. You will get 10 swap addresses via e-mail from me. After 8th of February that i will send you the 10 different addresses, those are your swap partners and you will send your postcards too these creative people. Connect, share and spread creativity into the world – that’s our slogan! There could be international swap partners too (I live in Sweden) because this swap is open for everyone! Send your postcards as is” plain or “hidden” in an envelope for protection (it’s up to you)!
4. Write a nice message and send it of! Last day to send out your postcards 14th of February, Valentine’s Day! ♥
I’m new to this, let me know if you have any questions!
Tell your friends! We need at least 10 people to sign up for this to work, but I know you wanna do it! Spread the word; bookmark it on Delicious or share it on Twitter, write about the swap in your next blog post or add one of the cute buttons I’ve designed to your sidebar, linking to this post! Big thanks to you!
Postcard Inspiration from iHanna
There are more ways than I can think up to write down to make a simple (or elaborate) postcard by hand. I love making postcards and I’ve made quite a few! I will post some postcards inspiration in the following weeks to keep us all inspired. First I’ve found some links within this blog!
Here are a few postcards I’ve written about through the years, just to get you inspired to start planning/thinking!
- Collage and spray paint postcards
- Digital postcards printed by professionals
- Postcard with a different shape (mine are in the shape of a heart)
- Pizza box postcard (great way to recycle cardboard boxes)
- How to make mixed media Valentine cards
- Cover up old ugly postcards (another great way to recycle paper)
- Altered photo Postcards (made for a swap)
- Personal postcards and decorated envelopes
Be crafty. Be social. Share the you of creativity with the world! Feel free to join in if you have the time, anything you make will be appreciated even if you’re a beginner!
Getting some snail mail is fun, and when it’s handmade that is an extra treat! I’d love to get some messy art in my mail box any time! And I would love to see what you do, so don’t forget to scan or photograph your postcards so that you can share them online as well. Maybe we could make a zine or a little book with the postcards later… We’ll see.
I’m off to start making mine now!
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love it! loving all the community created by #craftsocial! i’m in and will post on my blog too!
cheers,
rootmix!
Jag vill ocks? vara med. Men jag vet ju inte vart jag kommer bo i Australien.. Attans. Attans. Men om det kan vara hemligt vilka vykort jag f?tt till den 30 april n?r jag ?r hemma igen s? ?r jag l?ttpl?tt med! Puss saknar dig, och v?rldens finaste vykort ever som du skickade till mig! Tack.
rootmix, how fun – a new visitor to my blog, yay! You’re welcome to join, your blog looks yummy!
Charlotta, you are welcome to join of course! Start making your postcards baby! Saknar dig ocks
Oh pleased you set it up! I will definitely join in :)
Homemade cards are just great, you just feel the creativity.
This is right up my alley. I’m definitely in. Do I need to send you my infos or do you have everything needed for this?
Hugs,
Sophie
I’m in…email me and let me know what you need.
xo
Count me in Hanna, sounds like fun and daunting. One of my New Year’s resolution, try something new, learn something.
This sounds like a great idea…and I’m not saying that just because I love postcards. I will be spreading the word via Livejournal :)
Thank you girls for coming aboard our Postcard Ship and setting creative sails with me! Eh… hehe, so glad I took the leap to start this! We are already well over 10 – yay!
Oh, yes, please! I do want to play!!!
I’m in – I’ve emailed you and I’ll post about it on my blog!
This sounds like fun! I wonder how watercolour would hold up in the mail? I’m thinking sending them out in the open as regualr postcards would add to the character. I’m sort of new to your blog. I had it bookmarked once and changed computers and lost it… (I’m also new to blogging but hope to figure out how to add a button.)
Yay, let’s play!
Bridget, I’ve gotten watercolor postcards and they were fine though not “perfect” when they arrived. Watercolor is such a beautiful medium, I love watercolors!
lovely inspirations
This sounds like fun -I haven’t joined in a swap for ages. and I just love getting mail! Can I join in please?
Hi I’m looking forward to this!! I have sent you my address.
makealife, thanks! You don’t want to join us? Maybe you could embroider something? :-)
Fiona, yes yes yes! You can join, I just added your addy to the spreadsheet I created to keep track. Yay!
Hello! I’d love to take part in this. I’ve never participated in any kind of swap before and I don’t usually show my “efforts” to anybody, but I’m going to approach 2010 as a year of adventure and try new things.
I’ll email a couple of crafty friends and see if they want to join in too.
Good luck everyone and happy crafting!
I’m in, Hanna!
I will send you my info in case you don’t have it handy, and I will be ready to send right on time!
Thanks for the fun idea.
Oh! oh! oh! (raises hand and flails a bit…)
Is there still room for this? I’d love to send some goodies!
–JH
Chris, I knew I could count on you! :-) Always.
Jennie, I’ve been waiting for you all day! There is plenty of room for you!
I’d love to play, count me in!
I’m going to sign up. This will be a great challenge for me. I will now send you my info.
Thanks for hosting this. It’s going to be fun!!
I would love to play. Thanks for the great inspiration.
Chris gave me the heads up for this, Hanna. I’m in too!
From your neighbour in the Netherlands :-)
I am in!~
What a great idea, Hanna! I’d love to join the swap :)
Best wishes from Norway!
Åshild
I’d love to join in too! What a great idea :)
I see swaps all the time and have never participated! I am excited! I found you through Julie Pritchard’s Blog!
Please count me in.
I’d love to play, too. This will be my first time. Do the ten postcards need to all be different, or can they be 10 of the same?
I also found you through Julie Prichard. (It looks like there’s another Marie. I live in Utah)
Hanna,
ik vind dit een heel leuk idee en ja ik wil er wel aan meedoen
lijkt me heel leuk om te doen.
Please include my name in this beautiful swap .
Thank you.
Count me in… found you through Michelle Ward’s blog… great idea and can’t wait!
Wow! This sounds like a great way to experiment! Count me in! Found you through Julie Prichard’s blog http://www.julieprichard.com/
:)
I have never done this before but it looks like fun. I also found you through Julie Prichard?s blog http://www.julieprichard.com/
Thanks
I’m a scaredy cat Hanna! I want to play but I’ve never made mail art before. Please count me in if you don’t have enough people on the last day.
Oh Hanna, we love you so! ;))
To be added to the postcard exchange you need to write me with your snail mail address, whole name etc. Please I need you to read the rules, then go to my contact page and join!
Welcome everyone to join the swap!
yeah! why not, I’d love to play!!!
Count me in! It osunds like so much fun.
I’d love to participate. I’m in a creative mood this weekend, now that my chest cold has departed. I think I’ll get started on making my postcards – right away! I’ll e-mail my details to you. What fun!
Nice idea!
But why 10?
This is much work and very expensiv on postage.
I think 3 or 5 would have been much better. Just a thought, hope you don’t mind.
Enjoy your sunday!
What a great idea!!! I just sent you my info. I can’t wait to start making my postcards. This is going to be quite the lovely journey! How inspiring….and we all love getting surprises in the mail.
Am I too late to join?
I really hope not…
This sounds like so much fun!! :D
I want to start making postcards right now…
I would love to share in the fun! I’ve never participated in a postcard swap…I usually just enjoy other people’s creativity, but why not share some of my own? This will be fun!!
count me in! i’ll send my details to you. great idea!!
Love this idea so much! I sent you my details and cannot wait to get started!
x
I’m in too!
I’m so excited! I just sent my information over to you. I’ve never participated in a swap before, and I’m totally geeking!
This looks like you have at least your 10 participants needed…;0
Good for you Hanna, it will be fun!
xoxo tj
I signed up and am really looking forward to this! I got started on my cards yesterday! Thanks for hosting this swap!
Woohoo, this sounds like a load of fun. I’m off to make my cards and can’t wait to start checking my mailbox after Valentine Day! Thanx for hosting this, we have some brand new handmade paper just waiting for a project.
I’m in! I just finished my first official mail art swap today and it was so much fun that I am going for more. ~ Tammy
Ive never done an art swap before.. so…..excited !
i am IN! This is great, Hanna.
I love postcards…. they gives glim’s of other peoples life.
EWian
Do you have room? I’d live to play , I found I
out about the swap on facebook from Ewain!
If it’s not too late, I’d love to join.
I signed up! I just wanted to let you know I’ve completed 4 of my 10 postcards and I have posted photos of them on my blog. I’m new to mail art but I’m having lots of fun. This is my first swap project and I’m really excited!!
Great, great idea :D and unfortunately I cannot join this swap :( :(. Please say that there will be another one?! :D :D
Greets from Bosnia :D
love this idea!
Bummer I missed the swap. What a great idea!!
Stop by sometime to say hi, http://creativeinkansas.blogspot.com
I’ve made the postcards, but I can’t mail them because I don’t have addresses! I know I’m in the swap because I’ve received a few, but if you could resend the addresses, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks!
Let me know if you ever need a fill in because I can whip up postcards pretty quick. SO sad I missed this!
Thanks for your comments girls!
Rosalind, I’ve e-mailed you the addresses again and hope that you will receive that mail and send your cards out ASAP, people are waiting eagerly to get their postcards by now. Let me know that you got it! Thanks!
Hi, I’m loving this! and wait in anticipation every day to receive my posties, hope you are enjoying the heart brooches my fellow swappers, must do this again, love from Australia xx
What a fun idea! It would be interesting to see the number of different countries from which the ten postcards originated. A company like Hallmark should sponsor something like this for a new postcard printing line for next Valentine?s Day. Postcards are great for an occasion to send a greeting to many friends and family