A new friend of mine is joining the DIY Postcard Swap that I host, and I’m thrilled about it. Not for myself, although it always makes me happy to see people I know personally join in – but for her. And for everyone who will get one of her postcards. The world might even be a little bit better for it, who knows?

To do something creative is to take time for yourself, for your health and well-being, and I think that is something so very important in our world right now. We as grown-ups are way too serious way too often, and a little playful creativity might loosen us up a bit, right?

But what if you’re hesitating? If you feel too scared to join an online event like this, or maybe your brain is even telling you that anything you create won’t be good enough to send out? Then this bit of encouragement is for you.

My friend wrote that she signed up but was already feeling the Perfectionist in herself coming out, wanting to have a word… And as I was thinking about it, this is what I want to tell her and everyone else, especially if you’re hesitating as well:

Please don’t hesitate to sign up for the DIY Postcard Swap because you don’t think your postcards will be good enough. They will. You’re welcome to join (as long as you’re an adult and can commit to sending your 10 postcards out on time) no matter what your artistic abilities or experiences are…

You can create postcards. I’m sure of it. Because the most important thing (for me) is that you are enjoying yourself while doing it. There are no rules other than that what you create must be your own original, and a lot of people who sign up is happy amateurs, not professional artists.

Everyone was a beginner once, and you might be starting your journey today. A postcard, if you ask me, can be anything that comes from your heart. So just do your best, and it will be fine. It can be a doodle or drawing on colored paper, a magazine collage, a cloth quilt sewn to a cardboard backing, an abstract painting or anything that you create to be a postcard.

Drop the expectations you have on yourself to create A Perfect Postcard, and put the emphasis on being creative instead. Let the process be messy, loose, happy, crazy, non-linear and fun. Maybe put on some music and start warming up in a sketchbook or a loose piece of paper? Don’t think about the recipient (yet), remember that creating should be fun. Have fun with it. Write a list of things that you love, and make a postcard about any of those things: Ice cream, sunshine, a color, coffee, freedom and love, creativity, bunnies, birds, grids, rainbows, pens, flowers, anything goes. Or make it abstract, happy, bright, funny, interesting, complex, easy… Anything goes.

You can create a postcard worthy of sending out

And from me to you, a digital postcard in the form of a video:

If you can’t see the embedded video click here to watch on YT – feel free to share the video with your friends as well as this blog post of course. I’d love to see some newbies join the swap this year!

Some of you might also hesitate to join because you think that you won’t find enough time to create ten postcards… Well, I encourage you to start making your postcards today then. If you finish before the last day to join this swap, you can join then. And if not, there will be a new opportunity next swap round – and you will be well on your way with your postcards by then, maybe even done already!

If you’re new to postcards you just might want to take that little bit of extra time to try a few things before getting started, but it might also be good to have a deadline to work towards. It always help me “be done” with it, when it must be finished. :-)

Others might hesitate because they can’t afford to be in an international swap right now, and that is totally okay. I don’t think you should sign up for anything that will challenge your personal budget. There is plenty of blog posts, videos and links here to inspire you to create something anyway, and maybe you can join another time/year. And if you do create postcards on your own there is always family and friends to send them to, or even walk over to a neighbor and drop a handmade postcard in their mail box…

Everyone enjoys happy mail, right?

Now I’m of to edit another video and then celebrate my birthday tomorrow. Take care!