Eventually I discovered for myself the utterly simple prescription for creativity: be intensely yourself. Don’t try to be outstanding; don’t try to be a success; don’t try to do pictures for others to look at – just please yourself.
Ralph Steiner
I have a whole box full of pretty postal stamps (beyond the new stamps that I sometimes save). Not the rare kind that people collect, these are the ones that collectors discard. Non of them are worth money, but they are still so pretty! Postal stamps are ephemeral in nature, but I love looking though them. Sorting, looking, studying them. I always find new gems in there. Humorous, beautiful or cute motives, in miniature.
I’ve decided to use a few of them on this years postcards for the DIY Postcard Swap. I’ve made a first, simple collage to try the idea out. This is how it turned out:
Not as colourful as last year’s batch, but still… I really like this one!
I might sew a bit too, or add some colour or stamping, but I might also leave it like this. I like simple and the beige brown colours. What do you think?
I like it as is. It’s kind of like a meta-postcard.
Amy, wish I’d thought of that title for this post: meta postcards. It’s so spot on!
Hi Hanna, lovely card! I like it as it is, specialy the way you ‘covered’ prins Charles ;).
Possibly a couple of little stamped images with that lovely colour would complete it.
I LOVE stamps and I don’t think they’re ephemeral at all. They’re tiny little bits of history and culture from every corner of the world. Reminders of things that happened and things that we humans want to commemorate. Stamps rock!!!
Wondeful!!!!!
Bye
Moni
i’m a bit of a stamp junkie myself! i just to bid on just random lots on ebay and see what surprises i find. they come together perfectly in your postcard collage!
what book is that steiner quote from?
Sorry, I don’t know! I found it as a quote online and just loved it. Sorry I can’t help.
I like how you used the beige to tie them all together. I was just looking at my collection of foreign stamps last night, and wondering what to do with them! It’s nice to see what other people do with them!
Fantastic! I love postage stamps too!
perfect quote and oh, so true.
Whom ever receives a post card from you Hanna are very lucky… this is beautiful… I just finished a post card today! I have to officially sign up today!!! I know it closes tomorrow…
Again, thank you for inspiration and a beautiful blog!
I am really looking forward to the postcard swap to begin. I made all my cards on Sunday and cannot wait to share them :) I like this stamp idea a lot! And agree that it is some kind of meta-postcard. Lovely.
Signed up!!! You just have to fill in the paypal form yes???
I’m so excited!
AGAIN Thank you.
I inherited a stamp collection when I was young. Nothing valuable but beautiful stamps from all over the place. I still love looking through them and using them in artwork.
I love postage stamps too – and this postcard – but poor old Prince Charlie :)
Lovely postcard — I so love using old postage stamps….happy swapping – just too much on my plate at the mo to join in, but look forward to seeing what others are doing. Glad your site is back…I noticed ;-)
This is a great use of old stamps, I love adding them too. Beautiful card Hanna. xox Corrine
[…] my initial postcard idea I went ahead and made my postcards exactly like planned. They are simple in technique and yet […]
You must be quit a snail-mail writer to collect all those stamps :) Stamps are so much fun, artwork miniature.
EWian
Great idea using your stamps that way! I have tons of vintage, non cancelled stamps I want to do something with. I got in the habit of buying fun stamps last year – I declared it the Year of the Card for myself. Ha. I sent 476 cards, some to people I just read about in the paper. It was so much fun! And I love this postcard swap! And – that quote. I sent it to a friend (and myself.) It’s wonderful. I will keep it close by. – Diane
Hanna, what a wonderful treasure box!!!
I love the idea of making your own postcards. I belong to Postcrossing and postcards are hard to find in my area. But how do you do the back so you can use them as an actual postcard?
Thanks for your lovely comments. Darlene, you actually don’t need to do anything special to the backs, all you need is to divide the space for a greeting and an address area, add stamps and send. It’s easy. Although I mostly make some pretty design to print, one of them is a free download (Printable Postcard Backside) on my blog.
Give it a try!