It is really fun to make handmade postcards, don’t you agree?

You can paint, collage, do textile art, mixed media, embroider them, sew on paper, draw or doodle. The possibilities are endless. If you haven’t tried yet and don’t want to take my word for it, I suggest you make a few and see for yourself… You’ll see how easy and fun it is to create your own handmade postcards.

Working on a small little piece of paper and then sending it out into the world… It is super rewarding, and something totally different than painting in an sketchbook or art journal. Especially when you get handmade postcards back in the mail – oh the joy! But if your family and friends don’t send you handmade postcards back, that’s no fun! Then I think you should join my swap right now. Then you’ll get a bunch of postcards back for sure!

I’ve been making handmade postcards for years now, and each year I host an international Do it Yourself Postcard Swap here on the blog. If you feel like expanding your art practice a bit I think you should join us for the Spring Swap 2016!

Sign up for the DIY Postcard Swap today

How to Make Postcards for the Swap

You can create postcards in any theme and size, it’s all up to you how you chose to DIY them – just make something that makes you happy! Some are beginners at this mixed media thing, others are working artists. You make 10 postcards and they should be finished by the end of April, so you’ge to plenty of time to work on them.

You can Sign Up until the 1st of May 2016, but the sooner you start creating postcards the more relaxed you’ll be making them. You will receive your 10 international or national addresses shortly after that date, and then please try to have them in the mail shortly after that. If you sign up and haven’t gotten an e-mailfrom me by the 3d of May – please first check your spam folder, your paypal e-mail address – and then contact me. Here are the important dates, write them down in your calendar:

If you don’t want to join today you can join anytime during April. Bookmark or add an image from this post to Pinterest so you’ll remember to come back. Or join later in the fall when I will host another swap just like this one.

If you want to join today just read the rules and find loads of inspiration on the Information Page All About the iHanna DIY Postcard Swap and sign up from there. See you there! #diypostcardswap #mailart4thewin

Here are a few examples of the many postcards I’ve made in previous swaps:

Two cut and paste postcards made for the DIY Postcard Swap 2011. Yes, I’ve been hosting it for a long time…

Another DIY Postcard made by me, in 2013.

Painting postcards for my DIY Postcard Swap 2013.

More Cut and Paste. Bonjour and hallå from the DIY Postcard Swap Autumn 2013.

Word Poetry Postcards are among my favorites.  Postcard by iHanna for the DIY Postcard Swap spring 2014. Paint, collage, tape, word poetry.

That evening in the moonlight, the strangest little tinkling voice said, Yes!

Vintage postcards for the DIY Postcard Swap Winter 2014. Paint, markers, collage and polka dots en masse!

Tell your Friends to Join US!

Feel free to link to this post and share it on your Facebook page so that your friends and family can see it too. Share it via twitter (I’m @iHanna if you want to ping me), pin the button to Pinterest, add it to your instagram and check out the hashtag #diypostcardswap there! Or you could write about the swap in your next blog post or your newsletter (leave me a link below if you do!). It means a lot to me when people share this – and it’s fun when it reaches new people who loves mail art and mixed media postcards!

I would love if you use the swap buttons that I designed! Post it anywhere, for example in your blog’s sidebar – I so appreciate that! Please link it to the information page about the swap.

Sign up for the DIY Postcard Swap now

I love to know what your postcard experience is like, so feel free to leave me a comment below and tell me what kind of postcards you’re making this year!