Postcards as a Creative Act

DIY Postcard Pile ready to mail out by iHanna (Photo Copyright Hanna Andersson)

Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves.
James M. Barrie

Making a handmade postcard is a creative act. Being creative takes courage, time and thought. If you ever made or got a handmade postcard you know what I’m talking about. People being in the DIY Postcard Swap here on my blog has reached out and spread creativity all over the world, and I’m moved by all you kind words, e-mails and blog posts! Thank you all!

Postcards
Postcards and photo by Ingrid of mypeacetree.


Here are a few of the participants who has blogged
about their swapping experience and wants to share their experience. Please visit and comment if you have the time (collected with Mr Linky widget):

1. Christine

2. Ingrid – My Peacetree

3. Gina Lee Kim

4. Janet

5. Sues

6. Tslara

7. Artiste Nouveau

8. Elle

9. spooky

10. Margriet

11. Jen

12. Charlotta

13. Barbara

14. Amy

15. Amanda

16. Anette Linnea

17. Birgit

18. Yolanda

19. Sophie

20. Janice Mae

21. Vickie of In My Head Studios

22. Ja PRA 23. TJ – Studio Mailbox 24. Heather Kirtland 25. bettie 26. Carlin 27. Kerstin – KeMP 28. Mandy 29. Hannah 30. Cyn 31. Genevieve 32. Chris 33. scrowlscrowl

34. Aly B

35. Tammy/ Daisy Yellow
36. Diana Trout

37. Ann Maria Bell

38. Phoenix Peacock

39. Cynthia

40. Donna Cook
41. sheila

42. Carol 43. Kathryn – Collage Diva 44. Surfbunny 45. Rebecca46. Mellowbeing

47. steph

48. lee

49. Yvonne

50. iHanna

51. Adrianne

52. Ducks in a Row

53. EWian

54. Brii, the Mess

55. Steph – The nerd girl

56. Anjuli

57. Lay Hoon

58. Seher

If you are on flickr, you can add your photos to the DIY postcard group there too, like these girls have done (and many many others):

Postcard Pile -  photo by iHanna
Postcard and photo by bluebell fairy.

Postcards
Photo and cards by pinkangel.

postcards for the swap
Postcards and photo by spookypaperdoll.

Postcard Swap!
Postcards and photo by craftsbyky

If you have the time I would greatly appreciate if you visited some of the blogs linked above and made some comments. Writing comments is a way of saying thank you.

Going to the post office is not the end goal. Connecting to others is. Sharing your creativity, but also sharing encouragement, love, time and kind words. If you get a postcard that includes an e-mail address take time to write a thank you note. I don’t always do this timely but I always try because I know it’s important, as well as common curtsy. ;-)

Want to join a swap online?

Swap-bot snail mail love icon

If you want to try a random swap over the internet, I recommend you to check out the very cool site Swap-bot where you once you sign in, can join lots of different swaps, they even have a category for postcard swapping. I’ve swapped a few times at swap bot, most recently in the #craftsocial ATC swap, though I haven’t gotten mine yet. Earlier I got tip-ins (that I never made a book from) and once I got the sweetest matchbox ever through this site.

If you want to join my DIY Postcard Swap, I’ll host it again soon. Just sign up for the iHanna Newsletter to be notified on when it’s on. Talk to you soon.

You might also be interested in:

10 year of the DIY Postcard Swap - join the celebrations at iHannas blog
Download the Free Printable DIY Postcard Swap Tracker PDF here
How to swap fun stuff on the internet (blog post by iHanna)

42 Responses

  1. Thank you for including my photo above (pinkangel) – have added my link too :)
    Thank you for organising, I had a great time making the cards and can’t wait to see what arrives through my letterbox soon!

  2. hanna, thanks so much for sharing my photo!

    i had such fun with this project and am so excited to see what others have made for me.. i will certainly appreciate each and every postcard – i know how much time and effort and thought went into every one!

    thanks again for organising this whole grand swap! i was thinking yesterday about how i would have matched everyone up, and i can’t even figure out where to begin. we’re all very grateful to you!

    much love,

  3. Hanna, thank you so much for envisioning & coordinating such a wonderful, global exchange. Making the postcards was so creatively healing to me….you have no idea! Hugs, ~gina

  4. This was such a fun swap. I’m anxiously awaiting all the postcards and I know they’ll be terrific.

  5. Hanna, This is my 1st swap, I had so much fun making my postcards. It was great to complete something and send it off. Thank you for making it easy to do and for hosting the swap. Sues

  6. I truly enjoyed being apart of this event. I hope you host more and share other events like these so I can participate in more swaps. Thank you.

  7. Hanna–just like many others have said, thank you for taking the time to organize this swap. It was really fun to do and I can’t wait to see all the lovely hand-made postcards that come my way from the many talented artists involved. :)

  8. Thanks for posting my photo. I had fun working on the cards and I hope everyone that gets one likes them!

  9. Hanna! So much fun to do these postcards. I’ve just received my first one and it is BEAUTIFUL. Thanks again for organising.

  10. I enjoyed my first swap so much it didn’t matter that I had to paint into the wee hours of the night to complete the cards: I woke up the next day so full of energy! I can’t wait to see what I will receive! Thank you so much.

  11. Thanks for hosting this! I’m just starting to get postcards and it’s so exciting to wait for the postman every day!

  12. Hanna!

    Tack tack tack! a million times for organizing this! I loved this project and I will for sure participate in other activities. What a great way to network, be crafty, Spark Creativity, receive and send fun mail, and forget about winter for a little while :)
    I cannot imagine how much work this was for you, you are amazing!!!

  13. I think that I’ll put up my postcard post on Wednesday. I took a project idea (for photo wall hangings) that I’ve been pondering for years and decided to finally try it using the postcards. So much fun.

    Like the Terminator, “I will be back.” :)

    And to all that created the lovely postcards above: BEAUTIFUL, CREATIVE PEOPLE YOU ALL ARE!

  14. Yay! I got them done although a couple days late. I uploaded them to flickr and the to the group, too. Thanks so much for organizing this! It’s been such fun! Let’s do it again soon! See you at #craftsocial!

  15. What an amazing experience. Thank you, Hanna, for organizing! And thank you everyone for the lovely cards!

    Keep on crafting!

  16. Thank you so much for organizing this Hanna!

    It’s so much fun and I am incredibly excited to check my mailbox now :-)

  17. That’s great fun. I hope my creations find their way to all recipients and can’t wait collecting mine over next couple of days/weeks.

  18. Hej Hanna!
    S? fort jag tittar in till dig s? blir jag s? sugen, p? allt m?jligt arbet? i ateljen med h?nderna. Idag blev det mest datorjobb f?r min del…och lite rita m?nster ocks?…

  19. I know I’m echoing what everyone else is saying, but I really enjoyed making the postcards and participating in the swap. It’s SO wonderful to know that there are other people out there who “get it” and that we can all get together via the internet and the post to share our creativity and inspire one another.
    Hanna, you are a STAR for taking the time and trouble to organize this.
    Big love to all my fellow postcard swappers!

  20. Hello Hanna,
    This postcard swap that you organised is so great. I wished I could have entered, alas, I was a little too busy lately. But if you ever organize another one, I’ll make sure to enter. Or maybe I’ll just organise one when I’ll have some time! :)

    In the meanwhile, I will make sure to check out Mr. Linky’s links! ^-^

  21. This has been so fun!

    Nothing like producing art for other artists, to get the ideas flowing. Thank you, Hanna.

    I gave my work/studio address for this swap and my mailperson is in love with each and every piece delivered. So much more thrilling than invoices and special offers!

    Thank you also to everyone who made art for this. It’s a thrill to see what you’ve all created. What a treat!

  22. Thank you Hanna for organizing this swap! I have already received 4 awesome postcards! Mine will be in the mail tomorrow… a little late but they are coming!!!

  23. This has been a wonderful experience. My first postcard swap! I’m loving getting such beautiful mail. Thanks to all of you

  24. I’m starting to think I was the only one who sent postcards without envelopes and with regular postage. They are on corrugated cardboard, but should meet the postal regulations. I hope they all arrive, as I didn’t include a return address! I made 12 cards, which tile together into a larger picture. You can see the whole picture at mundanestudies.org. So far I have received 5 cards. Mine were mailed a bit late because I missed the mail on Feb. 13th, Feb. 14th was a Sunday, and Feb. 15th was a holiday in the US.

  25. Hanna, I have been meaning to check out the Flickr and to go to the Mr. Linky Links. I will do it now. I’m loving getting these little art treasures!

  26. Wow, this was fun and now I’m getting some amazing postcards in the mail. Thanx for doing this Hanna

  27. I do not currently have a blog, but all my cards have been send off. I’ve really enjoyed the challenge of making my very first postcards, and have continued to make some more inspired by some of the lovely postcards I have already received.

    Thanks everyone!

  28. This has been a very good experience. I’d never thought I’d be designing custom postcards. This challenge really made me think of new ways to reuse materials and even my own designs. Thanks so much for setting this up! I’ve gotten 4 postcards so far.. they’re great :)

  29. I have linked to my page, again thanks for doing all the hard work, to make this swap so amazing.

    lee

  30. I have linked to my page, again thanks for doing all the hard work, to make this swap so amazing.

    lee

  31. Wow! I’m so glad I joined this swap. I discovered that I could, indeed, make postcards using fabric AND I’ve received so many unique and beautiful postcards in return. What a wonderful idea and thanks again for organizing the whole thing!!

  32. I have had so much so far with this. I’ve only gotten 6 of my cards, but the ones I have received are just GORGEOUS. I hope you do something like this next year, or even later this year!

  33. Oops, a bit late posting about my postcards. I’ve just added my name to the list. Thank you for hosting this swap, I’ve had a great time making and receiving postcards. I’ve gotten five just in the past few days!

  34. I received my postcards and I like them all. I’ve hung them up on my bathroom wall and enjoy looking at them. Thanks to all of you for creating and sending me such wonderful cards!!! I made a photo of them, just click on my name.