Today I’m presenting all my postcards, in one big blog post. I’m calling them meta postcards because it was suggested that postcards picturing postal stamps are just that, and I have to agree. Plus, I happen to love all things meta: writing about writing, scheduling in time for planning and documenting your journals that are documenting your life… etc. etc. Why not postcards that are turned inside out?
After my initial postcard idea I went ahead and made my postcards exactly like planned. They are simple in technique and yet overflowing with imagery. Portraits, stamps, words, countries, travel stories and the value of memories and ephemera saved.
I didn’t feel the need to paint, write or doodle on top of these, so I didn’t add much more than enough stamps to cover the postcard surface. Though if you look closely you can depict, on each card, a date stamp, my Chinese name stamp (in pink) and a hand written message on a yellow strip of paper (the same colour as the paper that I printed the backsides on).
On some you can also spot little rub-on hearts from a sheet I got a few years ago. I usually never use rub-ons, but they are really easy to use and add a little colour to the postcars.
Sherry, who also made postcards in my swap, made a fun comment on one of these on flickr. She wrote: These remind me of going into a museum… each is a mini-collection of art!
Love that comment! A miniature gallery on a postcard! :-)
Here are the rest of the cards:
Be sure to stop in front of each “wall” and have a look at the individual paintings. Suomi stamps are from Finland.
Most of the stamps I used are just torn from the envelope, with little bits of envelope still left as background “wall paint”.
Sweden’s monarch (recently a first time grandfather to the princess Estelle), Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre along with greetings from South Africa (yes, we’ve got joiners in this swap from South Africa too), Greece and India!
You can learn a lot of you stop and look; here about Swedish flora and fauna.
Vikings in France? And rainbow hang gliding. And… adventure!
And learn what a Jew’w harp (mungiga in Swedish) is called in Norwegian or what mushrooms to look for in a Swedish forest!
That’s 10 cards. Here are the “extras” that just happened because I couldn’t stop:
What do you notice?
You could weave a story from the pictures, from the castle to the blinded prins for example.
Or make a postcard for mom, who is also in the swap but not on my list. But always deserving of postcards.
Sending one of my extra cards to someone who has been sick.
And someone that I miss.
Sending kisses and hugs and postcard love.
And wishes that you are healthy, and that all is well.
And that’s the last one, number 17 of 17 in the numbered series of postcards made 2012.
If you want to take a peek at a few other’s mail art creations, some postcards can be found in this post, and in group pool – thanks for taking the time to comment!
These are so rich! All those things to look at–so great. I love the concept of “meta” too. I first got it in college…I’d heard of metaphysics before that but didn’t really understand what the term meant, but when I encountered “metadata” in college and realized it was data about data–whoa!!
wow Hanna!! you sure had a lot of stamps!! your cards look fantastic – I love all the little extras you included – the rub ons and also your handwriting – I also noticed a date stamp – nice touch!!
Thanks! Yes, and you can’t even see that I’ve taken any stamps from the box where I keep cancelled stamps! I need to do more postal stamp projects! :-)
These are totally wonderful! Great inspiration for my stamp collection…which I keep thinking about…but haven’t done anything with! Ever.
I see mine :) thanks again, I squealed with delight when I saw it on the doormat :)
This was such fun to look at. What a great collection of collections ;)
These are great. Do you mind if I use the idea to make some cards???? I bought a lot of stamps at the flea market the other day. I wanted to buy more, but ran out of money. There is a man who sells them for 25/$1. I do love them and enjoy using them!!!!! Your cards are great.
Melanie, I wouldn’t mind at all if you do postal stamp postcards. I would love to see your version of meta postcards!
Love these!
You know what would be great? If you created a flickr group where where we could all upload free postal stuff that anyone in the group could use for collages & such. I have a ton of stuff I wouldn’t mind sharing :)
How about this: Stamp collection group?
There’s flickr groups on just about anything, there’s also several groups with free collage images and things like that. Just do a little search.
Yes, that group exists but every stamp I checked was NOT creative commons use. And there are lots of free use groups, but not one specifically for stamps.
Karla, thanks. There are already some awesome groups on flickr to join where you can share vintage imagery with others. I like Collage Images (not for posting art) where you can share your scanned ephemera with others. Just do a search and you will find lots of fun stuff (I did one for postal and there are quite a lot of stamps in that group).
There is also a group called Free Collage sheets where the latest image was called Pink template printable – postal stamps I will print for sure. :-)
I’m sure there are more groups if you look around.
Caatje, thanks for your suggestion too.
Hi Hanna
your meta is wonderfull!!!!!
I like this
Monica
These are so fantastic!what a grt use for all those stamps. I missed doing the swap this time around but I knew that I was over-comitted already & wouldn’t be able to do my cards. Next time hopefully!
Danielle, I missed you in the swap! Thanks for stopping by and commenting. :-)
These are awesome, Hanna! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog – the encouragement is greatly appreciated.
You are on a roll here and I could see why you didn’t stop. Meta cards are fantastic and look at all the history that’s moving all over with these cards. xox Corrine
i went to the mail box today and to my surprise i had a postcard from you. love it, thank you very much. it made it thru the mail all the way from sweden without a scratch. love all the detail/stamps. thanks again, it is always a fun swap.
What a pity I could not participate in the swap this year. I love postal stamps!
They are great Hanna & they makes me think about where my stamps ended up? As a child I collected stamps, filled an album, got stamps as presents….did not everyone collect stamps as children?
Thanks Madde! Hmm.. no, I don’t think I had a stamp collection though I collected napkins from vacations and of course lots of other stuff, like scrap die cut (bokmärken). Still have that collection. Love those pretty images!
Ok, maybe not everyone :) I still collect stones and sticks.
These are absolutely gorgeous!! You’re so inspiring :)
hi that is awesome! I love the wild animals from “SWA” (South West Africa) which no longer exist, it is now called Namibia.
I received my first postcard today, so lovely and got an email that someone received one of mine. So glad that it made it through the postal system!
Your cards are amazing!!! And thank you again for organizing this! I had so much fun making my cards and can’t wait to see what I get. Looking forward to next year’s swap…
Lovely cards, you even manage to get the King of Norway in there!
EWian
I think I may need to try these myself!
I LOVE them!
Do you have any of the stamps with the lilies of the valley left? I would love to trade something of mine for some of those. They are one of my favorite flowers and I had them in my wedding bouquet!
XOXO
Wow! These are SO beautiful! They are, as your friend commented, like miniature art galleries, but also slices of history. I recognize some stamps that I know I have in my collection. I also notice that you have British stamps with Queen Elizabeth II on them in both “old” money (the ones with D or 1/- on) and “new” (the ones with p). Britain switched its currency in 1971 – I remember it!!! And your little stamped bits and rub ons really add so much to the overall effect. I love ALL these cards!!
As they say: Swoon!
Wow Hanna! These are all so beautiful. And on one hand I totally love your idea. On the other, I would never be able to part with all those wonderful stamps. We are collectors of contemporary commemoratives mainly because we enjoy and appreciate their beauty. And now, whenever I receive a package from another country, I save the stamps. I am thinking a collage.
I won’t be participating this year, but I am seriously thinking about next year! So keep me in the loop please!
Thanks Pam, you’re so sweet! Join the newsletter if you want to know when the next one is set up, or maybe check with Diane, I’m sure she will join next year too! :-)
I love these! I’m a postcard and stamp collector, so you can imagine my joy and excitement to come across this post!