Some time ago, Ana chose a number of the handmade cards from the forum to highlight on the blog. That forum topic is still going strong (do share your own handmade cards there too!) — and now it’s my turn to choose some of the gorgeous creations to share.
Let’s start off with a smile! These animals with googly eyes from Caro (aka Pigglet) really made me smile. Especially the sheep, with the mismatched eyes!
These lovely images introduced me to the concept of etegami, a Japanese art form which involves the combination of words and images to create a simple postcard. Etegami isn’t about creating the most beautiful or skilled picture, but about expressing yourself. These examples were made by Hikari (aka hikarin).
In the previous post, we’ve shown off some of the collage postcards people make. These ones made from a fashion catalogue by Nadja (aka Nadjafee) grabbed my eye — there’s a fairytale waiting to be told here, I think!
Öne (aka Radieschen)'s collages caught my attention right away as well: so much texture and colour!
We always really love to see unusual postcards decorated with different kinds of crafts, and here’s a lovely one decorated with batik fabric and crochet! It was made by Giffen (aka cutetaiki), from Indonesia. I do crochet myself, and can just imagine how interesting this is to the touch as well.
Since I just mentioned a card that should be interesting to the touch as well, this one’s something that engages other senses too: Tamara (aka tamara84) created a postcard by creating a sticker from a cross-stitched image, and then added a little lavender oil so that the card is scented as well!
Olga (aka OlgaMartik)'s beautiful embroidery sailboat had me wondering where exactly it’s going, and I really liked those wave effects!
Since we’re speaking of embroidery, here are some that really made the team smile. Ksenia (aka Xute) took up the needle… but found it less relaxing than hoped.
Inspired by Ksenia’s example, Ana (aka meiadeleite) has given it a try as well!
Turning to other crafts, Hanna (aka _Hawkwind_) invited everyone to guess about the owner of this striking silhouette… I think I know, do you?
Tatyana (aka Tatyana-Levina) has done some lovely (and personal) drawings for postcards, which I just couldn’t resist sharing as well.
I loved the idea of using maps to make postcards, so Christa (aka Chrizzie)'s globes are a favourite. It’s a really effective look!
And that’s a lovely note to end on… so let’s let all our adventures begin! And if you make your own postcards, we’d all love to see them.
79 comments so far
I absolutely love this blog post about handmade postcards! As well, I love receiving handmade cards! These are all such creative and interesting images, and I appreciate the time and skill the artists put into making them. Well done, one and all!
I love them! I love scrapbook cards and collages, I make them myself. But I never saw people here who would like to get them. :(
Beautiful! I would be happy to receive more handmade postcards. They are so rare. These embroidered sentences are so funny ;) I have to try something like that as well!
Beautiful creativity!
These are all so beautiful and thoughtful! I've been lucky to receive some lovely handmade cards and am inspired to try to make more myself.
These are wonderful! I like to make them too but so often, postcrossers don’t want them. I can’t understand why because handmade cards are so wonderfully beautiful and personal. 😕
Such a wonderful inspiration! Thank you for sharing. :-)
I have reviewed some lovely handmade postcards over the years! I received a fabric one recently and it is beautiful!
I love them all!! I always think it is sad that so many postcrossers say they do NOT want a selfmade card. If it is more than spilled coffee in the card, but thoughtfully drawn, decorated, etc., a selfmade card is a treasure, a piece if art, a gift from someone who took the time!! I would love to get more selfemade ones!! I also would like to send more selfmade ones, but mostly I read that they are not appreciated. 😢
Congratulations to these artists! Their inspiration is impressive!
I am so inspired to get back into Postcrossing with handmade cards. Making art is always a risk, but if it makes you happy, put a stamp on it and let it go!
If every handmade postcard were as nice as these cards are, we would not see any "No Handmade Cards" requests on Postcrossing. The trouble with handmade cards is that there are far too many of them that are just thrown together without any passion or desire to make a nice card on the part of the person sending them. Like a few of the handmade cards I have received that consisted of a few little stickers on cardboard or just a few scribbles and/or doodles. (Doodles are great, if they are done right. Unfortunately, some of the doodles I have received were more like an inky mess than a doodle.) If people choose to send handmade cards, they should take the time to do the best work that they can!
I love this thread in the Postcrossing forum, one of my favourite
Very inspirational. Fabulous work by all the contributors.
Wow, these are all so creative. They really ARE pieces of art that traveled the world. Kudo's for the folks who have the talent, time, and creativity to make and send these!
These inspire me to keep sending postcards out in Postcrossing world! Wonderful cards.
I love handmade postcards, I want to receive these.
I totally love handmade postcards, they are a great gift - time and creativity spend to me, received as a postcard.
Happy postcrossing from Austria
I love handmade postcards. It is a personal gift for you and myself. I also love to create postcards.
Great article! My guess for unnamed man:
James Dean.
I’m an artist and I often see people requesting NO handmade cards, which is disappointing because I love painting them. ☹️
There is so much talent out there, I say let it shine!!
Thank you for this inspirational blog.
That's giving me great adea during this time of winter and spring weather lol☔❄️👍
I paint all my cards. This is why I joined Postcrossing. It gives me a reason to paint and the cards I receive will give me inspiration! I love seeing people's creativity. There are sone amazing people in this world :o)
There is nothing better than handmade postcards.
How lovely! I absolutely love homemade postcards!!!
PS Check out Inverted Syntax's Art of the Postcard project...you can send them a homemade postcard, too!
Really beautiful postcards
Beautiful! Happy recipients for sure
Wow!
Absolutely stunning. I love the creativity. And the "bad" embroidery makes me laugh! Bravo, postcrossers.
Very cool cards!!! Congrats to all the artists featured!
Such fun|! hard to choose a favourite. I love the maps/globes, the collages, the batik. All of them. I love the creativity!
Handcrafted postcards are the best.
I received my 750th card from 'Laridian' , handmade quilt squares in black and white cotton. His work has been featured in a Postcrossing blog. I am so honored.
Those are all so amazing!
As someone awaiting my 1st postcards, it would be a superb gift to receive a homemade one!
I love making handmade cards, and I do send them to the people who like to get them. You can see them in my Sent cards.
I have received one hand-made postcard. It was a picture of quite a smaller size than a usual postcard. Even though it was just a photograph, and one could not even write very well on the back of the card, I've understood that it's been made by a person, i.e. by his/her own hands. Do you know how much time it takes to print a photograph, to get it from a shop, to go through all this process of ordering it? To choose photographs that are beautiful for you?
Of course, it is not as "perfected" as the things that you find in a supermarket, but you know, even those cards some time ago used to be only perhaps somebody's attempt to create something beautiful, to do something from inside, and that's how it starts, I think.
Besides, I think people who send hand-made postcards, they like their art VERY WELL. Besides, don't be too harsh on them, not all of them have an art degree.
You know, once I sent one very SPECIAL card to a person. It was black and white, it was so SPECIAL for me, I found it extremely beautiful and besides it was limited edition. I also thought that the other person would appreciate it too. And he/she wrote "thank you for this atmospheric postcard". I got insulted 🙂 but I've understood that for me that postcard was special because of the place depicted in it (I knew it), and for an average person it doesn't have the same impact, it doesn't have to be like this.
So, perhaps let's have more empathy for each other, we are not art students, and many of them are doing what makes them relax, why ask for so much?
I love all the handmade cards. It makes me so sad to see people saying they do not wish to receive a handmade card. When I see people dictating what type of card they want I always think to myself "Tough, they'll get what they're given"
Wow. Just WOW!!
Cool, I like it , I once in awhile do handmade postcards
Nice postcard. Congrats @cutetaiki ......
I cant make this but i received so many beautiful handmade from official too.
What a beautiful collection! Quite inspiring for someone like me who loooves to make postcards from her own photos, comic books, or other unusual stuff. Also I love to receive handmade cards, there’s so much thought and in love in them - how could you not want one?!
So if you’re interested in swapping - feel free to message me, you creative souls :-)
Have a beautiful day everyone! ☀️
Beautiful!
They are all so unique and beautiful. I haven't gotten any hand made cards yet , but hopefully one day. : }
We need these artists to offer a zoom class "how to." Loved this post - beautiful cards.
Thank you.
d
The most wonderful thing about the Handmade Forum is that it is a safe and supportive community where ALL are welcome to share! Many of us are less talented but we are accepted and encouraged as we learn new techniques and get to know each other through exchanging our handmade cards. I cannot say enough about this wonderful handmade forum community and the hard work by dedicated Postcrossers who make it possible.
Very cool! I love the cross-stitch ones :)
Thanks for sharing this post!
Beautiful handmade postcards. I myself can neither draw nor embroider, so I bow to hardworking people. I hope that someday handmade postcards will appear in my collection.
I'm impressed with the different talents on the cards. Makes me want to try. I have made postcards with my photos.
I love this and seeing the handmade postcards! I personally love getting any postcard. I love the creativity and seeing what people come up with! Thanks for this article!
They are Wonderful, great, lovely, crafty and beautiful. My mailbox is open for all off them, I can't wait to find one.
Thank you for sharing/showing them to us.
These are beautiful. I have received many handmade postcards, but my favorite by far are the quilted ones. :)
Wow, so great! I’m jealous of your talent! But I’ll try to get over it and make a few handmade cards of my own .
Wow!! Just wow!!!
Hello everyone I am one of those artists whose works were included in the selection. I like to draw postcards for some people. I read the recipient's page and start thinking about how to please him, whether I have a postcard or I want to draw something. A very exciting and enjoyable process. I'm always worried whether you like my card or not.)). Thank you for your appreciation of handmade postcards.
these are all incredible! i'm in awe! thank you to the makers of them for your your gifts and thank you shanaqui for posting them.
Sometimes the people with stickers and simple things are experimenting. That's how I started. I've learned to express myself much better over the years and I use the postcards as my play. I love experimenting with mixed media. Feel free to send me your self expression. Not all of them are VanGoghs but I appreciate your attempts in learning to create! There's something that releases in the soul when we attempt art
Love the seahorses!
Ksenia's embroidered cards are funny!
I like handmade postcards, particularly when they are drawn/painted. Some people are very talented artists.
Yeah for handmade cards! I like to do them myself and wish more people would like them. I love receiving them myself and always am super grateful to those who make a piece of art to send to me.
Time and effort, talent exhibited—I would be very pleased to receive such. We have a very gifted group among us! What a great sharing for all of us to see.
The time it takes for someone to make a homemade postcard for another is a true gift. As someone new to postcrossing, I'm not sure where to indicate I'd like to receive homemade cards. Can someone point it out to me please? Thanks for your assistance!
HANDMADE CARDS ....
BE MY GUEST ....
I LOVE THEM MOST :-)
feel free to visit my profile and sent-wall
if interested: please let me know -
"dutchgranny"
Beautifully creative cards! Like walking through an art exhibition. So many talented Postcrossers.
Have you seen the amazingly creative postcard boxes by @BuonaFortuna? Very unique.
As to the silhouette: James Dean.
Thank you for writing this and for sharing these lovely creations.
Great handmade postcards! Love the Thread 'show us your handmade postcards and Mail art'!!!!!!! Very inspiring!!!!
These illustrations of handmade cards have hopefully reversed the attitudes of people who have voted against receiving them. And, for all of the comments I've read -- Great Posts!
Personally, I am so excited to receive ANY postcards that offer connections to Postcrossers around the world, and my favorite part of the exchanges have to be the wonderful messages that are included. Keep them coming!
I loved every single one !
I really do not understand why People would say"No Handmade Cards" on their Profile. I love them! Keep them coming!
these are so cute !!
Beautiful cards, I get inspirated. Thanks!!!
Come visit us in the Handmade Round Robin forum - we have a great time making, sending and receiving handmade art exclusively. All artistic abilities welcome.
Fabulous! I really enjoyed seeing them.
Aww they are lovely cards! I see most people appreciate , the work put into it! And yes it inspires me as wel to be a bit more creative at times :) very good post :)
Beautifully creative cards!
I agree with Xute - you have ideas but sometimes it doesn't execute the way you saw it in your mind - keep trying.
Love them all !
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