Collecting postcards takes many forms and can be a fascinating hobby as well as translating itself into an outgrowth of one’s art.  My husband and I attended a talk at the local historical society where a town citizen displayed and talked about the old postcards he collected of our area.
He had researched the cardmakers and the topics.  He told stories, too, of his adventures in collecting them.
This brought to mind the postcards collected in my family.

My inlaws have a scrapbook of postcards acquired on a trip to Scotland and England.
I had found postcards my parents collected on a trip from …read more

As I continue with my 20 minutes per day of organization, I was thrilled to discover a box of my greeting card designs that I’d stashed away and forgotten about.  I hadn’t looked at these designs for numerous years and admit I’m impressed with the quality.  Perhaps they’ve stood the “test of time.”
During the 1970s, I had an at-home quiltmaking and art business (whatever would bring income).  My painting, starting out with commissioned paintings and evolved into card and notepaper design.  I created these items to sell in shops around the area.
When I took on a full time job as a …read more

I’ve used postcards to publicize my books and take orders.  I recently read about an author who has expanded the use of her postcards.  It got me thinking about ways to utilize this form of PR for other art and craft work.
Print a picture of your craft, book, painting or other art on the card.  Then develop the back for:

Grand openings

Sales announcements

Order blank for taking orders 

Information about you

Classes/workshops

Event announcements

General news

Carry the cards with you.  Mail them out.  Have them on a display table at an event.
How do you creatively use postcards in your crafting business?
(Image: sxc.hu)

When my husband and I travel, we generally bring home gifts for our grandchildren.  But they’re not the kind we spend a great deal of money to purchase. 
They are rocks and seashells, seaglass, foods from the area, something a relative may have made, and stories of places we’ve visited.  The natural objects are typical of that area and may tell of the geology and history.  We bring home recipes to try and ingredients we might not find at home.  (I use these for my travel writing, but the grandchildren seem to look forward to them, too.)
he “gifts” include:

 Rocks of a …read more

Artists, authors and craftspeople often utilize postcards of their work for promotion.  When you send a letter or note in an envelope, only you and that person usually will see  the item.  When you send a postcard, multiple people will glimpse it, and perhaps notice your work, as it makes it’s way from you to the recipient. 
 This is easier nowadays with the use of scanning and printing programs, whereby you can create postcards individually, as needed,  instead of getting several hundred printed at one time. 
 You can utilize places like Café Press for printing cards on demand and paying only for those you …read more

In yesterday’s post I discussed designing greeting cards, notepaper and postcards…art forms I enjoy exploring, sometimes purely for my own enjoyment and use while on other occasions I’ve made them for sale.
“Where do you get your design ideas?” I’ve been asked 
My designs include:

 Reproductions of my paintings  (Artists often reproduce their paintings as posters and postcards nowadays to get further mileage and income from their art work.  They may keep or eventually sell the original.)
 Reproductions of photos (My family members are avid photographers, so I often use my husband’s and mine for cards.)
 Sketches I make for particular cards, then scan them (This is so easy to …read more

I’ve had great fun creating notepaper and postcards over the years. My techniques have changed with the advent of the computer, but it’s still enjoyable to use my own designs for these items.
You can make notepaper and postcards for your own use and/or to sell.  I’ve done both.  They also can be used as a way to promote your work.  (I’ll discuss this further in another post.)
When I began making notepaper, I had to draw designs (often floral ones) on each card individually, unless I wanted the expense of taking them to a printer.  Since I didn’t go into the …read more

Today is Friday and that means it’s Freaky Friday. If you need to know more about this journal writing challenge please read the First Freaky Friday entry.
I saw the information about a competition on Chloe’s blog Tangled Thread. The ArtCard Ideas 2007 Idea Deck Contest looks like loads of fun it you’re into visual journals and that kind of thing. But, once again it got me thinking. Are you surprised?
If you have some plain cards to use, or just some blank postcards, make a journal entry on the back of one of these. But, your journal entry needs to be …read more