Make Your Own Postcards

Inspired to make your own postcards?

Making a postcard is a hobby that's a heck of a lot more productive than, say, spying on the neighbours!

The next time you find yourself with itchy fingers and a head that can barely contain its imagination, why not try your hand at this pleasant little pastime.

It might help you remember why craft time in kinder was so much fun!

First and foremost, get your hands on some stiff, card quality paper.

After all, it'd be all wrong just to print on flimsy white sheet. (And that wouldn't really be making a postcard, would it?)

Hobbies make for
good postcards

Plain postcard stock can usually be picked up at any paper or office supply shop. The less discriminating can even buy a big piece of bristol board.

On the other hand, if you really want to be clever and thrifty, make use of things that would've otherwise been thrown out.

For example, get free makeshift postcard paper by cutting up cereal boxes and re-papering them with your own design, or tear off the front of greeting cards.

As for what goes on the postcard paper just remember - when you make your own postcards, there are no rules!

Buy some cheap postcards from the dollar store or print some free ones and add your own flair to them.

Make use of photographs for a really heartfelt message. (Give these postcard stock photos a trial run - you'll be impressed with how a good image can transform your postcard into something that catches the eye!

Tools To Make Your Own Postcards

The same goes for any personal drawings or writings. Attach magazine clippings and the like for a fun scrapbook-like look.

Make your own
postcards using photos

Feeling really ambitious? Try making quilted postcards for a result like nothing you've seen before (depending on your skill, this could be good or bad!).

Fabric postcards have two cloth layers sandwiching a filler (also called batting, a common choice is fast2fuse), just like a quilt.

These cloth layers can even be old, unwanted clothes! (We've all got them lying around!)

This kind of postcard is a good way to make use of all the odds and ends lying around the house - enthusiasts go all out and include embellishments like beads, laces, and buttons.

Although, while attempting this, try to keep the postcards at a thickness of 1/8 of an inch or less to stay within postal limits; cards over 1/4 of an inch thick require an extra fee for their depth and weight.

You might need to read up on how to sew first, but if you're ready to tackle this project, a good introduction and walkthrough to several kinds of fabric postcards can be found at (www.quilting.about.com)

Opportunities To Make Your Own Postcards!

• Special Occasions - When an impersonal little card won't do to say Merry Christmas or to announce the birth of a child, a family photo printed on a postcard, or drawing done by Junior warms hearts better than even the best Hallmark haiku.
• Invitations and Thank You's - From a birthday to a barbeque, flatter your guests by not only inviting them to your party (or thanking them for attending afterwards), but that you also took the time to craft a homemade way of saying so.
• Just Letting You Know - When you've got important news that a lot of people need to know quickly, such as a change of address or 'save the date' notifications.
• Thinking of You and Just For Fun - Some people just know of a fellow postcard artisan who would be inspired by a neat creation they just made. Or a person they can send them to who can appreciate arts and crafts.

Explore our site further for more humbled postcard knowledge!