I think the card is important too, as this is card swapping site, not send any item with message on it.
I don’t even need anyone to use time or money, so that it would be mentionable, or effort, just a card and what they like to write.
We don’t know if they were mad or insulting you, but now we know who you are talking about, so please contact the postcrossing team, ok?
Normally these kind of messages are removed where you talk about a person. (Because we can’t know if they really were insulting you, or did they just not like it and you want to make them seem bad.)
Please try to understand the receiver too, they get a piece of food package, not the food part even visible. There are people from different cultures and some can look a card like this “zero effort, not time or money spent (if these kind of things matter) only rubbish sent to me” and be hurt and insulted for be treated like a bin.
I would offer sending them a new card just to show my intention was not to send rubbish.
@Jhayden did you contact the postcrossing team?
I hope you agree these things are better dealt with the persons who are involved, right?
I’m thinking if they did insult you as a person, they can apologize, and you can show understanding and send a new card, and all would be good then.
I’m concerned I may have been too sensitive. And the recipient clearly said not to send any more original “artwork.” I messaged them back saying I was sorry they didn’t like my original artwork on upcycled materials but felt there was a way they could have expressed it less rudely. I didn’t get an apology but maybe it isn’t necessary. And now I know most people prefer preprinted postcards.
@AnnekevanDorp I ran across a profile like that too, and it made me sad becasue it was so specific: don’t send this, send cards of only this size, etc., etc. and I thought the point was to have fun, about connecting not collecting, and the person was obviously being demanding, but and the person chose my card as a favorite when I sent it.
I think it’s understandable to be sensitive.
Both sending and receiving, when it’s not the most common type of card, and not a hurray what one expects.
(Therefore, if I feel I get “wrong” card, I wait one day before commenting, so I can leave my emotion off and maybe I already look it differently. Also the rude tone can be because of language difference; I hope no one is so serious about a card that they need to be rude to anyone.)
In my opinion many people like self made cards, cards made of food package etc. but I always try to send one to such who mention it. There are people who think only main stream postcards, and then it’s easy and understandable to be very disappointed getting something “weird”. Some members have been already surprised about a postcard that is not a view/tourist card
(Personally I like hand made etc. but some of what I received I can understand would not be nice for someone who is not familiar with such thing. But to me these are perfect.)
You have already found the forum! This here is the place where discussions besides the main site happen and where you can find many places to swap cards and show your artwork.
Here you can find everything related to mailart and handmade cards and also threads explaining about RRs and tags. Just take your time and have fun exploring!
I just joined Postcrossing recently, and I guess it’s been a while since I last bought a postcard, because I had a really hard time finding any for sale in my small city. I went in every store I could think of and they have loads of greeting cards but no postcards. In the end I bought some blank Avery post cards which I am using to make my own. I hope people won’t be disappointed that I don’t have a nice glossy professionally printed card, but this is the best I can do until I go to a more touristy area that might have gift shops with postcards.
I also live in a small town, but here some of the bookstores sell postcards. Maybe they do in your town too? There are postcard books, boxes or sets that some bookstores sell in addition to the single postcards that are usually displayed on a rack.
There are also a lot of places to buy postcards online.
I think this is a bit of a difficult topic, as handmade can be anything from a 2-minute drawing on a piece of cardboard to the ones who have spent hours sewing or painting art. So I guess it all comes down to how you define handmade. I myself don’t like receiving cardboard stick-figure drawings, but I would very much like to get a sewn card like the ones in the tutorial for sewn cards in the PC blog.
I totally agree with you @Shashidar , I too like the message behind the postcard. makes it all much more meaningful and unique by the words, message and intention of the writer.
Hi! I just wanted to tell you that I think your cards are AWESOME! (I saw some of your other posts on handmade postcard threads). You are quite an artist and I would be honored to get one of your cards. I am new to Postcrossing (and Postcardunited)… and before I knew that handmade cards could be a no-no, I sent a combination of bought and handmade cards. For the handmade ones, I spent real time making each card to suit the recipient. Now that I know the status quo, I have just ordered a bunch of “real” cards online and I’m kind of embarrassed, waiting to see what my first recipients will think. I hope they won’t throw them in the trash without registering them
got that once in asian script without any word of explanation, might have been a music tour or something.
did not scan that I guess.
Got another flyer from Portugal (in an envelope at least) about a jazz festival, went to trash.
In my very early days of Postcrossing I got this beautiful handmade
(yes, I always mentioned sunflowers as a big like)
Still one of my favourite received.
Still asking for no handmades in the profile as I got more trash (and getting flyers I can’t even read of flyers of festivals or packaging or weird photos (got one, hadn’t to register it) would be just trash to me.
So in trying to avoid extra things I would throw away I do miss out on the nice ones like the above.
(I know there are people interested in packaging but I just don’t have any interest in that, not even for sorts of chocolate)
And as I’m visually struggeling with some art (even on store bought cards) I’d rather not getting ones that people have drawn and I can’t recognize what’s on it or can’t really appreciate it. I’m super impressed by people who are good at drawing and love looking at that and would appreciate them as a card, but the likelihood to get something I couldn’t or wouldn’t appreciate seems much higher so better be safe with “please no handmades”.
Once got a “card” that was a sheet of paper with very few colored lines somewhere and address on the front and the back blank. (did not scan that because address was so huge over the paper it would not have made sense to cut that away)
The simplest definition of mail art is that it is any art that’s created with the intention of sending it through the mail. Mail art can include postcards, faux postage, decorated envelopes. If you have to mail it to complete the creative experience, it’s mail art!
No money exchanges hands. In general, mail art is exchanged between artists, not bought and sold. There aren’t usually fees involved to participate in mail art projects.
art is given freely, without the expectation of something in return.
No judgements are made about the artwork or its quality. You get what you get.
Once the envelope has been dropped into the mail, forget about it.
Having recently joined Postcrossing with the intention of sending a mix of homemade & pre-purchased cards one of the first profiles I saw had a big notice saying strictly no homemade cards, while I understand Postcrossing rules state any card can be sent it did make me somewhat nervous about sending my own cards.
I’ve made Mailart envelopes for many years for friends and family which I have now started to post on a dedicated Instagram account ( @this_wheelie_is_art ) and I’ve had people regularly request I send them one in the mail.
This forum post has been very helpful in balancing the initial view regarding homemade cards and I’m going back to my original plan of sending out a mix of homemade & pre-purchased.
I’m attaching a couple of images of my typical Mailart envelopes, I’d love to know if you were to receive a postcard / envelope like this would you be pleased or not?
I am always excited to get any cards from people - no matter handmade or store-bought, and I know for sure a lot of time goes into creating something like that. I would be delighted to find an envelope or postcard like that in my mailbox, and I’m certain a lot of people here would feel the same
Honestly, I think your art is exceptional, amazing job!
Thank you for your kind words regarding my artwork. You’re right, a lot of time can go into making them but in my mind if they make the recipient happy then it’s all worth it.
I noticed you looked at my other envelopes on Instagram and followed me (thank you) I usually post new art twice a week (Weekend & Midweek)
and maybe I already look it differently. Also the rude tone can be because of language difference; I hope no one is so serious about a card that they need to be rude to anyone.)
