I find this disgusting knowing maybe the person was ill when they handled this (and yes, I know these are done just in case when no symptoms, people might handle their card when ill too etc, but still). But, some might like this as part of history.
What next, a condom wrapper maybe, with a label on it, so it’s a card…? Although that would feel more clean.
Some people feel already insulted if you just say you do not like the card.
The virus does not survive on cardbord for more than a few hours, so it will be deadcbefore the card is touched by the next hand.
I know, and maybe they never used the test like I had to throw over 20 tests away because it was too hot.
Still to me it’s disgusting 
Yes, I’ve noticed this elsewhere/before. That’s why it could be good the let the team know about this, maybe see the message. I know perhaps it’s not the optimal hurray to get, when there is not very positive opinion about the card, but really, this is something the member wrote in that moment, maybe very disappointed, we must understand if the opinion feels like an insult, the receiver might feel a piece of food package is an insult 
Finally I found someone who doesn’t like covid related card. Most profile I read requested covid card 
Can’t believe we wrote the same “no” in our profile 
covid mask
I see some covid mask packaging in postcard gallery
I’m all for the weird and unusual, and I’ve received some amazing cards cut from food boxes or other packaging, but this is just plain boring.
Going back to the question asked by @Jhayden - I only send food package or handmade cards to people who clearly ask for them on their profile (or at least say they don’t mind handmade cards). The handmades I sent as official cards have all been a success so far, but the best place to swap handmade and foodpackage cards really is the forum with all the respective tags and RRs.
I make abut 90% of my cards. I don’t have a lot of preprint cards cause they are not too common in my town so what few I have I save for people who match the themeing on said cards (example: I have two historic postcards of my town left, I am trying to save them for people into historic facts about where their card comes from)
Typically I read through the person’s page and try to draw or paint something based on those interests, a couple were even inkings of local areas I did based on photos I took. The back sides I end up cutting up decorative papers, boxes with pretty patterns, stickers, washi tape, decoupage, etc to pretty up the back as well before I write to the person. So I try to make sure that I am getting as close to the persons requests/interests as I can, typically taking a good three or four hours to make a card. So it kinda kills me a little when people say no handmade cards, I suppose I get where they are coming from, but if you can see love and effort at some level put into a card I think it says a lot about the person making it, like they took the time to make something just for you. At the same time I can absolutely understand receiving ones like the covid test box being a total drag.
I’ve defeintly had a few people not like that I sent them art work over traditional cards, they were not vulgar about it, and they put in the postcrossing code to let the site know it was received, but usually they don’t bother uploading an image of the card (I learned to just do that myself now as soon as I complete the front of the card) and typically don’t even get a response after its received (not that I’m looking for praise, but I usually get a ‘thanks’, or a fact about something I expressed interest in, or a small compliment or an answer to a question I may have asked on the card) and it does hurt a bit, or feels like my efforts were for nothing.
oh dear that’s a lot of words, oopsie O:
You know what’s funny? There are hardly any acceptable tourist postcards of my town, so I have a variety of view cards printed from my own photos using a professional printing service. I send them out without mentioning that they are my own photos, and it’s often the people who state on their profile that they don’t want such cards and who then send a Hurray message saying how much they like the card and often give it a “heart”, too!
This happens when the card is shop bought too. Please don’t think it’s something because of your card. I don’t scan the cards at once, but later.
I think the best thing is to do what makes you feel good, and obviously if you spend that much time in a card, you are enjoying it 
To me they look really lovely 
I would be very happy getting your card 
If he literally called your art “bad” that’s really mean, and I’m sorry you had such a bad experience 
Art is so much a matter of taste, that “most people don’t like bad art” is kind of a nonsensical statement. I’m really surprised anyone who expressed an interest in art at all would be ignorant enough to think something is “bad” just because it doesn’t speak to their own tastes.
I looked at the card in question, and for my part, I like your abstract drawing 
I’m less a fan, personally, of the fact that the bar code shows (I would prefer the drawing on totally blank cardboard) but that’s just me. If I received such a card, I would assume that the artist had a reason for wanting to show off it’s upcycled nature by letting the barcode show, and I certainly wouldn’t insult them over it 
I think if the message really crossed a line, you should report it to the Postcrossing staff so they can have a word with that member if necessary.
I can certainly understand not liking it or “getting” it. But I thought the message we write on the card is the most important. Personally, I think that if somebody is using their time and money to send me a card, even if I think it’s ugly, I’m not going to get mad at them and insult them.
Thanks Tara! I actually wanted the bar code to show because I felt like it was part of the geometric design.
I’m going to chime in here to say that I’ve seen profiles encouraging creative efforts. For those of you who are so inclined to create handmade items, set them aside for such members. For the rest, send a more mainstream card, concentrating on putting your effort into the message instead.
Oh, thanks for explaining I looked at it again with that in mind, and I like the barcode better now. Instead of just “showing through” it’s an intentional part of the composition, just as it would be if the cardboard had started blank and you had drawn the barcode along with the rest of the picture. Cool.
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.
I’m a newbie so can you explan what RRs are and about the forum you mentioned? Do some people exchange postcards apart from the main site?
@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.)