~Three Ways~ to Make Up-cycled Postcards

Yesterday’s note about Postcrossing inspired me to make a few more postcards.

  Here are three different cards re-purposed from junk materials that I had at home.  I designed them with strangers in mind, to be mailed to someplace far away.  Even before I write a message, each one will tell a little story about me and where I am from.  Whoever finds these cards in their mailbox will be getting a little piece of me and something I love.  

                                   

Where do you live?

What makes your home city or state special?  Michigan is known for its wilderness, winter, and wildlife. 

 I started with a worn, old map of the state and upcycled it into the base for this card.  Using markers and colored pencils, I drew a squirrel (my favorite little creature).  I also added "Sending you love from Michigan".  

After attaching it to a piece of green card stock I wrote “<3 from Michigan” on the back, with lines for the address.

What do you love to eat?

What foods make you happy?  This collection of yummy postcards was cut from the cardboard packaging of my favorite foods: cereal, tea and candy.  I am fascinated by the exotic delicacies eaten in other places.  

I like to think that cards featuring ho-hum foods from American grocery stores are fun for people in other countries, because they might not have them.  I feel like the cards would look cheap if I sent them just like that, so I used acrylic paint to add tiny details to the other side.  I painted mini cupcakes, lollipops and other candies to match the front of the card.  Cute enough to eat.

What is your favorite memory?

What story books did you like to read and look through as a child?  I loved fairy tales as a little girl, and I really loved using them to create this set of cards.  Carefully chosen pages from a ratty children’s book make up the perfect image for the front of these magical cards.  

For the back of the card, I made a template in Photoshop and printed it out on card stock.  To add some color, I sifted through the scrap pages for matching illustrations to punch out and glue to the back of the card.