Making Picture Perfect Postcards - How to Make Your Own From Photos
84The art of sending and receiving postcards is not forgotten. Fortunate for us, we can be as creative as we want with the postcards we send.
One reason we like postcards so much is they are to the point; from the frozen in time or place picture on the front, to the short scribbled message on the back, saying just enough to satiate and or inspire dreaming. We all love to receive them. Writing them is just as fun, and there is no need to be on vacation to write one.
This article will cover three main subjects:
- How to create your own postcards from your own photos, including how to format the postage side of your postcard with step by step photo examples.
- Postcard message examples - what to write.
- How to store the postcards you receive - postcards make wonderful keepsakes.
Included are links, videos, and a bit about the not so forgotten form of letter writing.
Postcards, a form of letter writing
Letter writing is perhaps one of the most creative forms of writing, allowing for slang, bad sentence structure, colorful pens and drawings; not to mention any kind of paper can be used: from bond paper to toilet paper. In letters you can write what you want to write, how you want to write it.
The art of letter writing is far from lost. Thanks to e-mail, it has reached new heights. Letter writing has become more popular and convenient than wonderful world of phone conversation, as of late, and is often far less expensive (considering the cost of text messaging).
Are people always looking for new ways to write letters? You bet. And the post office is pretty lenient, as long as there is sufficient postage and an address to send it to.
Though postcard writing is technically letter writing, we tend to clump postcards in a category of their own. We think of postcards as offering a peek into a special world. They make us feel like we're on vacation ourselves, when we receive them.
Coldplay, showing off some of their postcards from all over the world
- Couple delivered postcard 40 years after it was sent - Yorkshire Evening Post
Couple delivered postcard 40 years after it was sent - An elderly married couple were pleasantly surprised when a postcard popped through their letterbox - only to find it had been sent 40 years ago.
One Day, in the mail...
One day, in the mail, we recieved a photograph. A pleasant, if not odd, surprise. It was of our vaction in Colorado, a photo I had not known was even taken. It was not in an envelope, nor was it protected in any way, shape, or form. Yet it had gotten to us, intact, stamp on the back, addressed, and post office marked. Just as if it were a real postcard, complete with a beautiful, hand written message inscribed on the back.
There were more to come. On any given day. For any given reason, or for no reason at all.
What fun. What delight.
These picture perfect postcards we recieved from Mom and Riktam, who have taken postcard writing to new heights. Their creativity is simple and inspiring.
The Picture Perfect Postcard People
Postcards Mom and Riktam style
Here's what you'll need:
- Camera
- Film (if you're not using a digital camera)
- Developed or printed photos (4x5)
- Pen
- Postcard stamps
You can use old photos, or take new photos to send to your friends and family, or someone you don't even know.
Stuck on which photos to use? Choose one that says something you want to say or that says a little something about you or something you like or like to do. Or just use one you find inspiring or that tickles your fancy at the moment.
If you like to bicycle, whether you actively participate in the sport is of no consequence, take a photo of your or another's bike or helmet. If you are building a new addition to your home, take photos of the process and use those. If you just got a new plant, take a a photo of it. Steps you have to climb one too many times? PHOTO OP! The sky is the limit.
So what do you do once your picture is in front of you? Grab a pen.
The first thing you'll want to do is make sure the address you are sending it to is written clearly on the appropriate space. Then place your postage so that your writing doesn't get covered up by the stamp. Then start writing as if it were a postcard. Mail. It's that easy.
Tip: Be sure you use a pen that won't smudge or one that you don't have to write so hard it cuts through the photo. Do not use erasable ink.
The front of your Picture Perfect Postcard may look like this:
The back of your Picture Perfect Postcard may look like this:
What do I write about?
Write about anything you want.
- Something short and sweet.
- A thought that came to you.
- The weather.
- Where you're going to dinner.
- A movie you went to see; did you have popcorn, a refill on your soda, trouble hearing because of the loudmouths behind you, someone kicking the back of your seat.
- A walk you took.
- A flower you picked and where.
- Been thinking about something lately?
Still stuck? Here are some terrific postcard letters that may spark some inspiration, followed by how to store your postcards.
Dear Bernice,
Just received your in-
vitation. Wanted to write
to let you know that I can
come to your Bingo Babes
Disco Fiasco Reunion
Party. I'm looking forward
to it and have my blotter ready. But I need to know
what BYOB means.
Thanks,
Kathy
Send your condolences with Picture Perfect Postcards.
Dear Mona,
Heard your dog just died.
Thought you might like to
go dancing, keep your mind
off matters. If Friday night
sounds good, I'll pick you
up at eight. Just drop me a
line and let me know.
Your Friend, Stanley
Dear Rich,
Someone keeps calling me and
breathing into the phone and
then hanging up. I was
wondering if that was you.
My mom says it's not a funny
prank and that you're stalking
me. If this is true, I'd like
my binoculars back and my
Clone Wars trading card back.
Your friend,
Jack
Send an invite with Picture Perfect Postcards.
Dear Emily,
Hank finally kicked the
bucket. Thought you might
like to know. Funeral's
day after tomorrow. Party
after. Lots of singles
so don't wear your sweats.
~Molly
Let your friends know how you're doing with Picture Perfect Postcards.
My Dearest Tulip,
Lunch was horrid today.
I made a nice fresh salad
only to find that my
cucumbers had rotted. I
had left them in the
plastic too long. You know
how I hate salad without
fresh cucumber. Needless
to say, I had to throw away
perfectly good lettuce and
sliced tomatoes, clipped
radishes and beets. I
tried to feed it to my
little Maxim, but he wouldn't
dare touch it without the
cucumbers iether. Dogs are
smarter than we give them
credit for. Sigh.
Yours truly,
Wilhelmina
PS By the time this gets to
you, I may have starved to
death. Please do check on me.
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Having a barbeque? Let your neighbor know with a Picture Perfect Postcard.
Dear Mr. Goopchev,
Went to the butcher today.
Will be barbecuing. Please
keep your pet inside between
6 and 8 pm as I am having a
candlelight barbecue soiree
and do not wish to lose any
meat, or guests.
Thank you for your sincere
cooperation and understanding
in this matter.
Your neighbor,
Ms. McArthur
Dear Janice,
I can't find my slippers
again. I think "they" have
broken into my house and
stolen them. This is the
third item this week. Shall
have to rig all entries
with barbed wire and metal
bells. If this does not work
will have to seal all cracks
with electrical tape (it's
the only kind I have, so hope
it works.)
Yours,
Debbie
How to store your postcards
This picture perfect postcard hub has some great comments. One of the things I've heard people mention over and again is that their much loved postcards and photos have been yellowed and curled with age.
I've got a simple solution and a sure fix for that issue. The nice thing about postcards, is that they are photo sized. So why not store them as photos?
Personally, I have always stored my postcards in photo albums. I usually pick up those little notbook sized ones that store one per page. I can flip through them with ease, and am able to see both the front and the back! Great idea? Yes! Thanks!
You can album them in categories, once you have enough together. Like who is sending them, where they are from, year they were recieved, etc.
I even keep an album chock full of photos I think would make great postcards at some point. This keeps them crisp and protected and provides me with an easy and fun way to pick and choose my favorites. Not to mention, I'm an organization freak, so this is a great way to keep myself organized and feeling special.
Another great idea is to frame them. Just as you would any other photo. This offers your postcards protection and displayability. Got a favorite postcard? Let it know how special it is to you and give it a splendid frame of its very own. Lots of frames now a days offer the option to slide your photos in and out with ease, so you can pull them out of their compartment and have a good smile any time you want.
Got any ideas for how to organize or keep your postcards picture perfect pretty? Share your ideas in the comments section.
Got ideas about stuff to write about? Leave those too.
As always, thanks for reading!
- Pottery Barn Frames and Photo Albums
third and fourth "how to store your postcards" photos found here.
Related Links
- The Cards You've Always Wanted to Send
Hub by Christoph Reilly 6/18/2009 Humorous letter writing ideas. - Postcards from Argentina
From HubPages' very own Elena: El Ateneo Grand Splendid, La Recoleta Rated #2 in the list of The World's 10 Best Bookshops by The Guardian, El Ateneo Grand Spendid is just that, an unbelievable bookstore where one is uncertain whether the...
Did you know the postcard was patented in 1861?
- Postcard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This link gives a brief history of postcards, early controversy, postcard stamp info, a glossary of postcard terms, and other related links. Very interesting, if short, read.
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Picture Perfect Postcards - 24k gold HubNugget
This Hub is a 24k Hubnugget
Frieda wanted to be a Hubnugget winner again! Her second hubnugget contender, Picture Perfect Postcards - How to Make Your Own has been chosen as a #3 24k Hubnugget winner! Yaee! For more info check out the Golden Hubnugget Rush. Thanks for reading and thanks for loving my hubs! Comments always welcome.
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Hi Elena! Thanks for stopping by. Glad you like! I was really excited to see your postcards hub. (first spot I saved for you)
I know I've heard a lot of people who actually won't send postcards to people they live near because they figure the postcards will just get there after they do. They opt for momentos instead. I'm all for a good momento, but I do get a bit disappointed; there's just something about receiving a postcard from somewhere else, stamped and postmarked, that is very special.
I don't mind you ramblin on. You can do that forever if you like. I tend to do the same thing. But if you do write another postcard hub, I'll be sure to link it to mine!
I like this idea! It may be a good way to use some of those pictures that I have one pose too many of. I have always liked to send post cards, because you can let someone know you are thinking of them, without having to write a book.
Absolutely, Christa! It's like a quick answering machine message. =D
Great tips and ideas. Loved the wonderful examples. Made me think of when we would send the typical postcard to our grandparents when we traveled. We were never as creative as the cards above, but now I wish I had known you can write "outside the box" on even a post card.
Way to go on the Top 10 Hubs, by the way!
another good hub
Thanks Lgali! Glad you enjoyed.
And thanks to you Cindy. I was really skeptical at first, but those photo postcards just kept coming. As you could see. Awesome, huh?
And thanks about the HubNuggets congrats. It was pretty exciting. I never expected it. Pretty cool. And such great ones in there! Talk about an array of topics too.
Howdo, Frieda! I came back to re-read your postcards :-) You HAD me counting! Since I'm here, let me tell you my two favorite postcards: The one about the slippers and the one about the doggie that passed away :-)
This is a cool idea! I have friends in the East Coast, who horrors, do not like emailing and which I love, (I even email my soulmate who is in the office next to mine, LOL) but I like to keep in touch. Hmmmmm... you just inspired me, a photo postcard with a note is bound to make someone smile.
Thumbs up!
Elena, thanks for dropping by again. I have the doggie one on the sidebar of my facebook. I had to shorten it a tad so it would fit on there (they don't give you enough space!). I love that one too. The slippers and the salad are my other two favorites!
Absolutely VioletSun, and thanks. Perhaps some of your inpirational messages your so fabulous at! Imagine getting one of those on a Picture Perfect Postcard in the mail. I'd be so excited. I bet they would appreciate a note that way for sure.
Nice hub! I love Janice's slippers!
Thought you might find it interesting that even back in the early 1900s, people were using photos taken of themselves by local (professional) photographers as postcards. I have several, one being from my grandmother to her mother, a Swedish immigrant who never learned English, written in Swedish naturally. Never dawned on me until I found the postcard in my mother's things, that my dad grew up in a bilingual household! Another Picture Perfect Postcard was apparently a souvenir photo of a great-aunt's friend on a trip to Colorado.
Very interesting. Yes, I've come across those and completely forgot about them. Thank you for sharing this information. Older photos were on nicer stock paper than the ones we print out today, which are so much more flimsy. But you're absolutely right. I came across some years ago at a garage sale in amongs very old photographs; where they are now I couldn't tell you, unfortunately, but I loved them because they made me wonder about the people that were on them, what lives they had, where they were from, how they died or if they were still alive, etc. Since this hub came out I'm finding that people have been doing the same and similar things as this for decades.
Thanks for commenting. And yes, Janice's slippers are fabulous, aren't they? Not to disillusion, but they were a microsoft clip art find (in case you want to use that photo for anything). I thought, what could be a more perfect pair of slippers for this woman?!
another great hub!
My Dad has a collection of old postcards showing the Kent village my parents have a house in - and reading the messages is half the fun
Isn't it though. People really should send more of them out. They're like Christmas presents, or personal photo hubs. Thanks for stopping by. Always good to see you LondonGirl.
CONGRATULATIONS, another hubnugget candidate, you wunneful hubber you!
What?
I just love old postcards, I'll be bookmarking this hub. Very well laid out tips.
Thanks for visiting Jerilee. Awesome, glad you like. They are so fun, aren't they?
This is an absolutely perfect idea! I never would have thought of it but I have a bunch of old photos that would 'fit the bill.' You supplied us with alot of pertinent information, along with inspiring words to connect with those we love. Thanks for sharing.
Loved your hub! I would never have thought of this. Wonderful tip!! I had to laugh at the messages. Thanks!
Hey there Paula. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. And send out those old photos. Share share share.
Hi k@ri, thanks. I love writing pretend postcards. It's been a thing of mine to do since I don't remember when. Glad you enjoyed.
Congratulations Frieda for being part of the Golden Hubnuggets list! Yippeee! All you postcard lovers vote for this hub by clicking on this link: http://hubpages.com/hub/Golden-HubNugget-Rush-Weve
Picture postcards will indeed brighten someone's day. Great hub!
Thanks ripplemaker!
Love postcards - receiving and sending - I have a wall full going back years. Some are curling at the edges and some have remnants of sellotape and/or blu-tac, some are faded, some are written by people whom I can't recall - which makes me think (hope) that somewhere there is a postscard that I wrote and sent to somebody who looks at it from time to time and wonders 'who the flipping 'eck was Julie Stewart' ,,,
Hi Iphigenia! Isn't it amazing? I know what you mean. I keep my postcards in a photo album. They're always fun to go to every once in a while and read what's on the back. And it's alway, "Oh yea, I remember this," or, "I forgot all about that!" or, "I wonder what they're doing now." Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Congrats on your hubnugget nomination! fellow hubnugget nominee. =D
Well, Freida! Look who's a HubNugget contender two weeks in a row! Congrats!
Read this hub a few days ago, very nicely laid out and written. I had some old, old pics of a small town that I lived in that had been made into post cards. They had yellowed and curled with age, but were very cool!
Hi Shirley. Good to see you. Thanks for the congrats. Very exciting, isn't it? I've had a few comments on the "yellowed and curled with age" thing. I'm going to have do an add on to this fabulous hub of mine, and let people in on the idea of keeping them in photo albums.
Ah, the icecream truck is making it's rounds. First time this year. Could it be spring is in the air? I'd take a picture, but I'm always trying to take a nap when they come by. On second thought, things that make you mad can be made into postcards too, now, couldn't they.
Hey Frieda - This is excellent!! I love the sample postcards - they're hilarious!
This idea is fantastic too - I never thought of creating postcards with my photos....which I have soooooo many of. Thanks for the great info.
Thanks Ginney, and thanks for stopping by. Glad you appreciate the sample postcards. They are a hoot. And congrats on the hubnugget nomination again. I e-mailed yours to my friend. Hope she'll give it a try.
Congrats to you too Frieda : ) and thanks for passing that info on to your friend!
Your welcome Ginney. It was a pleasure. That was one tidy hub.
My children always enjoyed receiving postcards from their grandmother. They always knew grandma was thinking of them and felt special whenever they got mail. It's a great way to keep in touch with grandparents who don't have computers and are not letter writers.
Hi, Frieda. I'm all for sending more letters and postcards. It's a dying art. Glad to see you are personally saving the tradition. Alas, well never return to the days when letters read like poetry. The letters voiced in Ken Burns' "Civil War" were beautiful and amazing. Most people can't even think like that these days, much less write it.
And who doesn't love getting a postcard or a letter?
Thanks for another great hub!
P.S. Vroom, Vrooooommmm!
Yes, it's a great way to keep in touch with grandparents. And it's a fun way for grand kids to keep in touch with grandparents too. Grandparents love getting stuff from grandkids just as much as our little ones do from them. But, as you say, not all grandparents do e-mail; I know my mom doesn't even get how to turn on a computer (okay a slight exaggeration) so you make a very good point there Dottie1.
This would make a great kids project. Let them decide which picture to use, maybe one they took themselves, and then they could write a sweet thinking of you note or something. And if they can't write yet, they could draw a little picture.
Thanks for sharing Dottie1.
Hey there Christoph. You know, you're right. People didn't take writing for granted back then, that's for sure.
By the way, for anyone reading this, you can google "ken burns civil war" and you can get to clips on this film, a very interesting documentary.
There was great thought and care taken in each and every communicated word written back in the day. They weren't calling or e-mail or texting eachother all the time. So their words had to encompass their emotions, all they saw, felt, heard, smelled, etc.
It's a whole different world now though, isn't it. But I think we can still find those gems out there, you know? Those words usually end up in our personal journals and letters. They hide in our private places. And probably on a postcard or two. We're just so used to seeing e-mails and text messages, that it doesn't seem like people can write. Then too, we're sort of conditioned to write a certain way. (to those reading we're speaking of letters writ and not books and other literary writings).
Thanks for sharing that great thought Christoph. I really appreciate it.
P.S. Glad about those extra reflectors I decided to add. I almost ran into a tree on the way over. Thank god it saw me and moved out of the way. I almost died. I don't think my insurance would have covered it either. Phew. Close call.
A super hub! I hope the postcard continues as a means of communication, despite e mail and texting. It is so much fun as you have showed!
Thanks pjdscott! I really hope so too. Glad you enjoyed your read.
I love getting these real oldfashioned post cards in the U.S. mail. Mind you I enjoy making E postcards of my own. I will take a picture, and write on top the picture itself, (occasionally using a photo editing software, like paintshop or such), usually using Microsoft Word. I place the picture in the header, then stretch it out to the size that I want. I format the picture to "Washout", by increasing the brightness, then decrease the contrast until I think that the words will show up properly. Then under Text Wrap, i format the picture "behind text". I then start writing my message of love on the picture. I love using silly pictures to make cheesey romantic E-Cards that I then send to none other than Frieda Babbley.
Okay, honey, first of all, thank you. I did receive and it was beautiful. Second of all, you really need to open your own HubPages account. I see you have a lot of information to give. Third of all, I love the old ones, but the new ones are more personal. Fifth of all, I'm going to have to send you a postcard about the fifth of all. ;)
I have been toting a camera around for years and taking pictures. Over the past ten I have used Vista Print to make postcards and I actually make a little money selling them to places. It does not pay the bills, but it can get you a new camera over time.
Good tip Eric. I use Vist Print myself. Their prices are great. Most times you can get a certain amount of business cards and stuff like that for free and just pay shipping. I always thought of Vista Print as being for business only, but you could certainly make some bulk postcards from their. Thanks again for the tip.
Very wonderful ideas. I really enjoyed it and learn at the same time. Keep those hubs coming!
Thanks JPSO138. So glad you enjoyed. Hope it got your creative juices flowing.
Completely free magazines do not have any obligation.
Very wonderful ideas. I really enjoyed it and learn at the same time. Keep those hubs coming!
Thanks 90cut!
What a wonderful idea! Hank and I have lots of photos and I know that we love to get photos. I think I might even send one to Hank! I've sent him letters before through the post and back to our house. I know the mailman thought I was crazy, but people do that you know.
Oh yes, I've been doing that since I was a kid and my kids do it too. (They send us letters and picture postcards), they like to see them stamped. Makes them feel like they took extra effort to get it too us. It's wonderful. Thanks for that tip, HeSaid SheSaid.
Looks like a bit of lateral thinking to me and I like that, good hub and nice idea.
Thanks Brian. Good to see lateral thinking going on. :)
Cool idea Frieda. One could certanly get creative and send all kinds of whacky or interesting shots. Do you print them on some special card stocky paper so they stand up to rough handling by careless postal workers?
I love your suggestions, they are wonderful and your hub is, as always, wonderful.
Max and Tulip. Do I remmember them from kids picture books?
Hi Dolores! Nope, you just send the regular photo like you'd get at a one hour photo place or wherever; stand up just fine. I worried the same myself.
If I was a writer back then, then perhaps, but no, Tulip and the rest are all mine. I like to write postcard letter blogs. I took some out and then posted them onto here.
Glad you enjoyed, thanks for dropping in. =D
very nice site thanks for the info
Thanks for writing in. You're very welcome.
Great idea about storing the old postcards in an album where one can see the front and the back. And another great idea about just sending photos in the mail as postcards. Would never have thought of that! Thanks!
You're welcome Peggy. Glad you got a chance to read this one. The kids got it into my head because I had them in an album that wasn't clear and of course we all wanted to read the backs. The nice thing is, the albums that are clear paged are cheaper than the other kinds, so it was win win for us. Woderful to see you today, by the way. =]
This was so much fun - I love the concept and will give it a try when I can get some time! It seems we have lost the art of writing letters - this is a fantastic alternative.
kartika, I'm thrilled to hear you say that. I do hope you do. As a matter of fact, we just recieved a picture postcard yesterday in the mail from an Uncle. He usually sends the same old postcards, so this one was very special. He'd taken a photo of his front garden. =D
nice hub
Frieda, this is so much more meaningful than facebook status posts to update families and friends.
I am so going to do this!! I bought pretty notecards from Books a Million because I loved it and I had been itching to use my rolly sparkly gel pens. This is even better and I'm going to utilize my photos for this purpose!
Great idea. In this age of email, text messages and digital phones I had forgotten. When I was a child I used to receive postcards from a favorite aunt when she went on vacation every year. I always saved them in an album and always looked forward to receiving them.
You have given me a great idea to start a tradition with my grandchildren. Sending them postcards their grandfather and I make. The children are small, 6 years and under. I know the grandkids will get a big kick out of receiving their very on postcards in the mail. Thanks for a great hub.
Hi Sunny. I couldn't agree more. Status posts and whatnot are fine and all, but not very tangible, are they. Yes yes yes those sparkly pens are awesome! Fantastic idea! Oh thanks for sharing, Sunny.
Hey there belliott. Thanks. We always put ours in an album too. Never really got many when we were younger, mostly our parents did and they would save them in boxes, but when I started getting them, I went to the Hallmark store in town and bought a photo album and put them in. I like the ones nowadays better as I always wore out the sticky on the other ones. I like to be able to slide them out of their album slots.
I think that idea would be great. I think kids appreciate postcards so very much. I know I did. Glad this hub was useful. =D
Very useful hub. Voted up and shared.
Elena. Level 1 Commenter 3 years ago
Hi Frieda! This is such a COOL article, another winner, I'm sure of it! I love your sample postcards, too, and you're right -- anything goes in a postcard!
I keep sending them from all over the place, there are people in my life that have a significant collection of postcards from my travels, and that includes me! :-) I sometimes send myself postcards so that when I return home I'll find the reminder of this or that place I enjoyed! One funny thing about postcards is that one always wonders whether it'll reach its destination before one returns from the holiday, I keep wondering, will it get there before I do?
I could go on and on, I'm SO fond of postcards! Maybe I should just stop already, least I write a sub-hub here in the comments :-)
Oh, and THANKS for linking to my Postcards hub! Besos!