Postcrossing Blog

Andrea (aka Sprinkledonut) is a world traveler and her beautifully decorated postcards caught the attention of some of you, who suggested we interviewed her for the Spotlight… here she is!

How did you come across Postcrossing? What got you hooked?

Hmm, you mean there was a time in my life before Postcrossing? Haha! I joined four years ago after learning about it on another website that I am passionate about: Couchsurfing.org. Someone posted about it in one of the group forums. I am very grateful to them wherever they are today!

I was hooked from the get-go! I loved seeing what types of interesting cards people would send me, what their handwriting looked like and all the little details.

Show us your mailbox, your mailman/mailwoman, your postoffice or the place where you post or keep your postcards!

Here’s our typical Canadian mailbox, covered in postal codes as an anti-graffiti measure. It seems to work! Whenever I drop in my postcards it sounds like they’re landing in a hollow cavern 10,000 miles below the surface of the earth. Where’s everybody else’s mail, I wonder??

Have you been surprised by any place that you have received a postcard from or sent a postcard to?

I received a random card from Fiji which was very special. I’m a big fan of direct swaps so some of my fun direct swaps have been with people in New Zealand, Estonia, Kenya and Bangladesh.

Sometimes I like to check out this site to see what new stamps are being issued around the world. With the direct swaps to New Zealand and Estonia, I asked the people if they could send me a particular wonderful stamp and they were happy to help! Thanks, guys!

Show and tell us about your favorite received postcard to date, and what makes it special.

Bicycle cards are my absolute favourite to receive. Here’s just part of my bike collection:

Airmail stickers from around the world and some favourite art-themed postcards:

Cards with quotes and positive messages. You can see two here from my friend Yvonne in the Netherlands who always sends me fantastic cards!

Have you inspired anyone else to join Postcrossing or start collections of their own?

When I was buying stamps in Portugal, all of the people in their post offices were really friendly. I told one of the postal workers about it and wrote down the website for him, which he immediate showed to his coworkers. I think he was excited to check it out! Some of my friends have signed up, too, when they saw what beautiful postcards I was receiving.

Maybe you have read this tip before but they say the best way to get mail is to send mail. I make a habit of sending postcards to my friends so now lots of my friends will send me postcards when they travel or just for no occasion but because they saw a card that they know I will like.

What is it your favorite part of the Postcrossing process?

Definitely working on outgoing cards for people!

I try to choose a card that fits what they like to collect but the part I really love is decorating the back of the card. It’s a bit of an elaborate process…first choosing the stamps (always more than one!), then glitter around the border. Next the stickers. Then the rubber stamps! Finally if there is any room left, I can write a tiny message. Haha, if you have received one of my cards you will know what I’m talking about. My goal is always to give someone a happy surprise when they turn the card over to read it. Plus when I’m busy working on the cards, it is like a form of art therapy for me. It’s really fun and I get to be creative.

Do you have any other interesting hobbies?

Well, traveling and couchsurfing are a big hobby of mine. I’ve been part of Couchsurfing for over ten years. It’s an online project that connects travelers with hosts in cities around the world. I recently couchsurfed my way around Portugal this past June. Couchsurfing.org has the same kind of open, caring, friendly and generous spirit that Postcrossing has! Making the world seem just a little bit smaller. And of course I tell my hosts all about Postcrossing when they see me writing loads of postcards.

Is there anything that you are passionate about?

I love to participate in Free Hugs events. So far I have given hugs in: Vancouver, Seattle, New York, Barcelona, Lisbon, Montreal and Austin. When we have a hugs event, people often ask why we are doing it. To share some love with the world. To make you feel good for a moment or maybe longer. To take away some stress, fear or loneliness. And hopefully because it feels nice and makes us both smile! Like sending a postcard.

Meet Lynda (aka LyndaC) from Canada! She’s a stained glass enthusiast, volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and has been organizing the Ingersoll Postcrossing meeting for the past few years! :)

Here is what she had to say:

How did you come across Postcrossing? What got you hooked?

I saw the name on the Bookcrossing site and then I was on a forum of people talking about Geocaching and someone mentioned it. I clicked on a link and started reading. I found it fascinating. I have always loved mail. This seemed so interesting. You write a nice message that goes to someone and before you know it someone else sends you a nice message. And it comes with pictures. I was hooked immediately!

Show and tell us about your favorite received postcard to date, and what makes it special.

I love all my cards and have many that I call favourite. Inge Look old ladies, Paris, roosters, Royals are all nice to receive. I also like cards of people that make you smile or laugh.

But there are two that are very special to me. I recently received a postcard of the Canadian War Cemetery at Holten, Netherlands. Four young men from Ingersoll are buried there. Around the same time I received a card from Taiwan that I had been looking forward to. A missionary dentist from the town next to mine went to Taiwan back in the 1860's and built a hospital there. Today there is a modern hospital with his name on it but the original still stands and I received a postcard of it. I love that these two cards are a symbol of my town touching somewhere else around the world.

Have you inspired anyone else to join Postcrossing or start collections of their own?

This month, I gave a presentation about Postcrossing at the local seniors center and I hope that some interest may build from there. I have also hung up signs around town talking about Postcrossing (which Ana and I designed). The little pull off tabs are disappearing so someone must be interested!

What is it your favorite part of the Postcrossing process?

Picking the right card for the person I draw when I ask for an address. I keep buying cards – even though you can see from the picture that I have a lot of cards. When I get a name, I look over their profile and try to choose a card that I believe they will really like. It might be a tourist card or an art card or a Garfield – but I want them to like it.

Have you been surprised by any place that you have received a postcard from or sent a postcard to?

I sent a postcard to Norfolk Island and had to look it up just to make sure I was thinking of the same place. It is situated in the Pacific between Australia and New Zealand. There are only 2300 people on the island and there was only one postcrosser when I sent the card.

I was surprised when I got a card of the Bremen town musicians from Bremen, Germany. I didn’t know the statue existed outside of fairy tales.

Show us your mailbox, your mailman/mailwoman, your postoffice or the place where you post or keep your postcards!

This is a picture of my postlady Carla. She delivers mail to me and picks up my outgoing letters from my superbox.

Is there anything that you are passionate about?

I volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. They build house for families. The houses have interest free mortgages and the people earn their down payment by helping build their house and someone else’s. I also lend money to entrepreneurs around the world through KIVA. I belong to the Postcrossing lending team.

Do you have any other interesting hobbies?

I make stained glass windows and decorations. Lately I have been doing it with a ladies group and we donate the proceeds of sales to a shelter for women in transition.

I also collect roosters. Rooster statues, teapots, dishes, salt and pepper, boxes, eyeglass holders, candy dishes, banks, lamps, art, stickers, postcards and even t-shirts. Lately I have concentrated on miniature items. The shelf unit shows the smallest and some of the prettiest items I have collected.

Jeffrey loves to create wacky mail-art and send it all over the world through Postcrossing. He lives in Canada.

How did you come across Postcrossing? What got you hooked?

I was looking for folks to send my handmade mail-art postcards to. The huge membership of Postcrossing is perfect for getting my wacky art all over the globe. Not everyone likes self-made cards, so I send those people “real” postcards from my extensive collection.

Do you have any other interesting hobbies?

I’ve collected 600 different Polyester Disco shirts from the 1970s. They feature some of the most amazing graphics ever printed on fabric.

Show us your mailbox, your mailman/mailwoman, your postoffice or the place where you post or keep your postcards!

Here is a photo of my mailbox with an ironic magnet I designed. My mailman says I’m his best customer.

Show and tell us about your favorite received postcard to date, and what makes it special.

Many Postcrossers have sent me special cards. Over 200 of my favorite unusual designs are uploaded on my postcards wall. I couldn’t pick just one :)

Tamara, a nurse from British Columbia, Canada, collects many things including postcards. She sees Postcrossing as an extension of her caring personality.

How did you come across Postcrossing? What got you hooked?

I had been active on other postcard sites prior to the genesis of Postcrossing. It was on the xpostcardx site that Megan Herring told me of Postcrossing. I found Postcrossing to be exactly what I needed to satisfy my postcard hobby.

I got hooked once I joined the forum, where there is a plethora of opportunity to exchange both ideas and postcards. Being in a caring profession (nurse) I am a “giver” by nature and Postcrossing has become my outlet for sharing. The ongoing round-robins and tags help nourish my Postcrossing relationships through the personalized touch of snail mail. I often flavor an envelope with a surprise from someone’s “favorites”. For me, participating in Postcrossing is just an extension of my job: it involves my reaching out to others and extending friendship. It gives me satisfaction. Postcrossing has become my favorite pastime.

Do you have any other interesting hobbies?

Aside from wilderness hiking and beachcombing, I am a union steward and mentor for nursing students. These activities have me travelling out of town where I scan the hotels and shops for postcards. I love gourmet cooking and collecting. I am a natural collector. My kitchen has hundreds of advertising tins and I also collect political pinback buttons, dolls, and ornamental eggs. Postcrossing is great for us collectors.

The dolls are one of my hobbies (collecting).

Show us your mailbox, your mailman/mailwoman, your postoffice or the place where you post or keep your postcards!

CABLECAR is the name of the neighborhood I live in. This is the kiosk where I pickup my snail mail.

The building with the emblem is Kitimat’s Canada Post outlet, where I purchase stamps and get my parcels sent from.

The van is the vehicle that delivers the mail.

The album on the fireplace mantel shows my European map cards collection.

The wire wreath hangs in the window of my dining room. This is how I display my seasonal postcards (ie Halloween).

Show and tell us about your favorite received postcard to date, and what makes it special.

This is the postcard that made my soul sing! I received it early on when I first joned the forum. It depicts gingerbread figures. My first glance stirred long forgotten memories. Since I love to cook, it was the perfect card for me. I had it professionally framed and matted so I could afford it a permanent and central spot in my kitchen. Thanks to the dear Finnish postcrosser who chose this one for me.

The gingerbread postcard is my extra special one, and has a place of honor in my kitchen.