I really like receiving mail from my friends and family. I also love collecting postcards from everywhere I visit. I mean everywhere. I probably have hundreds of postcards displayed in frames in my room, stashed away in boxes, hidden in corners and tucked into books dating right back to my childhood family holidays up and down Hadrian’s wall. My Mum caught a program about Postcrossing on the radio and thought that it was the sort of thing I would be into so I tried it out. What is Postcrossing all about?
Postcrossing is a free to join website that aims to connect random people through exchanging postcards. For each postcard you send, you should receive another in return from a completely different Postcrosser somewhere in the world.
The first step is to make a profile including your address (only visible to those sending you a postcard) and a bit of information about yourself (which can be seen by anyone using the site). I looked at other profiles for inspiration, some users are very specific about their interests and include details about what they do or do not want to receive. Other users are looking to establish pen pal relationships however most are “not interested in direct swaps” and prefer to wait for random selections, only communicating with you once. I decided to write a little about my life and the things that inspire me as pointers but I kept this brief for now because I wanted to inspire genuine surprises from people!
With your profile complete, request to send a postcard which will give you the address of a random member and a postcard ID number, this number needs to be written somewhere on the postcard. As a new member you can send up to 5 postcards to start with. As people begin to receive your cards they will register them using the ID number which allows you to receive one in return but from another member.
So – send 5 cards to complete strangers and get 5 back? This is what took to the Post office…
Interestingly, 3 of the 5 addresses I was given were in russia and these took a very long time to get there. The other two were in Germany and Japan.
Andrea from Berlin asked for cut outs of packaging found in your home which i thought was a great idea. I made a card for her using a cut out of a cornish tea box admitting to her that I don’t really like tea but my mum gets through a lot of these cheerful bright orange boxes.
For Luci who likes literature from around the world and also cute animals, I sent her a photograph of the Queen reading to Margaret that I got free with an issue of Flow magazine a few months back.
Olga is an english teacher from Russia and likes to collect views of cities from around the world to share with her students. I sent her this picture of tower bridge and told her a little about my favourite things to do London when I’m not in the office.
I bought this pretty card for Tanya in Scribbler one day on the way home from work, who enjoys traditional craft activities and collects art and photographs about romance.
You can’t go wrong with a classic London touristy card as requested by Royoko from Japan who likes colourful illustrations and picture books from different countries.
And this is what Came through my letterbox…
The first thing I got was this slightly odd but very beautiful Japanese Pin up photograph from Midori (perhaps because I stated on my profile that I like pin ups and erotica from around the world). I am intrigued by the doll who looks just like the model and the tiny origami cranes. One of the best elements to the postcards that I got back were definitely the stamps and I really appreciate the illustration depicting a traditional costume on the back of this one.
William who is looking for penpals all around the world sent me a Card he designed himself about his small village, Wendesse in Germany with one pub and two bus stops. I really enjoyed his charming narrative about the storks who come to nest there every year and how he knows that the Winter is coming when it is time for them to migrate. I have been working on one to send back to him about Harlow Town where I live.
This card was from Eija who told me about her passion for films. She has regular trips to the cinema with her siblings who all live in the same village in Finland, are all single and have no children.
I stated on my profile that when I have run out of things to talk about at the pub I like to talk about football. Alexander from Russia sent me this great Photograph of Spartak Moscow using a special Russian World Cup Stamp and told me about his interest in Football and Rugby which he also shares with his wife. I liked the way he recorded the temperature and date on the day he posted it to me, it was a lovely touch.
I love this mysterious card sent by Nicola from Germany. It has a caption on the back which reads “Welches deiner Gesichter zeigst Du der Welt?” meaning Which of your faces do you show to the world? Nicola was also a commuter in her past and is a big fan of Elton John so we have a lot in common.
I have really enjoyed this experience so far and intend to keep going with Postcrossing. I would like to write more about the postcards I receive and who knows – the collection, as it comes together, could turn into a design project of some kind. If you are reading and fancy sharing a letter or postcard with me or starting a project about letters, postcards and stamps, get in touch and let’s share addresses on Instagram…if you can prove you’re not a serial killer.
Recka's Cabinet of Curiosity 