Several months ago I came across a site called POSTCROSSING which intrigued me so much that I immediately signed up to participate. Then I promptly did nothing more about it. When I read one of Scott's posts about his cat Orlando's travelling postcards, it took a few moments before the vague memory dawned... ah, he has discovered Postcrossing too! So I immediately found the site and tried to log on. Except I had no idea what my username or password was. See, I need lovely organizing file folders for everything. A special folder for my usernames and passwords. Yeah, that should help. Anyway, I signed up again, taking forever to come up with a name that would be accepted - I guess a few hundred more people had signed up and taken all the good names. I guess I could have just gone with VioletSky, but I wanted something different. So now, my cat whose name has morphed into Absynthe, is sending mail throughout the world through the wonder of postcards. Finland seems to be seriously over-represented - out of my first five requests for an address, three were in Finland. My next three requests gave me two more from Finland. Sure hope Finns like postcards from Niagara.
This is how it works. You register and create your profile with as little or as much information as you wish, then request up to five addresses for your first mailing. You get a user ID number for each postcard and must write that number on your card. Once the recipient gets your card they register that ID number and your name goes into the lot for the next person who requests an address. Eventually you will be getting mail with foreign stamps and pretty pictures from all over the world - or at least of the 181 countries where people have signed up. Or Finland.
My first card arrived yesterday - exciting!!
It came from France, a place called Le Grand-Luce
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I had just heard about that site on Facebook and I was trying to decide if I wanted to take on the commitment. I don´t know if I am organized well enough right now to do it, but I may in the future, I will bookmark the page anyway just in case. Thanks for pointing it out to me again.
ReplyDeleteThat's cool... I have to try that.
ReplyDeleteThat does sound like fun. For now I'll look at yours, because I already feel like such a loser with what I don't get done. :|
ReplyDeleteI meant to tell you:
ReplyDelete1) your header photo is GOR GEOUS.
2) The little Hummel figurine is so cute in this post. My mom used to buy those for us.
Irene: it is a commitment - just remembering to buy the stamps is a challenge for me!! As I receive the cards I'll post them, so you can participate through me.
ReplyDeleteJazz: have fun
Ruth: haha! it took me three months to remember to start, then my computer crashed (with the addresses listed), then weeks to get around to actually mailing them. Who's the loser ?? All of them have been received as of today, so more should be coming back to me fast and furious - unless people are as slow as I am...
Irene: it is a commitment - just remembering to buy the stamps is a challenge for me!! As I receive the cards I'll post them, so you can participate through me.
ReplyDeleteJazz: have fun
Ruth: haha! it took me three months to remember to start, then my computer crashed (with the addresses listed), then weeks to get around to actually mailing them. Who's the loser ?? All of them have been received as of today, so more should be coming back to me fast and furious - unless people are as slow as I am...
Right, where'd that little trash can go???
ReplyDeleteAnyway, thanks Ruth. I'm working on a collage of the mums for my Sightlines. They were taken at a show in Hamilton. My mother collected many Hummels and now I have them - they are cute.
I love the idea and have bookmarked the page. Something I might consider doing in the new year. For now I shall do as Ruth and look at yours!!!
ReplyDeleteBtw been meaning to tell you, all the pigs that were scattered around Bath when you were here have been collected in now and auctioned off. I am not sure how much they went for but I think each model had a reserve of at least £1000. The money is going towards turing some old railway track/tunnels into a pedestrian and cycle path.
MA
Actual mail? In your actual physical mailbox? Mail you can touch and turn over and pin up on a bulletin board or tie up with red ribbons kind of mail? Coooooool
ReplyDeleteXUP: YES!!! And, today there were 3 more postcards! I'll upload them and post tomorrow (when the light is better - damn this time change.)
ReplyDeleteRed ribbon...that sounds so reto...
XUP: that should be retro
ReplyDeleteMA: Then I will continue to upload and post the ones I get.
ReplyDeleteThere should have been a good sum made on those pigs, I bet. Maybe the next time I'm over, we'll check out the new path.
That's wonderful...! What a great idea. It reminds me of when I was in grade six and I had a penpal in England. I still remember her address. She lived in Erith, Kent, England, and I loved getting postcards from her.
ReplyDeleteI laughed when I read your comment on your profile "I am Canadian and therefore a nice person. And kind. Sometimes."
It really is so much fun! Don't worry - although you'll get quite a few Finnish addresses (they're mad about Postcrossing) you'll have plenty of others too. Plus the only way to beat the Finns is to outnumber them!
ReplyDeleteJo: and everyone is so polite - you can leave email comments to the sender telling them how delighted you are to get their beautiful card, etc.
ReplyDeleteScott: I'm waiting to get cards from Finland. Went to buy more stamps this morning! Need more cards (where I live is not touristy enough to have any selection)
What an interesting concept. I'm not sure I'd be able to make the time for keeping up with it but I like that idea of exchanging home addresses.
ReplyDeleteAnd stamps? where does one get them? lol
UA: Apparently, at the drug store! Where else?!!
ReplyDeleteI bought more cards and have pre-written and stamped them, ready to address them.