It’s December First and you’re panicking. The stamper in you wants to create cards from scratch. The archivist in you wants to send out that Christmas letter about your family’s exploits in the past year. The economist in you thinks it’s silly to spend money on store-bought cards when you already have all of the card-making supplies on hand. But with the large mailing list you’ve compiled over the years and the tight time frame, you lose hope of meeting all of your goals.
My solution: the postcard. Over the years I’ve sent out postcard mailings for the holidays, and have managed to edit the yearly letter in ways that would make e.e. cummings proud. These projects are simple to do in assembly-line fashion and will help you stretch your creative genius, hang onto your wallet, and sharpen your computer skills all at the same time.
To take advantage of the less expensive mailing rate, postcards should generally be no larger than 4” x 6”. You can get more information at usps.gov or you can get a mailing template at your local post office. Set up your postcards in the layout that pleases you most. You can have the design on one full side, and the mailing address and message on the other side; or you can cram the design and mailing address on one side, leaving an entire blank side for your holiday message.
If you’re computer savvy, and have made mailing labels before, this first card will be very easy to prepare. I used Adobe Photoshop, but you can adapt the directions in order to design your cards in any graphics program. These postcards can be run through the printer twice to print on both sides, or you can address them with separately prepared labels, or hand-write them.
PhotoPOSTOS are a self-adhesive pre-printed backing you can apply to your photos to reinforce them for mailing. Mailing out your photos this way saves you money on postage and saves you time at your stamping table.
Pick up postcards that feature the sights of your hometown and alter them with simple stamping and embellishments. Remember to hold back in the way of dimension or layering, because those embellishments may not hold up throughout the mailing process.
Embossing is a great way to add texture to your postcards without worrying about them surviving the post office’s machines. If you don’t like the look of the plain white mailing label, try using clear labels...they look neat and sophisticated.
Try printing your message on white sticker paper. Or use regular paper and attach it with double-stick tape to the back of the postcard. If you can’t take the time to write a handwritten message, leave room on your computer-generated message to have everybody in the family sign their names. Use tiny stamps and coordinating inks to embellish the space around your printed message.
Happy Holidays!
