Postcardist

There is no real ending. It's just the place where you stop the story. Frank Hebert   The Postcardist Podcast: February 2, 2018 to February 23, 2023 This is where we stop the story.

I talked with Melissa Reed about postcards, letter writing, and how she has accumulated 12,000 postcards at her house in Italy. And she wants to send them to people.

Maggie and I talk about her prolific set of postcard designs at Travel Trinkets Canada. We, of course, also talk about Albert Pickle the 3rd, her very handsome Basset Hound, who is featured in a recent collection. You can find Travel Trinkets Canada on Etsy by clicking here. And you can find Magda's work on Instagram here. And as a bonus, you can see what I was saying about Albert dancing to the beat of his own drum by clicking here.

This is a show about nothing. But I spend 53 minutes talking about it.

What's the worst postcard you ever got? And can you top the story Nina tells about hers? In this episode I'm joined by Nina Lakusta, the proprietor of the postcard and ephemera store LakuStash. We talk about her postcard designs, driving lessons, illustration, and yes, the world's worst postcard. You can find Nina on Instagram at LakuStash, and on Etsy at, where else, LakuStash.

I ordered two sets of Accidentally Wes Anderson: The Postcards in July. And then I kept looking at looking at the AWA Instagram site, anticipating the U.S. release of those cards on October 11. Yes, I knew the date. This was exciting stuff. Guess what? As soon as I saw the postcards I knew I needed two more sets because I used this hashtag when I sent the first ones: #onetosendonetokeep. Yep, for every one I sent I knew I had to keep one. They're that cool. Other people are doing the same. Which brings me to something cool: While the launch was going on, Wally Koval, the author of the NYT Bestselling book Accidentally Wes Anderson, took time out of his day to have a chat about the book, the postcards, and how AWA has cultivated a very engaged and creative community.

Every postcard has a story. That's what writer and historian Kenneth J. Weiss says about his postcard collection. In this episode, Ken tells us about his Midrust Postcard Project and tells stories about several cards he has. And we talk about baseball cards. You can find Ken's writing and work at KennethJWeiss.com. And on Instagram at kennethjweiss.

In which I talk about World Postcard Day 2022; question why I have so many blank postcards; and an idea I have about being Johnny Tomatoseed.

Stamps. And postcards. And connections. Thats's what Ale the Philatelist and I talked about on this show. Ale collects stamps. You'll have to hear her story about building an art installation using blue stamps she sourced from people she connected with around the world. She also collects postcards. And makes friends. This is a show about community. And about how postcards (and stamps) connect people. You can find Ale on Instagram at Ale the Philatelist.

The work that Marti Mills and Sylvanus Paul are doing with Santa Fe Sticker Fest is really interesting. And there's a postcard link. Do you add stickers to your postcards? After this thought-provoking show, you will. You can find Santa Fe Sticker Fest on Instagram here. And you can find the website here. If you submit stickers, don't forget to add your return address. You'll hear back from them with a cool postcard. Marti's sticker designs can be found on Redbubble. And her shirt and merchandise can be found at Chocolate for Breakfast on Bonfire. You can find Sylvanus Paul on Instagram at Letterdoggy. More information at ThePostcardist.com

What are the odds anyone is going to read an email 50 years from that you wrote about a trip you took this year? But what if you wrote details in letters and postcards? The odds go up considerably. Ana Padovani, the writer of Cartas y Postales is doing just that: looking at a series of letters and postcards from 50 years ago. And she's making the story come to life on her blog. In this show, we talk about that series, Ana's writing, and the price of postage in Argentina. Oh, and there's an extra guest you'll just have to listen to find out who. 

When a set of postcards started arriving at my house over the course of a week from Atelier Jean d'Eaux, I knew I was in for a mystery. The artist gained notice initially for sending sets of cards cut from record albums to chefs in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. That set off a series of articles by a food writer in Milwaukee to suss out why the cards were sent. Now I have a set. And I set out to discern what they mean. I'm joined in this episode by journalist and novelist, Ana Clara Padovani, who helps me unravel some of the clues that came with the set of six postcards from Atelier Jean d'Eaux. We play amateur sleuths and professional journalists. Do we answer all the questions? You can read an article, listen to this podcast, and watch a video to find out. Let's go. Let's play detective.

What can we learn from postcards? In this episode, I grabbed 10 random postcards from my incoming stack and decided to see what I could learn if I looked at them closely and was curious enough to discover more.  Documentation of this show, including photos of the postcards I discuss and a full transcript, can be found at ThePostcardist.com website.

Imagine your Grade 4 social studies teacher comes into class one day with a question: What if we tried to get postcards from all over the world? And then she did. That's what teacher Stephanie Nadeau did at her Labrador Straits Academy in L'Anse au Loup, which is on the southern tip of Labrador, Canada. Ms. Nadeau, as he students call her, set out a social media post in November 2021 that got it going. In this episode, I chat with Stephanie about how the project started, what additional goals she has for the project, and the excitement the students have with learning about the world. Photos and more links can be found at ThePostcardist.com

Orla created Imbolc postcards and is setting them out to catch Brigid's magic dew on the night of January 31 -- Imbolc Eve. Lucky are we who might benefit from a bit of this fairy dust in the form of a postcard. In this episode of The Postcardist Podcast, Orla Hegarty and I talk about Imbolc; making postcards to honor the holiday; cognitive awe as we look out over the ocean; the mesmerizing qualities of humpback whales Orla sees from her living room window; giant potatoes and Irish immigration in Prince Edward Island; iron-on patches in school uniforms; and how Orla helped a small class of students in Labrador gets a large number of postcards from around the word. Postcards connect people -- and knowing smart people like Orla helps us connect to the world around us. Details and photos and videos can be found at ThePostcardist.com  Music in this episode: The Banshee. Gravel Walks. The Old Copperplate by Sláinte is licensed under a Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

How often do you like to get mail? Or send mail?  Links to show notes at ThePostcardist.com

A show about why color postcards are predominant and sell more than black-and-white postcards. Some people have strong opinions about this topic. Show transcript and visuals available on thepostcardist.com

Getting a postcard in my mailbox that's not mangled is remarkable.  Postcards get damaged in the mail. A lot. In fact, it's a surprise when I get a card that's unmarred. I've noticed the same reaction with others in the postcard community, who write with delight about receiving the rare undamaged card with words like, "This looks like it was hand delivered." Sadly, undamaged postcards are few and far between. Which led me to The Great Postcard Quality Project and this look at mangled mail. You can find the complete writeup at ThePostcardist.com. It includes lots of photos of the damage. Other links in this show include: Grading collectible postcards DNA from 100-year-old postcards Pokemon Go Postcard Book Postcards from places I'd like to go

Artists gather inspiration from many places. When you're a prolific postcard designer like Magda Wojcicka of Travel Trinkets Canada, that inspiration can come from playtime with her adorable Basset Hound puppy, Albert; from seeing the Aurora Borealis in the night sky in her town of Calgary; and by having coffee with her best friend who just walked 5km in -40C and had ice-frosted eyelashes. In this episode, we talk about those inspirations, and much more. This is the last episode for 2021, and I wish you joy as we head into the New Year. Travel Trinkets Canada Magda's Stamp and Away IG account Albert the Hound on IG

In which I talk about a cancellation that drove me crazy; and ask why so many postcards I send and receive have scuff marks; and then I ask for some audience partici......PATION.

Have you ever read a vintage love letter and wondered about the story? Liz Maguire certainly did. And from her first acquisition as a teenager of a set of vintage love letters from a flea market, Liz converted her love of letter writing and history into curation of a huge collection at Flea Market Love Letters. In addition to the collection and transcription of her collection, Liz also uses letter writing to raise funds for charities. In this show, Liz tells us about her collection that includes letters ranging from the 1870s to the 1950s. Links: Flea Market Love Letters website Flea Market Love Letters on Instagram Write More Letters Project The Postcardist website

There are positive ripples that can get sent into the universe -- and that's what Rachel Wentworth, the steward of the Little Free Mailbox, is doing as she sets out stamped postcards and letters for passersby to take for free. Here's her story about opening the Little Free Mailbox on World Postcard Day and how it's gone so far. This one brings a lot of joy to our postcard community; and it once again shows us that postcards connect people. You can find the Little Free Mailbox on Instagram.  Rachel's IG is rachelannwentworth You can find photos of the Little Free Mailbox on thepostcardist.com

Jamo and I talked about Bigfoot. We went outside and looked for Bigfoot clues. Talked about Bigfoot sightings. And then Jamo created watercolor postcards of Biggie. The World's Largest Bigfoot Postcard Collection just got bigger. So did my pride. Get photos and more of the story on The Postcardist

This week I'm joined by the dynamic and multitalented writer, world traveler, and media sensation Nicole Banister, who many know as Nikki Banz. She joined me from her home in Cape Town, South Africa, and we had a far-ranging talk about postcards and long-time penpals and many, many, other topics. You can find Nicole at these places (and watch for her documentary -- I have a sense when she has ideas she makes them come true) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theycallmebanz/ NIKKI BANZ LIVE: https://www.instagram.com/theycallmebanz/channel/ Nas Academy - How To Adapt To New Cultures: https://nasacademy.com/nicole LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/banisternicole/ Medium: https://medium.com/@nicolebanisterofficial My Basketball Team (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/mybasketballteam/My Basketball Team (website): https://www.mybasketballteam.co/

"I was thinking about how you say postcards connect people. So does music." -- Teresa Edmunds In this episode I'm joined by Teresa Edmunds. We talk about music. About postcard playlists and mixtapes. And how we can use music as a universal language as we write postcards. Go to thepostcardist.com for links and photos from the show.

Ana Clara Padovani (IG: postalesycartas) joined me from Argentina for a chat from about postcards, pen pals, books, music...and football. This show is a classic case of "postcards connect people." Listen to find out how we connected.

I'm joined by Dr. Justin Kreuter, who's known around Mayo Clinic as the Bow Tie Bandit of Blood. His day job includes: Program director for the transfusion medicine fellowship Medical director of the blood donor center Associate medical director of the histocompatibility laboratory Laboratory director at Federal Medical Center — Rochester Alumnus of the Harvard Macy Institute's program for educators in health professions He's also and avid postcard and letter writer. Artist. Musician. And podcaster. In this wide-ranging chat, we cover a lot of ground, all with a focus on how postcards connect people. You can find Justin at these places: Instagram: @kreutermd YouTube Bow Tie Bandit of Blood Podcast Twitter And here's a link to an article about the need for blood donations and how your donations save lives. 

In which I talk about postcards (and many other things) for 36 minutes, 26 seconds, and 121 milliseconds. Plus there's some music as an intro and outro. 

In which I talk about Johnny Astro, growing up on the same street where Ray Bradbury grew up, and why I collect space postcards.

In which I talk about polymer physics, design of experiments, rheology, digital calipers, coefficient of friction, bending deflection, stiffness...and so many postcards get marred in the mail. 

How many stamps do you put on a postcard? Another in the National Postcard Week 2021 series.

It's National Postcard Week this week. I talk about it.     

I chatted with postcard collector extraordinaire Mark Routh of Mark's Postcard Chat about what defines a postcard -- and how we make a distinction between a postcard and a piece of art. I think you'll be surprised at the answer. 

I went on a trip across nine states and 20 hours of driving. I stopped along the way. I was Desperately Seeking Postcards. This is a show I recorded along the way. 

Artist Nicole Carnes joins me on this episode where we discuss a wide range of topics: from her art, her inspirations (Vincent Van Gogh and Toulouse Lautrec), her ambidexterity, and what pictures she visualizes when she gets art inspiration. You can find Nic on Instagram @rockabillynic. Nic's Etsy store: Fiber and Wooly Arts Midnight in Paris Loving Vincent Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience

Mark Routh joins me this time to talk about curating his world-class Covid postcard (and associated mail and stamp) collection. He gives pointers to budding postcard collectors on how to start and where to focus to build a collection.  You can find Mark's work many places, including as a long-time author at Picture Postcard Monthly and at his blog -- Mark's Postcard Chat

I was joined again by Kate Wiggins of Sugar & Kiki, who you heard on Episode 101 talking about her Adventure in Place Snail Mail Bingo idea. You heard Kate talk about donating a portion of the profits of the Spring Break Adventure Pack to the Make a Wish Foundation.  In this episode, Kate joins me as co-host to interview Sue Salter, who is the President and CEO of Make a Wish for South Dakota and Montana. Want to hear stories that will uplift you? Here you go. Play along; write postcards; do good. 

I forgot to ask Magda a few questions about her postcard that took four years and 11 days to get to her. Here's the answer.

Madalena Wojcicka of Travel Trinkets Canada left me a message that started with a bit of amazement. She got a postcard at her home in Calgary, Alberta, Canada that had been sent from Spain four years and 11 days earlier. It's a real mystery. The other part of the mystery is how we covered that topic, talked about the World's Largest Fishing Lure, Muffler Men statues, postcard design, and walking around the earth -- all while my cat Benjamin was yowling in the background. Here are some links to items discussed in the show: Travel Trinkets Canada Tonkinese Cats Muffler Men The World's Largest Fishing Lure The World's Largest Coffee Pot The World's Largest Skunk Atlas Obscura

Kate Wiggins of sugarandkiki.com has a great idea: Adventure in Place Snail Mail Bingo. We talk about her concept -- and the opportunity to help with the Make a Wish Foundation.  

Well, The Postcardist made it to an important podcasting milestone -- Episode 100. Here it is.

This bonus episode is a follow up to yesterday's show, and uses the title of a poem by the Irish poet Derek Mahon. I worked my way out of my postcard writing rut. Here's a little more behind the scenes for those of you who asked.

I'm in a postcard writing rut. This show is about that. 

The journey of a thousand postcards begins with a single entry on Postcrossing. Or something like that. I'm joined by two prolific Postcrossers for this show -- Sue Boggs and Jennifer Gilman. They're both with the San Diego Postcrossing FB Group -- and send thousands of postcards. You can find Sue on Postcrossing as @suegathman; and Jen is on Postcrossing as @jenniferkg. Topics covered in this show: San Diego Postcrossers Christopher Arndt Postcards Half Price Books Quantity Postcards Coast Philatelics Maxicards Singapore Post Postcrossing Meetup Cards

Our story starts with a headstrong young girl and her collection of found objects. That's the story of Ariel in The Little Mermaid -- and it's also the story of how Betsy Kirichenko started with her fascination with mermaids and how that led to her collection of mermaid postcards.  Mermaids and Mailboxes on Instagram

When you connect with people through postcards, you never know where that will lead. I didn't know it would lead to me learning new slang terms from New Zealand at three o'clock in the morning. But that's what happened with my guest, Samantha Cook, who is also known by her IG handle Princess in a Teapot. We also talked about postcards and Postcrossing and the price of sending mail. And fudge. 

I chatted with Ed Pocheff from his home in Speedway, Indiana -- home of the Indianapolis 500. Ed designs postcards and really knows how to tell a story. You can find him as @edpopcheff on Instagram.

Did you know trick-or-treating wasn't popularized until the late 1950s? Or that Halloween was a day of romance in the early 1900s? Or that cabbages featured prominently on Halloween postcards in the early 20th Century? That's what this episode is about -- a brief history of Halloween postcards. 

Mary L. Martin owns the world's largest postcard shop. And just just recently wrote (with Q. David Bowers) A Guide Book of Collectible Postcards. We talk about the process that led to the writing and publication of the book, and then talk about the postcard collecting business in general. You can find Mary's book along with millions of collectible postcards at marylmartin.com.