Postcards From Away

A quick kit for some low-lift summer mail

Years ago, when my son first went off to sleep-away-camp, my mother packed him a few pre-addressed postcards, of which maybe one was ever sent. The next year, my mother tried again, this time she wrote out a fill- in-the blank response; as in, summer camp is ___. I really enjoy spending my time ____. What I miss about home is ___ The return on those cards, a little better. However, not wanting the kid to exert any unnecessary creative energy, the following year she sent him off with multiple choice (check the box) cards with some extra space to write details, say he felt so inclined. The food here at camp is: [ ]fantastic [ ]edible [ ]meh [ ]hard to put down

Apparently, my son is a box checker, as the stack of postcards were all successfully filled-in and mailed. While I’m sure most kids are quite capable of scribbling a few sentences, and even possibly an entire full length page, I do believe we can benefit from a bit of direction to help get us started.

In spirit of summer camp season, I thought it would be nice to give a postcard kit. An irresistible package, with all the necessary components, might motivate just about anyone to take the time and write. It’s not just for kids going to sleep away, but for traveling friends, relatives, or even for yourself.

Previously, I have shared a correspondence kit. However, below is yet another option, possibly the easiest, of a scrap-paper turned postcard-packaging.

postcard kit packaging supplies:

• scrap paper from a magazine or 8” x 10” sheet of paper

• scissors

• glue

• brad

• whole punch or sharp needle

• thin rubberband

• sticker to reinforce the paper punched hole (optional)

For the inside contents:

A pad of blank watercolor postcards are basically cut sheets of thick rectangular paper, with a small box in the right hand corner to remind you to place a stamp. Of course, you can simply cut down paper cardstock into roughly 4”x 6” rectangles and mail those too. While an empty card gives you permission to write, draw, or watercolor anything you like, most of us would welcome a cue for where to begin. A small, haphazardly-cut shape from a scrappy painted sticker can be an appealing starting place. This amorphous watercolor sticker can be re-imagined into a drawing, design, or decoration.

Blank postcards with interpretive stickers as a creative prompt.

This visual prompt asks you not to start something fresh, but to continue the thought. The postcard dimensions are not only ideal for a brief note, but lower the stakes for ‘art making,’ as any mail received is delightful.

For store purchased travel postcards, especially the run-of-the-mill kind, you can use scrappy stickers to add a bit of comic relief. With them you can add a thought bubble, a superimposed illustration, or a caption.

When prepping the postcards for others, you can leave the back the postcard blank, jot down a simple one line questions, or create fill in the blank, multiple choice, or another low lift response.

For those desperate for mail, a check-the-box postcard.

Like any appealing creative kit, the packaging and extra components help to make it enticing.

A postcard kit of homemade envelope, postcards, scrappy stickers, addresses, and stamps.

This Sunday, my son sets off for his 10th year of sleep-away camp. No longer as a camper reliant on snail mail for family correspondence, but as a returning counselor, with his own car and phone. While I know my chances of receiving a pen on paper postcard from him are slim to none, I did sneak an envelope in his duffel. Inside is a pre-addressed, fill-in-the-blank postcard for a grandmother who has definitely earned some summer camp snail-mail.