Quotecard Postcard #40

This should be a fun, low-pressure swap, so don't feel you have to do a lot of research unless you want to do that.I have a Notepad file in which I save quotations that I like, so I don't usually need to search for them for my Quotecards, but when I want quotes on a particular theme, I put:

[theme keywords] quote OR quotation

into a search engine. I get links to some general quotation sites but also ones which only have quotes on that theme, which often have many more than the general sites.

Some general ones:

• The Quote Garden
• Think exist
• Quotations Book
• Quotations Home Page
• Quoteland
• The Quotations Page
• The Quotations Archive
• TCPN Quotations
• WikiQuote

Also, here's an interesting site (well, interesting to me, anyway) ... Black Cab Quotes. A london cab driver decided to leave a clipboard in the back of the cab and invite his passengers to write down their favourite quotes. Most of them aren't attributed, so if you like one, you may need to search online for the original source.

I am also often asked about sources for nice or 'different' postcards. Museums and art galleries usually have them, and a lot of book shops and stationery stores/departments have nice ones. There are online sources, of course:

• Amazon has books of postcards.
• Pomegranate have lots of choice, and their "blowout" packs are a great 'pot luck' deal.
• postcardstop.com have a good range.
• VisionWorks is another good US online source, but I can also get some of the cards they stock from my local 'world store' here in the UK.
• Syracuse Cultural Workers has interesting cards, many of them with quotes and most of them with a 'message'.
• Zazzle has a lot of postcards too, and they have sites in other countries, including in the UK. (Check the shipping, though.)
• The Film Store has film-related postcards, of course, but other subjects too. It is a UK site but you can opt to see the prices in US dollars.
• Chronicle Books
• Moo ReadyMade US/Canada store and European store. You can also put together a custom selection from their designs or upload your own.
• some Etsy sellers have postcards, and it is worth looking on eBay too.

If anyone has suggestions for other sources, please post them here.

Please note that it seems some postcard collectors are not happy to receive cards which weren't bought in 'normal' stores, and when swaps specify "store-bought" Moo and Etsy postcards may not be acceptable. For this swap, though, any good quality postcards are acceptable because the quotes are the important part.

@spinjenny - You've clearly got a lot of people totally addicted to these swaps - including me!

My mission is succeeding! Today, swap-bot - tomorrow, the world! ;-)

Please, no tape on handmade cards.

Why not, LindyLuLu? In case it causes problems in the mail?

It doesn't hold up, in a few years the card will fall apart (beats the whole idea of collecting) and some of it is not acid free, and it will eventually discolor whatever it touches. Besides that, it is just not quality.

Try some liquid adhesive or other acid-free glue. They are fairly inexpensive, easy to apply with a paintbrush or sponge and they will make the card much more beautiful. Hint: paint the back of the item you are applying to the base card, not the base card, or you will get wrinkles. Apply adhesive moderately, and use a soft plastic spatula, brayer or wallpaper roller to press the image down and get a tight seal on edges. After the image is applied, you can coat the entire PC with Glossy Accents or Mod Podge, which come in some lovely finishes...google it!

Thanks for the suggestions! I like to use a spray glue as it doesn't wrinkle the paper at all, and any residual smell should disappear before it arrives at its destination. I agree about using something like a brayer to ensure good adhesion.

I'm not keen on people using Mod Podge as I've read too many reports of it becoming (or staying) slightly sticky in more humid climates. I haven't tried Glossy Accents yet.

Spray glue is a great idea, I haven't tried that yet...thanks!

I use spray acrylic coat? It's non-yellowing and made for artwork. But I've never done it for a postcard, because I've not made very many postcards. I'm going to try one for each of my partners and then maybe 2 store bought? Hopefully my partners will be gentle with me since it's kind of my first time.

Thanks for that suggestion, sonaa!

As sign-ups have ended for this swap, I have now created the next swap in the series, Quotecard Postcard #41. I hope to see some of you in that one too.

It is now over 2 weeks since the Send deadline for this swap. Over the next few days, I will be contacting the partners of the only participant who has not yet marked Sent.

If anyone else has not received after a reasonable time, bearing in mind where your partners live, please try to contact them. If you cannot resolve it between you, please PM me, as I will not be checking the comments for this swap any more.

If you have not received from your partner, please RATE them. Postcard swaps are just as important as any other swap. Don't not rate accordingly just because it's a pc.

Specifically, @redlikeroses has 3 partners, none of whom have rated her, and it is still an open swap on her Profile. In other words, it's not been marked Sent, and it's been 7 weeks since the deadline of this swap.