National Postcard Week 2014 - Postcard Swap (Exchange); Creating Memories and Collections

It's that time of year again!  The nationally recognized week that every postcard collector and enthusiast anxiously waits for; National Postcard Week aka NCPW.  May 4th - 10th is a nationally (and some internationally) celebrated week filled with blog posts, team activities, clubs and best of all many great postcard swaps (exchanges!)

Starting today I will be gathering a list of names and addresses from those who would like to participate in the Pacific Postcards Team Card Swap.  While I would love to have you become a member, it is not necessary to participate in the NCPW postcard swap.  Instructions on how to join in this fun even will follow shortly.  But first, Why is this so exciting for postcard lovers?  Well let me tell you ;)



NPCW 2013

When you participate in a swap you potential will receive cards from all over the US and even other countries as well.  All it costs for you to participate is the actual cost of the cards and postage (one for each participant.)  Mine did add up a little last year but I received over 75 postcards in return!  Check out the posts that show some of the great cards I received:  http://butterflyintheattic.blogspot.com/2013/05/postcards-postcards-and-more-postcards.html

http://butterflyintheattic.blogspot.com/2013/05/youve-got-mail-npcw-2013-no-words-just.html

Instructions/Guidelines

1)  Very important!  Email me at ButterflyInTheAttic at yahoo dot com.  In the subject put either Postcard Swap or Postcard Exchange.  Include your name, Mailing address and let me know if you would like to be added to my email list to receive any future emails about the PPT team, promotions, and the Monthly News Letter that I am developing.

My Exchange Last Year can be purchased at:

http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/product_view/PostcardsInTheAttic/8034589

2)  Design or purchase already made cards, you can even use vintage cards that you would like to exchange if you want.  Personally I like the handmade cards but any will be great.  I also suggest that if you are purchasing already made cards get some that show something about where you live or have meaning to you

3)  Write on the back or have printed on the cards NPCW 2014 (you can see how others have done it in the past if you check out the ones I received last year)  Write on it your name and if  you designed it give a little description so we know what it is about.  Sign and numbering them is always nice.  Who knows maybe yours will end up   in some collector magazine 50 years from now:)

http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/PostcardsInTheAttic/1/7/371085//

4)  By Friday, April 25th the list will close and I will email the completed list by April 29th to all of the participants (NOTE:  I will only use this list for the specific exchange and will not be distributing it anywhere else)

5)  Now it is up to everyone that signed up:  within 1 week send a postcard (or cards if you desire) to each participant on the list using their posted mailing address.

That's it!  Now just have fun!

 If you would like to take photographs of all the cards you receive and send them to me via email, I would love to post them on this blog.   Write a little blurb about your experience (I reserve editor's rights and may do grammar, spelling checks or trim down if needed.)

Any questions please email me. 

The more people participating the more fun it is so spread the word.
Blessings
Tweet

From 2013

Dating Curteich Linen Postcards

A couple of years ago I posted this mini guide (below) and I am considering making this type of information a weekly feature.  What do you think?  Would this be something helpful?

Have a blessed day
Colleen

Curt Teich Co. published and printed cards from 1900 - to about 1978.  They kept record of the millions of cards they produced by using a combination of letters and numbers indicating the series and date published; most of their cards use this system but there are a few outliers that do not.  Since this company had been so consistent using production numbers dating them is relatively easy. 

Here are some examples in using this system for Curt Teich cards:
 *Note click the card to better read the details about the dating system



http://www.etsy.com/listing/92913812/vintage-postcard-centre-county-court




http://www.etsy.com/listing/79710780/vintage-postcard-large-letter-watkins?ga_search_query=curt%2Bteich&ga_search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_6244670

This link will take you to a list of production numbers an their corresponding dates.  A very useful tool for collectors.  http://www.lcfpd.org/docs/teich_guide_dating.pdf

National Postcard Week 2013 - Postcard Swap (Exchange)

It's that time of year again!  The nationally recognized week that every postcard collector and enthusiast anxiously waits for; National Postcard Week aka NCPW.  May 5th - 11th is a nationally (and some internationally) celebrated week filled with blog posts, team activities, clubs and best of all many great postcard swaps (exchanges!)

 

Starting today I will be gathering a list of names and addresses from those who would like to participate in the Pacific Postcards Team Card Swap.  While I would love to have you become a member, it is not necessary to participate in the NCPW postcard swap.  Instructions on how to join in this fun even will follow shortly.  But first, Why is this so exciting for postcard lovers?  Well let me tell you ;)



from 2012

When you participate in a swap you potential will receive cards from all over the US and even other countries as well.  All it costs for you to participate is the actual cost of the cards and postage (one for each participant.)  Mine did add up a little last year but I received over 50 postcards in return!  Check out the posts that show some of the great cards I received:
http://butterflyintheattic.blogspot.com/2012/05/beautiful-end-to-national-postcard-week.html
http://butterflyintheattic.blogspot.com/2012/05/happy-national-postcard-week-2012.html

Instructions/Guidelines

1)  Very important!  Email me at ButterflyInTheAttic at yahoo dot com.  In the subject put either Postcard Swap or Postcard Exchange.  Include your name, Mailing address and let me know if you would like to be added to my email list to receive any future emails about the PPT team, promotions, and the Monthly News Letter that I am developing.


2)  Design or purchase already made cards, you can even use vintage cards that you would like to exchange if you want.  Personally I like the handmade cards but any will be great.  I also suggest that if you are purchasing already made cards get some that show something about where you live or have meaning to you


3)  Write on the back or have printed on the cards NPCW 2013 (you can see how others have done it in the past if you check out the ones I received last year)  Write on it your name and if  you designed it give a little description so we know what it is about.  Sign and numbering them is always nice.  Who knows maybe yours will end up in some collector magazine 50 years from now:)

4)  By Friday, April 26th the list will close and I will email the completed list by April 29th to all of the participants (NOTE:  I will only use this list for the specific exchange and will not be distributing it anywhere else)


5)  Now it is up to everyone that signed up:  within 1 week send a postcard (or cards if you desire) to each participant on the list using their posted mailing address.

That's it!  Now just have fun!

 If you would like to take photographs of all the cards you receive and send them to me via email, I would love to post them on this blog.   Write a little blurb about your experience (I reserve editor's rights and may do grammar, spelling checks or trim down if needed.)

Any questions please email me. 

The more people participating the more fun it is so spread the word.
Blessings

From 2012

Links you may find useful:

If You Were Rich Would You End Up A Feature On Hoarders?

 If I were rich I probably be in an episode of hoarders because I just love pretty things and anything new or looks fun.  I don't really know if the only thing that stops me from grabbing up anything and everything is that I am on such a tight budget or if I had the money would I be able to resist the temptation.  I think one of my problems is that I am a collector and crafter with ADHD.  One moment it's, "Oooh Unicorns!" next is "Ooooh Milk Glass" again maybe a day later "Ooooh Cracker Tins!...."  Seriously that is a sign of a problem, thank God I am just as interested in selling the items as I am finding them.  But I have to admit that sometimes it is a little hard to let go of my favorite pieces and I hold fond memories of when I met them.

Over the years (including childhood) I have changed collections like some people change socks.  I am not sure what starts it but in my defense I do think that some of it is due to my love of life and the interest I hold in so many different things.  I was intrigued by herbology at age 10, I have always been in love with archeology and geology, I am an RD by trade, my nickname has forever been The Cheshire Cat (CC for short,) I adore magical creatures, I love nature, history, myths, religious studies, fashion (of my own definition,) recycling, my country (Americana,) my German heritage, Butterflies etc and of course I would like my collections to encompass all that make me, me.  But of course half of the battle is to simply to identify the illness and the next step is to try to manage it and I think I have found some very good coping mechanisms such as Pinterest.

Pinterest heals me (or enables, not sure;) it allows me to have that Hoarder mentality without destroying my beautiful and organized home.  As you will see (if you would grace me with a visit http://pinterest.com/butterflysattic) by my Pinterest page I am definitely, at minimum, borderline just because I have at least 30 full boards while the average person may have 5 - 15 boards.  I bet some of you didn't even know they could have that many. 

Well it is a little crowded in the mind of Colleen (a.k.a. The Cheshire Cat, a.k.a. CC, a.ka. Butterfly) but it is full of exciting ideas, memories of vintage pretties and amazing travels and magical fairies (just through that in there for kicks it is probably more full of Loony Toons episodes.)  But I am sure I am not the only one that is a closet hoarder or at least a hoarder that has managed to keep it from blowing up on them.

Alas another method of coping is creating Treasuries full of the things that I would buy if I won the lotto and would end up having to either move to a bigger home or buy extra storage.  Who knows maybe some of  these featured shop owners may share my illness; I don't really like the term hoarder so lets call it Collectorsitis.

Totally Postcards Tuesday - Dating Curt Teich Cards

Curt Teich Co. published and printed cards from 1900 - to about 1978.  They kept record of the millions of cards they produced by using a combination of letters and numbers indicating the series and date published; most of their cards use this system but there are a few outliers that do not.  Since this company had been so consistent using production numbers dating them is relatively easy. 

Here are some examples in using this system for Curt Teich cards:
 *Note click the card to better read the details about the dating system


http://www.etsy.com/listing/92913812/vintage-postcard-centre-county-court



http://www.etsy.com/listing/79710780/vintage-postcard-large-letter-watkins?ga_search_query=curt%2Bteich&ga_search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_6244670

This link will take you to a list of production numbers an their corresponding dates.  A very useful tool for collectors.  http://www.lcfpd.org/docs/teich_guide_dating.pdf