This is the first call, so there's fair warning. I'm trying to work out some of the details for anyone interested in joining the national postcard week that the collectors run in May each year, but the smaller version will be Photo Postcards Only for anyone interested in our own smaller version. Ours is more like International Photo Postcard week.  

It works the same as last year (email and information site to be added later) If you want to get a card, you need to PROMISE to send a card. Last year we had a couple of people who forgot to mail cards. If you sign up, please remember that you gave your word to send cards too!

Some information that may aid your decision. from the US it's 29c in country, 50c to Canada and 98c overseas. This may change, but that covers local. Some people from Europe and South America participated last year. Maybe they can give some postage expense data?

More later.

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1. National Postcard Week and the date must be on the postcard, preferably on the front. (2012 is the 29th year)

2. Your name - (and address) somewhere on the card.

3. Standard postcard size, minimum thickness of 90 lb. card stock.

4. All postcards printed should be of the same design. Original photo or design artwork.

5. All NPCW postcards should be mailed during NPCW, May1st through 7th, 2012 so the postmark matches the event.

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optional:

To give your card extra worth, numbering them is an excellent idea. /100 on the back is okay.

Be sure to Autograph your postcard. A first name is okay.


Helpful size limits:

� Minimum Allowable Postcard Size: 3.5 x 5 Inches
If the width is less than 5 inches or the height is less than 3.5 inches the USPS will NOT mail your postcard.

� Maximum Allowable Postcard Size: 4.25 x 6 Inches
If the width is greater than 6 inches or the height is greater than 4.25 inches, the postcard must be mailed as a letter, higher rate and all.

Printing a 4 x 6 photo, drawing a line on the back so it's a divided back, address on the right, stamp in upper right corner. Will work fine for the exchange and the post office recognizes these as postcards. The postage will cost more than the printing.

Count me in.  I participated last year, and it was very exciting.  I can't tell you how much I enjoyed getting cards from all over the world, from the gang on this forum.  An incredibly diverse, talented group we have here!

I had fun too and saved them all, including the one from myself.

The reason I moved it to May was NPCW which will leave some more options open for people who might want to do more than our group. I'm asking for details from one of the postcard people who participates. There's also a PC magazine that saves these and one individual who makes a catalog for each year. All kinds of possibilities, but mostly, our own group and this should give advance warning, people can figure out if they want to do it and what it will cost, Etc.

Hopefully everyone who joins this year will actually mail cards out? That was disappointing.

I was wondering if you were going to do it again. Count me in. I loved getting them all. There is something so joyful about expecting and getting snail mail. My daughter loved it too.

I participated last year and it was wonderful receiving all the different postcards. There were a couple who forgot to send. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to participate this year. Not because of the couple who didn't send...just low on finances. 

Count me in, sounds like fun 

I regretted not participating last time, so I won't make that mistake again.
Count me in also.

I'm definitely in!  That was so much fun last time around.

Count me in again - hoping that everyone gets the cards I am sending out!

Count me in, too, RacePhoto.  And thank you, Blufish

Hey look, card came today. Thanks Ann

Where did you have yours printed? Nice stock and much better than me doing them one at a time on the Canon Selphy.

Anyone interested in the "Second Annual MSG Postcard Exchange" please PM me. The general idea is the same. and since people are already sending, we can worry about NPCW in March.  That's when Barr's requests additions and when the list and database comes out for the collectors. Anyone who wants to do that one, it will be with that group.

I guess we have our own.

RULES:

1) If you want cards, you have to send cards to everyone else! (if you don't this year, we'll ridicule you and public, put your effigy in a pillory and throw cyber vegetables at you...) 

2) Postcards are cards, drawings printed on card stock, photos or anything flat you want to mail. 4x6 works best, but there's no restriction. Send the same image to everyone.

3) The subject, topic, content, whatever of the photo is up to you. You may want to add some information on the back, sign the card and add anything else you feel interesting, or just send a card. Return address is a good thing. Also if you make 20 cards, for example, it would be nice to add - "LTD. Ed. 20", your name and the date.

4) Mailing deadline this year is Jan. 15th. That gives everyone, including procrastinators like me, ample time to get some cards made.

5) If you wish to be on the list, the deadline for being added is December 31st. I have last years list and it looks like the usual suspects are already re-joining. You should confirm that your address hasn't changed. The list will be published around the 2nd of January because I know the 1st I'll be at a party and watching football all day. If there are 20 people before that, I'll close the admissions.

Please PM or email me with your address, and any questions. I think the limit is 20 because anyone who gets in, needs to know they aren't signing up for some massive and expensive project. Figure the price of the card, plus postage. I don't know what it costs where you are, but from the US - overseas, is about a buck a card. To Canada 50c and ConUS 28c

I'd also like to add an optional gift list this year. (glad you read all the way down to this part) If you are someone like CClapper for example, who feels they would like a card but doesn't want to spend the money or whatever reason, I'd like to make an optional gift list of people who would like a card, if someone else wants to send them one. No obligation, just sign up. It's completely up to the people making cards to send one to anyone, or no one on the gift list. I just thought, if it's 20 cards that I make and the MSGPCX list is a dozen, what do I want with those extra eight cards? Might as well share some fun. If the minimum order is going to be 250 cards, I'll have a box of cards forever. Might as well send some out?

So PM or email if you want to be on the 20 people MSGPXC list, sending out up to 20 cards and receiving 20. (I'll assume you'll send yourself one?) And if you want to be on the gift list, just say so and wait for those cards to start coming in the mail. LOL The Gift List will only be given out to the 20 people in the MSGPCX, not published for the world at random.

Last thing: Here's the address format, please send all of it.

NAME & (MSG name)
ADDRESS
LOCATION
Postal Code

RacePhoto - Glad you like the postcard - I used Vistaprint  
Postcards are not as thick as the "dollar each" kind, but company's reliable and very economical - amazingly so for large quantities. When people use this "tell a pal" link for 1st order, they get up to 80% off & I get referral credit:

ann's Vistaprint referral: http://vistaprint.tellapal.com/a/clk/3qJdd

And, happily, one can often find 25% Off offers after the first order.

The card stock was perfect. Came through much better than the home printed cards I've made in the past. I may make something tomorrow, otherwise it won't be for a week.  That was the 80 pound paper? Nice. The price is low enough for 100 that I can make a bunch and have extras.

Going to visit Valerie for four days, not much gets done while we are together, although I do get to take pictures or waterfalls and rivers sometimes. She's a really good spotter and good sport about going out for walks and sightseeing.

I'll use that link!

My pleasure, Mellimage!

OPLA - thank you for hilarious card - people must look forward to them each year!

RacePhoto -  80 lb paper for Vistaprint postcards sounds right.  
They're much less expensive than Moo's postcards, which are 352gsm/130 lbs, so it's all about priorities.

Happy New Year to you, too!!!   

I didn't see the deadline either and could it be extended until after this month's newsletter (going out very soon)??

did you get me on your list?