Tutorial - Homemade Recycled Postcards

Emma loves horses. Like, REALLY. LOVES. HORSES. Anytime I ask her what she would like to learn about, it is always horses. I decided to be sneaky about learning. If all she wants to learn about is horses, that is fine. We can use horses to learn just about everything she needs.

How, you ask? Well, did you know that the first horse was the Eohippus and it lived about 50-60 million years ago? Emma does. Did you know that the Shire is the biggest horse and that it originated in Belgium? Emma does.

We try to focus on one or two horse breeds each week, and we check out a bunch of fiction and non-fiction books from the library on the breed she picks. We learn geography, history, relationships, etc.

We are also learning about math. For Emma's Thursday horse lessons, we decided to make horse biscuits. Measuring is a good way to learn math... This sounds like a future post for my family blog, Ready, Set, J.E.T.

Umm... Sorry. You probably came here for the tutorial on how to make postcards :)

So, after reading about Postcrossing, I thought it seemed like a neat way for Emma to get mail, and also a neat way to learn about geography and languages. We have asked that people write 'horse' in their language on the postcards they send to us:)

Being cheap, I decided to make our own postcards, which bring us (finally) to the tutorial.

Materials:
Cereal, granola, cracker, etc. boxes.
Cutting device (scissors, rotary blade, etc)
Ruler
Blank paper (we use printer paper that has been printed on one side, sticker paper would work well also)
Glue stick

Step 1. Making the Postcard
Select boxes that are big enough to give you at least one flat section that measures 4 1/4" X 6".
(I checked the USPS website before making these, then stopped at the post office to double check that the finished size was ok, it was)

Measure out a 4 1/4" X 6" rectangle.


Cut out your rectangle.

(if you want to, you can use this as a stencil for future postcards)

Step 2. The back of the post card.
You have a few options:
Option A. You like the design on the card.
If that is the case, you can simply fill out the back of the card as you see here (stamp goes in upper right corner, to: address below stamp. Return address can go in upper left or lower left. Write "Postcard" top middle).


Option B. You want to use the blank side to decorate.
If this is the case, I like this site for a free printable postcard template.

Once you download the template, you can delete the business name stuff and just do your own thing (leave it blank to fill out later or fill in as much as you want).

Print the template on the blank paper, cut it out, then glue it (we found a glue stick produced better results then the white glue) to the printed side of your postcard.
(I initially used a different template, but like the one linked better)

Step 5. Decorate the blank side of the postcard.
-Emma used her markers to draw on the postcards. If the material you are using is waxy, I would use sharpies, or even glue another piece of blank paper to the front of the card.


-I glued some of the map pieces from my previous post to the front of my postcards.



Step 6. Mail them!!
As of this posting, shipping domestic postcards cost $.28 and international postcards are $.98. You can buy stamps in both of those amounts. (We did).

I hope you make a few postcards. If you do, please share them with me on my Facebook Fan Page.

We love to send and receive postcards, so if you are interested, send me an e-mail (kaotickrafter@hotmail.com) with your address and we will send a postcard your way!