Want to express your feelings in a snap? There's a postcard for that
Be funny, cheeky, cute, deep, inspiring or sarcastic with Jacqueline Goh of The Fingersmith Letterpress
Can you remember the last time you sat down and wrote someone a letter?
No? I can’t, either. And that makes me sad. Sometimes I feel like letter-writing has become a lost art.
The nice paper, the pretty pen, the gathering of one’s thoughts… you know how it can be a complete sensory experience.
But there’s still one way I manage to get and do all of these things (although it’s much quicker and straight to the point). It’s a fun alternative too.
I reach for a postcard. Or you can go for a greeting card, if you want.
And when I think of unique cards, I look for those made by The Fingersmith Letterpress.
Run by Jacqueline Goh, the director and designer, The Fingersmith Letterpress is a letterpress printing studio in Singapore that specialises in hand-lettering and illustrations.
Jackie uses a paper guillotine, an Adana table top press, and a Heidelberg Windmill to create her intricate and quirky prints, greeting cards, postcards and accessories. ⬇️
She also accepts and produces bespoke projects for companies, as well as wedding and event invitations.
Memories on print
Jackie has known the power of a letter and a card since she was little.
“I had a pen pal from London when I was 11, and I remember getting super excited receiving her letters. She sent me a penny and I sent her a one-cent coin,” she recalls.
And the thrill of receiving cards hasn’t diminished.
“That a person actually thought about you and took the time out of their busy lives to pen you something” is the best thing about it, Jackie adds.
“Also, I’m pretty old school, so I like receiving a physical piece of paper with their handwriting scribbled on it. It beats receiving bills in the mail.”
It does indeed.
So what did she look for in a good and memorable card back then, and has this changed?
“I don’t think the card itself needs to be beautiful or anything,” she admits.
“A friend and I used to exchange the ugliest postcards we could find during our travels, and it always cracked me up receiving them.”
True, the “carefully chosen” card can make a difference – especially now that we live in unprecedented times with the pandemic, and doing things online seems like the way to go.
Imagine how you’d feel when you see a handcrafted card, with a handwritten and heartfelt message, in your mailbox… and soon.
“Receiving a handwritten card could help break the monotony of living in the online world,” Jackie points out.
“It’s always nice to slow it down a little and put pen to paper, instead of staring at your computer screen.”
So take a break from those emails
And get out that pen and card right now.
Although the design of your card can sometimes be the main draw, there are still some ways for us to make the card our own. Our words, for one, and their meaning, will make it stand out even more.
Jackie shares her tips for personalising your cards (so they will be remembered for a long time).
#1 Don’t be afraid to make mistakes
“I was eating a peanut butter sandwich while writing a card once, and a blob of peanut butter found its way onto the card. Instead of tearing the letter and re-writing it, I left the stain there, drew a little arrow and wrote, ‘Next time we meet, I’ll make you this yummy sandwich.’”
#2 Doodle
“Little doodles on the card are a great way to personalise it as well. Most of my doodles are usually inside jokes with the recipient. They are almost never masterpieces – but if they are silly and make the person reading it laugh, then that makes me really happy as well.”
#3 Turn it into a surprise
“My best friend hid a birthday card in my iPad cover as I was not in town for my birthday. When I found it, I was super touched. Reading someone’s handwriting and being able to revisit that memory beats reading a text on my phone.”
Another tip
We can wonder about other card musts, do’s and don’ts, but the activity is actually meant to be simple.
“The best thing about writing a card is that there are no rules,” Jackie states.
“You can send a super tiny card or a ginormous one. Whatever it is, write something from your heart. When you put pen to paper, it makes you think harder about what you want to say and what that person means to you.”
Check out Jackie’s cards for more ideas.
For more on Jackie and The Fingersmith Letterpress, go to their website, Facebook and Instagram.