Quotecard Postcard #43

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. They can sometimes send UK packages via their UK distributor, saving some money, so UK/European swappers may want to contact them before ordering.
• 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: 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.

I just want to know, do we send the same quote to all our partners, or each with different quote?

You can send the same one, or different ones, or look at your partners' profiles and send ones you think they will particularly appreciate (but still ones which are among your own favourites). You can send a short quote or a long one or more than one. What you send is entirely up to you, as long as it is a postcard and it has at least one quote on it. :-)

I'm looking forward to this swap. It will be my first at swap-bot. I spent two hours at Mall of America trying to find some perfect postcards and failed. I will be making mine and wanted to be sure that would be okay. Is there a set size?

For this particular swap, there is no set size. The standard size for postcards on swap-bot is often given as 6" x 4", but most which I send and receive are nearer to 6" x 4.25" (15.25cm x 10.8cm). I occasionally get or send oversize cards, some of which are quite a lot bigger, but some people aren't keen on those as they don't fit their storage method, so if you want to make bigger ones, you may want to check with your partner.

I see you are in the USA. The USPS says the acceptable size for postcards is between 5" x 3.5" and 6" x 4.25". Outside those dimensions, or if it isn't flat or is too stiff, it won't qualify for the cheaper postcard rate.

As sign-ups have ended for this swap, I have now created the next swap in the series, Quotecard Postcard #44. I hope to see many of you in that one too.

Just so my partners know, I am waiting until after Christmas to send. I don't want them to get stuck in the Christmas rush.

I've been considering doing the same, even though I have them written already.

I sent my postcards and hope they have all been received. Just waiting on one now. Thanks for hosting a great swap.

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.

I have not been rated by @ninta but she has been partially suspended. I sent her a pm anyway.