Postcards From The...

Nope, not Edge... would you believe the sewing basket?? You can find these unique postcards at today's "Wildly Whimsical Wednesday" featured shop, FabricGreetings on Etsy. Alyce, the owner and innovative mastermind behind this great shop, combined her love of sewing with her desire to incorporate other craft skills and came up with the idea of these wonderful fabric postcards!

Besides the fact that these postcards are truly beautiful, I think it's just amazing and great that Alyce was able to come up with a design that meets USPS postal regulations and can be sent by simply affixing a first class stamp! It's recommended that you send the postcard to its recipient in the clear mailing sleeve provided with each purchase, but even if you don't, it will still be accepted by the post office. (Alyce provided this photo of a card that had been sent without the sleeve - not too much worse for the wear!) And the best part is, once it reaches its destination, it can be upcycled as a lovely piece of wall or desk art! So much more versatile than the typical card which usually ends up in the trash!

I sent Alyce a few interview questions so we could get to know her a little better and asked her to share any additional information she cared to... From Alyce...

I have been married to my husband for 43 yrs. in October. [We're the] proud parents of a daughter who is an elementary school librarian. This summer she is living her dream with an internship at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. [I'm a] former school teacher, [having taught] 1st grade. [I also] teach sewing related classes for local quilt shops. (Here are a couple of photos of Alyce's "studio" that she also sent along! Just click on the photos to see a larger version.)

What inspired you to come up with the idea of fabric postcards? The idea for the fabric postcards came about in a good/bad way. I had seen an exhibit of cards at Quilt Market many years ago, but they all had lots of embellishing and had to be mailed in an envelope. Fast forward several years.... I can no longer make the whimsical cloth dolls I had been doing because of hand problems. I needed something I could do on the machine and would still allow me to embellish and get creative and also needed a birthday card for a special friend. Before you knew it, the postcards were coming fast and furiously. I have discovered that the plastic sleeves allow more embellishing to go through the mail without any problems. When I received a card from a friend and got excited by it, I realized how much fun these cards could be. Now when I go into our local post office, the postmistress is disappointed if I am not mailing one. She enjoys them before they are ever mailed. I think the thing that I find most enjoyable about the postcards is the fact that it isn't a three week project to get one done. I like that instant reward thing!!!!

After reading your shop profile, it sounds like perhaps your passion for sewing started at a young age - what is the most interesting project you've ever taken on? I have been sewing since I was 5. My Mom made dance recital costumes and I got to play with all the scraps. My baby doll had some of the glitziest diapers you'd ever seen. Over the years I had done some real interesting things.....prom gowns, christening outfits, band flags, drum majorette uniform, plus the normal run of the mill stuff. But the most interesting project I ever took on was when I was a freshman in college. A local Sweet Adelines Chorus needed new uniforms. It was a chance for me to make my next tuition payment. So I agreed to do it. YIKES! There were about 30 women in the group. The uniforms were long sleeve, shirt waist dresses out of cranberry red poplin. Let me tell you, that was an interesting project. All of the hems had to be the same distance from the floor. Didn't matter that everyone was a different height, shape and size. Got it done. As the saying goes, “Been there, done that, don't want the T-shirt.”

I had to laugh when I read that you took your sewing machine on vacation with you. I actually took mine along to Las Vegas when I got married a few years ago to finish up some of the wedding garb (it was a theme wedding). Luckily the bellhop had a mother who also toted her sewing machine everywhere, but I did overhear a few comments from passers-by. Do you actually sew while you're on vacation as part of the relaxation process? My sewing machine is a part of our luggage. If we are traveling by car, it is on the floor in the back seat. And it gets used. I sew almost every day when we are away. In the evening, my husband reads or watched TV and I sew. Sometimes I can be far more creative on vacation simply because I have to “make do” with what I have. Sewing is my greatest form of relaxation.

Who would you want to play you if they wrote a movie about your life? If a movie was made of my life, it would probably be out on video before it even got to the theater. I live a very ordinary life. It is exactly the life I want to live. Am not sure what actress. I guess maybe Lily Tomlin. She seems to have an off beat sense of humor. I liked her in West Wing.

Would you rather be able to fly like a bird or be invisible? I really don't want to be invisible. I think I was put on this earth for a reason and I would like people to know that I exist. I am not an “in your face” person, but I am here. If I could fly like a bird, it would probably make my husband very happy. Flying is his favorite form of transportation. I HATE it. My stomach is in knots for days. So it might be nice to fly like a bird.......as long as it isn't over large bodies of water!

What's the most unusual request you've ever gotten for a custom item? Perhaps the most interesting and unusual custom order I have ever done was a request for three sets of altar hangings. I had made stoles and albs before, but never the actual hangings. It was a challenging project, but one I really enjoyed. And I must say they are quite lovely.

If you'd like to surprise someone with a unique and beautiful greeting unlike any they've ever received before, be sure to make FabricGreetings your next shopping stop. I think you'll be delighted with the wide selection of themes, colors, and sentiments that Alyce captures on her cards!