Hobbies and Humor

Despite the struggles and difficulties felt over the pandemic, many postcard submissions contained an element of humor and fun, some of which is expressed in the selections below.

Pieces of colorful and patterned green, purple, and red fabric stitched together in a quilt-like manner adorn this postcard. The fabric is sewn together to form a figure with medium-length brown hair and blue glasses working over a sewing machine. Words are etched into the quilt the figure is working on and this includes the phrase “2020=Gap year & More Quilting!” With more time on their hands than usual, many people delved into new hobbies or reignited old ones. This creator embraces the freedom of time to delve into the detailed and labor-intensive work of quiltmaking.

The creator of this postcard paints a beautiful outdoor scene out of, as they put it, boredom. The watercolor painting shows tall, black grasses swaying on a beach against the backdrop of a red and orange sunset. The sun’s reflection shimmers yellow off of the blue water’s surface. The scene appears to be representative of a place special to the creator, one that they long for, as indicated on the back postcard text: 

“Hi mom and dad, Happy Quarenteen [sic]! I got bored and painted this for you. I miss the cottage and the beach and the lakes. Bodys [sic] of water seem to be the only thing missing from Colorado. Hope you like the card and that your [sic] staying healthy. Miss you! Love you! - Sarah.”

Particularly in geographic areas not conducive to exploring the outdoors all year round, an increase in streaming subscriptions and binge watching expanded.

Using their creativity, imagination and time on their hands, the creator of this postcard uses medium to develop an idea for the next big hit of Netflix. The mixed media postcard is blue with an indigo-print look to it. Across this backdrop are five different dogs, each in their own stereotypical flying saucer. The back of the postcard reads: “Dogs having fun in space (the result of an overactive imagination)” and “a new Netflix original series!”

In addition to the rise of hobby enthusiasts was the integration of many new pandemic pets into the home while people sheltered in place and worked from home.

The postcard creator below covers their submission in a variety of colorful cat stickers. There are mermaid cats, cats with glasses, the Cat in the Hat, sleepy cats, and more surrounding the handwritten message: “Dear Future Self, Adopt more cats. - Morgan.” 

The final postcard in this section is a play on the classic, vintage “Greetings from” postcard design. Typically, someone would buy this classic postcard while on vacation and the name of the locale they were visiting would be emblazoned across the front in a large, bold font filled with images of the location itself.

In this submission, the creator has drawn a version reflective of their own reality and the lack-of-travel many experienced in early pandemic days. The words “Greetings from My House” sit against the backdrop of a suburban neighborhood street. Inside each of the block lettering of the words “My House,” are drawings of different spaces inside of a home–a bedroom, living room, kitchen, office, etc.