Personal Swag Card

[+dark_onyx1982]

I have read some people like to make cards to leav behind in caches they find, but I cannot find any examples of them. Anyone wanna post pix of theirs? I am trying to get some ideas for mine, but I am not sure what kinda info is on them.

[+briansnat]

I have no pics to post, but they are usually just a business card with the person's "geo name" on it. Sometimes it is just a name, sometimes it will say something like "Found by Dark_onyx1982" or "Dark_onyx1982 was here"

 

Sometimes it will have a slogan of some sort like "Discovering the world one cache at a time", "If you hide it we will come", or "keep on stashin' and I'll keep on cachin'".

 

I've seen contact info like e-mail addresses on some and home coordinates on some.

 

I say some and sometimes a lot here because there are nearly as many variations as there are geocachers.

 

Also be aware that some people don't care for these cards. Some cache owners complain that after a while they take up too much room in their smaller containers. Some people don't like opening the logbook and having a half dozen of them fall out into their lap. Others like them and actually collect them.

[+tracer472]

I've been looking at the moo minicards for this purpose. I like to take pictures, and thought this might be a neat way to use some of my pix. I'm still on the fence though.

Edited June 4, 2007 by tracer472

[+Knight2000]

I've been looking at the moo minicards for this purpose. I like to take pictures, and thought this might be a neat way to use some of my pix. I'm still on the fence though.

Neat idea, but awfully expensive.

 

Anyone checked into waterproof cards?

 

I had the impression people didnt like cards because when they get wet they just create garbage in the cache.

[+dark_onyx1982]

I've been looking at the moo minicards for this purpose. I like to take pictures, and thought this might be a neat way to use some of my pix. I'm still on the fence though.

Neat idea, but awfully expensive.

 

Anyone checked into waterproof cards?

 

I had the impression people didnt like cards because when they get wet they just create garbage in the cache.

 

I was concerened about that also, I planned on laminating them. It sounded cool when i read some posts about them on here, but i was not sure how popular they were with the cache owners.

[+dark_onyx1982]

What about swag magnets? you can buy magnetic paper at office depot, make a card, but on the magnetic paper.

[+wayfarer222]

I used prints of my art cards to place. An art card or art cards editions and originals, (ACEO) are affordable, collectable, and tradable. It's like creating your own virtual gallery. They're very hot in the selling artists (like me) circles. I place mine in a trading card sleeve to keep clean.

 

A good source for something like magnets is Zazzle.com. A magnet, retail, is $1.95, but if you create it and buy it, it is cheaper than buying something in another's Zazzle store. Buttons are $1.45 and stickers $4.95 for 20. Again, cheaper if you do your own.

 

I've been very pleased with the quality of their products. I can recommend them.

 

Chris

[+dark_onyx1982]

Thank you all for the tips. I really like the mini cards. Here is my design front and back. I am gonna print them out, put a piece of sheet magnet between them, then laminate them. It then becomes a reversable magnet and will not get ruined when it rains.

 

 

 

Sorry they are so big. What do you think?

Edited June 4, 2007 by dark_onyx1982

[+Knight2000]

By mini cards do you mean the moo cards?

[+Aiden's Cachers]

They look great!

[+dark_onyx1982]

By mini cards do you mean the moo cards?

 

Yes, I am making these myself, but I used the size from the moo cards.

[+dark_onyx1982]

They look great!

 

 

Thank you!!!

[+gsguru]

Those look great.

[Birdbath]

I haven't been geocaching all that long, but have already found a few micros with cards and stuff crammed in so tight it takes a pair of needle-nose pliers to get to the log book. I'd say cards are fine in small and larger caches but not in micros. I've left a few cards myself but only in the larger containers. Just use common sense about it.

Edited June 5, 2007 by Birdbath

[+Chuy!]

I don't like them!

 

As mentioned by Briansnat and others; they clutter the container - no matter what the size. I have several caches in a metropolitan area with 50+ visits. Imagine if every cacher dropped a customized card. Yuck - don't do it; use your imaginative/creative skills for something more productive.

[+briansnat]

Thank you all for the tips. I really like the mini cards. Here is my design front and back. I am gonna print them out, put a piece of sheet magnet between them, then laminate them. It then becomes a reversable magnet and will not get ruined when it rains.

 

 

 

Sorry they are so big. What do you think?

 

I'd say you did a very nice job.

[+Aberwak]

I don't really have a strong feeling one way or another about them. I've seen some very nice ones- and was impressed with seeing the custom made cards for individual cachers (at first). One major drawback to using those is seeing a lot of cards or stickers (such as address labels) in a logbook, where the person just fills out the date and signs what cache number it is... and that's it. I usually like to go through a logbook and see what others have written--- always hoping for a funny story that someone left in the logbook. Granted, these same people might still only sign their name and date it (I've seen plenty of that), but I think this system promotes a "stick and run" (placing the sticker/name card and not adding more to the log).

 

It is a very nice card, though- it's very easy to identify who's been where if you see enough of them. :-)

[+TheCollector]

I actually collect card and other signature items just check out my website here signature Item Webpage

Edited June 5, 2007 by TheCollector

[+dark_onyx1982]

I haven't been geocaching all that long, but have aready found a few micros with cards and stuff crammed in so tight it takes a pair of needle-nose pliers to get to the log book. I'd say cards are fine in small and larger caches but not in micros. I've left a few cards myself but only in the larger containers. Just use common sense about it.

 

LOL I will be sure to attach a pair of tweezers..............no really, these would not be for micros.

[TheTodds]

The first cache I found was a very tiny ammo box and it had a couple cards in it, the ones that weren't laminated where gooey and mushy and the laminated ones were fine. They will goo! We haven't had rain in Rochester until this past weekend so condensation will goo and gook your cards. PSA - laminate or don't make trash that could end up on the ground unless you know the cache is impervious to moisture.

[+biosearch]

Beautiful artwork, like it. Enough people have noted it so I think it is obvious that some people don't like the cards. But then some do. I would say just do what you enjoy. Something to think about. You might make these into small stickers and use them to put in the cache log. Seen a number of them. With the logo you have it would add something nice to the log you leave.

[+dark_onyx1982]

I made my cards into magnets by lamanting a magnet between the sheets of paper. THey came out very nice. I also have stickers for the logbooks, but I still write notes in them. I dont wanna log just a sticker, it seems to generic.

Edited June 5, 2007 by dark_onyx1982

[+TeamHarrison]

I've had cards made for a couple of caching organizations I belong to that seem to be a little more resistant to moisture than most. I get them from http://www.overnightprints.com and get the UV coating for no extra cost. This coating seems to make the cards slightly more rigid (a good thing) and more resistant to moisture. They're holding up really well.

 

 

[+dark_onyx1982]

Thank you all for your input!

[+imchasingshadows]

I really like your artwork!!!

I have seen people who upload a "virtual" card to the photo gallery of a cache. That's pretty neat.

You get to see the art and message, but doesn't cause the cache owners any grief.

Just a thought. I'm more a "geo-coin" person, than card person.

 

I think one of the cacher's who uploads his "card" is JEM61. (I might have the #'s wrong. sorry.)

[+Knight2000]

I think one of the cacher's who uploads his "card" is JEM61. (I might have the #'s wrong. sorry.)

That is neat (and the correct cacher too). It clutters up their gallery though. Is there a way around that?