In 2024, we took inspiration from World Postcard Day and decided to create the World Postcard Day souvenir.

As geocachers attended Events far and wide in the week surrounding October 1, meeting their communities and making connections all around the world, we realized one thing: geocachers LOVE postcards.

This year, we partnered with artist and geocacher JankaSzklanka to create a special trackable postcard that encapsulates geocaching. You can find this design and the official Geocaching World Postcard Day postcard soon at Shop Geocaching.

Learn more about the artist and her inspiration for this design in an exclusive interview:

Geocaching HQ: How did you discover geocaching?

My discovery of geocaching was actually at a camp, but just a few years ago, when I was a volunteer there helping on a beach. A leader came to take the group back to the resort and told us that there is a gem somewhere close, and I can go with them. We went looking for a “six-toed treasure keeper.” It was amazing for me to see that where I had been for years was a hidden little secret container.

HQ: Tell us a bit about your background as an artist.

I started drawing when I was a kid like everyone, but it has stayed with me. I am rather self-taught, learning mostly from YouTube. Now I aspire to be an illustrator, having some small projects done and working on bigger ones, but I know that I need time, practice, and lots of effort to make it something more than just a hobby.

HQ: What inspired you to create art about geocaching?

On one of my regular bike rides. It is a way for me to clear my mind, to make up stories, and to come up with new illustrations. The memory of my first ever geocache appeared in my head, and I thought that geocaching is just amazing, so let’s check if I can illustrate the feeling and the excitement it has given me. So it was clear to me that I would like to draw the six-fingered treasure keeper.

HQ: Can you tell us more about this six-toed treasure keeper?

It is not said if it is a mistake or the man actually had so many toes (if so, why is this fact so important, so he was carved barefoot), but there is a legend that he had a treasure that can be found only by a six-toed person. During Thirty Years’ War there was such a Swedish knight, who with his two comrades didn’t have to dig for a long time in a night and they quickly found a chest. The two had agreed to kill the six-toed, so that they had more for themselves. Then when they tried to get the crate out of the ground, the chest started to sink into the soil of the hill, taking the knights with it, because they had no right to take the treasure. As the legend says, it waits to this day somewhere in the area for someone who has six toes in both feet.

HQ: What about those adorable squirrels?

I just thought squirrels are a funnier characters to show different approaches to geocaching and taking the most joy from different aspects – like doing extreme version of geocaching (night), getting to know a place deeper, satisfaction of completing formalities of entertaining hobby, maybe tasting regional cuisine, I don’t know exactly what it is about, I didn’t have any particular story in head, but the idea of stashing is gorgeous! It feels so grounded, related to the incredibleness of nature and creature’s behaviour!

HQ: What else can you tell us about these designs?

Some time ago, I heard about someone who was quite unhappy because she didn’t have any hobbies. So I would like to add what the posters are meant to tell: go outside, experience life, find a hobby, and geocaches.

Much of Janina’s art draws inspiration from folklore, nature, and simple life.

HQ: What do you enjoy about geocaching the most?

Besides visiting new places and getting to know them or seeing the known ones from a new perspective, I like the feeling that I’m doing something crazy. I’m curious what others might think seeing a girl looking for something in the bushes.

HQ: What are you up to now?

I’m looking forward to going for longer non-planned bike trips, to be able to look for caches until I find them. So next summer I’m really looking forward to a bike trip, that will not be so intense when it comes to riding, but to have plenty of time to explore the places I go through, find as many geocaches as I can, and hide some too 😀

Janina’s designs will be available soon at Shop Geocaching and at select international distributors. You can find more of her art on Instagram at @artejanka.

Celebrate community, this World Postcard Day and every day, by reminiscing about your geocaching adventures!