Multiples

When I discovered Postcrossing I encountered a lot of words as well. For instance, I started to see collections of what people called multiples: postcards about similar things gathered. These kind of pictures or drawings have always fascinated me, and I made an album of multiples. I made two, actually, because the alphabets... aren't multiples?

From time to time I can add one or two postcards...

Postcards sent by Laura (the UK). Romanesque Crypt Column Capitals and Gargoyles in Canterbury Cathedral (the UK).

Yo escribo cartas

«El uso prolongado de pantallas digitales te hace amar la artesanía. Tanta evolución tecnológica, desarrollo de los sistemas de comunicación y evolución de las conductas sociales consiguen que desees hacer calceta. No me lo estoy inventando. Hace tiempo que los hipsters dedican sus horas de ocio a pasatiempos ‘abueliles’. El CEO que llega a su casa, aparca el coche de superlujo en el porche y se cambia presurosamente porque llega tarde a la partida de petanca. La directora de recursos humanos que rompe su rigurosa dieta hipocalórica todos los miércoles haciendo pastelitos en el loft. El creador de una oportunista y brillante Start Up que se desahoga cortando madera para su chimenea artificial en Sarrià. Yo escribo cartas.»

Néstor Gándara, Yo escribo cartas


(If you read Spanish, I recommend you the rest of the article: an ironic and funny tale about writing letters... again.)

Reading Frog

Postcard sent by John (the UK).

It is an illustration from The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher, 1906, by Beatrix Potter. Mr. Jeremy Fisher in his damp little house: "Mr. Jeremy liked getting his feet wet; nobody ever scolded him, and he never caught a cold!".

I hesitated before including this postcard in the album of reading men. But I still do not have an album for reading frogs...

Some Received Artistamps

Sent by Heleen (the Netherlands)

What is your opinion about forged stamps? I do not think the following ones are able to deceive any mail carrier (they are not intended to do so). But I just love them!

Sent by Laura (the UK)

Sent by Heleen (the Netherlands)

Also sent by Heleen (the Netherlands)

Maybe the following could be more confusing, if both senders hadn't stuck them on unambiguous positions. The first one is a reproduction of an old stamp. The second one is real, but it has no value because there half-pennies are no longer used in the United Kingdom.

Sent by Alan (the UK)

Sent by John (the UK)

Push the Envelope

Push the envelope.- To attempt to extend the current limits of performance. To innovate, or go beyond commonly accepted boundaries. (The Phrase Finder) / To push it to the limit. to see how far you can go with something without getting caught (Urban Dictionary).

It seems that envelope, at lest initially, had nothing to do with the mail word: read here about the origin. 

(By the way... Do you know Jean Wilson's blog Pushing the Envelope?)

Trinity College

Two postcards of Trinity College of Dublin (Ireland), sent by Laura (the UK). They fit very well in the Universities album!

The Long Room is the main chamber of the Old Library. It is nearly 65 metres in length, and houses around 200,000 of the Library's oldest books. In 1860 the roof was raised to allow the construction of the present barrel-vaulted ceiling and gallery bookcases. Marble busts are placed down either side of the rom which contains also the oldest surviving harp in Ireland.

Two Questions about a Stamp

One of the themes for today's Sunday Stamps-II is shaped stamps. 

Usually I show received stamps. However, I thought it was a chance to post about one of the commonest stamps in Morocco. I sent this one to Heleen in 2012.

Why don't they change the design?
The same stamp, dedicated to the National Week of Solidarity is issued every year with the same design. That is very curious; I am not sure if  it is usual in other countries...

The only change is that until last year it used to show the postage rate. But the latest stamps that I bought are forever: I 20 g (international letter up to 20 g). More details.

Why not in November 2014?

Can you read Semaine de la solidarité 2014? However, this stamp was issued on January 8, 2015 (?!). Usually, it is in November. They are so regular in the design, and then so irregular in the date!

Issued on November 8, 2013
Issued on November 7, 2012
Issued on November 28, 2011
Issued on November 19, 2010
Issued on November 15, 2009
Issued on November 12, 2008

Big Metallic Postcard

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Big metallic postcard sent by John (the UK).

This is the second postcard made of metal I have got. I am still wondering how it has reached my mail box... Well, it took four weeks!

Maps Incoming

Postcard sent by Laura (the UK): The Precincts of Canterbury Cathedral, by Prosper Devas.

Another postcard map sent by Laura (the UK), made of a brochure.

Arabic countries on a stamp of the United Arab Emirates to commemorate the Arab Postal Day. This very stamp was issued by different countries in 2012 or 2013.

More received maps.

Hoot Review

HOOT is a {mini} literary monthly magazine on a postcard. Their introduction:

-We publish current fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and book reviews and are proud to be a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

-Our issues are small and cool looking, so you can also stick 'em on your fridge, or in your husband/wife's briefcase, or leave one on a restaurant table for some random person to enjoy. Imagine, literature that you can pass around!

-At fewer than 150 words an issue (that's shorter than two Twitter tweets!) there's no excuse for you not to read it.

I think I need to subscribe... 

More Than Words

Yves Saint-Laurent
to Alexander Liberman
c. 1970 June 7

More Than Words is a collection of illustrated letters (from the early nineteenth century through the 1980s) exhibited in the Archives of American Art's New York Reseach Center in 2007. 

But you can still see some of the letters on this site, buy the book (More Than Words: Illustrated Letters From the Smithsonian's Archive of American Art, by Liza Kirwin) and, especially, get some inspiration...

Recycled Elephant

Postcard sent by Micu (Hungary).

This was a prize because I guessed that the base of one of these postcards was made of the tube of toilet paper. As you can see, it is the same for the base of this elephant. Indeed, a lot of repurposed materials in this work! You can read here about how to make these lovely elephants.

Turquoise People

Sent to Monika Mori (Austria), for the mail art call Turquoise:

Create a postcard sized piece with the topic TURQUOISE and mail it!

Everyone is welcome to participate in this project, all ages and skill levels.

Postage and Deadline: Post it like you would a regular postcard, please don’t use envelopes. Ensure that you use the correct postage to reach Austria. Artists may submit only one piece.

Entries must be postmarked by March 31, 2015

More information

Traditional Portuguese Festivities on Stamps

I am not sure if these stamps fit exactly in Sunday Stamps-II theme for today: Organizations, Special Events. But I really was expecting an opportunity to post them.

They belong to different series under the theme Traditional Festivities, issued on February 21, 2011,  July 20, 2012 and on 30 April, 2013. I would like to receive the complete series, as they are so colourful and festive.

Update
I have just remembered that I sent this one to Heleen two years ago:

Update 2

I have just got another one from this series.

Some in One

"Snail mail snail delivers zentangles,
a laughing cow and a cowardly lion to Eva"

Postcard drawn and sent by Heleen (the Netherlands). See more wonderful zentangles in her latest works.

I am really amazed to realise how Heleen can fit so many things I love in every piece of mail: snails, orange, stamps, The Laughing Cow, The Wizard of Oz...

Floury Letter

Letter (Smurf inside!) wrapped in a flour packaging sent by Micu (Hungary). You can use almost everything as an envelope, can't you?

Teddy Bears

I must confess I prefer teddy bears on postcards and stamps to the real ones... The following ones were sent by Laura (the UK), the stamp with Rupert was sent by John (the UK),

I Like Coffee on Rainy Days

Postcard drawn for and sent to a coffeeholic girl Heleen (the Netherlands).

Also published here.

Recycled Materials

Letter sent by Micu (Hungary).

Received Lighthouses

From Germany 

(sent by Eva)

Buk Lighthouse

From the Netherlands 

(sent by Heleen)

Westerlichttoren

Black Heritage on Stamps

I am finally able to join the second edition of Sunday Stamps, now on the blog See it on a Postcard by VioletSky. The theme for this week is Famous People, Portraits. 

One thing I love about Sunday Stamps is that I need to look closely to the stamps I receive. Sometimes is easy to find information on the net, sometimes is quite challenging. But the result is that I learn a lot! 

I decided to post today about a theme rather unknown for me: black heritage in North-America.

These stamps were issued by Canada Post on February 2, 2009. They featured portraits of two African-Canadian pioneers: Abraham Doras Shadd (1801-1882), who devoted his life to the abolitionist movement and was the first Afro-Canadian to hold public office; and Rosemary Brown (1930-2003), the first black woman to run for the leadership of a Canadian federal party (and just the second woman).

You can find more information about the stamps here.

I am sure I have received more stamps dedicated to Afro-American whose lives changed history, but they are probably in Spain. This one is the latest I have got. It was issued by the USPS on 31 January 2014 and dedicated to Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm (1924-2005). She was an advocate for minority rights and became the first black woman elected to Congress, in 1969.

(And if you allow me to participate twice, I would like to add this old post to today's Sunday Stamps.)

The Wishes Wheel

What do you do when you want to send good wishes to someone but you have so many wishes...? It is what happened to me when making this card for Micu (Hungary). So finally I decided to put all the wishes and let her (or the luck) the choice!

Reading Women

Some of the latest reading women I have received. Very different ages and styles! 

Folded postcard sent by Heleen (the Netherlands). Lettre d'Amour, by Arthur Th. Dick.

Also sent by Heleen. La Sieste, by Paul Almany (1972)

Postcard sent by John (the UK). The Reader, by Alfred Emile Stevens (c. 1860).

Stamp from Austria.

Sweet Aerogram

Aerogram sent by Laura (the UK).

Southern Spain

Postcard sent to Ibrahim (Malaysia). Made of an illustrated box of cookies and washi tape. I was impossible just to throw it out, I had to reuse it!