Battees

Illustration by Neerav Doshi

Some time ago, I filled the #PostMeASmile form on the Battees site... and then this cheerful postcardrrived in my mailbox!

I like the idea behind Battees:

Battees started off with the idea of spreading smiles; and smiles for no reason at all, because, well, why not? We then went ahead to using post as a medium to spread the love.(...) We strongly think that Stamps are meant to be Stamped and Postcards are meant to be Posted. (...) As they say, the greatest gift you can give someone is the Gift of Time, because when you are giving someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your Life that you will never get back. 

A Piece of Advice

Postcard sent by Phillip (the USA).

An Envelope Full of Stamps

Naomi (Australia) send me a letter full of stamps. On the back, a wax seal. I am always amazed when those seals survive through the mail...

Let me share the card it brought inside, because it made me smile...

Accesorized

Pets on Stamps

Today's theme in Sunday Stamps-II is Pets. Not my favourite, but I have recently received some nice stamps that can fit, from Canada and the USA.

Reading Themed Letters

So, I reply to Heleen (the Netherlands) with the postcard and envelope above. See them on her blog.


And another reading theme envelope, made of a page of a magazine and sent to John (the UK):

 

Moroccan Tagine

The Ramadan is going to start tomorrow. So the occasion to wish رمضان مبارك (Ramadan Mubarak) to everyone who celebrates it with this handmade postcard sent Phillip (the USA).

It arrived with three uncancelled Delicioso Forever stamps. With them, the USPS "celebrates the influence of Central and South American, Mexican and Caribbean foods on American cuisine. This booklet of 20 stamps features six dishes from an array of Latin American culinary traditions that have found new life and variations in the United States".

Thanks to Phillip and Bryon I have got the whole delicious set!

Books on Stamps

On the back of these five postcards, Heleen stuck the complete sheet of ten stamps issued by Dutch PostNL to mark that 2016 was the Year of the Book. On this Heleen's post you can see the stamps before.

(Sort of) Italian Mail

Postcard sent by Micu from Verona, Italy. It took three months and two days to arrive!

Envelope made and sent by Phillip (the USA).

Postcard sent by Heleen (the Netherlands). It shows the railway station and a cinema... And a bit of Italy, too!

With Milk or Mail

Another letter made of chocolate packaging (plus stickers), sent to Laura (the UK). The unaltered packaging read "With milk".

Special Lighthouses

Postcards sent by John (the UK):

Lighthouse
By Seasidespirit

Lighthouse Flotilla, by Peter Adderley

Evening (from a set of the Four Times of Day)
Joseph Vernet (1714-1789)

The Book Loft

Folded postcard sent by Phillip (the USA), showing a library bookstore of Columbus (Ohio, USA). I really love the whimsical photography and the fact that the city is also printed on the envelope.

The stamps used also depict black and white photographies, and they belong to two different series:

• Building a Nation. Issued on 8 August, 2013. There are 12 different designs, that feature black-and-white photographs of early 20th century industrial workers. I had received some more of these:

• Masters of American Photography, self-adhesive stamps issued on 13 June 2002. More in my collection:

I add this post to Sunday Stamps-II. The theme today is Photographs.

Traditional Festivals on Postcards

Tor this week's theme on Postcards for the Weekend, I chose three colourful postcards received ages ago, through Postcrossing.

(Update 17/06/2023: Postcard removed as the dancer on the postcard wrote the picture was used without his consent.)

"Fulehung" Ausschiesset, Thun
(Switzerland)

Every year, on the last Monday in September, the people of Thun celebrate their folk festival and remember the fool who's name was Fulehung. The story of Fulehung goes back to the time of the Burgundian Wars in 1476, in which the soldier of Thun received high honors. The court jester of Charles the Bold mocked the Bernese and the soldiers of Thun, calling the latter lazy. But when the soldiers caught him during the battle, they brought him to Thun and punished him. During the annual Anschiesset festival, the person wearing the mask is teased on his way from the castle to the town hall.

Sandugo Festival
(Philippines)

The Sandugo Festival is an annual historical celebration that takes place every year in Tagbilaran City on the island of Bohol in the Philippines. This festival commemorates the Treaty of Friendship between Datu Sikatuna, a chieftain in Bohol, and Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi. This 16th-century peace treaty occurred on March 16, 1565 through a blood compact or sandugo.

They Deserve This Letter

And eventually I found whom to send the third (and last) letter made of this wonderful chocolate packaging: the creators of it, Mayan Monkeys Mijas. I hope it arrived well!

Dreaming of Letters

Letter sent to Philippe (France).

Do you think that blue person is a woman or a man?

Happy 6th Anniversary, Dear Blog!

Handmade collage sent by Eva (Germany)

Sent by Laura (the UK)

Wine gets better with age, Age gets better with wine
Sent by Heleen (the Netherlands)

(Not sure if the last slogan is appropriate for the Mail Adventures' birthday, but no doubt it was for mine!)

Commemorative Chilean Stamp

Today Sunday Stamps-II's theme is Commemorative. I have chosen an stamp from a country I don't receive mail often: Chile. This stamp was issued on 30 October 2013, to commemorate the rescue of 33 miners after the Copiapó mining accident.

It shows the rescue capsule.The stamp belongs to a serie of six stamps. I have only received this one, but at least two of them come with very unusual designs:

The names of the 33 men

The note they sent from the refuge
 'We are fine in the refuge -the 33'

De Smurfen

This children box bought in the cinema, was turned into beautiful postcards by Heleen (the Netherlands). 

Besides pop corn, orange juice, some candies and even a tiny rubber stamp:

Paper Bag Envelopes (Received)

Sent by Eric (France). 

Sent by Phillip (the USA). There are two versions made of the same bag, actually.

And another one from Eric (France), very different!