Nice Stationery

Different sheets of stationery on letters from the UK I got in June.

I wonder why Hello Kitty have to different vintage phones, one yellow and another one red (?!).

Do you use this kind of stationery? Which one do you prefer?

Sunday Stamps | Cathedrals (But Not Only)

On 12 January 2012, Brazil commemorated the 150th anniversary of the Presbyterian Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro with this special stamp. The building is profusely decorated. The largest and most expressive stained glass bears an inscription with the sentence: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path”, highlighted on the upper part of the stamp covered with a transparent holographic film and relief.

St Peter's Cathedral or Wormser Dom is a Roman Catholic church and former cathedral in Worms, southern Germany. This stamp, issued on 7 June 2019, commemorates its 1000th anniversary.

French stamp showing the basilica of  La Sagrada Família, a masterpiece of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. The building of this church started in 1852 and it is supposed to be finished by 2026. The stamp was issued on 9 November 2015

This stamp, issued by Royal Mail on 23 February 2012, belongs to the series Britons of Distinction. It shows the Coventry's Anglican Cathedral, but actually the stamp is dedicated to the Scottish architect Basil Spence. He was charged of the reconstruction of the cathedral, after it was extensively damaged by German bombing during World War II. The stamp was issued on the 50th anniversary of the reconstruction.

St. Martin's Cathedral or Dom Church (Domkerk), is a Gothic church dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, which was the cathedral of the Diocese of Utrecht during the Middle Ages. It has been a Protestant church since 1580. It was once the Netherlands' largest church, but the nave collapsed in a storm in 1674 and has never been rebuilt. This stamp was issued on 10 June 1986.

This stamp features the cathedral of Braga, and belongs to the 5-stamps series Portugal North issued on 24 March 2017.

I received these Russian stamps on different postcards, but they belong to the same issue. They represent the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood in St Petersburg and, below, the Episcopal Palace in Astorga, León, Spain. The latter is also a Gaudi's work, and one of his only three buildings outside Barcelona. These stamps are a joint issue with Spain. I only have the Russian version, though.

For  Sunday Stamps goes - Churches. 

Write More Letters

If plan A fails, remember:
there are still 25 letters left

By typewriter or by hand... write letters!

Postcard send by Heleen (the Netherlands) and folded postcard sent by Rebecca (the USA).

Nearly Reading Women

Since my friends know that I love postcards of reading women, they ses reading women everywhere. 

For instance, this young lady, who is actually considering whether she should read or not:

Margaret Gilmore, c. 1845
Erastus Salisbury Field

Or this self-portrait of Frida Kahlo, in which she is painting from her image in the mirror:

Self-Portrait with Unbound Hair, 1947
Frida Kahlo

Does singing from a hymn book count as reading?

In Full Voice (Singing His Praise)
By Richard Sargent
Cover for The Saturday Evening Post,
March 7, 1959

Postcards sent by Bryon (the USA) and John (the UK).

Orangery

John Michael Rysbrack
A View of the Orangery at Chiswick, Lord Burlington's Garden,
undated, hand-coloured engraving

For someone who loves citrus, it is very nice to get the postcard of an orangery, And another one with lemons!

Summertime, by Anna Markiewicz

Both sent by Laura (the UK).

Just Colouring

I haven't been drawing a lot lately, but I have still enjoyed colouring some of Naomi's templates. I used colouring pencils, because I an not sure that my printer's ink is waterproof. So, I didn't dare to use watercolours.

I love these designs... even if there isn't a lot of room for stamps!

I sent these to Bryon (the USA), Heleen (the Netherlands) and Rosemary (Canada). Do you like them?

As a reply to this

Is It Already Knitting Time?

Illustration: Mies van Hout
 Bang Mannetje by Mathilde/Stein/Mies van Hout

Postcard sent by Heleen (the Netherlands).

Autumn Time!

(The calendar and these stamps say so, at least.)

Sunday Stamps | Carel Fabritius

Carel Fabritius (1622-1654) was a Dutch painter, and one of the Rembrandt's most gifted pupils. These stamps issued in 2004 features some of his masterpieces.

Top down, from left to right:

• Hera taking refuge during the fight between the Gods and the Giants (c. 1643)
• Young Man in a Fur Cap (1654)
• Self-Portrait (c. 1645)
• The Goldfinch (1654)
• Mercury and Argus (c. 1645-47)
• Self-Portrait (c. 1645)
• Mercury and Aglauros (c. 1645-47)
• Portrait of Abraham de Potter, Amsterdam Silk Merchant (1649)
• The Angel Persuades Hagar to go Back Home (1643-44)
• The Sentry (1654)

Heleen has sent me the whole sheet on a parcel. Isn't that cool?

Today's theme in Sunday Stamps is Paintings. Go to the See it on a Postcard blog to see more paintings on stamps.

UK's Curious Customs Stamps (1)

In July, Royal Mail issued a set of eight stamps which celebrates the pride of "often seemingly unusual customs that are carried out throughout the UK". Receiving some of them has allowed me to learn about those customs. Curious, indeed!

World Gurning Championships

Location: Egremont, Cumbria

Timing/Date: Third Saturday in September

Background: Every year, The World Gurning Championship is held at Egremont Crab Fair.

The competition involves both men and women competing to produce the most grotesque looking facial expressions whilst they are framed in a horse collar.

The Egremont Crab Fair was first established in 1267, making it one of the oldest fairs in the world and also hosts other unusual competitions including Cumberland wrestling, Wheelbarrow Racing and climbing the greasy pole.

A Postcard from History

This is a curious postcard sent by John (the UK), made by himself with a piece of postal news. It is all about a postcard that reached its destination... 60 years after it had been sent!

It seems that the postcard had fallen behind a radiator. Radiators can also be mail monsters...

She the whole story in John's blog.

The Sea on Postcards

Now that the summer is about to finish (the calendar says so, but not the weather!).

Tankerton
Sent by Laura (the UK)

Marsaxlokk fishing village
Sent by Anne (Malta)

The sea and the sky, Honk Kong, 2019
Sent by Andy (his own picture)
from Indonesia

Hebrides, Scotland, the UK
Sent by John

Chinese Postcrossing Postcards

Postcard sent by Rouris, featuring the beautiful city of Wuyuan.

This postcard was actually sent from Penang, in Malaysia. It is a creation of the sender, Kang Wei, and shows a Chinese tradition, explained in the back:

On the ninth day of Chinese New Year is the Birthday of the Jade Emperor, so we usually set up offering table for him the night before, using  a pair of sugar cane to tie on the sides of the table.

Sunday Stamps | Postworld Landmarks

Today's theme in Sunday Stamps is Commemorative. It is difficult to choose among the many stamps that commemorate all kind of people and events!

I went for post-related important milestones commemorated by different countries:

For instance, the 500th anniversary of Royal Mail. I think I had already uploaded other stamps from this serie. More information here.

A stamp commemorating the 50 years of the establishment of postal codes in Belgium was issued on 18 March 2019:

On 1 August 2016, Correos de Mexico commemorated the 160th Anniversary of the First Mexican Postage Stamps. They came in five colours (according to the rate), and featured the image of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a leader of the War of Independence:

Don't You Like to See People Writing on Stamps?

Let's Move...

Foto: João Paglione

I received this postcard from a friend spending a week in Berlin. I think it a good idea, if you are a Berliner who cannot travel... :)

(The picture belongs to a 2015 artistic project, I learned.)