Postcardware

From Wikipedia:

Postcardware, also called just cardware, is a style of software distribution similar to shareware, distributed by the author on the condition that users send the author a postcard. (...) Like other "novelty" software distribution terms, it is often not strictly enforced.
The concept was first used by Aaron Giles, author of JPEGView.

What other things do you consider that could be paid with a postcard?

Artistamps Creators

Front and back of three postcards sent by Cascadia Artpost (the USA). The first two show catalogues of artistamps creators, and samples of their word. 

The title of this postcard is Famous Postmarks. There is the explanation on the back:

The retirement of long-time artist C.T. Chew from mail art at the end of 2017 had the effect of immediately rendering his "Aesthetics" postmark ant other Triangle Post telematic ephemera as scarce trace phenomena in the postalscape of the Eternal Network. Cascadia Artpost now commemorates the cliquishly referential and unforgettable presence of Chew the mail artist in six memorable images, conveniently portrayed in the artistamp format. All forever hail Triangle Post!

Women on Stamps | Unknown Woman with(out) Umbrella

This stamp was issued in 2016 with the title of the photography is "Toronto" by Lutz Dille (1960). It belongs to the 2013-2017 Canadian Photography series.

Lutz Dille, born in Leipizg, immigrated to Canada in 1951, arriving in Hamilton at age 29 with a few items of clothing, $30 in cash and his treasured Leica camera. Nowadays he is considered one of the country’s leading documentary photographers.

As a bonus, another woman (?) without umbrella... This is one of the childcare stamps issued in the Netherlands in 1988, under the title Kind en Water. It was designed from a child's felt pen drawing. I found an interesting article about how these stamps were actually printed.

---------------

For the new edition of Sunday Stamps-II A to Z, I have decided to show some of the stamps I have got on letters and postcards, related to one topic: women. This is the post for the letter U.

More women on stamps.

Some Mailboxes of Belgium

An old model in Bruges, with bikes

Another one in Ghent, with beers

A more modern one, also in Ghent

Someone is amazed to the late pick up!

In Antwerp, the one I posted my postcards in.

Do You Feel Like Travelling?

Postcard sent by Laura (the UK).

Does This Letter Scare You?

Painted envelope sent by John (the UK).

HitM | A Lot of Houses!

Janet (the USA) sent two hand-painted postcards for the project of Houses in the Mail. Very different styles, and nice colours!

She included some more on a bunch of ATC (A light-house counts, doesn't it?)

And even on the stamps. It must be an school, according to the message on the stamps. I love those cancellations, by the way.

I think it was the first time, or maybe the second, that someone included the word Africa in my address. Well, I guess it was the last, because I don't live in Africa any more...

It was a strike of luck that the letter arrived, because the post code was wrong (also my name, but usually that isn't any problem). And it took 17 days from the USA to Morocco.

Postbox Game

This is a game invented (or re-invented) by Michael (aka gibsonms in the Postcrossing world). It was published long ago in the Postcrossing blog.  I thought it could be useful now that the summer trips start in half of the world, in order to entertain the children (or the adults!).

Here are the rules:

• It’s simple, really: when you see a postbox, say “postbox!” and add a point to your total.

• If you see someone posting something on that postbox, wow, how lucky is that! Two points for you!

• If someone calls a postbox but it turns out that there isn’t one there, then that person loses a point…

• And if you see the postman clearing the postbox, well… you win for that journey!

Of course, variations can be added. Let me know if you play it :)

Thanks Michael and Postcrossing!

Women on Stamps | Klári Tolnay (and Other Hungarian Artists)

Klári Tolnay (1914-1998) and Manyi Kiss (1911 – 1971) were an Hungarian address.

Tolnay stamp was issued 9n 2014, commemorating the 100th Anniversary of her Birth. The second stamp was issued on 28 March 2011, belonging to the series Hungarian Performing Artists. don't you love the background of this stamp?

Magda Szabó (1917 –  2007) was a Hungarian novelist. She is the most translated Hungarian author, with publications in 42 countries and over 30 languages. The stamp was issued last year, for the 100th anniversary of her birthday.

---------------

For the new edition of Sunday Stamps-II A to Z, I have decided to show some of the stamps I have got on letters and postcards, related to one topic: women. This is the post for the letter T.

More women on stamps.

Hands Up

One of the things I love about the Smurfs is that happiness seems to be natural to them. As on this envelope drawn by John (the UK). Don't tell me that this Smurf isn't a happy one!

I am amazed of the matching of the stamps John chose: the man, even the lion, are on the same position (so... happy?).

Now I realise that I had received another stamp from the same set:

HitM | Little Houses

Hand painted envelope sent to Laura (the UK).

HitM | Could You Live In an Igloo?

I like to receive different types of houses for the Houses in the Mail project. And no doubt this is! Rosemary (Canada) used cut-outs of a book with both English and Chinese, using Dr. Seuss illustrations for teaching vocabulary. 

When I visited Canada, I was amazed by the size of farms. I have never seen a real igloo, I am afraid. 

Rituals

Envelope made of a paper bag by Eric (France). I had already received two of these stamps showing masques of  Micheangelo Durazzo (see here the complete set). They that look to me playful and a bit scary at the same time...

The postcard inside is a collage on a background done with a gelli plate and some rubber stamps. I like the message: Together is the place to be.
 

ABC

There isn't too much to show here because, obviously, I don't want to display Philippe's address. I think it isn't evident from the picture, but it took a lot of time to draw and paint the letters using watercolours...

And about the stamps, they belong to the philatelic series 12 Months, 12 Stamps, 12 Provinces. Correos issues stamps dedicated to every province (there are 48 in Spain, plus 2 autonomous cities). During the month of the issue, that stamp is used as the only type of postage for all post-office shipments sent from of the featured province.

The design of every stamp is based on the old license plates once used for vehicles in Spain. Inside the letters, you can see typical things of every region, like flora, fauna, food, inventions, architecture...

And I can help but tell you about a funny story. On the stamp dedicated to the province of León, you are supposed to see the cathedral of the capital of the province: León. But, during the official presentation of the stamp, a women from the audience said that she didn't recognise the cathedral depicted, but certainly it wasn't the cathedral of León.

After a short discussion, they discovered that it was the cathedral of the capital of a different province: Burgos. The stamp was already being used. So, they decided to issue a new stamp, with the right cathedral.

Spring Letter

I am quite proud of this green letter that I sent to Alan (the UK) back in March. It included a booklet made of four small envelopes of repurposed paper and tape. Besides the letter itseft, I added some little surprises.