Snail Mail Algorithm

I drew this for an exercise about flowing charts. What do you think about?  

I would heard your ideas about changes or additions it in order to improve the idea of the snail mail algorithm.

The Country Letter Carrier

Lovely postcard sent by John (the UK).

We can read on the back of the postcard:

"The Country Letter Carrier", artist unknown, water-colour. His splendid gold banded hat would not have been official issue.

So maybe wasn't he a letter carrier at all? It is rather mysterious! I need to go to The British Postal Museum & Archive in order to find out more...

Cancellation?

Letter send by Alan (the UK).

So you have a friend who writes a beautiful letter for you with perfect calligraphy, adds some little artistic items that you just love, creates an original envelope of biscuits packaging, chooses carefully some the stamps and sticks them like a rainbow...

And then the letter arrives in the post office and encounters this post office worker who makes this odd, let's say... cancellation.

Sheep (More or Less)

Postcard sent by Christophe (France). It seems that if you wash a cow in a washing machine, and then hang it outdoors in the clothesline... It become a sort of sheep and then you can knit its wool. Not sure about temperature, though, because it indicates 30, 60 and 95 ºC. 

Arrived the same day (funny, isn't it?): postcard sent by Heleen (the Netherlands). It shows the typical breed of sheep in Drenthe, in the east of the Netherlands. It arrived with these two wool-related stamps: De Schapenscheerseter (naar Millet) (1889) and Weefgetouw met wever (1884), both by Van Gogh.

Places to Live in (on Stamps)

This is a post for Sunday Stamps - II. Today the topic is places to live. So I want to start showing you some castles I have recently received:

On a letter sent by Eva (Germany). It shows Ludwigslust Castle (18th century) The stamp was issued on January 2, 2015.


If you prefer more ancient castles, maybe you would like the Château de Boulogne-sur Mer (13th century) in France. Quite an important building that has deserved, at least, two recent stamps: one self adhesive issued on June 9, 2012; and another one issued on May 9, 2014.

What about Switzerland? This castle does not seem a bad place to live in...

The first stamp issued on May 26, 1977. It shows Schloss Sargans was the seat of the Count of Werdenberg-Sargans. The castle was built in the 13th century and is located in the town of the same name in Canton St. Gallen. On the right one (issued on May 13, 1997), you can see the Casa Patriziale Russo Ticino.


Definitely, a house is a better place to live. At least, cheaper. These stepped-gable Dutch houses look really nice. And you can even choose the colour. White or blue?

As self-adhesive stamps, they belong to the basic series of Dutch Icons issued on January 2, 2014.


Really on a budget? If you are not too big, you can try this little house issued by Posti (Finland) on January 24, 2011. I know it is a mail box, but... what could be better for a snail mail lover?

Also for small people, especially if you have a sweet tooth: gingerbread houses issued by USPS on November 6, 2013.

Daddy Long-Legs

Don't you love this postcard? It was sent by Laura (the UK).

This sweet illustration is the cover of the epistolary novel Daddy Long-Legs (Be careful! The page in English of the Wikipedia contains a spoiler), by the American writer Jean Webster. The protagonist is a young girl who lives in an old-fashioned orphanage, and writes letters to her benefactor, a rich man whom she has never seen.

The novel was written in 1912. I read it as a teenager. I loved it at that time, but I don't remember exactly the details. In fact, I had forgotten about it until I received this postcard.

The funny fact about the postcard is that it arrived without stamps! (And the sender don't remember whether she stuck them).

This Postmark Made Me Smile

Congratulations TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
on the birth of their daughter

On a letter sent by Laura (the UK).

I have read that is is the first time in the company's 500-year-long history that a postmark has been dedicated to a royal birth.

Oz Postcard Project

Theme 

Anything related to Oz world: books by L. Frank Baum, films, quotations, Kansas, maps, book covers, characters, etc. All languages are welcome.

Size

Postcard or envelope 10x15 cm / 4x6 in

Technique

Free. Commercial or altered postcards are also welcome. I don't mind to receive the same postcard twice. Sent by snail mail naked or in an envelope.

This is a personal project not to take part in any public exhibition. All works will appear in this blog (unless you don't want to, of course). You will receive a piece of mail back 

Address and/or more information

See the 51 postcards received so far

What Is an Island?

Postcard sent to Anna (Poland) for  her project Every Island in the World. Please, check it: I am totally in love with this project.

This is my very first pop-up card, made with repurposed materials (box of cereals and magazine), a little origami boat, stickers and tape. See more beautiful pictures in Anna's post.

Arabesques

Envelope sent to Phillip (the USA), made of a poster like this:

The colour looks quite different, probably because of different scanners/camera. It was greener to my eyes.

Also published here.

Orange Kings and Others

Letter sent to Heleen (the Netherlands) for the King's Day. Happily, it arrived on time. I added an orange stamp of the new Spanish King.

Philip V ascended the throne on June 19, 2014. The Spanish postal service issued a miniature set with two stamps on October 12, 2014. But it was not until January 19, 2015 that they issued the basic six stamps. The stamp on the envelope belongs to these. You can see below the first (and only) I have received so far. I am amazed because they still sell me stamps of the former king,

The series of 0,01 €, 0,04 €, 0,10 €, 1 € and 2€. There is also an useless stamp of 5 €.

This is post for Sunday Stamps - II. The theme for today is Royalty, from any country (but a bonus if it's Victoria). I wonder if there is also a bonus for the King Smurf or the Queen of Hearts (on the sticker-stamps)...

Update

While I was writing this post, I received another orange king... from the Netherlands. The stamp belongs to this set. It was issued on August 2, 2014 to commemorate King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima's copper wedding anniversary: 12 1/2 years of marriage. The picture shows the king and the queen rooting for Dutch athletes. I find it quite original.

Posting Laughing Cows

This is one of the most amazing contributions I have received to the Vache Qui Rit Postal Project.

It was sent by Sheila (the UK), inside a non less amazing cowcover.

Slippers

Folded card send by Eutrapèlia (the USA). It was bought in the Bata Shoe Museum of Toronto, and shows a pair of beaded slippers from Persia (19th century).

That (and the letter inside, of course) would be enough to make my day. By the real mail adventure is that I found these slippers on my mail box the same day as... this. How funny is it?

Old & New

Two more pictures taken by Ania in Budapest, last March. The first one inside the Postal Museum; the second one in the street. 

Which mail van do you prefer? 

Orange PO Box

Handmade envelope sent by Heleen (the Netherlands).

I guess it was made of an advertisement, just to show how orange is Heleen's PO Box. The  way she put the stamps is rather original, and I love especially that sweet girl.