Friday, September 28, 2012

Direct Swap - Ann from USA

I was in touch with Ann about swapping map cards of her home state of Oklahoma. She didn't have one at first and sent me the first outline map while I was waiting. A few days later she sent me the card with the roads, etc. Both are great and much appreciated additions to my collection. Another plus - all the stamps were new to me. I am almost 75% done my US Map collection. Trying to think of my next wish list item....any suggestions?




OFFICIAL Card - USA

I have been getting more and more views at dusk/night lately and I have been really liking them. The view has such a different vibrancy when the light are shiny! This card from Andrew a programmer in Neuro Imaging from UCLA is a great one. It shows Hollywood Boulevard from the famous Chinese Theatre to the Hollywood Highland.


OFFICIAL Card - Germany

Ingird sent this card from Oldenburg, Germany which arrived earlier in the week. The view shows one of what she writes is many lighthouses on the North Sea which are very typical for the area. The water looks so calm and still, very serene. She even used a lighthouse stamp.




Thursday, September 27, 2012

Direct Swap - Trista from USA

Trista agreed to swap with me for a map of her home state of Maryland. She wrote telling me she is hoping to visit Niagara Falls next summer. One of my favourite places, as I am sure many Postcrossers who I write to can tell you. I love the Maid of the Mist! This is a super map for my collection which is getting closer and closer to completion.


OFFICIAL Card - Netherlands

This fun card arrived on Monday from Marleen who lives near Goes, Netherlands. It shows views of Zeeland, a coastal region in southwest Netherlands. Isn't the cut-out of the thumbs up neat? I've never seen a card with a cut out like that before. She writes telling me she takes her horse out to the beach everyday for a ride. Sounds wonderful to be that close to water.


OFFICIAL Card - USA

Can I have a drum roll please!!!!!

This is the very first card I received through Postcrossing. I remember it as if it were yesterday! Steven lives in Torrington, Connecticut and sent this skyline view of Hartford to me March 2011. It took 3 days to get to me and after about 2 weeks of "nothing" my mailbox finally had it's first card. I remember it came on a Friday and I tried to hide it from my daughter. She had not yet received her first card and I knew she would then have to wait the weekend. Little did I realize she looked at my profile to see my "0" became a "1". Oh well, seems like such a long time ago. Still love going out to get the mail and love it even more when there is a card in the box for me.



Can't say I am a huge fan of the Simpsons at all, however I did find this article about the stamps rather amusing.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Random Act of Smiliness - Melanie from Canada (Part 3)

The last card I received as part of a super thank you bundle from Melanie is this pretty card of the Virginia State Flower - Dogwood. So thoughtful of her to send me cards that so nicely matched various wish-list collections. Thank you Melanie for all the great cards anytime you need something just ask!!!


OFFICIAL Card - Germany

Popcornikimppu from Munich, Germany sent me this funky interpretation of the Munich skyline last week. They wrote telling me the view shows the two towered Women's church, Olympiapark, the Isar River and the Alps which they can see from their balcony. I believe this is an ad-card for an outdoors company but proves they can be just as interesting as any other.


OFFICIAL Card - Great Britain

Carol from Southport, England sent me the fabulous close-up of Queen Elizabeth. I love her in dark colours and purple is my favourite colour! She wrote telling me there are miles of sandy beaches where she lives and the second longest pier in the United Kingdom.


Tuesday, September 25, 2012

OFFICIAL Card - Australia

Vicki, is one of the moderators on the Postcrossing Forum. Last week this card arrived of her home state (South Australia) official flower. I can honestly say I have never heard of a Sturt's Desert Pea before. Such a beautiful story that goes with it too. The stamp Vicki chose for me is great, I love Olympic stamps!!




OFFICIAL Card - Finland

Veera is 17 and lives in a little own called Kajaani. She is studying to be a chef - fun! Last week this card she sent me of Helsinki Cathedral arrived with lots of lovely travel lines from its journey. Also, another funky stamp - I really like Finnish stamps the best.


Random Act of Smiliness - Eileen from England - Part I

This post is long overdue - forgive me!

Eileen and I swapped a few cards back in the Spring. She wanted to send a thank you to my kids for a parcel I had sent her. Well, what a parcel it was!!!


I don't think the picture does it any justice it was such a lovely treat and surprise for all of us. For my daughter she sent a teddy bear and silly bandz, for my son a school set - ruler, pencil case, eraser, etc and a carry bag. For both kids a little double decker bus figurine, stickers, British chocolate (always a fave in this house), pencils and a collection of small British coins. Most things had either the Union Jack or something distinctly British and they were just thrilled. I too was the lucky recipient of a carry bag from Scotland, a beautiful bookmark, notepad and pen and LOTS of fabulous postcards. I am going to post a few here and do them over a few posts to keep the themes somewhat together.

Such a wonderful and generous lady! My kids refer to Eileen as their fairy godmother. When you see someone reaching out to you in such a kind and somewhat unexpected way I think that fits her perfectly!!!

These cards are various ones I am going to guess that she picked up in London when she attended the Postcrossing meet-up. A great variety of a wonderful city.





Monday, September 24, 2012

Random Act of Smiliness - J.J. from USA

My friend J.J. was travelling again in August, this time to Philadelphia for the weekend. She wrote telling me she did a tour of the U.S. Mint and walked pretty much all over this map. Sounds like a nice trip and one I would love to make!


OFFICIAL Card - Netherlands

Jeanne sent me this card on a rainy day. She wrote telling me Autumn was on the way and she wasn't looking forward to it. While it is one of my favourite seasons for me it means snow is right around the corner and I don't care for that too much. I've tried Googling to get more info on this picture/painting of Rotterdam, however have been unsuccessful. Still nice though.


OFFICIAL Card - Russia

Nikita from Moscow saw this card was in my favourites and sent it to me last week. I think the design of this map is so fun. He wrote telling me about his rubber duck collection and how he loves to travel.


Sunday, September 23, 2012

OFFICIAL Card - Portugal

Jose from Lisbon sent this great sampler of all things Portugal. Love the diverstiy of the scenery. Funny thing, he sent my daughter this card last November. Small world!




OFFICIAL Card - Taiwan

This lovely flag card came from Yi-Ting in Taipei, Taiwan. She told me her best friend is studying in Canada and she is hoping to come visit her. Wouldn't that be a nice trip!



OFFICIAL Card - Finland

Tiina from Joensuu, Finland sent this card in the middle of August. It took almost a month to get to me. She wrote telling me about her pets and how she was going to get rats for Christmas. Kind of different. This is a great map with views of some things Finns are known for.



Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Direct Swap - Cindy from USA

I had an overlapping swap a little while back. Sometimes that is to be expected when I am trying to collect a map from each of the 50 states. Cindy from Springfield, Illinois was kind enough to send me this card a few weeks ago. I visited this state last summer and we all fell in love with Chicago.


OFFICIAL Card - Ukarine

When I received this card the first thing I thought of was those funky string art pictures you do in grade school. I would not have wanted to be the photographer taking this shot that is for sure. Kristina wrote to me on a wet and rainy day telling me abut her university studies. The view is of the South Bridge in Kiev, which is used by pedestrians, vehicles and a subway line. The stamps are fun and remind me that Fall is right around the corner.


OFFICIAL Card - Finland

Guido had me at the first sentence he wrote on this card - "I moved to Finland for love." I am a desperately hopeless romantic! He tells me he met his fiance six years ago via postcrossing and recently moved from Germany to Finland. Maybe this will be a Postcrossing blog post one day. The card he sent shows views of Weimar, Germany which has had parts designated a UNESCO site, such as Goethe House in the upper middle. Once again the Finnish stamps are simply beautiful! Interestingly too, although it will never show in the scan, this stamp has braille on it and is from 2008.


Monday, September 17, 2012

Random Act of Smiliness - Melanie from Canada (Part 2)

Last week I posted the cards Melanie so generously sent me as a thank you. Here are a few others that were part of that parcel. This time UNESCO from the Atlantic Provinces that I didn't have - Grand-Pre, in Nova Scotia which just made the list this June and Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland. I have 4 of the 16 Canadian sites - thanks Melanie for doubling the collection!








Monday, September 10, 2012

Direct Swap - Phyllis from USA

In the summer Phyllis and I arranged a direct swap for a map of the United States. She mentioned she had other state map cards and we agreed to swap again. This great package of cards arrived about a month ago. She wrote on each one and surprising to me has lived in several different states so had a bit of insight to share. While my preference is for real "mappy" looking cards - roads, place names, etc she said she had some artsy one if interested and I am glad I agreed the two at the end of the post are a different twist and are pretty and fun! She also used a neat assortment of stamps.