Random Act of Smiliness - Alida from Canada

Another fun sheep card and pictorial cancellation from Alida. So glad there is no more snow!

OFFICIAL Card - Netherlands

Kitty lives outside of Amsterdam and sent this card showing sheep grazing. Love how the sheep dog is off to the side, on my first quick look I thought it was a panda!

Random Act of Smiliness - Alida from Canada

My dear Alida is sending me more wonderful pictorial cancellations! And more sheep! I have called around to a few post offices within a half hour drive and none of them have anything like these. Thank you my friend!

Random Act of Smiliness - Sini from Finland

Right around Easter time these lovely little sheep found their way into my mailbox courtesy of Sini. Once again she was lucky to be attending a Postcrossing meet up. As she writes "this time" in Jarvenpaa (my computer won't let me make the accents over the "a's"). Have you ever attended a Postcrossing meet-up?

OFFICIAL Card - Germany

Today's card arrived the same day as yesterday's. Funny thing is they were sent the same day and the ID numbers are only 3 numbers apart. This card is from Anne who is sending Easter wishes and telling me a bit about the area she lives in. Very sweet little lamb that she sent me. Almost looks like a stuffed animal!

Random Act of Smiliness - Alida from Canada

A few members of the Canadian Postcrossing group (the cool one that is) I belong to are collecting pictorial stamp cancellations from across Canada. By far, my friend Alida seems to have access to the most. She sent me another super sheep card, the colours are so funky! This time the cancellation celebrates Watermelon Fest - love it!

Direct Swap - Anu from England

It seems many others are now starting to collect the "Greetings from" series of cards too. I still have a few Canadian cards and am happy to help out when people ask. Anu was just starting her collection and had several cards to offer in return. I chose this fun one which on the back is titled "Pullover Farm". It is by a photographer names Senka Causevic. While I can find various eBay listing for other works I cannot find out much about her. I love the colours, really put a smile on my face. Anu used a Year of the Sheep stamp and chose a Water Sheep, that is my daughter's sign. I am Fire. I also love the circus stamp too!

OFFICIAL Card - Germany

These sweet sheep made their way to me from Verena in Germany. The text if I am translating it correctly says "Mister, early thou wilt hear my voice, the morning will I address myself to you" according to Google Translate. With Bing translate I get this "Mister, early woolest you hear my voice, early I want to turn to you." I can't say either is making much sense to me. Lost in translation maybe?!? Anyone here help to shed some light on this. Verena also used one of the best Christmas stamps I've seen - a snow globe! I love those!!!

Random Act of Smiliness - Alida and Lynda

One thing I must say about the friends I have made through this hobby is they are always there to help me out, regardless of what it might be for. I recently signed up to do another travelling card to feature Christmas stamps, just to realize I really don't have any Christmas stamps from previous years - oops! Lynda and Alida came to the rescue sending me some stamps from their own stash and included these sweet cards in their mailings. Thanks ladies, you saved me big time!!!

Direct Swap - Nastia from Moldova

Another great connection made through Facebook, this time with Nastia. She lives in Moldova, another new country to add to my collection. Looking through each others swap album must have been tough as we both decided on two cards. I equally love the sheep she sent showing the countryside and the alphabet card. Kind of makes me do a double take when you see a watermelon beside the letter "H".  Great swap, thanks Nastia!

OFFICIAL Card - Netherlands

Trudie lives in the small fortified city of Grave in the Netherlands. She sent this wonderful card of sheep enjoying the snow. She too is thankful that hasn't started yet! She wrote to me about Autumn and it was as if I wrote the words myself - exactly the same feeling and thoughts. You know what they say about great minds!

OFFICIAL Card - Russia

Valentina sent this card showing sweet little sheep. She lives near the city of Perm, Russia and wrote me about her hobbies and things she enjoys. There is one line in her message that really stuck out to me "I like my lifestyle" - how many people can honestly say that? Love the confidence it exudes.

OFFICIAL Card - USA

Ana Cristina sent this card to me from New Jersey. It shows a group of Dall sheep in Alaska. She writes that she has just joined Instagram, which coincidentally I have too. Personally, I don't get the attraction. What about you? Do you Instagram? If so, why? What am I missing?

OFFICIAL Card - Germany

Another fun sheep card for my collection! Veronica (my sister's name, which I always so fun to read, I don't know why!) lives in Germany and told me a bit about herself.

Random Act of Smiliness - Alida from Canada

Alida is seriously one of the most thoughtful people I have ever crossed paths with. After my return from our trip to Washington DC I had a small accident in the house. Nothing serious, however I did end up in the emergency room and was out of commission for the better part of a week. We were emailing each other during this time and then she sent me this cute little sheep card. The text translates from Dutch to be "Always Fun" which was her wish for me and my family. Sweet! And yes, another wonderful cancellation from South-Western Ontario.

OFFICIAL Card - USA

Another truly vintage card came my way recently. This card looks like it was printed in the 1950's or 60's. Elizabeth is in Minnesota and chose this card showing sheep at Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, Mass. It reminds me of our Black Creek Pioneer Village, a spot the kids and I were at a few weeks ago. Another lucky day for me as Elizabeth also used some amazing bird stamps!

Random Act of Smiliness - Ireland from Alida

Another wonderful vintage card sent to me from my dear friend Alida. This time it shows sheep in Ireland. She writes about her garden and the mosquitoes. An irritating nuisance of summer. I thought for sure after our brutal winter they wouldn't have reappeared but in fact they are worse than usual! Thank you Alida!

OFFICIAL Cards - Germany

There is a thread on the Postcrossing Forum that I enjoy reading from time to time called "Amazing Coincidences". These cards are a classic example, so much so that I posted about it on the thread. Two different users in Germany, Simone and Katrin both drew my name on June 23, in fact the card IDs are only four numbers apart. The kicker for me is they both sent me sheep cards! How freaky and fun is that?!?! To boot, the second card reminds me of this other German card I received two weeks earlier. Have you ever experienced an "amazing coincidence" like this?

Random Act of Smiliness - New Zealand from Alida

Alida will single handily grow my collection of sheep cards. I love her for that, so thoughtful and there to put a smile on my face when I need one. She sent this card in the beginning of May and writes that while she is seeing many lambs and sheep locally but no local postcards. This view card show sheep grazing with Mount Cook, NZ in the background. Thank you Alida!

OFFICIAL Card - Germany

Daniela lives in Bavaria and found this beautiful Fall scene of sheep grazing. One of my first Europa Stamps for 2014 too!