Top 10

Jean's blog recently had its millionth hit! She asked me how many my blog has had - turns out I've a way to go to 1 million - 170,000 so far.

Looking at the stats page it made me realize it's been a while since I looked at which posts on the blog are the most popular.

So to wrap up 2018, here is the current top 10, and there's a new number one!

1 (-) V is for Vanishing Trades (2018) 

2 (1) Edelweiss Post (2016)*

3 (-) A-Z Challenge reflections post (2017)

4 (-) Artistamps from TicTac (2017)

5 (-) D is for Dragons (2018)

6 (-) Banana from Dorothea (2017)

7 (-) B is for a Butterfly from Belgium (2018)

8 (2) St Valentine's Day (2015)*

9 (-) An octopus named Hank (2017)

10 (-) Jean-san (2017)

(* indicates a former number one)

Do you have a favorite from the list?

Or maybe one not on the list?

And in case you were worried there wouldn't be a picture today, in honor of one of my favorite sets of stamps released in 2018, here is a pictorial postmark on an envelope sent to Eva (from her blog). This is the official postmark from the American Philatelic Stamp Show held in Columbus this year.

Envelope 1000

Not really (although I'm getting close - currently on homemade envelope 824), however this *is* blog post 1000.

I'm amazed the blog has made it to this point.

A family member found some of the original envelopes that I sent out back in 1992/1993, so here they are.

The one with comedienne Jo Brand and the plumber's crack made me laugh. I can honestly say I have no memory of any of them.

It has been a while since I looked at the top 5 most viewed blog posts, so here they are, with a new entry for Heleen's fabulous Fin(n)Badger:

1 (1) Edelweiss post (2016)

2 (2) St Valentine's Day (2015)*

3 (3) Exchange 11 - Mr Charles resplendent (2014)*

4 (5) Sunday Stamps - Boats and Ships (2015)

5 (-) Fin(n)Badger (2016)

* indicates a former number one post.

And since it is a special occasion, here are the next 5 most popular posts to round out the top ten.

6.  It's the Year of the Ram! or Sheep! or Goat! (2015)

7. Jean and Jan's April exchange received part 2 (2015)  

8. Sunday Stamps - Water Birds (2016)

9. Top 5 (2014)

10. Mail art from France - with bonus stamps (2014)

There are also two former number one blogposts no longer in the top 10...

Envelope 100 (2013)

Envelope 81 (2013)

Plus, July 2016 was the most visited month on the blog ever, so thanks to everyone who sends me mail, and/or comments on the blog, it is all appreciated!!

An IUOMA valentine, and bonus stats

A valentine from Diana H at IUOMA.

________________________

Bonus stats

It has been quite some time since we had a change at the top. There is a new leader in most viewed posts. During the last year or so, the blog hit a new monthly high for visits in December 2016 of 3920, driven I'm sure by the blog advent. Also, the blog passed 50k views in the last couple of months - thanks!

Top 5

1 (-) Edelweiss Post

2 (1) St Valentine's Day

3 (2) Exchange 11 - Mr Charles resplendent

4 (-) Camels on Sunday Stamps

5 (5) Sunday Stamps - boats and ships

Envelope 262 - Jimi gets his Rothko on for Rose, and Sunday Stamps: the faces of Johnny and Ray

Hendrix on Rothko for Rose.

And Jimi's face fits todays' Sunday Stamps theme. Be sure to check out the links on the Sunday Stamps page for more great faces on stamps.

More Jimi.

Of course my favorite face to use on the envelopes is Johnny Cash. These are all the previously blogged envelopes of Mr Cash that I have sent. The first one includes a bonus face in Ray Charles, another favorite stamp. Then I couldn't resist adding some envelopes of Mr Charles sent & received.

All three are part of the music icons series.

The Johnnys, as promised.

And one of my all-time favorites that I received from Jean. Do you have a favorite Johnny in this bunch?

Johnny would have celebrated his 83rd birthday a few days ago on February 26th if he was still alive.

RIP.

_____________________________

Top 5 blog posts update.

Well, it finally happened, Cathy's great orange Ray Charles envelope (featured above) has been knocked off the top spot. Thanks to my taking part in Sunday Stamps, the St Valentine's Day post is now the most popular. How ironic, a 'holiday' I don't really like that much! Another two Sunday Stamps posts have also broken into the top 5. February 2015 saw a new monthly high - just over 2800 page views, a few more than the previous best month, which was January 2015.

Thanks for viewing the blog!

1 (-) St Valentine's day

2 (1) Exchange 11 - Mr Charles

3 (4) Mail art from France

4 (-) It's the Year of the Ram! or Sheep or Goat!

5 (-) Sunday Stamps - Boats & Ships

Envelope 462 - Happy Mail. And bonus stats.

Over at MMSA, Beth A asked for contributions for a mail art/happy mail workshop she had planned for mid-October.

Here's another envelope from an old calendar. The original caption read, "I'm doing my part to go green. I've had three apple martinis today."

Stamped.

And addressed.

_____________________

October became the most visited month to date - by just 40 views. Cathy's envelope continues as the number one post. This is the first top 5 to not feature a post from 2013.

Top 5

1 (1) Exchange 11 - Mr Charles resplendent in orange 

2 (2) Faux postage + digital color postmarks 

3 (-) Stats This new entry to the top 5 cracked me up 

4 (-) Mail Art from France - with bonus stamps 

5 (-) Bonus mail - Fancy French mail art call