U is for United Nations

Continuing the Sunday Stamps A-Z, U is for United Nations.

I have shown several of my favorites in the past, so for this week I have a 2017 stamp that celebrates World Environment Day with one of my favorite animals, the polar bear.

Sent to Eva, Heleen and Eric with a little bit of art on the envelopes.

For more stamps with a U theme, head over to the links at Sunday Stamps.

Thanks to everyone who has stopped by the blog to browse and comment - it is all appreciated.

Have a safe, fun night tonight, and best wishes for an awesome 2018.

A December exchange envelope and lovely card from Bug.

Happy Holidays!

A fun Santa from Eva

Another Christmas Puffin

In 2015 Heleen sent me a wonderful envelope showing a puffin, which I showed on Christmas Day.

It is one of my all-time favorites, so I used it again for my Christmas Day post in 2016.

So this year I sent envelope 920 to Heleen, made from a grocery bag. I hope it arrived in time. And since she loves puffins, I used this year's love stamps.

Merry Christmas, everyone, have a peaceful day whether you celebrate Christmas or not.

Sunday Stamps - Christmas

I've shown the lighthouse on this envelope from Australia before, but I haven't shown the Christmas stamps accompanying it. One even has my favorite Christmas animal - camels!

A British Christmas stamp from 1991. The theme for the stamps is illustrated manuscripts from the Bodleian Library, located in Oxford. This particular stamp shows the adoration of the magi. I believe that 18p was the second class stamp rate at the time.

And another Australian one, celebrating 50 years of Christmas stamps, accompanied by one from Christmas Island which has Santa taking his boots off (but not his hat!) and some interesting helpers.

For more stamps with a Christmas theme, head over to explore the links at Sunday Stamps.

Have a stress-free Christmas Eve, everyone.

T is for Tennis

Three tennis-related stamps sent on one envelope.

One from the WPA Posters set (2017), one from the Have a Ball set (2017) where the lines on the tennis ball are slightly raised, and Althea Gibson (1927-2003). Althea Gibson was honored with a stamp issued in 2013. She was the first athlete of color to win a tennis Grand Slam, the French Open in 1956. She went on to win 11 major singles and doubles titles and was named female athlete of the year by the Associated Press in 1958 and 1959, years when she won both Wimbledon and the US Nationals (a former name for what is now the US Open). She went on to become the first black person to compete on the women's professional golf tour in the 1960s.

To see more stamps with a T theme, head over to explore the links at Sunday Stamps.

S is for Seed

On a unique Spanish stamp, an actual seed!

Thanks go to Eva who sent this unusual stamp some time ago. And for getting me hooked on Sunday Stamps!

And bonus S on the same postcard some selvage (?) showing youth sports.

For more S themes on stamps, head over to the links at Sunday Stamps.

November envelope exchange part 3

The fifth Wyeth stamp and envelope (number 618). Ice!

November exchange envelopes sent part 2

Two more stamps from the Wyeth set, on envelopes 247 and 305, houses and windows.

November envelopes sent part 1

I love the Andrew Wyeth set issued in July. I think they work well with some of my more unusual envelopes.

The first two for the November exchange, envelopes 156 and 582. I feel like they have the themes of time, and doors.

Envelope 918 to Heleen

I don't think that I've shown this one yet, made from a street map, that I sent to Heleen.

Art in a Box - finale

It's the last piece of art from the box.

And the inside of the lid, just to show what a professional package Georgia put together.

R is for Red

Here is a set of stamps I used on a package with a red theme.

The stamps celebrate the 50th anniversary of Star Trek, the Year of the Rooster, Diwali, Summer Harvest, Forever Love and the 75th anniversary of Wonder Woman.

For more stamps with an R theme, check out the links at Sunday Stamps.

Art in a Box part 19

Another piece of art with a poem on the back from Konstantine.

Art in a Box part 18

Another piece of art, with another ocean theme. From Angelika.

Art in a Box part 16

The 16th piece of art form the box is a feather (a bit hard to appreciate from the scan) with a poem on the back, titled 'Icarus', from Vangelis.

Art in a Box part 15

Another piece of art from the box. This piece from Liza has a lot of texture to it - it made me think of a wave on the beach.

Art in a Box part 14

Another piece of art - this time a monochromatic scene by Birgit.

Art in a Box part 13

More from the box... a beautiful water color titled Ouzo, from Eri.

Q is for Quilled Heart

The watercolor calendar envelopes work well with other stamps, too. Here is the Quilled Heart stamp on envelope 778 (and the 2015 non-machinable butterfly on 779).

Quilling is the art of using scrolled paper to make 3D artistic compositions. Wikipedia has some info, but better is to google  'quilling' to look for images, many of which are stunning.

The Quilled Heart stamp is the 2016 entry into the USPS Love series. Digital images of this stamp do seem more vibrant and show more detail than the actual stamp, although it has grown on me.

For more stamps with a Q theme, head over to browse the links at Sunday Stamps.

Art in a box part 12

We're in the back stretch of the art in a box series. Today's is one from Katerina, a mail artist who is always sending me wonderful things, so it was nice to see her appear in the box, as it were.

Art in a Box part 11

Another art in a box piece today. Rubber stamping from William.

Art in a Box part 10

Another post, another piece of art. Today's piece is from Tiziana.

Art in a Box part 9

More art from the box, this time one of the pieces I created - one of 20 digitally manipulated photo printed onto old street map pages.

Art in a Box part 8

Another art piece from the box.

Art in a Box part 7

Another wonderful piece from the box. A manipulated photograph from Vasilis.

P is for President, Progress, Producer, Poet, Politician, Philosopher, Playwright, Plane and Pentathlete (and Postage).

I bought a set of envelopes with vintage stamps in a 'masculine' theme from Edelweiss post. I had wanted to send one to Eric, so I had to wait until I could make up the international postage with two modern stamps that had a similar color palette.

I'll leave it up to you to make the connections to the P themes and the stamps.

For more P themes on stamps, head over to the links at Sunday Stamps.

Art in a Box part 6

Today's piece of Art in a Box is from Bianca, and titled 'Dance Performance'.

Art in a Box part 5

The scanner picked up the details on today's piece of Art in a Box really well. In person, the light has to catch the paper just right to see the subtle details. An amazing piece from Noroko in Japan.

Art in a Box part 4

Another lovely piece from my Art in a Box. This one has a wonderful texture to it that does not translate on the screen.

Art in a Box part 3

More Art in a Box. This lovely watercolor is from Paula.

Art in a Box part 2

More Art in a Box, today's piece is from Dorothee.

Art in a Box Summer 2017

Via Katerina's prompt, I took part in Georgia's wonderful Art in a Box project - 20 artists creating 20 pieces of art approximately 6 x 8 inches, with each artist receiving a box at the end. I think that this is the second edition, with the theme Summer.

Here is the great cover art on the box.

And Georgia's mermaid contribution.

More of the beautiful art inside coming up in future posts.

O is for Oregon

In 2002 USPS issued a set of 34c stamps (the cost of a 1st class letter back then) in the style of postcards for each of the 50 states. I've only received one of them, sent recently as the postcard rate is now 34c.

You can see the sheet and links to all of the stamps here.

For more stamp themes beginning with O, head over to Sunday Stamps.

Stormtrooper

Another 'envelope' made from a tissue box.

OMG XXX

Heleen sent me this to do something with.

Here's the result.

Imagine peace

A while ago I added to an add and pass, and, per the instructions, sent a copy to all previous recipients I could identify.

Moreno sent this amazing batch of images back.

Now I have to decide if any of them should be added to and passed, or just admired.