Poland - Yarn Related

October 19, 2019

This lovely card came to me from Poland.  Mariola wrote something nice and friendly on the back and all in all, it was a lovely card to receive.

She wrote,

"Hello Cześć!
My name is Mariola. I come from Poland. I live in a city Jelenia Gora. It is beautiful place. I don't speak in English very Wek and I like to get a postcards.

Portugal - Crafts

Mar 22, 2019

Ana sent this card from Portugal way back in March. Apologies but April and May have been crazy busy months so I didn't update this blog.  

Ana wrote;

Hello, my name is Ana, and I live in Portugal, my country is small, but cozy, has good food, good beaches, good climate.

Have a good week

Ana


I'm not sure what they are doing, but it looks like needlepoint.  

 This is an interesting stamp, I'm not sure what it is about!

Netherlands - Yarn Related

September 26, 2018

This fabulous CROCHET card arrived in my mailbox recently. I was thrilled because crochet cards are few and far between-knitting cards are slightly more common.

Syl sent it with a short note on the back of the card.

She wrote:
Sep 21, 2018
Utrecht, 18℃

Hui Helen!

My favourite movie at the moment is : "The Shape of Water"
CARPE DIEM!

With love, Syl.

 This is a beautiful stamp, and fits with what she wrote about her favourite movie.

Belarus - Crafts

August 13, 2108

Nastya sent this great card to me with a great message on the back.  She wrote a lot which I really love.

She wrote;

Hi Helen. My name is Nastya. I'm writing to you from the Minsk city. I hope you'll visit my wonderful country.

 Now about movie. My favourite film is 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. I love adventure films very much. What about you? What is your favourite movie genre? What is your favourite film/TV show/cartoon?

I hope you enjoy the postcard. Best wishes and warm hugs from Belarus. Happy Postcrossing.

Portugal - Crafts

August 2, 2018

This card was in my favourites and José was nice enough to send it to me. He does have something in common with me too.

José wrote;

Hello Helen,
I chose a card from your favourites and really hope you will like it. I am also Canadian but was born here and came back here after retirement and to enjoy a milder weather. Past I lived 40 years in Montreal and my children still live there.

Best wishes & regards

José

 Very interesting stamp!

Lithuania

January 31, 2018

This card with its very cool design came to me from LINA with a friendly message on the back.  I like this picture...it looks a little like crochet coming out of the top of the bus.

She wrote,
"LABAS! Hello Helen!

Greetings from Kaunas, lovely city in Lithuania and my hometown.

I like reading, my favorite author is Paulo Coelho. I also love his quotes, one of my favorite is:
'When you want nothing, all the universe conspires in helping--'

Best wishes, LINA"

Algeria - Yarn Related

November 8, 2017

This card surprised me when it arrived in our mail slot.  It is from Algeria!  I've never had a card from Algeria before, so it was a lovely treat.

The sender had a friendly note on the back, and even wrote a little something in Arabic that unfortunately I can't read, so it was an interesting and cool card.

He wrote,

Hello Helen!

I hope you're fine and hope you'll like this card showing a typical Algerian girl knitting a traditional carpet.

[Arabic writing]

Warmest greetings from Algeria!

All the best.

Kader"

To be honest, I don't think the girl is knitting.  It looks to me like she is winding wool.  I believe these carpets are woven, but I may be mistaken.  If anyone knows, please let me know.

 A very interesting stamp with different kinds of energy being featured.

China - Craft

July 24, 2017

I received this card after a few days away, so I'm not entirely sure which day I received it.  However, I registered it on July 24, 2017.

The back is written in pink ink and some of it is faded and smeared...the back of the card may have gotten wet at some point.  Some of the writing is illegible, sad to say.

Muyue wrote,

Hi, Helen

Greetings from China.

I'm Muyue and 26 years old.
This card shows a hand-made cloth
given to my favorite writer.  She spent
her life as herself mind and wrote so
many novels.  But she was dead when I am
born.  Good luck.

A beautiful vase.  

Serenity

February 25, 2017

Today's Blog Party Link-up topic is Serenity.  I am a movie/sci-fi fan, so I admit that this sums up my first thought. 

However, I must admit that this isn't a postcard that I have received, it is a picture that I found on the Internet.  I'd love a postcard of it if anyone has it though!

Going through some of my cards I found a few that fulfill what I consider to be my qualifications for serenity.

I was a fan of Freddie Mercury, but not a fanatical one.  I probably appreciate him more now than I did when I was younger.  I like the motto attributed to him on the card, and think that it does give a person a definite sense of serenity if they can say it about themselves.

This painting by Quint Buchholz shows how I feel when I am entranced with a book.  It is tempting like a forbidden lover, keeping me company when I am alone, and making me feel that a human companion is an interloper.  To me, it looks like the book is her oasis of peace and comfort, her serenity.
This painting is from Im Land Der Bücher~In the Land of Books.

Virpi Pekkala(Artist)

I like to crochet and I hope that when I am crocheting I can achieve the sense of serenity that the angel in this picture seems to emanate!  I do find that crochet is extremely relaxing and the simple act of manipulating yarn with a hook to make something useful or beautiful does give me a sense of joy. 

It has been many years since I have made something quite as big or as intricate as the maker in the picture, but finishing a work that I have spent months on does bring both peace and happiness.  I hope to attain her serenity one day!

Thank you for joining me on my quest to find serenity.  If you haven't found it here, one of the other bloggers in our Link-Up Party may have a vision of it that you prefer.  Please visit them to find out!

Slovakia - Handicrafts

October 25, 2016

This beautiful card arrived in my mailbox from Slovakia.  Sonja sent it with a long and friendly message on the back.  She also mentioned the stamps she sent, which is rather unusual (but great!) When I put stamps on my postcard, it is the last thing I do in the process...there's no room to write about them on the card. I tend to write a lot!

Sonja writes,
"Oct. 18, 2016. Autumn is here. +10℃

Dearest Helen!!
Friendly greetings to you from the other part of the world-Europe, very small country called Slovakia. I live in its capital, "Bratislava", Vajnory is part of our town.

What a story 😃 From Canada to Japan!
Had a very good penfriend in Okinawa.  Japan is my travelling dream, I hope to visit one day.  I love to discover new places.

I am a wedding specialist, had a busy season.  If free weekend, I love to bike and travel.

The bigger stamp shows Slovak Natural Heritage - Ice Caves - It is so unique.

Enjoy the upcoming time & good luck to you & your husband.

Love Sonja"

The larger stamp below is a picture of the ice caves that Sonja mentioned above.  

Russia - Handicrafts

February 8, 2016

Julia sent this cute card with a gorgeous stamp and a friendly note on the back.

"Hello!
I am looking for car with crochet, but found only with stitching! I hope this is nice! Julia"

Unfortunately the name of the artist is covered up on the back.  It's a lovely little picture and is a fine substitute for crochet...which IS terribly hard to find on a card!

 This is a very cool stamp. My Google Translate App tells me that it says "Head Mail and Telegraphers" on the left side and "History Russian Uniforms" along the top.  Am I close?  Readers?  Nice to see a woman in uniform too!

Latvia - Handicrafts

January 12, 2016

I received this fabulous card from Kristine and I really liked it a lot.  It has a lot of mittens on it.  I  tried to knit a pair of mittens once, but my mother had to help me with the thumbs.  I loved them, but sadly ended up losing them somewhere.  I was quite sad about that.

Kristine writes, "Hello!  Greetings from Europe, greetings from Latvia.  And happy New 2016 year!

As winter with snow and frost arrived here, - sending you card with nice mittens in traditional patterns.  My granny also is making such for us.  Love them.  Warm and beautiful.  We are enjoying skiing and skating.  Happy Postcrossing!  Kristine"

Knitted Mittens.
Latvia.  18th c till the beginning of the 20th c.
National History Museum of Latvia

The bird you see on the stamp is, I believe, a Eurasian golden oriole.  The Wikipedia article is here.

Thanks Kristine :-)

United States - Handicrafts

December 4, 2015

This is a little bit of a complaint.  I sometimes feel that just because I live in a country that doesn't speak English, people think _I_ can't speak English, or I'm a little bit stupid or something.  Perhaps it is just that some people don't want to write a lot on their cards, but when I receive a post card with big letters and a tiny message, I wonder why they don't write more about themselves or the card or the things on my profile.

Je ne sais pas!  (And after 18 years in Japan, that is almost all the French I remember!)

I got this nice and colourful card from Nori in the US. She writes, "I grew up near Paducah, KY, which is know as "Quilt City USA." I can barely sew on a button!  Haha! NORI"

Puddle, 55" x 44". C. Mia Rozmyn, 1993

Russia - Movie Card - Bond Villain

September 14, 2015

Svetlana sent this card which was posted in my favourites (yay!) and wrote a nice note about one of the stamps she used.

"On the stamp you can see the Orenburg shawl (one of the classic Russian handicraft).  The Orenburg Shawl known as "Wedding Shawl" because thin as a cobweb downy shawl can be pulled through a wedding ring.  All the Best! Svetlana
P.S. A card is from your favs. :-)"

007 Joseph Wiseman in the title role of Dr. No (1962)

The stamp in the corner is the one that Svetlana wrote about.  I've had the stamp before, but her explanation is very good.  Also, I love crochet and since I'm working on a piece (not this gorgeous!) need the inspiration.

Thank you so much Svetlana!  

Ukraine - Handicraft

August 26, 2015

Olga sent this card from the Ukraine with a friendly message on the back.  "Hello! My name is Olga. I live in Ukraine.  I think Japan is very interesting country.  I love reading, travelling, visiting the sea. I live with my husband and little daughter.
Wish you warm and bright summer! :-)
PS. I hope you like this pink lamb."

Lamb - Page from felt artbook <Animals>
Oksana Trygub, 2012

Italy - Yarn

July 21, 2015

I spend a lot of free time with yarn in my hands, I'm a diehard crafter, so this card made me very happy.

Svetlana sent it to me from Italy with a short and sweet note. She wrote,"Hello!  My name's Svetlana.  I'm Russian, but live and work in Italy."

Could there be anything better than having a stamp (or two) with chocolate on it?  Only if the stamp tasted like chocolate!  There's a wikipedia article about the chocolate mentioned.  The stamp on the far left I don't know anything about again. 

Netherlands - Handicrafts

April 20, 2015

Anita sent me this great card from the Netherlands.  She wrote a very nice movie filled message, so you know I loved it!  "I'm a 29 years old girl.  The last movie I saw was 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'.  I loved it! My Favourite movies are 'Pulp Fiction', 'Amelie' and 'American Beauty'.  And I'm watching Twin Peaks now!  Love and a hug, Anita.

Through the Year with Sunbonnet Sue Two, ... (rest of name is obstructed)

 These are some really cool stamps aren't they?

Malaysia

April 14, 2015

Lyen sends many greetings from Malaysia.  She is sending this card and hopes I like it. She writes that she also likes movies, especially Japanese movies that describe family, children and loves.  She finds these kinds of movies touching :-) and notes that she is kind of sentimental! She closes by wishing me Happy Postcrossing and Good Day!

I believe that this is a Sock Monkey, but there isn't anything visible on the card about it!

 Gorgeous stamps and I'm so happy to see another Air Mail Sticker!  It's hard to get them here in Japan!

Thanks so much Lyen :-)

Germany

April 5, 2015

Ursula sent this great Easter-ish card to me from Germany recently.  I told her in my thank you that it reminded me of the Ukrainian Easter Eggs that are very famous in my part of Canada.  They are quite lovely.

She wrote a chatty note on the back. She said, "Best wishes from the German seashore sends you Ursula.  I'm a farmer's widow, love gardening and actually I prepare my garden for spring.  The first flowers come out and let me know -start gardening!  Just knowing that you shared a moment of your day with me is "precious"!  Happy Easter!

So cool!  I'd love to learn how to dye these eggs!

Germany - Crafts

March 28, 2015

I received this lovely crafty greeting card from Pia in Germany. She wrote on the inside, "I hope you like this card.  I also love hand-work with wool usually... I love postcrossing then I collect stamps round the world." She signed it with her address.

Anonymous*Pakistan* Textile (Detail)*

There was one more sentence in her card, "Do you like my present?"  Pia had included a beautiful handkerchief that I believe she embellished herself.  I scanned it, so please forgive the not perfect look at it...my fault, not hers. 

This is really beautiful crochet work. It is so fine and looks perfect too.

Thanks Pia!