US and Spain

 August 26, 2026

These cards arrived on the same day and I haven't updated for a for a few days, so...here goes...

This card came from the US and is a picture card. The sender pasted a very generic type-written message on the back of the card. It was a bit disappointing really. (I don't know if the sender has some personal reason to use a typewritten non-personalized message.) She did use some nice stamps on the back.

The second card I received that day was from a sender in Spain. She actually drew the picture on the front of the card and hoped that it arrived with good battle scars, but it arrived in perfect condition!

I'm not often a fan of handmade cards, but this one was for one of my hobbies, so I really like it!

The stamp she used on the card. Very cool!

Books - Netherlands and Germany

July 6, 2026

Leah sent this card from Germany. She wrote about her town and her favourite movie [The Blind Side] as she loves the message and how loyalty and love is portrayed.

I've read about 5 of these novels, how about you?

She also asked me what my favourite Jason Statham movie was....I have a few, I like Spy as he's hilarious in it and I also like The Transporter because the action is very cool. 

July 8, 2026

Anneke sent this from the Netherlands and mentions that she lives near the Belgian border. She notes that the stamps show writers from the Netherlands.

 

New Zealand - View

April 28, 2026

 

Mike sent this nice card from New Zealand. He says this is the Mt. Cook region and shows their highest mountain. 

Now, I have a confession. I got this card and instead of putting it on the stair like normal until I could go upstairs and register it, I put it in my pocket and started to prepare dinner. It got bent in my pocket. Ack! It travelled all the way from New Zealand in perfect condition and I'm the one who damaged it. I'm sorry!!

I liked the stamp that Mike used. I haven't seen this one before. 

Thanks Mike!

Austria - Tea

 Received April 24, 2026

Alessandra sent this card to me from Vienna, Austria. She asked me if I knew that snow globes were invented in Vienna in 1900. Nope would be my answer! One of the stamps on this card shows the inventor of the snow globe, Erwin Perzy. Unfortunately, Alessandra didn't mention tea at all, but she did include a sticker that I liked a lot!

Here are the stamps she used on the back of the card.

And the cool sticker that I can get behind....

Me too!

Czech Republic - Food

March 24, 2020

Belka sent this card from the Czech Republic in January, but it didn't arrive here until the end of March. Slow mail perhaps?

She wrote a long note on the back and my readers know that I enjoy that!

She wrote;

"Hello Helen.

Many greetings from the Czech Republic, Europe. This card shows a typical Czech Eastern [Easter?]  sweet bread (I do not know how better call it.) It is full of raisins and candied fruit. Around the card are Eastern [Easter?] eggs drawn by wax and then colored - the wax makes white pictures on the egg. It is my favourite technique, but unfortunately less and less people (women) color eggs for Easter [Easter?] .

Best regards. Belka

This looks so delicious!

An interesting stamp, it commemorates a Czech artist.

France

March 11, 2020

This card came from Emmanuelle in France. She wrote a lovely message on the back about her area of France and her work. I like finding out about people in other places!

She wrote,
"Hello, Bonjour Helen,
Best greeting from France. I am 34 years old and I live in Chateaunova[?]. There is at 250km of Paris, it is center of country. Region of good wine, castles and goat of cheese. I love travel but I work a lot. I take care of disabled persons.

Have a great day

Emmanuelle"

Sadly, there was no title to tell me where this is.  Also, it has cancellation marks on the card. 

Germany

January 27, 2020

This lovely card came from Tanja in Germany.  She just wrote a short note on the back of this card.

"Hello, many greetings!

Tanja is my name. I live in Karrel which is located in the middle of Germany. This castle, a well known one, lies in the south of Germany. I have been there only one time so far but drove by a couple of times.

BEST WISHES!
Karrel, 21.01.20"

Schloss Neuschwanstein

I didn't know anything about Alexander von Humboldt until I spent a few minutes on Wikipedia.  He was one of the first people to propose that lands bordering the Atlantic were once joined together. He also was the first person to talk about climate change due to human beings, so I really should have heard of him before!  The article is here...read up if you like!  

China - Flowers

October 8, 2019

This pretty card with amazing stamps came to my door in October and I'm just now blogging about it. Sigh.

Alfred sent this card with a very short note on the back.

He wrote,

"Hi! Greetings from China!  These days the weather is very hot. I hope a cool autumn.  Alfred"

I love the bottom stamp (is that a pun?). I think it might be the story of The Emperor's New Clothes.

United States - Actress in Black & White

September 19, 2019

This fabulous card came to me from Magnus in the US.  He wrote a friendly note on the back and used some amazing stamps too, so this was a very good Postcrossing!

He wrote;

Hi Helen!
Hello from Virginia! My name is Magnus and I write postcards with my dad. I hope you like this postcard and the stamps! Have a good autumn! 😀

Marilyn Monroe

These are perfect stamps for me!  I loved receiving them.

Great Britain

July 30, 2019

Emma sent this card to me and it was a bit of a puzzle.  There was a sticker on the front that says she didn't pay enough postage so it was sent by another service.  Now then, the slogan on the card is about frugality, so my question is...did she mean to sent it by a slow service or was it a happy accident?  I have no idea!

She wrote a short and friendly note on the back;
"Helen,
I hope that you are well!
I am a student in the UK. I live by the beach with my boyfriend & our 2 rabbits.

~Emma

This is the card with the sticker.

This is the card without the sticker

The offending stamp. Oops!

I think I like the postcard more with the sticker than without!  What about you?

United States - Art Card

July 5, 2019

Yufang sent this card to me from the US. She used great stamps on the back and wrote a chatty note about herself and movies that she loves on the back.  I love this kind of card!

She wrote;

Hello Helen!

Greetings from New York City (Brooklyn). USA! 

My name is Yufang, came from Taiwan 16 years ago. I love to read, play piano, and collect stamps. My favorite movies are "Scent of a Woman", "Amelie", and lots of good action movies.  I definitely love Daniel Craig's Bond movies! He actually lives about 10-minute walk from my house! :-) Hope all is well! Yufang

PS. You live in my dream country!

Woman reading in a Forest - Gyula Benczur

Look at these wonderful stamps!  Greta Garbo, Love and Celebrate! How wonderful.  I've never seen such a good example of the Garbo stamp before. I love it!

Czech Republic - Food

July 3, 2019

Verka sent a friendly message from the Czech Republic.  Some of it is in Czech, which I will not type here, as I'm not sure how I would do that!

She wrote,

"Hello Stella, Greetings from Czech Republic.  On the postcard are cakes-typical Czech with poppy and nuts. Have a nice day.

Vĕrka

I really like these stamps, although I'm not sure who the man is in the big stamp.  

United States - Movie Card

April 26, 2019

Leisa sent this cool movie card to me from Texas in the US.  She typed a nice note on the back, with an explanation for the typing, so it was a great card to receive.

Leisa typed;

Howdy,

That's a Texas style hello! My name is Leisa and I live in a small town in this big state. I'm a retired nurse who loves to watch movies. I love "Inn of Sixth Happiness" but you just got to love "Tremors" too!  Sorry for the typed message, I've injured my hand. I always check favorite lists to see if I have a card that might be there. I had this "Hobbit" card that's the same style you have on favorite just a different character. I got it online but didn't know about the strange backs. Can't figure out what language this is but think the style is cool! Hope you like the card.


I do like the card very much and I think the language on the front is Elvish. It has a great couple of stamps too.

The Hobbit, well one of the movies anyway.

Great Sally Ride stamp, and I like the Love stamp as well.

China - Food

January 2, 2019

This cute card came to me from China with a short but friendly note on the back.

Daisy wrote,

Hello from China.
The famous biangbiang noodle of Shaanxi province.
The name of this noodle is very difficult to write in Chinese.

Daisy from Shanghai.

The kanji for biangbiang is very difficult! 

A great assortment of stamps!  

United States of America - Book/Tea

December 25, 2018 (Yes, there is mail delivery on December 25 in Japan as it isn't a national holiday here.)

The note on the back of the card was short and didn't have a lot to say.  The person did list a few of their favourite movies though, so they get brownie points for that.

I really like the card however. It's very literary and it mentions tea and Peter Pan!

The person wrote;

Greetings from Olympia, WA!

My favorite films include Little Shop of Horrors, Kiss Me Kate, The Jerk, & Marat/Sade. [They wrote a line and a half and then scribbled over it so I can't read it.]

Happy Postcrossing!

Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?
Peter and Wendy
J.M. Barrie
 

Santa stamps on Christmas Day.  Yay!

India - Food

November 5, 2018

This delicious looking card came from Soumya in India. She wrote a friendly note on the back of the card too.  When I wrote to her I said that her card made me hungry for Indian food, so I visited the Indian restaurant in my city soon after I received it! Funny thing is, writing about this card again makes me want to go back again :-)

She wrote;

Namaste! greetings from India! I have heard so many good things of Japan. That make me wanna visit it some-day. Japan's cherry blossoms are my favourite. I heard people pack picnic lunches while they bloom. I have also heard a lot about Mt. Fuji :-)

United States

November 5, 2018

This fun card came from Linda in the US.  She wrote a lot on the back of her card and used some great stamps so this was a lovely present in my mailbox!

She wrote;

Hello Helen from Milwaukee Wisconsin on Beautiful Lake Michigan. Fall here, lots of pumkins everywhere as it gets closer to Halloween, people dress up in costumes & scare others ~LOVE this time of year ~ fresh apples picked from the trees dipped in caramel and rolled in nuts, "Yummy".

We are waiting for our second grandson this December.

Peace & Joy ~ Linda USA

Linda used some amazing stamps on her card as well.  

Thanks Linda!  A really cool Postcrossing!

United States - Black & White Actress

October 10, 2018

This excellent card came to me from the US.  Lisa sent it wth a great message all about movies on the back, so I was thrilled. Also fabulous was the fact that she used movie star stamps on the back.  A double bonus!

She wrote

Hi Helen - sending greetings from Texas. I love Casablanca too & the original Wuthering Heights. Tried to find a card you haven't already received. Hope I succeeded!
One of my all time favorite movies is A Room With a View. I love to art journal--@dagbockblue on Instagram and dream of taking a trip to Japan to buy supplies & check out the traveler's factory Midori[not sure about this word].

Best,
Lisa

Audrey Hepburn

Look at these cooler than cool stamps!  Personally, I love the Shirley Temple one, but the Elvis one is interesting too. 

Thanks so much Lisa!!

Spain - Black & White

October 4, 2018

This beautiful card came from Montse in Spain.  She wrote an enthusiastic note on the back and told me why she picked this card, which is something I love to hear. 

She wrote;

Hola Helen!!

Sorpresa!![Surprise]

My name is Montse and work in the postal service, I love music and traveling. I chose this postcard for you. I hope you like it!!! - He has "Duende" in the world of Flamenco, a person who possesses a special talent, whether in singing or dancing.

Salvdos[Regards] --Montse

Tato Olivas - "Flamenco"

Look at these amazing stamps and cancellation stamp.  The stamp on the left is textured too, and very cool!

United States - Book Related

September 27, 2018

This amazing card came from Sheri in the US.  I really love it.  Although I am not a huge fan of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, the card is wonderfully symbollic of the story.  I like it very much.

Sheri wrote:

Hi Helen, greetings from Avondale, AZ.  I wonder how Japan is so different from Canada. I've been to Japan once, a long time ago. It is a beautiful country but it is very brave of you to live so far from home!
=) Sheri

These are also quite interesting stamps.  I'm not familiar with them and I haven't received them before.