Monday, August 08, 2016

For Love of Postage

I'm having a love affair with stamps and have ordered some new ones from the USPS.  My local post office does not keep a great variety of stamps.  

The USPS issues some wonderful stamps, but I find that certain other countries seem to have as much or more creative fun with postage.   WOPA Stamps have an amazing variety of stamps from countries all over the world.  I get lost looking at them.


The Guernsey Isles have an affaire de cour with stamps.
  Here are a few (a very few)
 of some of their offerings over the last few years.



Maybe you have read  the wonderful
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
If you have not, put it on your TBR list.
 Below is a first day cover for the stamps honoring the novel
 about the occupation of the Guernsey Isles during WWII. 
I love first day covers, and
 I loved this book!
first day cover for the novel

And what about these stamps titled
Stories of the First World War!


17 comments:

  1. These are all so wonderful! Of course I especially liked Penny the Postie!! *smile* The last time at the PO I picked up stamps that are devoted to ice cream concoctions! Perfect for birthday cards and for summer writings.

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    1. :) Isn't it fun to choose stamps for cards and letters? The ice cream concoctions are perfect for summer!

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  2. Wow-the stamps you've shown are beautiful and interesting. I think it would be great fun to design stamps.

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    1. It would be fun to design stamps, and quite an honor for an artist's work to be sent not only all over his own country, but all over the world!

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  3. Wonderful postage, Jen. I have a love affair of postage myself. It's obvious that I need to write more as my supply is growing faster than mailings.

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    1. Ha! Sometimes writing letters is partly an excuse to order more stamps. The variety of themes and styles is amazing! Even without going into all of the details that true philatelists study, it is easy to see why so many people are interested in stamp collecting. Just settling on a particular theme would be difficult, though!

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  4. These stamps are beautiful. The ones with the postcard images! I want to get a magnifying glass and read them. I had not thought about the people behind postage designs...that would be such a fun job!

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    1. Aren't they gorgeous? I wish I could see enlarged versions of the WWI images, too. I love the little poppy in the corner--the touch of color of that iconic symbol.

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    2. I don't think I even noticed the red poppy. I wonder if it's become a worldwide symbol for veterans. I'm curious about it now, naturally.

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  5. Oh, I loved that book! Sadly, I (briefly) visited Guernsey before I'd read it. But, I was able to picture the settings when I did read it. What fun stamps!

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    1. It is such a good book! It would be nice to be able to have those personal images of the setting. I watched Island at War on Netflix about the Guernsey occupation after I read the book. It was very good.

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  6. Oooh, I like those stamps! I read that book too and loved it. Have you read The Postmistress by Sarah Blake? That's a war time setting too and a good read.

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    1. Haven't read The Postmistress, but I'm adding it to my list! I love books that involve correspondence and the world wars. Thanks, Anna!

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  7. Love these. Love your entire series on letter writing. Brought back a past love of colored inks, and fountain pens and nibs, and stamps and sealing wax. Dear to remember.

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    1. What I hate to think of as lost are all the substitute communication--phone calls, emails, text messages--that are so quick and easy, but so ephemeral. So few letters to treasure from friends and family for the next generation. The ups and downs of progress!

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  8. There are some really lovely designs for stamps, aren't there...

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    1. The creativity and variety in stamps amazes me, and I enjoy looking at what original and interesting postage various countries issue!

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Good to hear from you!