Wednesday, 29 February 2012

Charming

My sister has sent a postcard a week since she arrived in Sydney to keep me updated and here are my favourites from weeks 1 to 6.

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks, or indeed, a koala how to surf.  Doesn't it look like the didgeridoo player is doing just that, like a snake charmer would?

Week 4
Week 6
From Aideen when in Sydney, Australia - 2012

Tuesday, 28 February 2012

NZ Cool

Cool.....  Or cold?
 An outline of New Zealand made with nude volunteers, complete with a little baby at the very end for Stewart Island.
Brrrrrilliant!

From Lisa when in New Zealand - 2003

Monday, 27 February 2012

Always Coca Cola

No matter where you go in the world postcards may be tricky at times to find, stamps and postboxes elusive, but there's always Coca Cola!

 
From Aideen when in Darwin, Australia - 2011
 
From James when in Kentucky, USA in 2010

Sunday, 26 February 2012

Fishy


This arrived during the week and reminded me of when my cat Ollie used to sit in front of my tank watching the swimming fish, like we watch telly.

He'd spend ages there, perched on the arm of the couch, just watching them go about their business.  They've gone to the great fishbowl in the sky (not under fishy circumstances but of natural causes) so now he watches telly instead.  While upside down for some reason, but we all have our own way of relaxing!

 
From Alan when in Gran Canaria - 2012

Saturday, 25 February 2012

Sizzle

Can't you just feel it?

The warm sun on your skin, the smell of sunblock in the air, the sound of the sea lapping the nearby shore and the background noise of kids playing on the sand as you doze in the sunshine.......

Well soak it up while you can cos in a week you'll be back to the Irish summer, the tan you worked so hard on will abandon you as soon as the plane lands, and it will all be but a distant memory.

Summer holiday anyone?

 
From Louise when in Portugal - 1993

Friday, 24 February 2012

Spoilsport

Censorship - such a spoilsport!

From the Deller Family when in Scotland - 2010

Thursday, 23 February 2012

Enigma

I got this awesome letter in the post yesterday, addressed using an enigma that the postman had to decipher so he could deliver it. And he did!!

The idea was taken from Harriet Russell's book, Envelopes: A Puzzling Journey Through Royal Mail, and was perfectly executed by my friend Veronique who knows how much I love that book.  The letter came complete with a bright postcard and lovely message inside.

She set the key on the side of the envelope using symbols and then addressed it using the enigma.  She filled in 2 letters to help the postie get started and he did the rest himself (well done SB!).

This one had me beaming brightly for the entire evening, a truly fantastic thing to arrive out of the blue. I got such a kick out of it. Thank you Ver!!


  Enigma Key
From Veronique when in Bandon, Ireland - 2012

Monday, 20 February 2012

I Gotta Live One

I received over the weekend, not one, but two postcards from my sister's travel partner in crime.  Finally!!  It's only taken 6 months of constant nagging reminders for her to send them.  Thank you Sharon!

The koalas look like they were disturbed by the photographer while in the middle of something and seem pretty peeved about it, especially the little guy on the right.  I wonder what they were up to?!

 
From Sharon when in Australia - 2012
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From Sharon when in Sydney, Australia - 2012

Cancer Research

During the Knit & Stitch show in Dublin last November the Irish Patchwork Society were selling textile postcards in aid of the Marie Keating Foundation for breast cancer research.

They had asked members and friends of the society to make a postcard using a textile process and then send it by post to them.  They came from all over the world and were so varied and colourful.

I thought it was an awesome idea, I love textiles and postcards so this was heaven for me.  It took me ages to choose but I finally decided on these 3, which I framed, and I think they look great.

  
From Finland - 2011
  
From Galway, Ireland - 2011
From Finland - 2011
  
Framed

Friday, 17 February 2012

Animal Lover

My sister loves animals.  Always has since she was small when she loved them so much she made our dogs lives a misery cos she took them everywhere with her, even the bathroom.  And we have the photograph to prove it.

When she was in secondary school she wanted to be a veterinary nurse and so went to a vets for a week on work experience.  They put a pet rabbit to sleep while she was there, she came home hysterical and that was the end of that.  She's a quantity surveyor now - she's weird and also likes numbers.  It's a real pity though as she would have made a really good veterinary nurse.

Below are a small selection of postcards received from her, I think it's easy to ascertain her passion from them.

Correction: my sister informs me it was a cat not a rabbit that met his maker and what upset her was the way the poor mite was disposed of.  RIP Puddy Tat.

 
 Rabbit from Spain - 2002
Elephants from Thailand - 2011
Emu from the Austrailian Outback - 2011
 
Komodo Dragon from Singapore - 2011

Thursday, 16 February 2012

Christmas is Awesome

Yes indeedy.  A buff rock Santa, DJ Jaws and a reindeer with rainbow laser beam eyes.  That's a good time right there!! 

Out of season I know, but one of the best Christmas cards I've ever gotten, so totally worth a mention.

From Aideen when in Byron Bay, Australia - 2011

Wednesday, 15 February 2012

Old School

My parents sent this from Lake Garda in Italy, how they managed to get their hands on this gem is beyond me as it's a proper old school postcard.  It's difficult to date, the clothes the people are wearing could be anywhere from 50's to 70's.

I love the way they would touch up the colours to make everything more vivid, and you'll always find people going about their business in the scene, this style of postcard is so nostalgic.  And very evocative, I can feel the heat of the sun, hear the water lapping against the boats in the quay and I really want to be there.
 
They just don't make them like this anymore....

From my parents when in Lake Garda, Italy - 2008

Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Water Water Everywhere

My sister sent me this postcard from Vietnam where she reliably informs me there are water buffalo everywhere. That's everywhere.

Which is why she found it hilarious that they felt the need to photoshop the water buffalo onto this postcard.  It's hard to see here but up close and personal it's completely obvious.

What makes it funny for me is the kid in the middle riding his photoshopped water buffalo and giving a big wave to the camera!

 
From Aideen - 2011

Sunday, 12 February 2012

Feel Good Factor

Now you may ask why this card merits a mention. Admittedly the front is a basic format; Greetings from Where Ever and a few photos to give you a taste of what you're missing out on.

It's the message on this postcard that made it a winner - sent from my friend's daughter who was 5 at the time and holidaying with her Granny, it simply says:

Hi Hilda
I like you
Adah

So cute!!  Thank you Adah.x

 
From Adah when in Clonea, Ireland - 2008

Saturday, 11 February 2012

I'm Sensing a Theme

I have 2 cats, and am willing to risk the crazy cat lady label and say that I adore them.

I have a dog too, we've had one in our family since I was 6 months old, and we are BIG dog lovers.

One day my boyfriend at the time brought home this tiny white and tabby kitten he found abandoned in a ditch at his building site and I thought, what on earth do you do with a cat.  He got to name her (for where he found her) and when 6 months later he came home from the same site with a little tabby tomcat and I said, why not.  But I get to name this one.

They're 5 now and oh, how the mighty dog lover has fallen.  I love those furballs!

The Roman cat is very like my tomcat Ollie and the Spanish cat is a great match for Ditch, right down to the bored expression.

 
From Adah when in Disneyland Paris, France - 2011
From Ver when in Les Sables d'Olonne, France - 2011
From my Mother when in Spain - 2010
 
From Michelle when in Rome, Italy - 2009
 
From Ver, Clare & Alice when in France - 2011

Tuesday, 7 February 2012

Gift Giving Makes you Happy

It does, doesn't it. And what a way to drop a hint!!

This provoked a wry smile when received just before Christmas from my baby sister, champion gift receiver.  The message on the reverse says "Do exactly what it says on the front of this card".  I wonder what she was trying to tell me?

From Aideen when in Sydney, Australia - 2011

Sunday, 5 February 2012

Sending Out an SOS

This has to be the most unusual postcard I've ever received, a message in a bottle all the way from France.

It must have travelled through very rough seas on it's way to my front door as when it arrived the top was damaged and the cap missing.  A real shame but luckily the message inside from Denise & Vincent survived intact.

Instead of the expected SOS it was all about how good the food & weather was so I figured they were happy where they were and didn't send help.

Though now that I think about it, I haven't seen them in ages.............

From Denise& Vincent when in Bordeaux, France - 2010

Thursday, 2 February 2012

Bubble Tree House Postcards

My friend has a great website called Bubble Tree House that sells quality decorations & accessories for kids.  She started it after she went to redecorate her daughters bedroom and discovered how difficult it was to find products that didn't sport popular cartoon and tv characters.

Amongst her fab stock are postards for the crafty out there to create their own pictures and designs with.

The range includes retro & illustrated, boys & girls, pastels & brights and I've posted some of my favourites below - they're all so lovely it's impossible to chose an outright winner.

If you'd like to decorate your childs room in an individual way then check out Bubble Tree House, you won't be disappointed.