PC #112: The Fair by Boris Kustodiev

Themed Messages RR Gr 100A

I really liked this RR for people who love to write more than just “Many greetings… ” on the postcard. 🙂

Jalutaja sent me an impressive card featuring The Fair, a painting by the Russian artist Boris Kustodiev. It was created in 1906 using gouache, well, a new word for an art lover. I think that’s similar to water paint.

Back to the card, senders should write something about their first love and how they define love. Just like Jalutaja, I sometimes find it hard to draw the line between love and just a mere infatuation. The sender also shared her teenage experience on having crushes. I have my own stories to tell, and I can say that those were memorable, considering the fact that humans are more courageous to express their feelings when they’re younger, more.. vulnerable. And so we do many silly things. haha

A lovely Year of the Rabbit stamp was used. Thanks, Jalutaja!

PC #111: St. John’s Lutheran Church in Viljandi

A lottery celebrating the International Year of the Forests was hosted by Kratt from Estonia. The winners receive either the elk stamp or the wood stamp. I picked the elk stamp, and luckily, I won! Hooray!

Kratt sent the stamp on a postcard of the St. John’s Lutheran Church in Viljandi, a town in southern Estonia. Since this lottery is all about the stamp, I will write more about it. Here’s the nice card first.

“Estonia is extremely rich in forests. Nearly half the territory of the country is covered with forests… home to numerous animals – it is quite common to meet rabbits, foxes or roe deer, and the biggest animal is the elk. The forests are home also for a number of species on the verge of extinction, such as the European mink, the dormouse and the flying squirrel. The forestry sector is an important pillar of the economy, timber being the most important renewable natural resource and wood processing a considerable source of livelihood. Today forests are called the green gold, but in olden days forests were considered a sacred place and the people worshipped sylvan spirits.” (http://www.post.ee/?id=1946&prod_id=8186&&langchange=1)

I have seen the elk in Sweden. They’re really big and mighty! Hoping to see them again in Estonia in the near future.

Thanks for the lottery, Kratt!

PC #110: Vase with Irises (a painting by Vincent van Gogh)

EE – 99376

Ooooh…. I love this art card sent by Piret. It’s a masterpiece by one of my favorite artists, Vincent  van Gogh (1853-1890). Vincent Willem van Gogh is a Dutch post-Impressionist painter, the famous creator of The Starry Night, Sunflower, The Potato Eaters, etc.

I remember my Drafting Tech moments way back in high school with this still life painting of the Vase with Irises (1890).

And I also like the stamps used: a dandelion, storks, and a Northern goshawk. Thank, Piret!

PC #80: A lovely map card of Estonia

EE – 116873

What a surprise! I got an envelope from Ülle, all the way from  Estonia. Inside the envelope is this beautiful map card of the Baltic country.

 

Ülle also sent some cards featuring Estonian stamps.

A grandmother in her 50’s, Ülle wrote about her life, her grandchildren, her hobbies, and her cat, Jenny. Such a wonderful person she seemed to be!

She also included several used stamps and a bag tag. In exchange, she asked for a coin for her grandson’s collection. It was 4 years ago when I received this envelope, and based on my logbook, I did send some Philippine coins to her.

Lovely stamps used. Thanks, Ülle!

PC #79: Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn, Estonia

This card I got from the “I want tag” on the Postcrossing forum is a great addition to my UNESCO World Heritage Sites collection. It’s from Heidi of Estonia. The card shows a panoramic view of Tallinn, the Three Sisters hotel, and the Tallinn town hall.

I have been to Latvia, but not to Estonia and Lithuania, so I’m hoping to visit the two and set foot on all the Baltic countries. Thanks to Heidi for using a beautiful Europa stamp. 🙂