Random Act of Smiliness - Sini from Finland

Another Postcrossing meet-up, another wonderful card from my Finnish friend Sini. I am lucky! When this card arrived I had just finished reading this book, the timing was amazing. The book itself was OK, my favourite parts being the communication amongst the characters using flowers and plants. Sini followed up with an email providing a translation of the various definitions. Another beautiful Finnish stamp and a very nice cancellation as well.

Kukkaiskieli - language of flowers

Kielo - Lily of the Valley

Olen jo kauvan sinua rakastanut - I have loved you for a long time.

Red Rose - My love is making me wretched.

White rose -I can't.

Thistle - I am dying of jealousy.

Bellis - I favour you.

Nettle - In vain

Pansy - Courage

Thorn - No

Hops - humulus lupulus - I wish I could embrace you

Gentian - Thank you

Jasmin - I don't love, but respect you

Platanthera - I miss being with you

Leave of a rose - Share

Juniper - Wait

Write your name under the plant, which correspond the feeling of the sender. 

OFFICIAL Card - Finland

This sweet little chick arrived just in time to celebrate Easter. Pekka lives in Turku, Finland and sounds like a busy guy between his work and hobbies!

Random Act of Smiliness - Sini from Finland

Right around Easter time these lovely little sheep found their way into my mailbox courtesy of Sini. Once again she was lucky to be attending a Postcrossing meet up. As she writes "this time" in Jarvenpaa (my computer won't let me make the accents over the "a's"). Have you ever attended a Postcrossing meet-up?

OFFICIAL Card - Finland

So I am neither a cat person or a dog person. The truth is I don't care for pets (gasp!) for many reasons. Having said that I do love some cartoon animals and Hello Kitty is at the top of that list! I received this sweet card from Finland. She "mistook" me as a cat person from my wish list and wrote me a message about her love of dogs. Funny! The text translates from Finnish to read "Sunny Congratulations" - love the bee wings!

Random Act of Smiliness - Sini from Finland

Imagine my surprise to receive a second card from Sini within a few days of each other. This card she sent from a Postcrossing meet-up she went to in Helsinki. Love the card and the stamp - very cool!

Random Act of Smiliness - Sini from Finland

Sini and I have swapped a few times in the past. Last October she was in Canada visiting her penfriend of 35 years (wowza!) and she connected with me to see if  I was able to meet one weekend. We spent a lovely afternoon together with two other Toronto based PC'ers and in a few hours a "random" postcard turns into a nice friendship. This card arrived a few weeks ago from her. The text translates to say "Flowers wither but friendship is eternal" - beautiful! She wrote to update me on her day to day adventures and to say hello. I must say it is kind of neat to receive mail now that we have met. When I read her words to me I can now do it in her voice instead of mine - know what I mean?

Travelling Card - Christmas Stamps

This year I once again participated in a travelling card. The theme was Christmas stamps. Each person was to select a card, using Christmas stamps and send it to the next person. Once it arrived at the fourth destination it would then start to travel back to you. I chose what may be one of the smaller cards I had, but wanted to have a Christmas theme on the front as well. (Hard to see the glitter but it is there!) I received it back last week. I love seeing the various creative stamps other countries publish. Many thank to Claudia from Germany (who also organized this), Anne from Luxembourg and Mervi from Finland.

Lottery Win - Finland

Elenna hosted a lottery in October on the Postcrossing Forum. It had a really neat twist to it. She opened the lottery and offered six different cards featuring the Swedish Royal Family. You were to choose which card you liked best and answer the question she posed about Royal Families. The twist was she asked the winner to open a new lottery, kind of paying it forward. I really liked that idea. Lucky for me I was the winner and chose this fantastic card showing Princess Madeleine and her groom. What I didn't know was Elenna took the card to a mini meet-up with a few Postcrossing friends and they all signed it. The icing on the cake is the beautiful foiled wedding stamp. This was the first postcard I received for 2015, a great way to start off the year - thank you Elenna!

OFFICIAL Card - Finland

Sofia sent this card showing a "typical Finnish" couple from approximately 80 years ago. With the exception of the boots on the gentleman it could easily be a "typical" Canadian couple as well. She wrote to me about a previous trip to Canada and shared some warm thoughts about some recent current events here in my province. Very much appreciated to know my country is in others thoughts.

OFFICIAL Card - Finland

Ninna lives in Helsinki and sent this multi-view of the harbour to me. She wrote that her passion is travelling and she tries to visit 4-8 countries every year. Jealous!

OFFICIAL Card - Finland

Marritta sent this beautiful card showing a Woodcock, it is such a great illustration. The stamps she used are wonderful too. Lately, it seems more and more stamps are making it through without being cancelled.

Random Act of Smiliness - Tampere Meet-up card

I have got to know a few people online through Postcrossing and just like "real life" some I have clicked with more than others for whatever reason. Claudia and Mervi are two ladies I have had a few interactions with but honestly not too many. I was certainly surprised when I received a card from them from a recent meet-up in Tampere, Finland. Claudia is from Germany and was vacationing in Finland and decided to join Mervi (and others) for the meet-up. They obviously have really clicked! It was such a nice surprise made all that more wonderful with the Postcrsossing stamp. The view is of Helsinki harbour. Thank you ladies!!!

OFFICIAL Card - Finland

Essi lives in Tampere, Finland and studies biology in Oulu. She sent this pretty snowy scene of birch trees. We have many birch here were I live, however sadly many were lost in the major ice storm we had last winter. She shared with me one the the greatest quotes I've heard in awhile "It's funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different." This comes from C.S. Lewis. Some days you need to read something like this to refocus your perspective. Thanks Essi!

OFFICIAL Card - Finland

Liesel sent me this card showing four native birds to Finland. Clockwise from top left - Parrot Crossbill, Golden Eagle, Siberian Jay or Kuukkeli and the Great Grey Owl. She went further to tell me about the Kuukkeli and the tales and myths about this magical mystery bird. Very enchanting!

Greetings from Finland - Direct Swap with Heli

Another swap I arranged through Facebook for the PostalLove cards. It is great when you can find that connection and have the card both parties need and want. Heli sent this card showing details of Finland. I don't know if I were Finnish if I would enjoy saunas. I have never been a fan, but it has been years since I've tried one. But, what if I didn't? They have so many, I think I would feel like an outcast! I also don't know if I could handle 51 days of Polar nights, I find our winters dark enough.

OFFICIAL Card - Finland

Just when I say I haven't seen a Finnish card in awhile......I get a Finnish card! This is not one I would have thought of perhaps if I drew my name, however it came to mind for Marja-Leena. The cartoon is advertising this restaurant with the text translating to "Have a nice summer".

OFFICIAL Card - Finland

Is it me, or does it seems like Postcrossers from Finland have just stopped?!?It seemed like every week I would be sending and receiving a card from there and now it is maybe only once in a blue moon. This card from Paula is an image similar to her yard at home. While hard to read the poem I believe translates to "In the woods during springtime, our hands in bloom. Embraced by the winds ??? unnecessary worries of drowning." No one ever said Google Translate was perfect! She wrote about her garden and used one of the prettiest stamps I've seen in awhile.

Travelling Card - Canada to Finland to England to Luxembourg to Canada

So this next card was a little bit different for me. It is a travelling card and is sent, in this case, to four different people in different countries. I chose this card to send to myself as it is one I had and really liked. It is The Zodiac by Alphonse Mucha. As it was my card, it started with me and I sent it to Nina in Finland, she then sent it to Eileen in England, who forwarded it to Anne in Luxembourg and then back home to me. It is interesting to see all of the different stamps and cancellations. Some postal worker went to town using a pen to cancel stamps that were already cancelled. It was a fun experience - thanks ladies!

OFFICIAL Card - Finland

Heidi drew my name in February and sent me this card. Lucky me she chose to send me a second card, this one is from a Postcrossing meet-up in Jyvaskyla. How kind of her to do this - thank you - Heidi!

OFFICIAL Card - Finland

I have been sending and receiving postcards now for a little over three years. During this time I have received very few duplicate cards. When you think about it, it is pretty amazing that it doesn't happen more often. This card that Sophia sent is one that I have received before, as you can see here. You know what? The message it what sets it apart from all the other "S" cards in the store. Thank you Sophia!

Have you ever received a duplicate card? How did you feel?