In: from Spain and Morocco

Three cards arrived the same day - 19th of January - while there have been many days to post between them!
Thank you, Eva, for sending and for your kind messages!

This Smurf traveled the longest distance, but also the shortest time according to the postmark (14th of January), and in an envelope (maybe that helps?):



He might have been floating on this peaceful lake:



Sent from Spain the 29th of December 2015, so traveling 3 weeks, was this postcard of Little Red Riding Hood (and 'lo que no vío' - what she didn't see), an illustration by Mar Ferrero:



With on the back side this Europe toys stamp:



Last but not least, the postcard which has been traveling the shortest distance and the longest time (a month: written the 20th of December) was this postcard from Madrid, showing the Palacio de Cibeles, the former Palace of Telecommunication, in which nowadays a cultural center and the main post office is located.



Which a matching stamp:



Thank you very much, Eva! Moltes gràcies!

Sunday stamps: Children's stories

Today's Sunday Stamps' theme is 'children's stories'. I am happy to share with you this stamp sheet showing Frog and friends. The characters are from the children's stories of Kikker (Frog) by one of my favourite Dutch illustrators, Max Velthuijs (1921-2005).
More information about Max Velthuijs you can find on wikipedia, in this article in the Guardian and at this website.

My favourite picture books are 'Kikker en de Vreemdeling' (Frog and the Stranger), a story which deals with prejudice and fear for outsiders, 'Kikker is verliefd' (Frog in love), about being in love and intercultural relationship, and 'Kikker en het vogeltje' (literally 'Frog and the little bird', translated into English as Frog and the Birdsong), about the mystery of death and the need to celebrate the joys of being alive.

In: from Hungary

Mooie illustratie door Károly Reich, van een van mijn (vele) favoriete dieren: de ezel. Verstuurd door Micu uit Hongarije.
Zij plakte ook mooie postzegels op de achterkant. 3D brillen op een postzegel, heel origineel!

Beautiful illustration made by the Hungarian artist Károly Reich, of one of my (many) favourite animals: the donkey.
On the back interesting stamps; I've never seen 3D glasses on a stamp before!
Thank you very much, Micu!

In: from Spain

Kijk ze eens mooi bij elkaar, de Uil en de Papegaaiduiker - 'samen met u onder de paraplu' - op deze ansichtkaart. Oorspronkelijk een boekomslag uit 1966, geïllustreerd door Jill McDonald voor Puffin Books. Meer werk van Jill McDonals (1927-1982) vind je hier.
Hartelijk dank, Eva!

Look them standing together cosy, the Owl and the Puffin - 'together with you under the umbrella' - on this postcard! Originally a book cover, made in 1966 by Jill McDonald for Puffin Books.
More work by Jill McDonald (1927-1982) you can find here.
Thank you very much, Eva!