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Showing posts with label USPS stamps. Show all posts

Friday, November 6, 2015

A Charlie Brown Christmas - USPS Forever Stamps

Last month, I purchased this booklet of 20 forever stamps, A Charlie Brown Christmas, at my local post office. These adorable stamps were released for this holiday season. A Charlie Brown has been also very popular in Japan. People in Japan call it Snoopy instead of a Charlie Brown though. That's why I used to think the main character was the dog, Snoopy, when I was a child! This booklet of 20 stamps has 10 kinds of designs. :))

A Charlie Brown Christmas - USPS Forever Stamps

Issue Date: October 01, 2015
Art Director/Designer: Antonio Alcala

A Charlie Brown Christmas - USPS Forever Stamps

My entries related to USPS stamps can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/USPS%20stamps

You can check and buy stamps at Official USPS Store on Ebay.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

United States Coast Guard - USPS Forever Stamps

I ordered this sheet of 20 Forever Stamps, United States Coast Guard, last month.

I didn't know difference between Navy and Coast Guard. According to this article from We Are the Mighty, the mission of the U.S. Navy is to maintain, train, and equip combat-ready naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas. The Coast Guard is a maritime law enforcement and search and rescue entity governed by Title 14 of U.S. Code and is part of the department of homeland security. I've sometimes learned a lot about the U.S. from figuring out USPS forever stamps. :)

United States Coast Guard - USPS Forever Stamps

According to USPS website, this stamp honors the United States Coast Guard for its role in protecting the security of the nation and advancing its vital maritime interests.

In an oil painting on masonite, renowned aviation artist William S. Phillips depicts two icons of the Coast Guard: the cutter Eagle, a three-masted sailing ship known as “America’s Tall Ship,” and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, the standard rescue aircraft of the Coast Guard.

Issue Date:: August 04, 2015
Art Director/Designer:: Phil Jordan, William S. Phillips

These are pictures of MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and America's Tall Ship.

United States Coast Guard - USPS Forever Stamps

       My entries related to USPS stamps can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/USPS%20stamps

      You can check and buy stamps at Official USPS Store on Ebay.

      Today's Vocabulary
・tall ship : 大型帆船

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Elvis Presley - USPS Forever Stamps

Last month, I ordered some USPS Forever Stamps. This sheet of 16 Forever Stamps, Elvis Presley, is one of them. As most people know, Elvis Presley was a world-famous American singer and actor, and he is often referred to as "King of Rock and Roll". USPS released these stamps as one of the Music Icon series last month.

Elvis Presley - USPS Forever Stamps

Issue Date:: August 12, 2015
Art Director/Designer:: Antonio Alcala, Leslie Badani, William Speer

Elvis Presley - USPS Forever Stamps

I've listened to many of his songs before even though I don't really know many American songs since I lived in Japan for most of my life. As a matter of fact, I was surprised that I know all his songs in this video. :)

My entries related to USPS stamps can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/USPS%20stamps

You can check and buy stamps at Official USPS Store on Ebay.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

USA Philatelic Catalog 2015 Volume 20 Quarter 2

Today, I went to my local post office and got this USA Philatelic Catalog.

USA Philatelic Catalog 2015 Volume 20 Quarter 2

I already purchased these Gifts of Friendship forever stamps. :)

USA Philatelic Catalog 2015 Volume 20 Quarter 2

I am really interested in these Alice in Wonderland stamps.

USA Philatelic Catalog 2015 Volume 20 Quarter 2

These stamps are so adorable, but these are Royal Mail Stamps, which are not valid for postage within the U.S.

USA Philatelic Catalog 2015 Volume 20 Quarter 2

My entries related to USPS stamps can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/USPS%20stamps

You can check and buy stamps at Official USPS Store on Ebay.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

USA Philatelic Catalog 2015 Volume 20 Quarter 1

When my husband went to a post office last month, he got this USA Philatelic Catalog for me. USPS releases USA Philatelic Catalog every four months.

USA Philatelic Catalog 2015 Volume 20 Quarter 1

I already bought sheets of Martin Ramirez and Wilt Chamberlain forever stamps.

USA Philatelic Catalog 2015 Volume 20 Quarter 1

My entries related to USPS stamps can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/USPS%20stamps

You can check and buy stamps at Official USPS Store on Ebay.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Wilt Chamberlain - USPS Forever Stamps

I ordered this sheet of 18 forever stamps, Wit Chamberlain, this month. Wit Chamberlain was an American basketball player and holds numerous NBA all-time records in scoring, rebounding and durability categories.

Wilt Chamberlain - USPS Forever Stamps

According to USPS website, the U.S. Postal Service® celebrates the life of basketball superstar Wilt Chamberlain (1936-1999). On the court, he was a force of nature. The 7-foot-1-inch center dominated the NBA for more than a decade, setting a plethora of individual records. As a pro, he led his teams to two NBA championships, and in 1962 he scored an NBA record 100 points in a single game.

Issue Date:

December 05, 2014

Art Director/Designer:

Kadir Nelson, Antonio Alcala

Wilt Chamberlain - USPS Forever Stamps

My entries related to USPS stamps can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/USPS%20stamps

You can check and buy stamps at Official USPS Store on Ebay.

Friday, April 17, 2015

Gifts of Friendship (Japan Joint Issue) - USPS Forever Stamps

I also ordered this sheet of USPS forever stamps, Gifts of Friendship, when I purchased Cherry Blossom Centennial forever stamps this month. USPS and Japan Post jointly issued this stamps to celebrate on the centennial of the gift of dogwood trees from the U.S. to Japan in 1915. "友情" means friendship in Japanese.

Gifts of Friendship (Japan Joint Issue) - USPS Forever Stamps

According to USPS website, in a ceremony at the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., on March 27, 1912, First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted the first two of 3,020 flowering cherry trees gifted to the nation’s capital from the city of Tokyo.

As a show of gratitude for this generous gift, former President William Howard Taft arranged for the United States to send 50 flowering dogwood trees (Cornus florida) to Japan in 1915. These gestures of goodwill fostered a rich tradition of exchanging cherry and dogwood trees that continues to this day.

In both the United States and Japan, the dogwood and cherry trees exchanged over the years bring renewed life each spring after the long winter months and showcase the natural splendor of our two countries. They are celebrated on both sides of the Pacific Ocean with annual festivals that echo the spirit of friendship. With their stunning displays of color and rich history for the U.S. and Japan, these trees remain symbols of the deep bond between our nations.

Issue Date:

April 10, 2015

Art Director/Designer:

Paul Rogers, William J. Gicker, Junko Kaifuchi

These two stamps were created by USPS.

These two stamps were created by Japan Post.

The Lincoln Memorial with Vibrant Cherry Trees in the Foreground

The U.S. Capitol Building Surrounded by White and Pink Dogwood Trees

The National Diet Building Framed by Cherry Blossoms

The Clock Tower Outside the Diet Building Rising Behind a Foreground of White Dogwood Flowers.

Gifts of Friendship (Japan Joint Issue) - USPS Forever Stamps

These stamps below were released in Japan on April 10 this year. If I lived in Japan, I would get these too.

米国からのハナミズキ寄贈100周年

My entries related to USPS stamps can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/USPS%20stamps

You can check and buy stamps at Official USPS Store on Ebay.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Cherry Blossom Centennial - USPS Forever Stamps

Because it's spring, I bought this sheet of 20 USPS forever stamps, Cherry Blossom Centennial, this month. This stamps were released in 2012 because it was 100th anniversary of the gift of more than 3,000 cherry blossom trees from the city of Tokyo to the city of Washington, D.C.
When I was living in Japan, I really love the season of spring. When spring comes, cherry blossoms starts to bloom. Cherry trees have been planted everywhere in Japan, so you can see beautiful pink cherry blossom flowers there in spring. If I have a chance, I also would like to visit Washington D.C. to see this row of cherry blossom trees in spring.

Cherry Blossom Centennial - USPS Forever Stamps

Issue Date:

March 24, 2012

Art Director/Designer:

Phil Jordan, Paul Rogers

Cherry Blossom Centennial - USPS Forever Stamps

According to USPS.com, in early 1912, more than 3,000 Japanese cherry blossom trees arrived in Washington, D.C. The trees — a gift from the city of Tokyo to the city of Washington — honored the friendship between the United States and Japan. In 1927, local citizens held a pageant, including a reenactment of the original planting ceremony, to celebrate the gift of the stunning trees. During the 1930s, similar celebrations became annual events. Revived after a hiatus during World War II, the National Cherry Blossom Festival today encompasses myriad events such as a parade, concerts, galas, and a variety of cultural events, drawing more than a million visitors to the nation's capital each year.

Cherry Blossom Centennial - USPS Forever Stamps

My entries related to USPS stamps can be seen here.
http://itisapieceofcake2011.blogspot.com/search/label/USPS%20stamps

You can check and buy stamps at Official USPS Store on Ebay.

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Martin Ramirez - USPS Forever Stamps

About two weeks ago, I ordered some stamps on USPS.com. This sheet of 20 forever stamps, Martin Ramirez, is one of those. I didn't know about artist Martin Ramirez before, but I became interested in these stamps when I first read its description. He was diagnosed as a catatonic schizophrenic in 1931, and he made the drawings while he was hospitalized for most of his adult life. I used to work in a psychiatric ward as a nurse for years in Japan and saw so many schizophrenic patients. Its breakthrough drugs were developed just decades ago, so most patients who developed schizophrenia before the drugs became available for clinical use were sadly hospitalized for rest of their life. Martin Ramirez developed Schizophrenia in 1931 and was confined to psychiatric hospitals for more than 30 years. Now, most schizophrenic patients are able to get back into society with the medicines. Anyway, I'm going to share these Martin Ramirez forever stamps with you.

Martin Ramirez - USPS Forever Stamps

      According to USPS.com, although confined to psychiatric hospitals for more than 30 years, artist Martin Ramirez (1895-1963) produced more than 450 dynamic drawings and collages imbued with hypnotic power. Through the use of repeating lines and idiosyncratic motifs, Ramirez transcended his own situation to create a remarkably visualized world free from the constraints of borders and, even, of time itself.
       Born near Guadalajara, Ramirez left Mexico for the U.S. in 1925. Like other migrant workers during this period, he worked in mines and on the railroad but was hit hard by the Great Depression. Emotionally upset and in poor physical condition, he was detained by police in 1931 and, unable or unwilling to communicate, was soon committed to a psychiatric hospital. He remained institutionalized for the rest of his life.
     After several attempts to escape from the psychiatric hospital, Ramirez began to draw obsessively. Over the next 32 years, he created a series of large-scale drawings-from two feet to more than 20 feet long-that blend the emotional and physical landscapes of his life in Mexico with the modern popular culture of the U.S. He worked primarily with found materials, like discarded paper, matchsticks, and tongue depressors, as well as homemade glue and paint. Some of his drawings were exhibited anonymously during his lifetime, but it wasn’t until a decade after his death that his work began to receive widespread attention. An acclaimed retrospective held at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City in 2007 established Ramirez as one of the great artists of the 20th century.

Issue Date:

March 26, 2015

Art Director/Designer:

Antonio Alcala