Finland - Tampere

One of my favourite stamps and covers to collect are the ones from Finland because of their unique shaped and colourful stamps.

The stamp on the left is from the spring blossoms set issued on March 23, 2012. The flowers are shown in six retro-styled 1st class stamps in a miniature booklet depicting the liverwort, spring pea, least gagea, lung-wort, marigold and spring corydalis.

2013 Finland Valentine's Day sheet

The other stamp on the envelope, though it might not look like it, was issued on January 21, 2013 for Valentine's day. It is one of six 1st class self-adhesive stamps that come in a booklet. In keeping with the theme for Valentine's Day, these stamps feature playful landscapes made of sweets - ice cream, lolly, chocolate etc. There are also four stickers that you can use to decorate letters or cards. They look really fun. I don't know how you can resist these stamps.

Cyprus

Not a country I usually get a cover from so this one definitely belongs here.

 

Cyprus issued commemorative sheet (EUR0.68) and two stamps (EUR0.22 and EUR0.51) on November 14, 2012 in time for the holiday season. All the stamps depict the Virgin and Child. These icons were on exhibit at the Byzantine Museum of the Archbishop of Makarios III Foundation.

 

2012 Cyprus stamp - EUR0.68 Virgin and Child

Ukraine - Kharkiv

 Here is a refreshing cover from Ukraine.



2012 Ukraine Summer Flowers souvenir sheet

The sender has used two stamps from the Summer Flowers issue on September 1, 2012 - a AUH2.50 Alcea rosea and a AUH3.30 Fragaria vesca (strawberry). Other stamps on this issue (which actually comes in a miniature sheet) are AUH2.00 Cerasus vulgaris (sour cherry) and UAH2.00 French marigold.

Now if only I can read Ukrainian language so I'll know what's written on the picture on the envelope.  

Canada - Rothesay, NB

This cover from Canada is franked with a minisheet to commemorate the wedding of  HRH Prince William and Catherine Middleton. A really good cover apart from the spray cancel.

Canada Post issued these two stamps on April 29, 2011. The domestic PERMANENT rate stamp shows a photo of the couple when they announced their engagement while the international rate stamp (CAD1.75) features their official engagement picture.