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.

Canada - Christmas Island, Nova Scotia

One of the cover exchanges I joined was for a Christmas themed cover and this is what I received from Canada. The postmark of Christmas Island makes this cover more interesting and theme focused. I'm really chuffed that the sender made a special effort to have this cover postmarked at Christmas Island. 

For 2012, Canada Post issued the Permanent domestic rate stamp above on October 15, 2012. This traditional Christmas stamp features the image of the Madonna and Child in stained glass is from one of the stained glass windows at St. Mary's Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Kingston, Ontario. 

On the same day three other Christmas themed stamps were issued featuring gingerbread cookies for Permanent domestic, US and International rate stamps.  . 

Did you know that the stamps above are enhanced with augmented reality? You can download a free StampsAlive app, hover your phone over the domestic permanent stamp with your device and choose from several decorating ideas. A good way to entice kids to stamp collecting!