largest ball of stamps.

Image from: boystown.org

Are you making a trip to Nebraska anytime soon?

If so, stop by the Visitor Center in the Village of Boys Town in Omaha to see the Largest Ball of Stamps!

The ball of stamps has been recognized by Ripley's Believe it or Not as the largest stamp ball in the world. It contains 4,655,000 canceled stamps. 

stamps: shirley temple

Image from: usps.com

The U.S. Postal service honors Shirley Temple (1928-2014) with its 20th stamp in the Legends of Hollywood series. Shirley Temple was the world's most famous film star as a child and then went on to a distinguished career in public service and international affairs.

The stamp is a painting by artist Tim O'Brien; it is based on a 1935 image from Curly Top, one of the child star's iconic movie roles. 

Shirley Temple began dance lessons at just three years old and was soon starring in full-length movies.

The Shirley Temple stamp will be issued as a Forever® stamp.

You can read more about the Shirley Temple stamp here.

letter writing tunes.

This song has hit the spot for me today. It makes me want to curl up on the couch at home with a cup of coffee and a table full of letter writing supplies.

Do you have any songs that motivate you to write letters?

postage rates decrease.

The new stamp rates went into effect yesterday April 10, 2016!

First Class Letters: .47¢

Additional Ounce: .21¢

International First Class Letters: $1.15

Postcards: .34¢

This is only the third time in the history of the U.S. Postal Service that postage has decreased in price, so go take advantage of this savings and stock up on some stamps!

stamps: sarah vaughan

Image from: usps.com

The Postal Service honors one of America's great singers, Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990).

The artwork for this stamp is a portrait in oils of Vaughan in performance based on a photograph shot in 1955 by Hugh Bell.

Sarah nurtured her vocal talents in her family church in New Jersey. Her voice ranged over three octaves, and she exercised virtuosic control over it; swooping from high to low and back, she could stretch a single syllable into several. 

Listeners frequently note that she used her voice as an instrument, and Vaughan herself said that she copied her style from the "horn-tooters."

The Sarah Vaughan stamp will be issued as a Forever® stamp. 

You can read more about the Sarah Vaughan stamp here.

happy groundhogs day.

Image from: colossus-of-roads.blogspot.com

HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY from Punxsutawney Phil!

And since he did not see his shadow, spring should be right around the corner!

stamps: botanical art

Image from: uses.com

The USPS continues its tradition of beautiful floral-themed stamps with the new Botanical Art stamps.

The stamp art features ten signs, each a detail of an illustration from an American nursery catalog printed between 1891 and 1912. the design details are courtesy of the New York Botanical Garden; the catalogs are part of the NYBG's Nursery and Seed Catalog Collection, one of the largest and most important collections in the U.S.

the artists responsible for the work seen on early nursery catalogs are mostly unknown to us now, but their captivating work lives on. 

The Botanical Art stamps will be issued as Forever® stamps.

You can read more about the Botanical Art stamps here.