tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51409888251800694022024-03-13T00:20:20.614+01:00Penpalling and LettersPenpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-75402008308773135492014-01-16T18:26:00.002+01:002021-02-11T23:26:34.008+01:00The Penpalling & Letters Community<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: black;">Penpalling & Letters is a Community in the form of a Facebook group. When joining you can participate in discussions and posts about the letter and the penpalling worlds as well as share your experiences, ideas or opinions. We have sections to post your introduction, your penpal-ad or your mail-pictures among many others. We also host games and exchanges from time to time. The Community has become a meeting point for letter-lovers since 2010.<br /><br />
Everyone into penpalling is welcome to join the group. However, please, reply to the three questions when you click <b>"join group"</b>. Safety and trust are very important to us!
<br /><br /></span></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: black;">Penpalling and Letters group: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/penpallingandletters">https://www.facebook.com/groups/penpallingandletters</a><br /></span></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: black;">Penpalling and Letters page:</span><span style="background-color: black;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/penpallingandletters"> https://www.facebook.com/penpallingandletters<br /><br /><br /></a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fpGrLZGwGhY/YCWtgWfrRfI/AAAAAAAACng/34SkMp_EdI8w_6mGnGsuUg3U0pWqLBUrQCLcBGAsYHQ/s720/38065499_1004186949753772_4832886021106434048_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fpGrLZGwGhY/YCWtgWfrRfI/AAAAAAAACng/34SkMp_EdI8w_6mGnGsuUg3U0pWqLBUrQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/38065499_1004186949753772_4832886021106434048_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: black;"></span><p></p><span style="background-color: black;"><br />
</span>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-28449924115403254792013-01-19T12:36:00.000+01:002013-01-19T12:36:46.974+01:00Third Anniversary... and painted writing-paper as a prize!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lEaTWwPiDrE/UPmcvx6iglI/AAAAAAAACO0/lKy1cZ09Qcc/s1600/530394_426299477437829_1754672362_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lEaTWwPiDrE/UPmcvx6iglI/AAAAAAAACO0/lKy1cZ09Qcc/s400/530394_426299477437829_1754672362_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">
Penpalling & Letters is on Birthday in January and during these three years it has reached people in 190 different states/territories of the world.<br />
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It also can be found as a lively community at the <a href="http://http//www.facebook.com/groups/penpallingandletters" target="blank"><b>Penpalling & Letters Facebook Group</b></a>. We also have a page in Google+ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/112405194066681416570" target="blank"><b>Penpalling & Letters G+</b></a>, so feel free to join the one which fits your purposes better!</div>
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<b>Thank you to all the P&L members/community for all this time spent together and for such a large penpalling-family, to readers and visitors for participating and all the messages and comments received as well as to all the lovely people I had the chance to meet!</b></p>
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I wanted to celebrate Penpalling & Letters Third Anniversary in a different way as it had to be special... I am short of time these days but decided to bring back my artistic skills and paint! Yes, I liked to draw and paint when I was younger but life got on the way and no time for it anymore... until now, when looking for the perfect idea to gift the readers and participants in P&L. What is it? Just look at the pic below! Painted designs on paper so you can use them as stationery for your letters! And most important: made with love and care by me! However, the picture do not do them justice, especially to the water lily!</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aOZfIERDbIc/UPp7KuEb6sI/AAAAAAAACPQ/VoZ7pJytTk8/s1600/flower_stationery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aOZfIERDbIc/UPp7KuEb6sI/AAAAAAAACPQ/VoZ7pJytTk8/s400/flower_stationery.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rose. Tulip. Water lily in the pond.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">
<b>How to enter this contest?</b></p>
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">
Just go on reading... <i>The only "must" is that any "anonymous" won't be accepted. If possible "I would like to know you". How? Just sign with a Blogger, Twitter, Facebook, G+... profile. Or at least, leave your name and tell me you are in Facebook, Twitter, any social network, website, you have a blog, a webpage... If I cannot find you anywhere, I am very sorry but cannot take you in. I simply don't want to send mail to a "ghost" if you know what I mean.</i> What do you have to do to participate?</p>
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<u>Leave a comment in this post and tell us</u> (remember to leave a way to contact you):<br />
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<b>What is your best experience in penpalling? Please, don't write a few words as those won't be considered. I am asking for a little story: how is the relationship with a penpal of yours, a penpal-meeting, how you got in touch with a lovely penpal you appreciate lots... You sure know better! The most touching narration in my eyes will get printed copies of my designs! You are a penpaller, you know how to write, so make use of it and impress me!</b></p>
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<i>Please, notice that if you would like to participate in this contest, your reply has to be written in this post, under comments section. Comments in Facebook, G+ or any other place around the Internet won't be valid. I won't see it. Also, only one entry per person is allowed, so chances to get the handmade stationery are the same for all of you.</i></p>
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">
Everybody is welcome to enter, it does not matter where you are located, and if you feel like it, tell your penpals and friends as well. Deadline will be the <b>15th February, 2013, at 00:00 GMT+1 Time Zone</b>. The winner will be announced some days later. Good luck to all participants and my wishes of a <b>great 2013!</b></p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-34297712061962826922012-12-29T18:48:00.000+01:002013-01-18T20:01:50.348+01:00Oh Paris, Paris...<div style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">
This is one of the lovely gifts I got these Christmas: a set of Paris clear stamps! Isn't it a great amount? Some of us feel attracted by the French capital and its corners, which combined with penpalling-related items like the Eiffel Tower postal stamp, the pen, the cup of coffee/tea (yes, it is possible to drink a coffee or a tea while writing letters, right?)... you can see in the pic make a perfect item to own. I was thrilled to get them! Love these clear stamps so much already! They will surely be used in my future correspondence!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IQqr1xjTI_Q/UPA7sC11NrI/AAAAAAAACOg/HMua7jBFhlc/s1600/Paris%2Bclear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IQqr1xjTI_Q/UPA7sC11NrI/AAAAAAAACOg/HMua7jBFhlc/s400/Paris%2Bclear.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-37686528393067377782012-11-22T20:50:00.000+01:002013-01-11T18:52:32.023+01:00Penpal agenda<div style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">
Along the years I have tried several possibilities to keep my penpals' postal-addresses and data: single sheets of squared paper (A4 and A5 sizes), A4 or A5 sized notebooks... but for one reason or another it was not working as wished. For example, when someone would move or would stop writing... what to do with the page? Remove it? Rip it off? It did not look nice and crossing out the data was out of question. I have finally come with a solution to keep everything tidy. Look at the picture below! This way, if data becomes obsolete, the contact fades away or I simply do a mistake I can easily discard that sheet of paper while the rest are kept in a perfect condition.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wMRG6SfShkw/UO8NkaNX1dI/AAAAAAAACOM/yZsg-B3LsM8/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wMRG6SfShkw/UO8NkaNX1dI/AAAAAAAACOM/yZsg-B3LsM8/s400/9.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside and outside in my favourite colour: blue!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-36341579398210109972012-10-19T23:47:00.000+02:002013-01-09T23:47:47.221+01:00Place your ad!<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Are you looking for penpals, swappers, a penpal for your child, a lost penpal, wish to arrange a class-exchange, find a mail-art buddy or a postcard-pal?<br />
</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Remember that you can place your ad in <b>Penpalling & Letters Ads</b>:</p><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://penpallingandlettersads.blogspot.com/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/penpalling/ADS1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click on the pic to get to Penpalling & Letters Ads!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Have a look and follow the intructions and we will publish your penpal ad as soon as possible!<br />
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Please, note that all messages are reviewed individually and those which do not meet the purpose of penpalling will be declined. Thank you for your understanding!
</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Good luck in your penpal search!</p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-42874350519412991272012-09-30T13:57:00.000+02:002012-10-03T23:00:14.947+02:00Decorated letterbox<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">This time I would like to share with all of you one picture of a beautiful letterbox I have taken during a trip to a small village in southeastern France.
The following elements are painted on it: the "Mediterranean" sea, an angel bringing letters and then, two flags: the one on the left is the Catalonia flag, together with the donkey, a kind of symbol in this area; the one on the right, the Austrian flag, tells the country of origin of the family owning that house.</p>
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Have you ever found in your way a beautifully painted letterbox? How did it look like?</p>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-As13Ra_2VKU/UGwixKCGfUI/AAAAAAAACIM/0QBpyWFZ4Oc/s1600/DSC08941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-As13Ra_2VKU/UGwixKCGfUI/AAAAAAAACIM/0QBpyWFZ4Oc/s400/DSC08941.JPG" /></a></div>
Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-28814815536753289332012-08-15T18:32:00.000+02:002012-08-15T18:32:01.020+02:00The useful scale!<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Three or four years ago I got myself a scale to weigh my letters or those packages which needed to be adjusted in order to get advantage of the allowed weight limit in relation to the postage to be paid. I found that weighing my mail at the Post Office was not a good idea as most of the time I still could fill the packages/letters with more stuff until the allowed limit. Getting myself a scale was an excellent idea, making the most of the last added grams indeed! But my old scale stopped working at the end of July... <br />
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Here it is the replacement! Isn't it cute?!</p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E90n_oyi13g/UCvMU4rf4AI/AAAAAAAACHc/kW4X5h_FIJo/s1600/NewScale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E90n_oyi13g/UCvMU4rf4AI/AAAAAAAACHc/kW4X5h_FIJo/s400/NewScale.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-27589690683414425362012-07-29T13:27:00.000+02:002012-08-13T00:02:21.617+02:00Storing penpalling items<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Where do you store or keep your penpalling stuff?<br />
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Here you can see some of my boxes which keep letters, postcards, stationery, penpalling items...</p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fE7gf9SXmOc/UCgiHpNhlNI/AAAAAAAACHI/iuLt-uS1_o8/s1600/boxes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fE7gf9SXmOc/UCgiHpNhlNI/AAAAAAAACHI/iuLt-uS1_o8/s640/boxes.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-56737858737028152442012-06-12T22:58:00.000+02:002012-06-12T22:58:00.748+02:00Making your letter ready to be sent!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7DamNhY8j6w/T9eoQJ39ZKI/AAAAAAAACGM/2JQotjkV6Wc/s1600/TurismoCorreos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7DamNhY8j6w/T9eoQJ39ZKI/AAAAAAAACGM/2JQotjkV6Wc/s200/TurismoCorreos.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Your letter is ready to be sent now and once you made sure that your penpal’s address is written correctly… What to do next?<br />
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First of all, make sure that your envelope is securely sealed. If you feel that it is not well sealed, use glue, stickers or sticky tape. This way there are more chances that the contents arrive safely to your penpal and are not lost in the way.<br />
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Finally it is time to stick the correct postage! Most countries have several weight limits starting with 20g (the cheapest). If you are not sure about the exact weight of your letter, either you will have to weigh it at the post office or get yourself a scale. Each postal system has a listing of weight limits and corresponding prices both for mail to be sent inside the country and to the rest of countries of the world. Prices vary depending on distance most of the time, so the further away, the more expensive the letter will be. To check the prices which correspond to each weight limit, either visit your national mail service website or ask at the post office about it.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>Are you in need of more tips to write your letters? Then, you should visit <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/p/tips-to-write-letters.html" target="blank">"Tips on letter writing"</a></b>.</p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-71916451073912066602012-05-01T21:17:00.004+02:002012-05-01T21:57:32.459+02:00Penpal Ads in Penpalling & Letters!<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><b>Are you looking for penpals?<br />
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Do you find difficult to find the perfect person to write to nowadays?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Penpalling & Letters presents its twin Blog <b>Penpalling & Letters Ads</b>:</p><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://penpallingandlettersads.blogspot.com/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/penpalling/ADS1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click on the pic to get to Penpalling & Letters Ads!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Visit it and follow the intructions given to have your penpal ad published online in Penpalling & Letters!</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Good luck in your penpal search!</p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-60306681397781068692012-04-23T09:52:00.001+02:002012-04-23T10:22:44.887+02:00"Diada de Sant Jordi", the celebration of the Book Day in Catalonia, Spain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwGFt_2l9wKXWcTJTWNzo62oRuI2opPDRXhpfPsUE4VAOqaFUuQT5_7iDwfOA2EspUjWWGFlqt6LQkLVTRfUvd1-WwWtP_iUInKNegEc4Y2SUTAoCUZ73lWtTx13aWF-Y-5U03LXSCVQ/s1600/D%C3%ADa+del+libro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwGFt_2l9wKXWcTJTWNzo62oRuI2opPDRXhpfPsUE4VAOqaFUuQT5_7iDwfOA2EspUjWWGFlqt6LQkLVTRfUvd1-WwWtP_iUInKNegEc4Y2SUTAoCUZ73lWtTx13aWF-Y-5U03LXSCVQ/s320/D%C3%ADa+del+libro.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">The particular Saint Valentine's Day in Catalonia (northeastern Spain) is called "Diada de Sant Jordi". It is celebrated on April, 23rd day of Saint George (Sant Jordi), patron saint of Catalonia, under a festive environment. Book and rose street markets can be found along the streets and squares of all cities and villages. Lots of people will be walking around, looking at the books and buying roses. The tradition says that the man should gift his loved one a rose, whereas the woman should gift her sweetheart a book. The festival is a mix of traditions and customs going back to the Middle Ages. On Sant Jordi it is also celebrated the "Day of the Book". In Catalan it is said:</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">"El 23 d'abril, -"On April, 23rd,-<br />
Sant Jordi, -Saint George,-<br />
una rosa i un llibre. -a rose and a book.-<br />
Una rosa com a símbol d'amor -A rose as a symbol of love-<br />
i un llibre com a símbol de cultura." -and a book as a symbol of culture."-<br />
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IBtH3PAh6HY/T5UBH6OLmBI/AAAAAAAACCk/wtqD-T0Y-58/s1600/roses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IBtH3PAh6HY/T5UBH6OLmBI/AAAAAAAACCk/wtqD-T0Y-58/s320/roses.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Even if it is not known the exactly time when roses started to be gifted on Sant Jordi's Day, the origin of the tradition started in Barcelona in the XV century. Women belonging to the nobility were attending a mass in the Palau de la Generalitat Chapel (dedicated to the saint) on that day. They were receiving a rose as a gift. In the same square where Palau de la Generalitat is located, the "Fira de Roses" (Roses Festival) was celebrated at the same time, an old festival where men were gifting roses to their loved ones as a proof of love. Perhaps the origins of this Roses Festival comes from Roman times, when floral offerings to goddess Flora were taking place in the month of May. The typical Sant Jordi rose is a red rose which is gifted together with a wheat spike and adorned with the colours of the Catalan flag (gold and red). The "Senyera" (Catalan flag) is the symbol of the land protected by Sant Jordi, that is, Catalonia, the red colour of the rose is a symbol of passion while the wheat spike represents fertility.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xe7jkaT39SE/T5UBTAM2GBI/AAAAAAAACCs/ur4AD4t_NbY/s1600/sant-jordi-llibres.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xe7jkaT39SE/T5UBTAM2GBI/AAAAAAAACCs/ur4AD4t_NbY/s1600/sant-jordi-llibres.jpeg" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Such an event had to come together with its own legend. The legend of Sant Jordi explains the origin of the roses in the festival:<br />
<br />
"The Catalan tradition tells that once there was a fearsome dragon in the lands of Montblanc (Tarragona) which terrorized the people living there. The dragon was always very hungry and it was approaching more and more to the walls of the city. People were so afraid of it that they tried to look for a solution so it would stay away from the city. At first they feeded the dragon with sheep, then oxes, later horses... but it was never enough and the dragon was always asking for more food. It arrived a time when they had to feed it with the own people of the village, otherwise the dragon would kill them all at once. They wrote all the names of all the inhabitants in pieces of paper and put them inside a pot. Every night, an innocent hand would choose who would be the next one to die in the claws of the dragon the next morning. One day it was the turn of the princess. Some people say that the king begged and cried, others say that he accepted with determination and courage the destine of his daughter: the princess would be the next one to be sacrified. When the princess was sent out of the walls of the city and started to walk towards the dragon, a knight riding his white horse appeared in the mist. The knight fought against the dragon and finally killed it. Some people said that the dragon was melt and absorbed by the land. Others said that a pool of blood formed where the dragon had fallen dead. Whatever happened, a rosebush grew up instantly from the dragon's blood giving brilliant red roses. The knight who killed the dragon was Jordi/George, who gifted the princess one of the beautiful red roses."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SExSFh-j5qg/T5T-ANeJyNI/AAAAAAAACCE/yQFsqVLAW_k/s1600/ST_JOR~1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SExSFh-j5qg/T5T-ANeJyNI/AAAAAAAACCE/yQFsqVLAW_k/s400/ST_JOR~1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gGjGy3JqTxQ/T5T-DCWkGjI/AAAAAAAACCM/noXA9i10qYo/s1600/Cob_Sant+Jordi+i+el+drac+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gGjGy3JqTxQ/T5T-DCWkGjI/AAAAAAAACCM/noXA9i10qYo/s400/Cob_Sant+Jordi+i+el+drac+1.jpg" width="338" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PaX6IB1VwTw/T5T-Eo9fKiI/AAAAAAAACCU/-qjNa9aC9b8/s1600/ST_JOR~4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PaX6IB1VwTw/T5T-Eo9fKiI/AAAAAAAACCU/-qjNa9aC9b8/s400/ST_JOR~4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>If you are interested in reading more articles featuring characteristics of our homelands don't forget to check: <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/p/travelling-around-world-sharing.html" target="blank"><b>Travelling around the World sharing Cultural Heritage, Folklore and Background</b></a></i>.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>I am always looking for people who would like to take part in this section of the Blog: <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/p/travelling-around-world-sharing.html" target="blank"><b>Travelling around the World</b></a>. If you would like to write about any aspects of your homeland don't hesitate to contact me at: <b>penpallingandletters[at]gmail[dot]com</b> and we will work on it!</i></p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-90273255987289591652012-04-02T23:25:00.001+02:002012-04-02T23:27:36.802+02:00Letters... obsolete?<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">At present, a letter-exbition is taking place at the Spanish National Library. It was on the news a few days ago and below, you can see a video about it and a translation to English. Sadly, in the report, they refer to letters as obsolete, museum objects nowadays, and to mailboxes as those objects in danger or extinction. Do you agree about it? Do you think it is so "weird" to write handwritten letters at present times?</p><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 18px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/telediario/exposicion-cartas-manuscritas-biblioteca-nacional/1360759/" target="blank">"Handwritten Letters Exhibition at the Spanish National Library"</a></p><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>Journalist (male voice):</b><br />
"Dear viewers,<br />
<br />
Today we are talking about letters, and this is why we are going to the National Library. Here we have confirmed what everybody suspects: letters are a "museum object". Writing letters is as old as the Humanity. The epistolary genre gains great importance when distance is insurmountable, physically and technologically speaking. As they have explained to us, letters are just a conversation between absent people in the end."<br />
<br />
<b>Gema Hernández (Spanish National Library):</b><br />
"To write a letter, a situation where distance or absence exist is necessary. We are speaking about wars, emigration movements, convents and monasteries, prisons..."<br />
<br />
<b>Journalist (male voice):</b><br />
"Right now, letters are 140 characters long. They still are a conversation between absent people. The novelty is that in many occasions those people are not only "absent" but they don't know each other. We don't know what would "Quevedo, Santa Teresa, Azorín or Valle-Inclán" -Spanish writers and poets-, present in this exhibition, say about the e-mail, "washap", Twitter and so on...<br />
You should know, too, dear viewers, that in the streets we still can find these objects, on the verge of extinction."<br />
<br />
<b>Girl 1:</b><br />
"And yes! To open the letterbox and find a letter from a or from someone who thinks about you is very exciting."<br />
<br />
<b>Girl 2:</b><br />
"I hadn't written a letter for the last five years."<br />
<br />
<b>Man 1:</b><br />
"I was a sailor and was writing to my girlfriend every day." (laughs)<br />
<br />
<b>Journalist (male voice):</b><br />
"Love letters?"<br />
<br />
<b>Man 1:</b><br />
"Yes, love letters. My love..."<br />
<br />
<b>Journalist (male voice):</b><br />
"And this is the end. I hope we see each other soon! <br />
Sincerely, <br />
Carlos del Amor (the journalist)<br />
<br />
And now, we put it in the mailbox. With some luck the letter will arrive tomorrow..."</p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-12278089026846832122012-03-15T00:32:00.000+01:002012-03-15T00:47:26.128+01:00The journey of a letter. Ireland!<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tphdChl4PLY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-18364895799832513832012-02-29T23:45:00.001+01:002012-03-01T01:50:12.174+01:00Happy Second Anniversary... Winner!<center><a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/" target="blank"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-csjsnAyXvEo/TveqNlzqCZI/AAAAAAAAB6A/gQ73VvkaklA/s320/Logo1-11.jpg" width="320" /></a></center><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Penpalling & Letters second anniversary was last 1st January, 2012 and the celebration was running during the first whole month of 2012: <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/2012/01/happy-second-anniversary-and-contest.html" target="blank"><b>Second Anniversary in Penpalling & Letters</b></a>. Today, February, 29th -a day we only have the chance to live once every four years- I have the pleasure to announce the lucky winner of the prize offered in this contest.</p><p style="text-align: center; font-family: georgia; color: white; font-size: 16px;">The winner is <b>Miriam Shilling</b>! Congratulations Miriam!</p><p style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia; color: white; font-size: 16px;">Thank you very much to everybody who took part in this 2nd Anniversary Giveaway! In the end there have been quite a lot of participants and many interesting stories were shared. It has not been easy to choose a winner among them as each contribution was unique and special. So, to those who were not lucky this time, don't give up! Surely there will be more chances to participate in another contest in Penpalling & Letters in the future!</p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-41232194218518960082012-01-01T00:00:00.085+01:002012-02-01T02:18:55.610+01:00Happy Second Anniversary... and Contest!<center><a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/" target="blank"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-csjsnAyXvEo/TveqNlzqCZI/AAAAAAAAB6A/gQ73VvkaklA/s320/Logo1-11.jpg" width="320" /></a></center><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">730 days later, over 120,000 viewed pages, more than 46,000 views of the Blog and visitors from 176 states/territories from all over the world have lead to the celebration of Penpalling & Letters Second Anniversary!<br />
<br />
The past months have been prolific in the environment of Penpalling & Letters. We have built a nice community of letter-writers at the <a href="http://penpallingandletters.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=login" target="blank"><b>Penpalling & Letters Forum</b></a> and at the <a href="http://http//www.facebook.com/groups/penpallingandletters" target="blank"><b>Penpalling & Letters Facebook Group</b></a>. We also have a support page at Google+ <a href="https://plus.google.com/101261648145443842598/posts" target="blank"><b>Penpalling & Letters G+</b></a>, so feel free to join the one which fits your purposes better!</p><br />
<center><a href="http://penpallingandletters.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=login" target="blank"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xyj_rNQAmU4/Tver17st0JI/AAAAAAAAB6M/i6xdJTXcN3c/s1600/Logo1-14.jpg" /></a></center><br />
<center><a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/penpallingandletters" target="blank"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UwvZE3jvgjs/TveswADq-EI/AAAAAAAAB6Y/55Da2DsxLQw/s1600/PandLFacebook-1.jpg" /></a></center><br />
<center><a href="https://plus.google.com/101261648145443842598/posts%20target=blank"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-acD5DjUjfR8/Tvet7Myx-5I/AAAAAAAAB6k/Wd9X6CvS6ow/s1600/Collages-2.jpg" /></a></center><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>Thank you to all the P&L members/community for all this time spent together, to readers and visitors for participating, for the encouraging messages and the support along these two years and to the many lovely people I had the chance to meet!</b><br />
<br />
To celebrate Penpalling & Letters Second Anniversary we are having a giveaway of some cute penpalling stuff you can see below!</p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HWz42igxR6M/TvhzBrVEcoI/AAAAAAAAB6w/en1-_eCwd5Q/s1600/Contest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HWz42igxR6M/TvhzBrVEcoI/AAAAAAAAB6w/en1-_eCwd5Q/s400/Contest.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><b>How to enter this contest?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">It is very easy! Just go on reading... <i>The only imposition on my side is that any "anonymous" won't be taken into account. If possible "I would like to know you". How? Just sign with a Blogger, Twitter, Facebook... profile. Or at least, leave your name and tell me you are in Facebook, Twitter, any social network, website... If I cannot find you anywhere, I am very sorry but cannot take you in. I simply don't want to send a prize to a "ghost" if you know what I mean.</i> This is what you have to do to participate:</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b><u>Leave a comment in this post and tell me</u> (remember to leave a way to contact you):<br />
How did you start penpalling and got hooked in letter-writing? Please, don't write a few words as those won't be considered. I am asking for a little story about this event and the one I like the most will be the winner! So, take advantage of your penpalling-qualities and write a good one!</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>Please, notice that if you would like to participate in this contest, your reply has to be written in this post, under comments section. Comments in Facebook, G+ or any other place around the Internet won't be valid. Also, only one entry per person is allowed, so chances to get the prize are the same for all of you.</i></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Everybody is welcome to enter, it does not matter where you are located, and if you feel like it, tell your penpals and friends as well. It is a good chance to get a cute set of stickers from P&L! Deadline will be the <b>1st February, 2012, at 00:00 GMT+1 Time Zone</b>. The winner will be announced a few days later. Good luck to all participants and my wishes of a <b>healthy and fabulous 2012 for everybody!!!</b></p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-78446092258932641672011-12-05T00:00:00.015+01:002011-12-06T23:50:41.376+01:00The Christmas Season in Spain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OkiGddantXA/Tsrut3L85_I/AAAAAAAAB2M/m8UcQZnMnWA/s1600/madrid_calles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OkiGddantXA/Tsrut3L85_I/AAAAAAAAB2M/m8UcQZnMnWA/s200/madrid_calles.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">At the end of the month of November you can feel in the air that the Christmas Season is approaching. It is then when streets are decorated with typical ornaments, motifs and Christmas lights. In some cities, a beautiful Christmas Tree is put in the main square, next to the town hall or in some mall. Also, recently, in bigger cities, an ice-ring is set up in a square or in a large area of the city during the season. Shops put decorations, too, and the shop windows get full of gifts and toys as well.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xXAjVsyBDp8/TsruubblavI/AAAAAAAAB2U/2tuzAPIk7BE/s1600/208944-fuengirola-arbol-plaza-espana-navidad-2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xXAjVsyBDp8/TsruubblavI/AAAAAAAAB2U/2tuzAPIk7BE/s200/208944-fuengirola-arbol-plaza-espana-navidad-2009.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Christmas is celebrated in many countries all around the world and Spain shares many traditions with all these places. Families meet to share the joy and happiness of these special times and to celebrate the birth of Jesus. However, there are traditions and customs which only happen to be here and reflect the personality of the country during the season.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Some special elements of Christmas in Spain are:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b2ZL4A8MLPs/Tsrv__4te8I/AAAAAAAAB2k/g_sBtE5fX5I/s1600/portal-de-belen-blanca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b2ZL4A8MLPs/Tsrv__4te8I/AAAAAAAAB2k/g_sBtE5fX5I/s200/portal-de-belen-blanca.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- The Nativity Scene</b>: it consists of a mini representation of the birth of Jesus Child. It is a strong tradition to put the Scene in all homes. Some Nativities are important and large (they are set up at institutions, worship places...). They are very carefully decorated, plenty of details and very artistic! You even can find the river with real water and a waterwheel, shepherds taking care of the flock and herd, representations of manual jobs (potter, washerwomen, blacksmith...) and the Three Kings following the Star to Bethlehem... In some cities and villages, on the night of the 24th December, a live exhibit of the Nativity takes place (see video below), with animals, real people and of course, a baby! There are also contests to award the best Nativity Scene in many cities and villages.</p><center><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/VK9ghmgWfHo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- The Christmas Tree</b>: As in many other countries, the Tree has become a typical element of Christmas in Spain as well. People gets an evergreen coniferous tree into their homes and decorate it with all kind of ornaments, Christmas lights, garland, tinsel, glitter... Under the Tree gifts will be placed later so it is really important, but also gives a real warm feeling and meaning of Christmas as well as the Nativity does.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Christmas Carols ("villancicos")</b>: These typical songs in this time of the year are sung everywhere. Nowadays you can hear them through the loudspeakers in the street or in malls, but there was a time in which the children, with a "zambomba" (traditional drum-like instrument) and a "pandereta" (tambourine) were singing these traditional songs (which are about Bethlehem, the Jesus Child or what is happening to Jesus family) along the streets asking for the "aguinaldo" (Christmas box). The "aguinaldo" consisted of a few coins or some typical sweets of this season.<br />
Below I am adding a video of one of my favourite Christmas carols in Spanish. Besides, I am also giving links to several other Christmas carols which are very popular.<br />
<center><iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AQbMT7FbEsk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Christmas Carols in Spanish: <a href="http://youtu.be/6uaDzCdgVgI"><b>"Pastores venid"</b></a>, <a href="http://youtu.be/ISTM3XGCmHE"><b>"Los peces en el río"</b></a>, <a href="http://youtu.be/J-giiqh72SE"><b>"Arre borriquito"</b></a>, <a href="http://youtu.be/QEbltf1Z-MY"><b>"Campana sobre campana"</b></a>, <a href="http://youtu.be/hIjmlXh1rSk"><b>"Ande, ande, ande la marimorena"</b></a>, <a href="http://youtu.be/BjIpjNevyYo"><b>"Hacia Belén va una burra, rin, rin"</b></a>, <a href="http://youtu.be/4y5OJUyZ1XU"><b>"Veinticinco de diciembre, fun fun fun"</b></a>, <a href="http://youtu.be/-9TenYUHOU4"><b>"Vintecinco de decembro, fun fun fun - in Galician"</b></a>, <a href="http://youtu.be/ffv20BsN9ps"><b>"¡Ay del chiquirritín!"</b></a>, <a href="http://youtu.be/hCNk3Gy3bbo"><b>"Canta, ríe, bebe"</b></a>, <a href="http://youtu.be/DyRFHeNMoXA"><b>"Campana sobre campana"</b></a>...<br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- "Aguinaldo" (Christmas box)</b>: Besides the children asking for "aguinaldo" while singing carols, it is also called "aguinaldo" a bonus or special payment received by workers (Year End Bonus). To some other workers, people give "aguinaldo" when they consider they did a good job all year-round. It can be monetary or in kind. Some workers who receive it are postmen, caretakers...</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Despite the festive atmosphere might be felt much earlier, if one has to choose a day when the kick-off of Christmas takes place in Spain that is the Christmas Lottery on 22nd December! In Spanish it is called "Sorteo de Navidad" or "Lotería de Navidad" and it is the most popular draw in the whole year. The first ever Christmas Lottery draw took place in 1812 and it is organized every 22nd December ever since. The name "Sorteo de Navidad" was used for the first time in 1892, though. As measured by the total prize payout, the Christmas Lottery is considered the biggest lottery worldwide. Pupils of the San Ildefonso School draw the numbers and corresponding prizes, singing the results aloud in front of the public in a really particular way of singing (see video below). December, 22th is the last day of school for children before the festive season starts. They will be back right after the "Three Kings Day".</p><br />
<center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7qz9pphQHZc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">On the 24th December, Christmas Eve, families have dinner together to celebrate the birth of Jesus (which will take place in a few hours). Christmas Eve has a family feel and it is a time to be spent at home. Dinner is organized with care.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e5Ee5hgtv74/Ttq6NiuKeKI/AAAAAAAAB3w/Qm2bS5ERTxI/s1600/cena-recetas-navidad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e5Ee5hgtv74/Ttq6NiuKeKI/AAAAAAAAB3w/Qm2bS5ERTxI/s200/cena-recetas-navidad.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Dishes prepared depend on each family and each Spanish region. Let's say that in coastal areas one or several of the dishes consist of seafood: fish and shellfish (cod, hake, red bream, gilthead bream, sea bass, sole, crayfish, different kinds of crabs, scallop shell, lobster, barnacles...) while in the rest, dishes consist mostly of meat: roasted beef, capon, turkey, lamb, suckling pig... Of course, both types of dishes are accompanied by vegetables. Typical drinks are wine, cider, cava... and the typical Christmas desserts are sweets like "turrón" (a kind of nougat candy), "polvorones" (I heard it is similar to "shortbread" in New Zealand but cannot confirm it), "mazapán" (marzipan), "mantecados" (traditional Christmas sweets made mainly from lard), nuts, dates, dried fruit... After the dinner, there was a time in which many people were attending the "Midnight Mass" or "Misa del Gallo" in Spanish. This tradition has been forgotten little by little and less people attend this mass nowadays.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">On the contrary to many countries in the world, presents aren't exchanged on Christmas Eve (or in Christmas Day). In the latest years Santa is more present than ever, though, and still many children get a "little" gift or sweets, either on December, 24th or 25th. However, there are three Spanish regions which have their own Santa Claus, so to say. In the Basque Country it is called "Olentzero", "Tió de Nadal" in Catalonia and "Apalpador" or "Pandigueiro" in Galicia.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TUINbOlFYJw/Ttq9wTycLbI/AAAAAAAAB4A/BMtxTKQH1Pc/s1600/olentzero--253x200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TUINbOlFYJw/Ttq9wTycLbI/AAAAAAAAB4A/BMtxTKQH1Pc/s200/olentzero--253x200.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">The <b>"Olentzero"</b> is a mythological character of the Basque Christmas tradition, a chubby coal merchant, good-natured and kind, who goes down the mountains to the cities and villages on Christmas Eve and brings the children presents and sweets.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>"Tió de Nadal"</b> ("Christmas Log") is a Catalonian mythological character also known as "Tió" or "Tronca" and popularly called "Caga Tió" (pooping or giving log in English). In many Catalan homes you can find the "Tió" as a thirty centimetres long hollow log.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C-Pqbadnres/TtvLZwBfNiI/AAAAAAAAB44/7mWxhNq74Xo/s1600/Ti%25C3%25B3_de_Nadal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C-Pqbadnres/TtvLZwBfNiI/AAAAAAAAB44/7mWxhNq74Xo/s200/Ti%25C3%25B3_de_Nadal.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">In recent times some accesories have been added to the log altering the more traditional and natural appearance of a dead piece of wood: it stands up on two or four little stick legs, has a broad smiling face which is painted on the higher of the two log ends, a little nose, and, on top, the typical Catalan hat called "barretina". Around the Festivity of the Immaculate Conception (December, 8th) the Tió starts to be feeded every night and it is also covered with a blanket so he won't be cold during the night. On Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day (depending on each family), the Tió is put partly into the fireplace and it is ordered to "poop". To make the Tió poop, it has to be beaten with sticks, while singing various songs of "Tió de Nadal". The Tió does not poop large presents, but Christmas sweets, candy, little gifts...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t9wem4VRtHw/Ttq9x3QBwXI/AAAAAAAAB4I/RX_Q_IrcYkE/s1600/1apalpador.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t9wem4VRtHw/Ttq9x3QBwXI/AAAAAAAAB4I/RX_Q_IrcYkE/s200/1apalpador.JPG" width="146" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Finally, the <b>"Apalpador" or "Pandigueiro"</b> is the mythical figure of a coal merchant, that, according to the tradition, lives in the mountains of O Courel and Os Ancares, in eastern Galicia. He goes down the mountains to cities, towns and villages to touch the children's belly and check if they have eaten well during the last year. He gives to children lots of chestnuts, some gifts and wishes for a new year full of happiness and food.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">On the 25th December, Christmas Day, families gather together to have lunch. Typical dishes are among the ones I named above, as well as for drinks and desserts. Usually there is a long after-lunch conversation while children enjoy their gifts and sweets. Otherwise it is a calm day to be spent with the family.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IZqDmhbFM5A/Ttq6Oeyn2RI/AAAAAAAAB30/HPEh91qopDI/s1600/turrones-navidad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IZqDmhbFM5A/Ttq6Oeyn2RI/AAAAAAAAB30/HPEh91qopDI/s200/turrones-navidad.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">The 26th December is festive in many countries, but not in Spain, except for one region: Catalonia. Catalonia's "Boxing Day" is called "Sant Esteve" (Saint Stephen). Catalonians spend this day with the other relatives they could not have lunch with at Christmas Day or relaxing. The typical food eaten on this day are canneloni, made with the leftovers of Christmas Day.<br />
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Spain has its particular "April Fool's" on December, 28th, called "Día de los Inocentes" (Innocent Saints). It has its origin in the massacre of children that King Herodes committed in Judea to avoid the loss of his throne to the new-born Jesus Child. Nowadays, pranks and tricks are played on this day on friends and family. Also the media plays tricks, jokes and absurd news which, sometimes, are not that easy to realize!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M53NkJLMxFs/TtrC21F0egI/AAAAAAAAB4Y/KVC9Qun0trM/s1600/Nochevieja-Puerta-Del-Sol-Madrid-Poudereux.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M53NkJLMxFs/TtrC21F0egI/AAAAAAAAB4Y/KVC9Qun0trM/s200/Nochevieja-Puerta-Del-Sol-Madrid-Poudereux.jpg" width="192" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">On the 31st December family have dinner together to celebrate the New Year's Eve (again dishes are some of the explained above). The special tradition taking place in Spain is that when the clock strikes the midnight, one grape for each ring of the bell has to be eaten. If you are able to eat all the grapes, it guarantees a new year full of prosperity, according to the tradition. The twelve grapes are related to the famous "Puerta del Sol Tower Clock" in Madrid, where the goodbye to the old year and the welcome to the new one is always broadcasted on TV. Already in the New Year, people go out to party until the early hours of the morning. Just before coming back home, it is typical to have breakfast: "chocolate con churros" (thick hot drinking chocolate with a thin cylinder of dough, deep-fried in olive oil and often dusted with sugar).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uS7hj63hZLs/TtrEEAOzQ_I/AAAAAAAAB4g/YcNYOt7MW_8/s1600/uvas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uS7hj63hZLs/TtrEEAOzQ_I/AAAAAAAAB4g/YcNYOt7MW_8/s200/uvas.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">New Year's is a peaceful day where there is a family lunch and a long after-lunch conversation, too, although some people will be sleeping for a long time after partying the whole night. Every January, 1st you can watch the New Year's Concerto from Vienna and the New Year's Ski Jump in Garmisch-Partenkirchen broadcasted in TV, characteristical features of the first day of the year for many people all around the world.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">With the arrival of the New Year, all Spaniards know that there is only one celebration (especially dedicated to children) left: <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/2011/01/dia-de-reyes-or-three-kings-day.html" target="blank"><b>"Día de Reyes" or "Three Kings Day"</b></a>. Before January, 5th comes, children have to write a letter to the Three Kings, also known as the "Three Wise Men" or "The Magi". In this letter they have to write about their behaviour during the last year and which toys they would like to receive as a present. The Three Wise Men know very well which children are good and those who aren't that much... so the first ones will surely get presents but the second ones might get coal (nowadays it is candy coal) so they know that the Three Kings are not joking when it comes to reward (or not) them!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-40g-3eWi2BA/TtvF98nnAzI/AAAAAAAAB4o/eGnQcvCvfRw/s1600/112379120142fbb1616e98e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-40g-3eWi2BA/TtvF98nnAzI/AAAAAAAAB4o/eGnQcvCvfRw/s200/112379120142fbb1616e98e.jpg" width="160" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">On January, 5th around 18:00h the Cavalcade of Magi starts in all Spanish cities, so the children can go and see the Three Kings, who later in the night will be carrying presents to their homes. While riding on the streets, the Magi throw sweet and candy to all the children who crow together to see them. When the night comes, children have to go to bed early, so the Three Kings can visit them. In fact, the Magi will only visit when they know that children are sleeping, this is why they are never seen while delivering presents! It is a magical and special night during which many children are so nervous and excited that sleeping is difficult for them! Before going to bed, some people have the following traditions: some leave their cleaned shoes next to a window or under the Christmas Tree so the Magi know how many children live in that house. Other people also leave food for the Magi: milk and biscuits or some Christmas sweets as well as water for the camels!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_T3yMtt775w/TtvGJdp-heI/AAAAAAAAB4w/TM7HW5L9j2A/s1600/regalos-de-reyes-arbol-de-navidad-2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_T3yMtt775w/TtvGJdp-heI/AAAAAAAAB4w/TM7HW5L9j2A/s200/regalos-de-reyes-arbol-de-navidad-2011.jpg" width="141" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">On the morning of January, 6th children get up really excited and run to the Christmas Tree to see if the Three Kings left them some presents. It is a thrilling morning for the little ones who are very happy because they got wonderful toys and gifts from the Three Kings! Also adults exchange gifts on the morning of January, 6th. On "Día de Reyes" it is typical to eat "Roscón de Reyes" (Three Kings Bread) for breakfast and even after lunch. The Roscón is a mixture bread roll, decorated with glaced fruits (which symbolize the rubies and the emeralds of the Three Kings robes) and sugar on top. Within the dough there are two small trinkets hidden: a bean and a figurine. The one who finds the figurine will have good luck all the year long, while the one who finds the bean will have to pay the "roscón".</p><br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eRoq4LSch-0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">"Día de Reyes" is the last celebration of the Christmas Season in Spain. Children usually don't come back to school until January, 8th as the day after "Three Kings Day" is always a holiday for them (guess to play as much as possible!). Once "Día de Reyes" is over it appears the feeling that the festive season is gone until the next year. In the following days all decorations, the Christmas Tree, the Nativity Scene... will be removed in all houses until nearly one year later when the next Christmas season comes and the same traditions and customs will be present in the lives of Spaniards one more year!</p><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><b>¡Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo!</b><br />
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<b>Zorionak!</b> <i>-Basque-</i><br />
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<b>Feliç Nadal i Bon Any Nou!</b> <i>-Catalan-</i><br />
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<b>¡Bo Nadal e Feliz Ano!</b> <i>-Galician-</i></p><br />
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<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">If you are interested in reading more articles related to the Christmas time and New Year's, check the following:<br />
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- <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/2010/12/sinterklaas.html" target="blank"><b>Sinterklaas</b></a><br />
- <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/2010/12/saint-nicholas-tradition-all-over-world.html" target="blank"><b>The Saint Nicholas tradition</b></a><br />
- <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-all-over-world.html" target="blank"><b>Christmas Time</b></a><br />
- <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-years-celebrations.html" target="blank"><b>New Year's Celebrations</b></a><br />
- <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/2011/01/dia-de-reyes-or-three-kings-day.html" target="blank"><b>The Three Kings Day or "Día de Reyes"</b></a></p><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">If you would like to read more interesting stories don't forget to check the links you can find at the following section: <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/p/travelling-around-world-sharing.html" target="blank"><b>Travelling around the World sharing Cultural Heritage, Folklore and Background</b></a>.</p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-7370220231320922902011-11-23T13:25:00.007+01:002011-11-24T01:18:38.420+01:00The Penpalling & Letters Official Forum is here!<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Dear Letter-writers,<br />
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We are happy to announce that Penpalling & Letters has its <a href="http://penpallingandletters.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=login" target="blank"><b>Official Forum</b></a> now!</p><center><a href="http://penpallingandletters.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=register" target="blank"><img border="0" src="http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/penpalling/Logo1-6.jpg" /></a></center><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">The Penpalling & Letters Forum is accessible to registered members only. Therefore you have to register first <i>(click image above)</i>. Afterwards, feel free to associate it with your Facebook ID, your Google ID or any other ID allowed that you will see in the access page. And no, you do not have to come up with yet one more ID and password to enter the discussion boards!</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">The only requirement from the Penpalling & Letters Team is that you provide enough information certifying you are into penpalling before registering.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><b><u>How to do that?</u></b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Just show us your reference online. It can be:<br />
<list><br />
- your Facebook profile<br />
- your Google+ profile<br />
- your personal Blog/website<br />
- your Postcrossing profile<br />
- your Swap-Bot profile<br />
- your Interpals profile<br />
- even any visible profile of yours online<br />
- be recommended by anyone the Penpalling & Letters Team knows already<br />
- be recommended by an already existing member of the Forum<br />
- be recommended by an already existing member of our Facebook groups</list><br />
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and also <b><u>show us a visual proof you write and receive letters, postcards...</u></b> (for example, showing a picture in which your name is shown and it is clearly stated that mail was addressed to you. Please, don't send a random picture you might find online!) by contacting us through <b>penpallingandletters[at]gmail[dot]com</b>.<br />
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If you are eligible to enter you will be notified by the Penpalling & Letters Team. We go through all petitions individually, therefore, if you fail to fulfill our requirements, your profile will be rejected. And please, notice that if you register yourself but don't accompany your petition to enter the Forum together with an e-mail presenting yourself you won't be accepted. Please, understand that there won't be any exceptions to these requirements and that we are not asking for anything "impossible" to fulfill. The Penpalling & Letters Forum is based on mutual trust among members, therefore it is intended to be a closed and safe place for letter-lovers, postcard-lovers and swappers, and we are doing our best to keep it this way!</p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-73144807527774361952011-11-20T14:57:00.001+01:002011-11-20T15:17:30.047+01:00Lovelia's contest winner!<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia; color: white; font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/2011/10/magical-world-of-lovelia.html" target="blank"><b>Ana Isabel</b></a> from <b>Lovelia</b> was presenting her creations in Penpalling & Letters not long ago. A contest was organized at the same time together with her interview and the winner was offered cute address labels and bookplates exclusively designed by Ana Isabel/Lovelia. The contest ended some days ago, and after deliberating together about choosing a winner, we came with a result, finally:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rXkfG3alftU/TskDA2jm09I/AAAAAAAAB10/5p9jclbxfXc/s1600/DSC08358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rXkfG3alftU/TskDA2jm09I/AAAAAAAAB10/5p9jclbxfXc/s400/DSC08358.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center; font-family: georgia; color: white; font-size: 16px;">All the names of the participants were written in little pieces of paper</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dUZbQRlAIX0/TskDC88GJSI/AAAAAAAAB18/4ZsunkcWjLg/s1600/DSC08359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dUZbQRlAIX0/TskDC88GJSI/AAAAAAAAB18/4ZsunkcWjLg/s400/DSC08359.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center; font-family: georgia; color: white; font-size: 16px;">All the little papers were put inside a bag</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bW1DmyUdxHo/TskDFPRGpvI/AAAAAAAAB2E/KQGukJpk4LE/s1600/DSC08360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bW1DmyUdxHo/TskDFPRGpvI/AAAAAAAAB2E/KQGukJpk4LE/s400/DSC08360.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center; font-family: georgia; color: white; font-size: 16px;">An innocent hand took the winner paper out of the bag</p><br />
<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia; color: white; font-size: 16px;">And the winner is <a href="http://got-that-swing.blogspot.com" target="blank"><b>Got That Swing</b>!!!</a> Congratulations Aga! You are really lucky to get these fantastic addresslabels and bookplates from Lovelia!!!</p><br />
<center><a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/2011/10/magical-world-of-lovelia.html" target="blank"><img border="0" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwhBkIqhER-rNMiO8OYY86mNO8BI40B5hpLi3uVSLX661hQMVVnJBLhuTXhMXfSZRG9sCBxGOP4l_w7I6CmFp-B7COZ8Ghc6ZKQ4IO_O4D3m_z_WaF71aRnGZRlJrSXW5yY8sXgj8S9rB/s320/Lovelia_Banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></center><br />
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<p style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia; color: white; font-size: 16px;">Thank you everybody for reading Lovelia's interview and supporting her, as well as for taking part in the contest! More surprises will be on Penpalling & Letters in the future so remember to keep an eye on the Blog!</p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-19382435886220667392011-11-18T17:33:00.005+01:002011-11-19T01:49:57.244+01:00Penpalling & Letters is on Google+ Pages now!<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Penpalling & Letters is on Google+ now! By joining you can read all the posts published until now, participate in discussions about the letter-writing world or explain about your chosen answer at the penpalling polls. Besides, we will be talking about our own experiences when penpalling and sharing facts, ideas or opinions. At last, but not least, we will also be discussing about our homelands, culture, languages, customs, typical food, legends, festivals, traditions... Everybody is welcome to join and participate!</p><center><a href="https://plus.google.com/101261648145443842598/posts" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="blank"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TdUrESNaB5M/Trskj_DhPbI/AAAAAAAABzU/hUOxtaIYaZg/s400/Google%252BP%2526L.jpg" width="400"/></a></center><br />
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<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>NOTE:</b> To visit Penpalling & Letters Google+ Page click on the image above.</p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-37337395888844770552011-11-16T08:25:00.002+01:002011-11-16T12:03:18.447+01:00Celebration of the harvesting time: Samhain<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rwIbybp53cc/Tr7IFvCo24I/AAAAAAAAB0w/Uo8YnsDM_ME/s1600/713px-EU-Italy.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rwIbybp53cc/Tr7IFvCo24I/AAAAAAAAB0w/Uo8YnsDM_ME/s200/713px-EU-Italy.svg.png" width="200" /></a><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>Once more a new post featuring <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/p/travelling-around-world-sharing.html" target="blank">Travelling around the World sharing Cultural Heritage, Folklore and Background</a> is online on Penpalling & Letters! We are stopping at south-western Europe in this occasion, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Neighbouring countries are France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia along the Alps. The two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia, belong to this land. Its capital city was the political and religious centre of Western civilisation and also the capital of the Roman Empire. It is also the cradly of the Renaissance, a very important intellectual movement in the development of Europe some centuries ago. Have you already guessed we have just landed in Italy this time to meet a penpaller called Silvia?</i></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Ciao Silvia! Welcome to Penpalling & Letters! It is great you are sharing your time with us today! Would you like to tell us a bit about you and the place you live as well as your letter-writing experiences?</i></b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Ciao from Italy everyone! I am Silvia, a 32-year-old vegan witch from the green lands of Tuscany in Italy! ;) I will always thank my English teacher at school who introduced me to penpalling through <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/2010/02/iys-international-youth-service-founded_06.html" target="blank">IYS-International Youth Service</a> when I was 12 years old. Years passed by and I lost all of my penpals and (shame on me!) I forgot about penpalling for many years - until three years ago when, during a very difficult moment in my life, I was sitting on my chair and wondered if penpals still existed in the Internet era! What a big surprise when I found out penpalling is still quite popular!! I have almost never spent a day without writing a letter (or part of it!) since then!<br />
I have always liked postcards, too, but never really collected them! I am a member of Postcrossing, but I don't consider myself a postcard collector in any way! I don't care where the postcards come from, I don't look for specific countries... What I like of postcards is that they are little coloured thoughts that come to your mailbox to bring a smile to your day!<br />
Are there people into penpalling who are not interested in stationery, pens, stickers...?! :) As you can guess, I love cute stationery and I always try to make my letters as cute as possible with loads of stickers and deco-tape!<br />
I like collecting faeries figurines. You can spot them in any corner of my house! I also like to swap postcards, bookmarks, lettersets and other small items. I used to swap magnets as well, but now my fridge door is made of wood so... :)<br />
At the moment I am not looking for new penpals. I have already sixteen and it is enough for me. I like to handwrite long letters and I usually reply to letters within a week... so I couldn't handle more penpals!</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Most people call it <b>Halloween</b>, some others call it <b>Samhain</b>. Most people consider it a special chance they have once a year to wear scary masks and indulge themselves in their darkest side (but just for fun!) for a single wild night; some others consider it like one of the most special and magical nights of the year.<br />
If you have always considered Halloween to be nothing but a business born in the USA or a children-only thing, I am here to give you a different point of view!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Oq-xvVDk9Nc/TsEvk138X8I/AAAAAAAAB1Q/BWc9gl7CT_c/s1600/samhain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Oq-xvVDk9Nc/TsEvk138X8I/AAAAAAAAB1Q/BWc9gl7CT_c/s200/samhain.jpg" width="197" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>Samhain</b> is the Gaelic/Celtic name of this very ancient harvest festival (the last one of the year and thus, really important for the life of the ancient people who lived mainly on agriculture) held on October 31th – November 1st and it is still celebrated nowadays by the (neo)Pagan community worldwide. Being myself Italian and Pagan, I try to reconnect to the most ancient (read: pre-Christian) traditions of my own country, that's why I call it Calenda. But no matter how you name it, we are still talking of the most magical night of the year.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yo8p2iD9-QI/TsEvhtR1QHI/AAAAAAAAB04/iZ9c5vNPIbo/s1600/5309813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yo8p2iD9-QI/TsEvhtR1QHI/AAAAAAAAB04/iZ9c5vNPIbo/s200/5309813.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">During this night, the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest and people have always been really aware of the wandering souls, both the good and the evil ones, trying to "socialize" with them: that's why they used to offer their ancestors' souls some warm wine and food and put small lanterns next to doors and windows to show them their way home and they also wore scary masks (probably not as fancy as the ones we wear today, but they made their job nevertheless!) and created scary figures to keep away the evil spirits. Can you see how similar it all sounds to what we all know as Halloween nowadays?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-babD9jsGgUc/TsEvi8C66wI/AAAAAAAAB1A/QmZmBdNWnAs/s1600/a+samhain+chant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-babD9jsGgUc/TsEvi8C66wI/AAAAAAAAB1A/QmZmBdNWnAs/s320/a+samhain+chant.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">So, enjoy your special scary night and keep in mind that your ancestors celebrated it (almost) like you are doing today! Feel the connection with the past and spend a few moments remembering your beloved ones who passed away.<br />
Carve your scariest pumpkins and put them outside so that all the evil spirits will take their distance from your house; eat warm and delicious seasonal food (don't forget to add some cinnamon!); make an extra cup of hot cider and leave it on your window together with a couple of cookies and a small lantern just in case some wandering souls belonging to your family need to find some rest, and if you want to get rid of anything in your life write it on a piece of paper and burn it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6uj6ZvvbHY4/TsEvjmWhlKI/AAAAAAAAB1I/EuZ45AaOdIw/s1600/Autumn-Fruits-575x431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6uj6ZvvbHY4/TsEvjmWhlKI/AAAAAAAAB1I/EuZ45AaOdIw/s200/Autumn-Fruits-575x431.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Are you wondering how Samhain/Calenda is related to All Saints? As everyone in ancient times celebrated their beloved ones passed away on this night, during the VIII century, the Pope by then moved the Christian celebration of All Saints from May 13th to November 1st so that people didn't have to get used to a new tradition!<br />
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In Italian <b>"trick or treat"</b> sounds like <b>"dolcetto o scherzetto"</b>: What about your own language?</p><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>Thanks for taking part in Penpalling & Letters, Silvia! It was really interesting to read how you celebrate Samhain at your corner and your feelings, thoughts and ideas about it!</i></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>If you are interested in reading more articles featuring anything related to our homelands don't forget to check: <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/p/travelling-around-world-sharing.html" target="blank"><b>Travelling around the World sharing Cultural Heritage, Folklore and Background</b></a></i>.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>I am always looking for people who would like to take part into this section of the Blog: <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/p/travelling-around-world-sharing.html" target="blank"><b>Travelling around the World</b></a>. If you would like to write about your homeland don't hesitate to contact me at: <b>penpallingandletters[at]gmail[dot]com</b> and we will work on it!</i></p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-55301336117392736842011-11-11T12:02:00.003+01:002011-11-11T12:02:00.366+01:00Mail paradox in the XXI century<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R59Lhp7OPAA/TryQ-ZEccJI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/JsO89arPpVc/s1600/tumblr_lotoo1lMDa1qlg3pfo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R59Lhp7OPAA/TryQ-ZEccJI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/JsO89arPpVc/s1600/tumblr_lotoo1lMDa1qlg3pfo1_500.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Extracted from: <a href="http://tumblr.com/Z0CgKx7SMgMl" target="blank"><b>"Poofytoo"</b></a></p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-75947043592648418052011-10-10T00:00:00.012+02:002011-11-27T14:57:36.222+01:00The magical world of Lovelia!<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Welcome one more time to <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/p/person-behind-letter-writer.html" target="blank"><b>"The person behind the letter-writer"</b></a>! Ana Isabel from <a href="http://loveliablog.blogspot.com/" target="blank"><b>"Lovelia"</b></a> is Penpalling & Letters special guest this time! She is going to introduce us to her lovely Lovelia world and dear readers! make sure you don't miss the wonderful surprise she has prepared for you all!</p><center><a href="http://loveliablog.blogspot.com/" target="blank"><img border="0" height="182" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pl4If6UB6P4/TpIYd7BYBiI/AAAAAAAABf4/q09e3M20UQE/s1600/Lovelia+boton.jpg" width="320" /></a></center><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yPS7H2yQHvg/TlgKOLU9CBI/AAAAAAAABeo/DeG1aySzfQ8/s1600/67638_161100193910004_161100037243353_357640_3932275_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yPS7H2yQHvg/TlgKOLU9CBI/AAAAAAAABeo/DeG1aySzfQ8/s320/67638_161100193910004_161100037243353_357640_3932275_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Hello Ana Isabel! Welcome to Penpalling & Letters! Thanks for visiting and participating in <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/p/person-behind-letter-writer.html" target="blank"><b>The person behind the letter-writer</b></a>! We are really looking forward to hear about your experiences in design and "Lovelia"! Would you like to present yourself and tell us about your experiences?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Hello everybody! I am so happy to participate in "Penpalling & Letters"! My name is Ana Isabel as you already know and I am a 27 year-old girl from Spain. I studied Illustration and Design and besides drawing I also love creating things handmade.<br />
When I was a child I used to write letters to my friends, specially in summer. We always had to tell a lot of adventures and sometimes we were not in the same city, then this was a pretty fun way to keep in touch. I remember I had a folder with stationery to write letters, and when I had to write a letter I would choose one of those to send to my friends. I love these cute sheets. I still have some of them!<br />
I also love postcards, specially if they show a nice illustration or something curious. I started collecting postcards when I was in Art School. I could find postcards with different photos and drawings and, almost without realizing, I got myself a lot of postcards so I decided to classify them and start my collection. I also have lovingly postcards that I received from my family and friends on special occasions, birthdays, Christmas... Sometimes I take my box and I get to read them, as they bring to me nice memories.<br />
I love all this kind of stuff related to penpalling. I have a lot of glitter-pens and I used to draw with them in the letters to my friends. I also love to collect stickers, I have a box full of them. I also like to collect clothing labels. When I purchase clothes, if the label is nice, I include it in my collection, and I have also a lot of labels that my friends have given to me.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wpJ2h7BuwBY/TleT_kTNcgI/AAAAAAAABdM/vaq44DPgg0Y/s1600/ladybug1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wpJ2h7BuwBY/TleT_kTNcgI/AAAAAAAABdM/vaq44DPgg0Y/s200/ladybug1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wemba de Ladybug</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Ana Isabel, would you like to present us Lovelia? Why did you choose this original, sweet name, "Lovelia"?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>Lovelia</b> is the name of my trademark to create things handmade with my cute characters (purses, cushions, bookplates, brooches...). The reason why I chose this name is curious. <i>Lobelia</i>, with "b" is a beautiful plant with tiny flowers between blue and purple (a very beautiful and unusual colour in flowers) and since I was a child they have always fascinated me as they are like taken out of a fairy tale. Then, when I had to choose a name to define what I do, I thought this name is perfect to describe my little world of fantasy and illusion, but I decided to change the "b" to "v" so to bring the word "Love" for what it represents as well as the affection and love I put into each of my creations.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Mb6_Bs5rpM/TlfGtgJ0SZI/AAAAAAAABdQ/SZSlxLV5k98/s1600/hedg1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Mb6_Bs5rpM/TlfGtgJ0SZI/AAAAAAAABdQ/SZSlxLV5k98/s200/hedg1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Xima the Hedgehog</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- How was "Lovelia" born? When did the first thought to create this cute world appear in your mind?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Lovelia began just over two years ago. I wanted to make a Valentine's present for my boyfriend and since I was looking for something original, I decided to buy felt to experiment. The truth is that I liked working with this material so much that without realizing it, I had got myself a few yards of different felt colours! One day the idea to bring the characters I have designed on paper to felt came to life and this is how the idea of creating the first coin purse came up. To me it is like if my drawings have come to life! Having never handled a sewing machine before, it seemed difficult at first. But since my mother is a great expert, I was taught to use it quickly. My mother has helped me a lot when starting this project!</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C8xC99pptCs/TlgK-AniUjI/AAAAAAAABes/BkkdoYpbJrQ/s1600/il_570xN.263396927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C8xC99pptCs/TlgK-AniUjI/AAAAAAAABes/BkkdoYpbJrQ/s200/il_570xN.263396927.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yared the Crab</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Would you like to present us the "Lovelia" family, Ana Isabel?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Of course! The Lovelia family are several funny and cute characters of different species as they are a ladybug, Wemba, a couple of raccoons, Dunoki and Puchina, a monkey, Sambi, a frog, Phine and many more! Little by litlle the family continues to grow! You can visit the Lovelia family both in the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/lovelia" target="blank"><b>"Lovelia Etsy Shop"</b></a> and in the <a href="http://loveliablog.blogspot.com/" target="blank"><b>"Lovelia Blog"</b></a> to find out how all the members look like.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JNoNYYa6xPs/TlfG0_juu_I/AAAAAAAABdY/FfZ2QCdD7H8/s1600/frog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JNoNYYa6xPs/TlfG0_juu_I/AAAAAAAABdY/FfZ2QCdD7H8/s200/frog1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phine the Frog</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Which kind of materials do you use to bring to life the Lovelia characters?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">To make my creations I use different materials as they are paper, card, beads, wood... but, perhaps, the most widely used and the most comfortable I feel with is felt. I use it in most of my creations and I love the warm and welcoming effect that it gives!</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N4uRUph8iU0/TlfMAomNRrI/AAAAAAAABdc/_vN6AGM2_50/s1600/buho1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N4uRUph8iU0/TlfMAomNRrI/AAAAAAAABdc/_vN6AGM2_50/s200/buho1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The RainbOWLs</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Where did you get the inspiration to create the "Lovelia" family? How do you inspire yourself, especially in every new creation which joins the "Lovelia" world?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">I have always enjoyed creating illustrations with a touch tender child, and animals have always seemed very tender to me. So, to create the characters I inspire on my own style of drawing.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FiAonPlAI8M/TlfNxv15W-I/AAAAAAAABdg/c2GwZm1Y8cM/s1600/il_570xN.178642602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FiAonPlAI8M/TlfNxv15W-I/AAAAAAAABdg/c2GwZm1Y8cM/s200/il_570xN.178642602.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dunoki the Raccoon</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- When you work on a new Lovelia creation, do you imagine the item in your mind before it comes to reality or do you work on an initial idea and then you build it as inspiration comes to you and the feelings about the new member/creation of the Lovelia family develop?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">I always imagine the item first. When I visualize the idea, I pick my pencils and start doing different sketches to give expression to it on paper, and it ends up taking shape. Sometimes you feel that the idea flows more easily and sometimes you have to give it more time to get the final result. Once that I have come to a final design on paper, I can start to create my item in a different material.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqUT2PcOHnw/TlfS18vkcMI/AAAAAAAABdk/-bkH8udI0as/s1600/spider1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZqUT2PcOHnw/TlfS18vkcMI/AAAAAAAABdk/-bkH8udI0as/s200/spider1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pacha the Spider</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- How long have you been working into handmade stuff by now, Ana Isabel?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">It is true that since I was a little girl I have always loved to create handmade things. However, I can not give an exactly date about when I got started. I would say that it did not happen in a more steady way, at least, until I decided to create the Lovelia world.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YT9rznK2R6U/TlfS_YdjM6I/AAAAAAAABdo/cZhT_yCH700/s1600/koalaboy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YT9rznK2R6U/TlfS_YdjM6I/AAAAAAAABdo/cZhT_yCH700/s200/koalaboy1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luru the Koala</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- How much time does it take to have a new member of the Lovelia family between us? Do you mature the idea for a long time before it becomes a reality?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">It all depends on the time of the year. There are seasons during which I have more orders. For example before Christmas, therefore, during those days I use most of my time to prepare shipments and stock items that I already have for sale. Once that those busy days are gone I have more time to devote to my future creations.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ozDx9CUyv6s/TlfUpwBO2hI/AAAAAAAABds/oOfmYvSzg20/s1600/monkeyboy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ozDx9CUyv6s/TlfUpwBO2hI/AAAAAAAABds/oOfmYvSzg20/s200/monkeyboy1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sambi the Monkey</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- How much time do you need to build any of the items we can see in your shop?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">It depends on the details of each character, but the average time to build a purse coin would be around two hours and around an hour to build a brooch. To make the mobiles I need some more time as each mobile takes about three hours to be done.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UtSziBS26E8/Tlf0IEVy4ZI/AAAAAAAABdw/zNfGeTNK9K4/s1600/Wemba1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UtSziBS26E8/Tlf0IEVy4ZI/AAAAAAAABdw/zNfGeTNK9K4/s200/Wemba1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Among all the Lovelia creations, do you have a favourite?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">I could not settle on one as they are like my children, so be sure each of them means something special to me!</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Which little creature of the Lovelia family is the favourite among your customers?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">I could say that Wemba the Ladybug, Puchina the Raccoon and Pacha the Spider seem to be the most popular ones for now.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fft1D24XI18/TlgB3ZHdfoI/AAAAAAAABd0/4d0MPVK3ihE/s1600/TRICK+OR+TREAT+MONTAJE+copia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fft1D24XI18/TlgB3ZHdfoI/AAAAAAAABd0/4d0MPVK3ihE/s200/TRICK+OR+TREAT+MONTAJE+copia.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trick or Treat</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Which items are the most popular among your customers? Which ones are the most requested?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Purses and bookplates. The most requested ones are purses of the characters I named before and the Rainbowl's bookplates are very successful as well.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Can we expect new Lovelia creations in the near future as well as new items?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Yeah! I am currently working on new Lovelia creations and I hope that I will surprise you all! Hopefully you can enjoy them soon!</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3gJBzurWfu8/TlgGnoZWFaI/AAAAAAAABd4/vvTHnQuhUSg/s1600/il_570xN.145816168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3gJBzurWfu8/TlgGnoZWFaI/AAAAAAAABd4/vvTHnQuhUSg/s200/il_570xN.145816168.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pink RainbOWL</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- If a customer suggests a specific item or gives you some hints about a new design, would you be willing to work on it?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Of course! I love to create custom items. Sometimes customers request me a different animal or ask me to customize any of the ones which already belong to the Lovelia family. It is special and a lot of fun to make something different by exchanging ideas with the costumer.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9bXrP0MKpDY/TlgGsj7TvCI/AAAAAAAABd8/Iz4h4uzJwLI/s1600/5Cloud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9bXrP0MKpDY/TlgGsj7TvCI/AAAAAAAABd8/Iz4h4uzJwLI/s200/5Cloud.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blullaby - Rain Cloud</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Could you explain us how purchasing, payment and shipping work in Lovelia?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Purchasing is really easy and fun in Lovelia. You just need an account on Etsy; it is free and easy to create. Once you have created your account you have to enter my shop: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/lovelia" target="blank"><b>"Lovelia Etsy Shop"</b></a>, and add to a cart everything you want to purchase. Afterwards, make the payment to my PayPal account through your Paypal or credit card. Finally, once I have received the payment I will be shipping your order within two days via postal mail.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ivWkcrNJ8Cw/TlgG5BaKAPI/AAAAAAAABeA/NznPHvt_SVA/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ivWkcrNJ8Cw/TlgG5BaKAPI/AAAAAAAABeA/NznPHvt_SVA/s200/1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovelia Calendar</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- During all this time you have been managing Lovelia, have you ever experienced any anecdote or situation you would like to share with us?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Yes, I have a lot of funny anecdotes to share. One of them happened recently: It was about a girl who bought one of my creations as a gift for a friend of herself. This girl asked me if I could send the gift directly to her friend's postal address as a surprise but she didn't leave a note saying who was the sender. So when her friend received the gift, she contacted me through Facebook and asked me: "Who are you? Why did you send me this purse?" The girl's friend could understand nothing, but finally I could explain to her that I had sent it in behalf of a friend of hers, and she finally contacted her friend to thank her for the lovely detail.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N93ZowrPbec/TpGD4TdN7gI/AAAAAAAABfw/rmvj4HdCWtM/s1600/WOOD-ERIZO5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N93ZowrPbec/TpGD4TdN7gI/AAAAAAAABfw/rmvj4HdCWtM/s200/WOOD-ERIZO5.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Xima the Hedgehog Wood Brooch</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Can we find Lovelia in any website online (i.e. Facebook, Twitter)?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Yes, you can find Lovelia on my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/lovelia" target="blank"><b>"Etsy Shop"</b></a>, on <a href="http://loveliablog.blogspot.com/" target="blank"><b>"Lovelia Blog"</b></a> and on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lovelia/161100037243353" target="blank"><b>"Facebook"</b></a>.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Which creature of the Lovelia family fully represents the essence of your work and designing experience in your opinion?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">I don't think that only one of the creatures represents the essence, I think it is a mix, all of them together are Lovelia. But, certainly, the common factor is that all of my creations are made to be colourful, always with a lot of colour, and a touch of fun. I think that it is important to add these feelings into our lives.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H37If7POGss/TlgHMH3D87I/AAAAAAAABeI/Z4GHa91zpQk/s1600/WOOD-P-MARIQU1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H37If7POGss/TlgHMH3D87I/AAAAAAAABeI/Z4GHa91zpQk/s200/WOOD-P-MARIQU1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wemba the Ladybug Earrings</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Are there some thoughts or ideas you would like to share with us, Ana Isabel?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">I would like to recommend everybody to try to do things handmade. It is fun, develops your creativity and makes you feel really well! I would also like to thank Bea for this interview in Penpalling & Letters and her interest in my creations and work!</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>Ana Isabel, thank you very much for this lovely interview and for introducing us to the Lovelia world and how everything came to life! It was a pleasure to work together with you on this interview and hope that you decide to visit us in P&L any time soon!</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">And now it is time to talk about the contest that Ana Isabel and her Lovelia world through the <a href="http://loveliablog.blogspot.com/" target="blank"><b>"Lovelia Blog"</b></a> and the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/lovelia" target="blank"><b>"Lovelia Etsy Shop"</b></a> have prepared for all of you!<br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">By participating in this contest you can win <b>eight bookplates and eight addresslabels</b> designed and offered by Ana Isabel and her cute Lovelia world! You can see part of the prize in the pictures below.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YtrM-iG8lVY/TlgG-VNzArI/AAAAAAAABeE/LPEubPS0s9U/s1600/etiqcartas3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YtrM-iG8lVY/TlgG-VNzArI/AAAAAAAABeE/LPEubPS0s9U/s320/etiqcartas3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovelia Addresslabels</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Oij-XKIvoM/TlgHzgR57bI/AAAAAAAABeQ/tRSkFcegq8E/s1600/bus1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Oij-XKIvoM/TlgHzgR57bI/AAAAAAAABeQ/tRSkFcegq8E/s320/bus1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovelia Bookplates</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D3Att6JDQ1Y/TlgIjSdFE-I/AAAAAAAABeU/w2lr3N3885s/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D3Att6JDQ1Y/TlgIjSdFE-I/AAAAAAAABeU/w2lr3N3885s/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RainbOWLs Bookplates</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<p style="text-align: center; font-family: georgia; color: white; font-size: 16px;"><b>How to take part in <b>Lovelia's contest</b>?</b></p><p style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia; color: white; font-size: 16px;"><b>1. Visit the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/lovelia" target="blank"><b>"Lovelia Etsy Shop"</b></a> or the <a href="http://loveliablog.blogspot.com/" target="blank"><b>"Lovelia Blog"</b></a></b> and tell us which item(s)/members of the Lovelia family you like the most. Come back to this interview and leave a comment below together with a way to contact you.</p><p style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia; color: white; font-size: 16px;"><b>2. For an extra entry be/become a follower of the <a href="http://loveliablog.blogspot.com/" target="blank"><b>"Lovelia Blog"</b></a> (notice that to be a follower you don't need to have a Blog of your own but an accessible Blogger profile. Also, if you are already a follower you are in)</b> and let us know about it. Make sure you leave a way to contact you as well.</p><p style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia; color: white; font-size: 16px;"><b>3. Tell/link/twitter about this giveaway on your Blog/Personal Website/Twitter for another extra entry</b> and again leave a comment in this post. Make sure you provide the link to your Blog/Website/Twitter post together with your comment as well as your contact data.</p><p style="text-align: justify; font-family: georgia; color: white; font-size: 16px;"><b>4. Join <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lovelia/161100037243353" target="blank"><b>"Lovelia Facebook Page"</b></a> (if you have already joined you are in)</b> for a third extra entry and leave your Facebook name or the e-mail you are using in Facebook here and, of course, a way to contact you.</p><br />
<center><a href="http://loveliablog.blogspot.com/" target="blank"><img border="0" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwhBkIqhER-rNMiO8OYY86mNO8BI40B5hpLi3uVSLX661hQMVVnJBLhuTXhMXfSZRG9sCBxGOP4l_w7I6CmFp-B7COZ8Ghc6ZKQ4IO_O4D3m_z_WaF71aRnGZRlJrSXW5yY8sXgj8S9rB/s320/Lovelia_Banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></center><br />
<br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>Bear in mind that you should participate with a name/nickname in this contest. Any "anonymous" won't be taken into account. You can sign up with a Blogger, Twitter, Facebook, G+... account. Or at least, leave your name and tell us you are in Facebook, G+, Twitter or any social network, website... If we cannot find you anywhere, we are really sorry but your participation won't be taken in. Sorry!</i></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>Please, notice that to participate in this contest, your reply has to be written here, in this same interview. Comments in any other place around the net won't be taken into account for participation.</i></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Taking part in this contest organized by Ana Isabel and her Lovelia world is very easy! Everybody is welcome to enter and if you feel like it, tell your pals and friends as well. It is a wonderful chance to win some cute handmade stuff made with love, care and fun by Ana Isabel! Deadline will be the <b>31st October, 2011, at 00:00 GMT+1 Time Zone</b>, yes, that is Halloween! The winner will be announced shortly after.</p><p style="text-align: center; font-family: georgia; color: white; font-size: 16px;"><b>Lots of good luck to everybody and keep enjoying the magical Lovelia world!</b></p><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>If you would like to read more posts from <b>"The person behind the letter-writer"</b> section keep an eye on the links you can find at: <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/p/person-behind-letter-writer.html" target="blank"><b>The person behind the letter-writer</b></a>.</i></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>If you are interested in being featured in <b>"The person behind the letter-writer"</b> because you have a cute shop, you are crafty and would like to present your creations, you have an ability and would like to tell us about it... contact me at: <b>penpallingandletters[at]gmail[dot]com</b> and we will work it out!</i></p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-52145342003161695552011-10-07T22:22:00.000+02:002011-10-07T22:22:00.321+02:00Baklava<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Zz7tHlCKyHo/TKisZ0lEiNI/AAAAAAAAAw0/fWqQg0c0MXU/s1600/600px-Turkey_%28orthographic_projection%29.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Zz7tHlCKyHo/TKisZ0lEiNI/AAAAAAAAAw0/fWqQg0c0MXU/s200/600px-Turkey_%28orthographic_projection%29.svg.png" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>It is time to visit some amazing place in the world again in the frame of <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/p/travelling-around-world-sharing.html" target="blank">Travelling around the World sharing Cultural Heritage, Folklore and Background</a>. The land we are visiting today is encircled by different seas: the Aegean Sea to the west, the Black Sea to the north and the Mediterranean to the south. Also, the Sea of Marmara is located in the northwest. Terms associated to this country are the Anatolian Peninsula, the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits, Mount Ararat, Lake Van or the Cappadocia.</i></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b><i>Hello Sibel and welcome to Penpalling & Letters! Thanks for taking part in our trips around the world! Would you like to tell us a bit about yourself and your penpalling activity?</i></b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Hello P&L readers! My name is Sibel and I am a teacher of English in her thirties. :) I come from Ankara, the capital city of Turkey, where I am living and working. Being creative and productive mean a lot to me. I am always serious and hardworking, not only at work but also in my personal life. I am addicted to discovering and learning new things. I believe rules and principles must be always in our all circles for the sake of people and the world as well.<br />
I have been into penpalling just for two years as I lost my childhood contacts long ago! Thanks to Facebook I am into it again. :) When I was in secondary school, my English teacher led me to have penfriends. I like stickers, stationery, magnets, postcards, actually all cute stuff in penpalling! :) I am into postcards as well. My first pals sent me such nice postcards that I remembered my childhood hobby and started to collect them now. As a result I started to swap postcards which show city views only. I collect magnets as well.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">And now it is time to share my home made Baklava recipe with you all!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mAV9jFU4dho/ToOwrciLVxI/AAAAAAAABfY/vWzDdA4Oh6Q/s1600/268081_2149160682270_1043926647_2564075_819677_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mAV9jFU4dho/ToOwrciLVxI/AAAAAAAABfY/vWzDdA4Oh6Q/s200/268081_2149160682270_1043926647_2564075_819677_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>Ingredients for the <u>dough</u>:</b><br />
<br />
- One tea spoon of salt<br />
- One spoon of vinegar<br />
- One spoon of yoghourt<br />
- Flour as needed<br />
- Between sheets, 250g walnuts roughly chopped<br />
- Onto the dough, one glass of mixed olive oil and butter (boiled at 100ºC)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cusVC6gAhYw/ToOwukN3avI/AAAAAAAABfc/56Vh6WVCkpU/s1600/baklava.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cusVC6gAhYw/ToOwukN3avI/AAAAAAAABfc/56Vh6WVCkpU/s200/baklava.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>Ingredients for the <u>syrup</u>:</b><br />
<br />
- Two glasses of sugar<br />
- Two and a half glasses of water<br />
- One tea spoon of lemon juice</p><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b><br />
And now, the directions to do the home made Baklava:</b><br />
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1. Mix salt, vinegar, yoghourt and flour in the bowl.<br />
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2. Leave the dough to rest in a bowl for half an hour.<br />
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3. Then, roll out the dough by twenty sheets filo pastry which must be as thin as a paper is.<br />
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4. Lay ten sheets of filo pastry, one at a time into the tray.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NvKsBYmQ9xo/ToOw0S7tymI/AAAAAAAABfg/eZEM_yw5oCI/s1600/00BaklavaRESTING.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NvKsBYmQ9xo/ToOw0S7tymI/AAAAAAAABfg/eZEM_yw5oCI/s200/00BaklavaRESTING.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">5. In a clean bowl put the chopped nuts and spread the mixture over the pastry in the tray.<br />
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6. Layer up the ten remaining sheets on top of the nut mixture.<br />
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7. Using a sharp knife, cut this dough into small diamond-shaped pieces.<br />
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8. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat and add olive oil into it. Boil this mixture at 100ºC. When you drop it onto the dough, the dough must had been boiled for some time, too.<br />
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9. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UhCQLTRMfGg/ToOw6ElJFMI/AAAAAAAABfo/gEZgg6Dn3CU/s1600/baklava-turkey-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UhCQLTRMfGg/ToOw6ElJFMI/AAAAAAAABfo/gEZgg6Dn3CU/s200/baklava-turkey-01.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">10. Place the baklava in the pre-heated oven for approximately 20 minutes, then decrease the oven temperature to 150ºC and cook for an additional half hour to 40 minutes, or until the pastry is slightly puffed and golden on top. Do not allow the top to burn. Remove and allow to cool slightly.<br />
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11. For the syrup, heat the sugar, water in a small saucepan and cook over a medium heat until the sugar has melted and a syrup is formed. Then, add lemon juice just before turning off the owen.<br />
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12. Pour the syrup into the baklava slowly and leave the baklava to cool.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">And the tasty Baklava is done! After so much hard work, it is time to enjoy it!</p><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>Thanks for participating in Penpalling & Letters, Sibel! Let's try your recipe in our homes to taste your home made Baklava! Whenever you feel like participating again let me know!</i></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>If you are interested in reading more articles featuring characteristics of our homelands don't forget to check: <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/p/travelling-around-world-sharing.html" target="blank"><b>Travelling around the World sharing Cultural Heritage, Folklore and Background</b></a></i>.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>I am always looking for people who would like to take part in this section of the Blog: <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/p/travelling-around-world-sharing.html" target="blank"><b>Travelling around the World</b></a>. If you would like to write about any aspects of your homeland don't hesitate to contact me at: <b>penpallingandletters[at]gmail[dot]com</b> and we will work on it!</i></p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-7126876973066090582011-09-28T23:25:00.001+02:002011-09-28T23:25:00.292+02:00Mail Trivia XIV<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Zz7tHlCKyHo/S-LceiOlcgI/AAAAAAAAAYc/D8VhqfkjFQU/s1600/vladstudio_lightbulb_800x480.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 192px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Zz7tHlCKyHo/S-LceiOlcgI/AAAAAAAAAYc/D8VhqfkjFQU/s320/vladstudio_lightbulb_800x480.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468175314723369474" border="0" /></a><br />
<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>Did you know that...</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">the first mail carried by rail was in United Kingdom in 1830?</p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5140988825180069402.post-46731446436199743712011-09-25T23:57:00.000+02:002011-09-25T23:57:35.658+02:00Meet Melanie and her cute crafts!<p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Dear Penpalling & Letters readers,</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Welcome to a new post belonging to <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/p/person-behind-letter-writer.html" target="blank"><b>"The person behind the letter-writer"</b></a>! Once more, a penpaller has the chance to show us her creations and crafts! Penpalling & Letter's guest this time is Melanie from Germany! Melanie is going to talk about her letter-writing experience, her cute crafts and will be presenting a challenge in her blog: <a href="http://manzalone.blogspot.com" target="blank"><b>Meli's Letters, Crafts and more</b></a>!</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Hello Melanie! Welcome to Penpalling & Letters! It is a pleasure you are visiting today and we are very much looking forward to know more about you, your crafts and your letter-world! Would you like to tell us a little bit about yourself?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Hello! I am Melanie, a 29 year-old girl from Germany. I graduated from University last year and I love writing letters and being creative. Writing letters is one of my biggest hobbies for many years now. I think that I wrote my first letter when I was about nine years old. I got my first penpal from a horse magazine called Wendy and the girl was from Germany. But I cannot remember her and I also cannot remember how many letters we wrote. Since that day I am into letter-writing, sometimes more, sometimes less. However, I never really stopped and at the moment I am really into it again. I love letters and I am happy that I met so many nice people through penpalling!<br />
I also like postcards but I only collect USA state map postcards. I am not into Postcrossing anymore but I did it a few years ago and it was always fun. I also like to swap a lot of different stuff although I prefer stationery, crafts stuff and souvenirs. I also like collecting different items: stationery, crafts stuff, state map postcards from the USA, kawaii stuff, key chains from popular places/cities... I am also addicted to stationery and I could say that I have a little store at home!<br />
At the moment I am not really looking for new pen pals but if I meet someone really nice I wouldn't say no! ;)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-blXbKv8EKnc/TnvQQNlEVJI/AAAAAAAABe4/Z9hatJRPwow/s1600/226880_1940663229128_1018847250_2240301_3611990_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-blXbKv8EKnc/TnvQQNlEVJI/AAAAAAAABe4/Z9hatJRPwow/s200/226880_1940663229128_1018847250_2240301_3611990_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Melanie, could you tell us what do you like to create?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">At the moment I do a lot of polymer clay stuff like kawaii earrings and similar items which I am trying to sell but I didn't really have much luck yet. I also love scrapbooking and making cards. And I also make purses, too. I'm always open to new crafts!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AxwHX_JwrLQ/TnvQUGRlGGI/AAAAAAAABe8/5Rdxzsh8uf8/s1600/228211_1940664069149_1018847250_2240306_7900126_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AxwHX_JwrLQ/TnvQUGRlGGI/AAAAAAAABe8/5Rdxzsh8uf8/s200/228211_1940664069149_1018847250_2240306_7900126_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- How did you get started into handicrafts/papercraft?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">I am into crafts since I was a little girl. I often check websites online for new ideas and, at the same time, I am trying a lot of new stuff to do. Guess I was always creative!</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- How and where do you get the necessary inspiration to make every item?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Most of the time I get new ideas to create new items online, in craft stores or in craft magazines.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qj_Wa6dB5NA/TnvQYAFI2-I/AAAAAAAABfA/3AXfwlpn0_U/s1600/222002_1940664549161_1018847250_2240311_2597949_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qj_Wa6dB5NA/TnvQYAFI2-I/AAAAAAAABfA/3AXfwlpn0_U/s200/222002_1940664549161_1018847250_2240311_2597949_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Which kind of materials do you usually use?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">It depends on the different creations. To do my kawaii earrings I just need the polymer clay; to do purses fabrics, buttons, patches; for my cards, scrapbooking materials, rubber stamps, stickers, decorations... And ideas, of course!</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- How much time do you invest in every handmade item until it is finished?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">I don't really check the time when I work on my crafts. Sometimes I don't finish a specific item that same day so it is hard to say.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VE8MCqMxnEY/TnvQcA6yYSI/AAAAAAAABfE/QxFCtGQYQ00/s1600/224372_1940663669139_1018847250_2240304_7749301_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VE8MCqMxnEY/TnvQcA6yYSI/AAAAAAAABfE/QxFCtGQYQ00/s200/224372_1940663669139_1018847250_2240304_7749301_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Do you present your creations in an online website where it is possible to check them?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">My handcrafts can be visited in my blog: <a href="http://manzalone.blogspot.com" target="blank"><b>Meli's Letters, Crafts and more</b></a> or in my Facebook Group: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/cutecraftsforyou/" target="blank"><b>"Cute crafts for you"</b></a></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- When did you think about starting your own site online?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">I had several websites already but I started my blog because my friend has a blog with her creations, too and I really loved how it looked like!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D9BbzrH7Om4/TnvQlrRS83I/AAAAAAAABfI/cZSJrvTzl2c/s1600/229322_1940667229228_1018847250_2240328_7008892_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D9BbzrH7Om4/TnvQlrRS83I/AAAAAAAABfI/cZSJrvTzl2c/s200/229322_1940667229228_1018847250_2240328_7008892_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- What can we find when visiting your blog?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">I usually write about penpalling and crafts. Also about other different topics sometimes, but most of the time, letters and crafts.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Do you have favourite items to create yourself?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">I really love my kawaii polymer clay creations at the moment!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GJWZLQ90_hQ/TnvQpRrt0_I/AAAAAAAABfM/BwSB9AS4drY/s1600/224204_1940691749841_1018847250_2240403_5285921_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GJWZLQ90_hQ/TnvQpRrt0_I/AAAAAAAABfM/BwSB9AS4drY/s200/224204_1940691749841_1018847250_2240403_5285921_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>- Could you explain us how purchasing, payment and shipping work to get any of your items?</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">First, the client has to pay and then I try to ship the item as cheap as it is possible. I only charge the real shipping costs, not more. Anyone who is interested just contact me.</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Melanie is hosting a craft challenge in her blog at the moment, so for further information just check: <a href="http://manzalone.blogspot.com/2011/08/craft-challenge-2011.html" target="blank"><b>Craft Challenge 2011</b></a> and you will find out everything you have to do to participate there!</p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><b>Thanks a lot for participating in <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/p/person-behind-letter-writer.html" target="blank"><b>The person behind the letter-writer</b></a>! You know you are always welcome to Penpalling & Letters whenever you wish to visit us again!</b></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>If you would like to read more posts from <b>"The person behind the letter-writer"</b> section check the links you can find at: <a href="http://penpallingandletters.blogspot.com/p/person-behind-letter-writer.html" target="blank"><b>The person behind the letter-writer</b></a>.</i></p><p style="color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><i>If you are interested in being featured in <b>"The person behind the letter-writer"</b> because you have a cute shop, you are crafty and would like to present your creations, you have an ability and would like to tell us about it... contact me at: <b>penpallingandletters[at]gmail[dot]com</b> and we will work it out!</i></p>Penpalling and Lettershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556668374404339535noreply@blogger.com0