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STAMP Singapore – My Pick #5

Veron Ang — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 04:22:02 +0000

Let me just start by saying that I love the postbox that I’m presenting today. Out of the 5 postboxes that get my vote, it is quite possibly my most favourite! Titled “rolling hill”, this very fun and cheerful postbox at carpenter street gets my final vote in the STAMP nationwide art project.

It is a multitude of bright, vivid colours! Much thought and detail has obviously gone into this creative and very well put-together composition. Amidst the green rolling hills (much like the green Singapore) are several very familiar Singapore icons.

At one quick glance I have already spotted a Singapore explorer bus, a river bumboat, the Esplanade, shophouses, and the clock tower — is that the Victoria concert hall? There are quite a number of clock towers that we have here!

All these familiar landmarks have been meshed together very nicely! The end product looks really cute and fun. It worked for me.

Voting ends tomorrow. Just one more day to vote! Do head over to the website and vote for your 5 favourite postbox designs!

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STAMP Singapore – My Pick #4

Veron Ang — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 12:34:28 +0000

In my five-parter blog series on STAMP, I am featuring this yellow postbox with the fourth design that I’m voting for. This postbox has a cultural feel to it and has been painted to resemble a giant antique tiffin carrier (food container).

Back in the olden years, people used this multi-tier container like a lunch box. What made it efficient was that different types of dishes such as rice, vegetables and meat could be carried around, each one compartmentalised into a separate tier.

The artists have painted on pretty floral patterns that make the postbox look really quaint. Spot it at keong saik road in Chinatown. I can’t think of a location that is more apt for this particular postbox!

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STAMP Singapore – My Pick #3

Veron Ang — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 12:31:20 +0000

The car park outside somerset MRT station used to be the most “dangerous” car park in Singapore. Home to many trees and a hot spot for thousands of birds, people who parked their cars there frequently returned to find their vehicles covered in bird poop! Passers-by quickened their pace, some might have ran, for fear of being… Excreted on by one of the birds. (sorry, have to go laugh myself silly at that image!)

That problem no longer exists now that all the trees have been logged and car park demolished to make way for a new shopping mall. Like we don’t have enough malls already! Some of those trees must have been decades old. What a pity!

As for the birds, they would need new roles to fill their time of course. They’ve found new jobs as postmen!

See? They are climbing ladders, using parachutes and riding rockets to get our mail delivered! What an adorable idea! This cute postbox is one of the 40 postboxes that have been creatively painted for STAMP, a nationwide art project. I am voting for this design and four others.

Voting ends April 29! Only a few days left to vote, so hurry! Support creativity!

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STAMP Singapore – My Pick #2

Veron Ang — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:38:27 +0000

This rather peculiar looking postbox is my second pick for STAMP, the public art project that has given 40 postboxes across Singapore a spanking new makeover. Does this look familiar to you?

It should! Named “nostalgia in red & white”, this postbox is modelled after a famous historic landmark in Singapore. While it may not be as beautiful or colourful when compared to the other 39 postboxes, it’s my pick because I think it’s a very clever piece of work.

Now, do you know what that famous landmark is? Here’s a clue!

Do you see it yet? (damn, I hope you do!) that building in the background is the central fire station that was built in 1909. It is also Singapore’s oldest fire station that is still standing today!

This old fire station at hill street has been converted to the civil defence heritage gallery, showcasing the history of firefighting in Singapore. I paid a visit during interNational Museum day last year and wrote about it here.

Back in the 1920s, the slightly taller tower that you see sticking out of the building provided the highest viewpoint in Singapore! Can you believe that? What a vast difference from the concrete jungle that is Singapore today!

With the interNational Museum day approaching on May 18, there is never a better time to check out the gallery!

’til then, be sure to look out for the 40 creative postbox designs and vote for your favourite 5!

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STAMP Singapore – My Pick #1

Veron Ang — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 16:46:25 +0000

I’m surprised there hasn’t been much publicity about this, which is why all the more I should blog about it. Have you seen colourful postboxes such as this one lately?

Painted postboxes are the latest form of public art in Singapore. Early this year, the public was asked to send in creative designs for postboxes to STAMP, a nationwide art project. Out of these submissions, 40 were chosen to transform regular, boring white postboxes to works of art!

Chances are, you would have already come across these beautiful postboxes, called “STAMPs”. They are found in high-traffic areas such as the central business district and Orchard road. I’m a sucker for art and all things pretty, so I’m thrilled to see this thing taking off.

View pictures of all 40 postboxes on the website or on flickr. Pick your favourite 5 and vote! Voting ends April 29.

Over the next few days I would briefly showcase the 5 designs that I’m voting for, in no order of preference:

The one I’m featuring today is a playful design that spoofs the famous Louis Vuitton signature print. With Singapore symbols, of course. There’s the lion head, shopping bag, and an abstract icon of the orchid. I love that it looks so simple, yet striking at the same time. This one is definitely a head-turner. Everyone recognises the print, especially people in Orchard road, where this stylish postbox stands proudly outside far East shopping centre.

How fun! In recent years, there had been some attempts to install public art and sculptures. A few places were even designated for graffiti art which, to be honest, isn’t really art is it?

This project is something that the public would actually like. I really hope these beautifully painted postboxes stay around for a long time. They are definitely a breath of fresh air!

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Postcrossing: England

Veron Ang — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 14:35:01 +0000

It’s been weeks since I received my last postcard through postcrossing. After the long wait I was naturally thrilled when I came home to find this postcard of a beautiful beach, sent by morag all the way from the united kingdom.

Essex, England
Sender: Morag
Distance travelled: 10746 kilometers

Previously I had mailed her a postcard of the Merlion. She had actually visited Singapore before a long time ago. In this postcard that she sent, the picture shows the dovercourt beach which is where she walks her dog.

It’s been a long while. Can’t wait for my next postcard!

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Postcrossing: Finland

Veron Ang — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 17:36:24 +0000

This came in the mail today:

Finland
Sender: nylonmoon
Distance travelled: 9341 kilometers

The postcard shows a beautiful picture of a bell tower in ruokolahti, finland. Personally I think this is a rather unique postcard as the picture was drawn instead photographed. This was sent by nylonmoon (she didn’t leave her real name) in finland.

Nylonmoon is a 30 year old Mom of a sweet baby boy. In her card she wrote that the bell tower was built in 1752, and is one of the oldest buildings in ruokolahti.

Thanks, nylonmoon!

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Postcrossing: Japan

Veron Ang — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 16:15:44 +0000

There, a postcard from Japan! I’m very excited about this one.

Kumamoto, Japan
Sender: Mayu
Distance travelled: 4562 kilometers

The Japanese are an extraordinarily creative bunch who pay great attention to aesthetics. Almost anything that is made in Japan is guaranteed to look good. And so does the postcard. It’s a wondrous scenic view of a gorge. I absolutely love it. Thank you mayu!

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Postcrossing: Finland, Germany & Holland

Veron Ang — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 13:12:01 +0000

I joined the postcrossing community recently and have been loving it since. Everyone loves receiving mail right? Basically postcrossing does this: if you send out a postcard, you are guaranteed to receive one from anywhere in the world! And it doesn’t even need to be postcards. People have been known to send candy, teabags, toys, accessories, etc.

Well so far I have sent out one postcard to marco in Mexico, and have received… Four! The first postcard came last week, sent by minna of finland. She writes about finnish cows in her postcard. The pictures are of the helsinki railway station (on the left) and the National Museum of finland (on the right).

Helsinki, Finland
Sender: Minna
Distance travelled: 9252 kilometers

My second postcard was sent by paola, hailing from the netherlands (aka holland). Paolo lives in a small town that is close to the border of Germany and she loves the colour purple just like I do. One of the pictures in the postcard depicts men in huge wooden shoes (bottom left). They are actually farmers. In her town, there’s a factory that makes these shoes.

The Netherlands (a.k.a. Holland)
Sender: Paolo
Distance travelled: 10379 kilometers

The third postcard is a nice creation of ulrike, a classical musician from bonn, Germany. She made the whole postcard from scratch, complete with silver glitter, stencilled shapes and hand-drawn designs. You can check out more of her beautiful artwork at her blog. I like her short message in the postcard, where she says that beethoven was born in 1770 in the same place where she comes from.

Bonn, Germany
Sender: Ulrike
Distance travelled: 10335 kilometers

I received a second card from finland, this time from heli-mari who’s a mother of four. Her postcard is one of a finnish winterscape. She says that some people make holes in the ice and swim in the lakes during winter. Wow don’t they get cold? I especially like the stamp she used. We don’t get enough of kitty stamps around here, do we?

Finland
Sender: Heli-Mari
Distance travelled: 9162 kilometers

That’s it folks. I can’t wait to receive my next postcard. Gotta get cracking on the next batch of postcards to send out too! Join me will ya? Oh, and don’t forget to check out bookcrossing too!

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Sparklette Magazine » mail

STAMP Singapore – My Pick #5

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STAMP Singapore – My Pick #4

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STAMP Singapore – My Pick #1

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Postcrossing: Finland, Germany & Holland