Toucans - on stamps, but sadly not so easy to see in the wild

Toucans can be seen in parts of Guatemala, Mexico  and Belize, where we were this time last year, but sadly the only ones we found  were a rather elderly looking stuffed Keel Billed Toucan  in the Cultural centre in San Ignacio, Belize, (NICH)  and others featured in murals, and one made out of tyres!   The Keel Billed Toucan is  Belize's  national bird, and I was surprised at its size.  There are 42 different species  of Toucan, but some are now endangered due to widespread deforestation, which has destroyed their habitat. The Toco toucan, the largest of all the toucans, is so far not endangered as it is more adaptable.

Keel Billed toucan at NICH - Cultural centre, San Ignacio

Keen to make a Toucan stamp collage I've gathered  photos and some stamps
 together to  provide me with inspiration!   Collage to follow soon!

Mural - San Ignacio, Belize 

Mural -Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Toucan made from tyres 

Just four of more than 40 different varieties of Toucans are featured on this sheet of Guyanan stamps : The Yellow Throated, Toco (the largest of the Toucans), Keel-Billed and White Throated toucans. 

My Stamp collage prints are in this beautiful holiday cottage in Wiltshire

The owner of this beautiful  4 bedroomed holiday cottage in  Garsdon near Malmesbury, Wiltshire chose several of my stamp collage pictures to decorate the dining room and bedrooms and  it's always great to see how pictures look on someone else's walls!

A large canvas print of The Carp stamp collage looks great against the sage green wall of the dining room, and two framed giclee  prints of garden scenes  all made from stamps decorate the twin bedroom, with the grey frames chosen here toning well with the overall colour scheme, and very much in a cottage style.

Carp - stamp collage 

Secret Garden  Giclee print stamp collage

The property is a spacious 4 bedroom cottage on two floors, with a large garden in a quiet lane surrounded by fields and open countryside, with lovely views. It  is ideal for families of up to 8, with dogs  also welcome.  To see  more photos of the entire property, see www.sykescottages.co.uk  property reference 12186.

And for more information and pictures of my stamp collages including those shown here, www.rachelmarkwick.co.uk .
Pictures are available in various formats including canvas prints and giclee prints, framed and unframed.  Some original work is also available to purchase.

Postcrossing.com - a great way to make international friends

If, like me you enjoy communicating with people, travelling - virtually via postcards in this case - and maybe collecting stamps and postcards, postcrossing.com is a great thing to join!  You can send as many or as few cards as suits you. I have had to cut down recently due to the increased postage costs, but  you are guaranteed to receive as many as you send.  You may establish friendships through mutual interests or indeed diverse lifestyles across the world, and who knows if one day you may meet your new friends. Children and adults alike are involved, and some school groups also participate.
  The above is a selection of cards I have received over the years, from places including Macedonia, Poland, Russia, Hungary, Japan, Latvia  and Germany.  I've learned about traditions, crafts, artists and beautiful places I'll probably never visit, but can through Postcrossing.com .  Many people are keen to swap stamps, small collectable items or just stories! 

Vintage Portuguese embroidery patterns inspire new collage work ...

In  Lisbon recently, we visited  the flea market  in the Alfama district, a colourful and bustling location, and I found these attractive 1960s embroidery and tapestry patterns, which open up to large poster size and could possibly be framed as such.   

I covered some notebooks with one of them, and am now taking inspiration from an image of a pretty flower basket from the cover of another to make a series of collages using stamps from many countries.  The stamps I'm using for the borders are from Ukraine and all depict leaves and fruits. To create the basket work for two of my collages,  I've used George VI definitives which have a great pattern,  almost like wickerwork . 

Flowers and foliage are cut from stamps with floral images, or made in the shapes of leaves and flowers.  It's a work in progress,  but at least I've made a start after a period of artist's