The January 23rd Postal Bulletin says this stamp will be issued February 7 with Kansas City as the location.

A new postcard stamp celebrates the beauty and grace of the hummingbird. The stamp art is a tinted, highly stylized, digital depiction of a hummingbird hovering near a plant.

Hummingbirds, known for their agility, brilliant colors, and long bills, are among the smallest birds in the world, ranging in size from about two to eight inches long. Some weigh less than a penny. Special wing anatomy enables hummingbirds to fly forward, backward, and upside down, as well as to hover in one spot. The “humming” sound they produce is made by their rapid wing movements — the wings of some species beat up to 80 times per second!

The Hummingbird stamp features the art of illustrator Nancy Stahl. Carl T. Herrman was the art director.

Here’s the Digital Color Postmark for this issue:

From the USPS:

The Cut Paper Heart stamp adds another romantic entry to the beautiful Love stamp series.

This fanciful stamp takes its inspiration from the folk traditions of papercutting. Its digital illustration depicts a large white heart enclosing a smaller pink heart with a saw-toothed edge along its left-hand side. Surrounding the central hearts are pink swirls, with smaller hearts imbedded in the design and a ragged-edge motif that echoes the edging on the small pink heart. The hearts and swirls are contained within a red square that has “pinked” edges, as if cut with pinking shears. A white border frames the entire design.

The stamp art is reminiscent of liebesbriefe — ornately cut and painted love letters that are a form of scherenschnitte, the papercutting tradition brought to America in the 18th and 19th centuries by German immigrants. Not intended only for February 14, these early precursors to valentines carried declarations of love and sometimes proposals of marriage. The stamp art is a stunning digital interpretation of these traditional love-letter decorations.

Like the liebesbriefe, the Cut Paper Heart stamps are not just for use on Valentine’s Day, but say “love” all year round.

Designed by art director Antonio Alcalá, the stamp features an illustration by Q. Cassetti.

From my October report:

There will be a new Love stamp, a heart in the center of art deco-like swirls. We were told it’s a cut-paper heart, although I don’t see how you would be able to tell.

Here’s the Digital Color Postmark for this issue:

From the USPS on the first-day, January 21st:

U.S. Postal Service Unveils Limited-Edition 2014 Love Stamp
and Hosts Crafting Workshop for Handmade Valentines

Actress Bella Thorne Joins the Fun And Talks About The Personal Touch of Handmade Valentines

NEW YORK — Love is in the air. The United States Postal Service today dedicated the Cut Paper Heart Forever Stamp, this year’s limited-edition Love stamp.
Postal customers can beat the Valentine’s Day rush as the stamps go on sale today at Post Offices nationwide, online at usps.com/stamps, at the Postal Store on eBay at ebay.com/stamps, and by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724).

“This year’s Love stamp is a reminder that the most heartfelt messages for Valentine’s Day are personalized and sent by mail, not text,” said Richard Uluski, area vice president, Northeast Area, who dedicated the stamp during a ceremony held at the Time Warner Center in New York City. Joining Uluski to dedicate the Cut Paper Heart Forever Stamp was actress Bella Thorne, who participated in a valentine crafting workshop.

“With this lovely paper heart, our stamps will once again help spread a message of love on millions of cards and letters mailed all across America. And, these Forever stamps will be valid for First-Class Mail postage forever, no matter what the price is when you put them on the envelope,” Uluski said. The Love stamp series was launched in 1973.

In addition to the stamp dedication ceremony, the Postal Service hosted a workshop to create handmade valentines. The Cut Paper Heart stamp takes its inspiration from the folk traditions of papercutting.

The digital illustration depicts a large white heart enclosing a smaller pink heart with a saw-toothed edge along its left-hand side. Surrounding the central hearts are pink swirls with smaller hearts imbedded in the design, and a ragged-edge motif that echoes the edging on the small pink heart. The hearts and swirls are contained within a red square that has “pinked” edges, as if cut with pinking shears. A white border frames the entire design. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp, which features an illustration by Q. Cassetti.

Ordering First-Day-of-Issue Postmark for Cut Paper Heart Forever Stamp:
Customers have 90 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase the new stamps at local Post Offices, at usps.com/stamps or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should apply the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes to themselves or others and place them in larger envelopes addressed to:

Love: Cut Paper Heart Stamp
Special Events Coordinator
380 West 33rd Street, Room 4032
New York, NY 10199-9998

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark for fewer than 50 requests. For more than 50, customers have to pay five cents each. All orders must be postmarked by March 21, 2014.

Ordering First-Day Covers:
The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog, online at usps.com/stamps or by calling 800-782-6724. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-782-6724 or writing to:

U.S. Postal Service
Catalog Request
PO Box 219014
Kansas City, MO 64121-9014

Philatelic Products for Cut Paper Heart Forever Stamp
There are 11 philatelic products available:

• 587206, Press Sheet w/die cuts, $55.20
  587208, Press Sheet w/o die cuts, $55.20
  587246, Press Sheet w/die cuts, $58.80
  587248, Press Sheet w/o die cuts, $58.80
  587210, Keepsake (Panel and Digital Color Postmark set), $10.95
  587216, First-Day Cover, $.90
  587221, Digital Color Postmark, $1.61
  587224, Framed Art, $39.95
  587230, Ceremony Program, $6.95
  587231, Stamped Deck Card, $.95
  587232, Stamped Deck Card w/Digital Color Postmark, $1.96

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

Note that the denomination may change.

Every year, more than a million people visit the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor and remember the events of December 7, 1941. This tranquil shrine to the 1,177 sailors aboard the Arizona who lost their lives that day also marks the entry of the United States into World War II.

The art for this Priority Mail Express stamp features an illustration of the white concrete memorial, which rises above the sunken ship in the shape of a bridge. Depicted under a sunny sky and bright clouds with an American flag fluttering overhead, the memorial is mirrored by its own reflection on the water below.

Nearly half of the Americans killed in the attack died aboard the Arizona when a bomb struck an ammunitions store, causing it to detonate. The remains of the ship now rest at the bottom of Pearl Harbor. The illustration was created by Dan Cosgrove, working with art director Phil Jordan.

Added January 13th: This stamp will be issued March 13, 2014.

Here’s the Digital Color Postmark for this issue:

Here’s the address for submitting FDCs:

USS Arizona Memorial Stamp
Marketing Department

3600 Aolele Street, Room 106
Honolulu, HI 96820-9996