How to make a Letterbox

They don't have to be fancy pantzy. A Letterbox need only contain a stamp and logbook. Here I've used an airtight, watertight box, (Lock and Lock brand), my sun carved stamp and sheets of paper folded accordion style.

I think my initial investment when we began Letterboxing was under $10. I bought a kit from Nasco that had two Speedball carving tools and a set of Linoleum steel cutters. A bought a few Saftey Kut blocks that were very easy to carve into for beginners.

After DS12 sliced open his finger directly underneath his fingernail- OUCH!- I bought a special board that helps hold the stamp while you carve- AWAY FROM EXPOSED FLESH! You could make one yourself with scrap wood. I've learned how to keep my hand away from the direction the blade is sliding. There's a how to video on You Tube I just cringe at when I watch it because the artist is carving towards her skin not thinking about what could happen if her carving knife slips.

I'm not a great carver. I do draw and carve my stamps free hand, but for me the fun of Letterboxing is in the hunt!  I like finding the hiding spots and writing the clues. I've found some stamps that were real works of art. I can only imagine how long it took the artists to carve out such detail. Maybe I'll get better over time.

I tried to find inexpensive log books in stores and wasn't happy with any I could find. They were either too big, or had lined paper. I finally decided its only paper. Who cares if my log books don't have a binding? Maybe someday I'll try to make more official log books, but Letterboxes occasionally do walk off. I'd hate to invest all that time into sewing together log books to have them disappear.

I like to write imaginative clues, and DH thinks I get a little carried away role playing. I can't help it. I like to play pretend, especially in an enchanted grove of trees! I've seen others write really cryptic clues that takes the fun out of it for kids. Some clues are written so there's no challenge what so ever. I hope I'm landing somewhere in the middle.

Two great websites to check out for more info on Letterboxing are:
www.letterboxing.org
www.atlasquest.com

Our family's trail name is the Frog-A-Nobies after a beloved Jedi frog we once shared our home with before he joined Yodi and Obi-Wan. The boys have their own personal stamps as well, but I don't post their trail names for privacy concerns. (Heck, I've never posted their real names online either!) We're always Letterboxing as a family anyway. Its safer that way.

The worse experience we've ever had Letterboxing was a serious wood tick attack. We were out for only 20 minutes before we ran back to the van and stripped! We had dozens of wood ticks underneath our clothes in such a short time. A week later they closed this particular state park because the ticks were so bad.

Not all Letterboxes are hidden in woods. I just prefer the ones that are. I have a thing for trees you see. I just have to decide if its worth it to duct tape my clothes to my body so the ticks can't crawl underneath!