Letterboxing Time Out

I'm sad to say, I haven't been letterboxing in so long. I miss it a lot. Sometimes life is in the way.  I used to letterbox a lot when I was a stay at home mom.  In September of 2009 I went back to work, full time. I went through a lot of personal issues, which all turned out amazing.  Now, trying to juggle all the kids and their schedules and work.... Lettboxing is on the back burner.
Not to mention, my eyes aren't what they used to be. I'm not sure I could carve stamps like I used to.
Someday I hope to get back into it. I still think about all the amazing places I've been and seen.
-CCL

Carving Pumpkins is fun!

I've been a carving fool. Click the picture for my updated carved pumpkin page.

My First Box

After coming home from Nantucket and actually finding a letterbox, I was excited to learn more. The first thing I did was search letterboxing on the Internet. I found LBNA. I think I was on every page of that site.... twice. I read every thing I could read. I wanted to know exactly how it worked. I wanted to be a good little letterboxer and do things like I was supposed to.

I found many other sites in my Internet searches. I read everything. I read every FAQ page and thought I was well educated on the subject.

Now I need a stamp and a name. Picking a name wasn't a hard choice. I love Cape Cod. I've lived here my entire life. I really like the shape of the map. Its just home. I never considered any other symbol.

So I headed off to AC Moore. I need a stamp. I read about carving my own but I don't have any of the tools and have no idea where to get them. I searched the rubber stamp aisle knowing there was no way I was going to find a stamp with Cape Cod on it. I did find a blank stamp. It was like a background stamp. So I thought.... well, with an X-Acto knife, I can cut this away and make it into the shape of the Cape.

Holy Cow, have you ever tried to cut that stuff? I drew out the map and tried to cut it. It was tough but with some persistence, I prevailed and the first CCL sig stamp was born.

I search through several clues and decide on some on the Cape Cod Canal. I dragged my sister with me. She's usually in for anything and she'll never judge me.

We parked the car and followed the directions. Everything seem to be going like it was supposed to be. We found all the landmarks... we found the tree... right where it was supposed to be... with allllllll those rocks under it. The box is under a rock. Ok, there are like 100 rocks under this tree. I moved a few, picked up others. Nothing. Read the clues again. Stood up... looked around, read the clues.. Yep, this is definitely the right tree. We were ready to give up. It must not be here. I'll look one more time. I got back on my knees and started inspecting rocks again. What! Whats this.... this is it. I got it. I got it! We sat on a near by patch of grass an looked at the contents. Amazing, just like the one on Nantucket.

We followed clues to 3 other boxes that day. Wow! 4 boxes on my first day. This is fun... The wheels were already turning and I had the perfect place to plant a box.

Coming soon.... My first plant.
-CCL

Still Just a Noxer....

I first heard about letterboxing from Ackletterboxer, Summer of 2004. I was getting ready to go to Nantucket for the weekend. I was on the phone with her and she was telling me all about this new thing she read about in Nantucket Magazine. Letterboxing. She asked me to go to AC Moore and pick her up a rubber stamp. Something beachy, as I remember, to bring down with me.

Once getting to Nantucket, I read the article. I don't get it. What do you do? Whats with the stamp? A logbook?

We printed the clues for Great Point Lighthouse. We were heading out to Great Point anyhow, why not check it out.

Keep in mind... I am not a letterboxer... yet. Even worse, I'm a skeptic, a muggle, a noxer. How can these things be hidden all over and no one knows about them?

Ok.... I'll go with you. I don't get it, but I'll go anyhow. So with clue and store bought stamp in hand... we head out for the lighthouse (driving of course) and go find this, so called, box. We have no idea what we're looking for. The clues for this box are straight forward but for some reason, we looked in the wrong place anyhow. Is it buried? Do we have to dig? After searching around a bit Ack found the box. No way! There was really something there. No joke? I looked through the log book and all the people who had been there. Ok, Ack, this is pretty cool. She stamped in with her new stamp and she was officially a letterboxer... me... I was intrigued.

So Ack, for the record, by looking at the time stamp on this picture, you found your first box at 2:09pm Sat Aug 28, 2004.... and I was with you!

Next, My First Box....

-CCL

Welcome to my blog

So I've been a letterboxer for just over 4 years. Letterboxing is a way of life. You tend to see things so differently after finding that first box. All you think about is, "oh thats looks like a good spot to put one" or "oh, I wonder if theres one there?"

My non-boxing husband thought I was nuts. (still does sometimes) I'm not sure after all this time he gets it yet. His thoughts are.... "what do you win?" and "whats the purpose?"

I did manage to get him to look for a box with me... ONCE... don't you know that box was missing.

It gets to the point when you're a new boxer that it consumes your life. (If you let it) You only want to go out boxing, you only want to carve and you only want to be on-line working on clues or reading every post on every board. Before you know it you have mounds of dirty laundry and dust bunnies that need cleaning.

This is what happened to me. I got to the point where I had to stop. I had to take a step back. I had to learn that letterboxing is a hobby, and doesn't have to be an obsession. Its OK not to spend every available minute looking for a box, or reading clues.

It took a while but I've finally found a happy medium. I go out boxing a lot less then I used to. I don't run out the minute a new box in my area is posted. I went almost a year without carving a new stamp. At the same time, I appreciate the hobby much more. Its more special when I get a box here and there. I can take the time to appreciate the clues, stamp and location. No more 'power boxing' for me.

I can't believe you're still reading this.

I am in no way a writer. I have the worst spelling (I can not live without spell check) And I'm sure my 3rd grader has better grammar then I do. I just am who I am. I don't try to be anything I'm not. I'll most likely tell you how it is and most times should just shut up and bite my tongue.

This is my place to say what I want. Tell the stories I want. Be as lame and boring as I want.

If you check back now and again, Great,
if not,
I won't hold it against you.

Until Next Time

-CCL