As my vacation grows nearer, and I struggle to carve two stamps for
the letterboxes my wife and I will be placing in Canada next week, I
feel I should weigh in that I don't think people should feel
pressured to carve their own stamps.
I feel that if it gets people out there placing (and hunting for)
letterboxes, then go ahead and buy one! But I do recommend making
the effort to find a unique stamp to buy, one that evokes something
about the location in which the box is hidden (or the clue that leads
to it).
Of course, I'm a little biased, because, although I have carved my
own stamp for stamping in letterboxes I FIND, I am struggling with
trying to carve the stamps for the boxes I am placing. So I am now
leaning toward using store-bought stamps. My wife recently visited
the stamp store in Essex, CT, mentioned on this board, and she bought
several stamps. I'm leaning toward forgoing the carved stamps, at
least for these first two boxes. I will try to carve them for any
future boxes I place.
I know the FAQ at http://www.letterboxing.org also says that it is
not necessary to carve your own stamp, but I just felt it was good to
affirm that letterboxes without hand-carved stamps are not inferior
to those that do have them.
OK, I feel better now! I've already decided where I'm placing one
letterbox (on Cape Breton Island, in Nova Scotia), but I haven't
nailed down the one for Prince Edward Island. There isn't a whole
lot of information on hiking trails in PEI. If anyone finds anything
in the next few days, please let me know!
Chris, in CT
To carve or not to carve
6 messages in this thread |
Started on 2000-10-04
To carve or not to carve
From: Christopher Van Loon (vanloonc@yahoo.com) |
Date: 2000-10-04 04:55:51 UTC
Re: To carve or not to carve
From: Ruthann aka Mirkwood (mirkwood3@aol.com) |
Date: 2000-10-04 11:21:30 UTC
I've found only one real letterbox so far (in Michigan -- all the
others here I have placed myself), and in that log book two of the
stamps were store-bought. I wouldn't worry at all about handcarving!
Besides, your wife gave my sister some business! (That was my
sister's store in Essex.)
Have a wonderful time in Canada!
Ruthann
aka Mirkwood
P4 F2
others here I have placed myself), and in that log book two of the
stamps were store-bought. I wouldn't worry at all about handcarving!
Besides, your wife gave my sister some business! (That was my
sister's store in Essex.)
Have a wonderful time in Canada!
Ruthann
aka Mirkwood
P4 F2
Re: To carve or not to carve
From: Jay Drew (drewclan@aol.com) |
Date: 2000-10-04 15:33:32 UTC
Chris, I agree: there is no such thing as an inferior letterbox! Some
are excruciatingly difficult while others seem easy but are really
harder than they look, and some are no-brainers. The easy ones with
store bought stamps are just as fun to find as hard handcuts. We've
put out a BUNCH of storeboughts and will surely do more of them in
the future. I really love personal stamps that are handcut too, but
my whole family is still using our commercially made ones: people
just recognize them. The vandalized letterbox I miss the most (Land
Sailing, in Newport) had an exquisite commercial stamp...
At the same time, don't discount your own hand-to-eye coordination or
your innate creativity. The stamps you make don't have to be
masterpieces to be enjoyed by the folks who collect them!
Can't wait to see your clues,
Jay in CT
P199F56
are excruciatingly difficult while others seem easy but are really
harder than they look, and some are no-brainers. The easy ones with
store bought stamps are just as fun to find as hard handcuts. We've
put out a BUNCH of storeboughts and will surely do more of them in
the future. I really love personal stamps that are handcut too, but
my whole family is still using our commercially made ones: people
just recognize them. The vandalized letterbox I miss the most (Land
Sailing, in Newport) had an exquisite commercial stamp...
At the same time, don't discount your own hand-to-eye coordination or
your innate creativity. The stamps you make don't have to be
masterpieces to be enjoyed by the folks who collect them!
Can't wait to see your clues,
Jay in CT
P199F56
Re: [LbNA] To carve or not to carve
From: Susan/Erik Davis (davisarc@wcvt.com) |
Date: 2000-10-04 12:16:21 UTC-04:00
Boxing is the objective - the creating, the placing, the clue
writing, the hunting, the hiding and, oh yes, the stamps. The stamp is
a small part of the WHOLE. It becomes relevant only because its image
represents the adventure.
Please don't allow yourself to be contained or stressed by a small
part of the process. I carve stamps, I also admire the artistry in some
of the finer commercially made stamps who can achieve fines not usually
possible in a carved stamp. They all have their place, which is to make
YOU happy. Others are made happy by finding the box.
One of our biggest letterboxing pleasures is checking on our boxes
and enjoying the stamps and notes of visitors. I hope your boxes will
be placed somewhere that you will be able to get back to them and enjoy
the same happy times.
Susan
in rainy, misty leaf-falling Vermont
writing, the hunting, the hiding and, oh yes, the stamps. The stamp is
a small part of the WHOLE. It becomes relevant only because its image
represents the adventure.
Please don't allow yourself to be contained or stressed by a small
part of the process. I carve stamps, I also admire the artistry in some
of the finer commercially made stamps who can achieve fines not usually
possible in a carved stamp. They all have their place, which is to make
YOU happy. Others are made happy by finding the box.
One of our biggest letterboxing pleasures is checking on our boxes
and enjoying the stamps and notes of visitors. I hope your boxes will
be placed somewhere that you will be able to get back to them and enjoy
the same happy times.
Susan
in rainy, misty leaf-falling Vermont
Re: [LbNA] To carve or not to carve
From: Susan/Erik Davis (davisarc@wcvt.com) |
Date: 2000-10-04 12:22:49 UTC-04:00
Chris,
You might also want to look on the www.letterboxing.org website
under "JOIN" and then "getting started". There you will see a photo of
a British collectors book full of commercially made stamps! Our first
contacts with our British compatriots included lots of advice for
purchasing stamps or having them personally made. They seemed a bit
surprised when many of us were so interested in carving stamps. Don't
be overly concerned about the stamp, enjoy!
Susan
You might also want to look on the www.letterboxing.org website
under "JOIN" and then "getting started". There you will see a photo of
a British collectors book full of commercially made stamps! Our first
contacts with our British compatriots included lots of advice for
purchasing stamps or having them personally made. They seemed a bit
surprised when many of us were so interested in carving stamps. Don't
be overly concerned about the stamp, enjoy!
Susan
Re: [LbNA] To carve or not to carve
From: Jay Chamberlain (ae4mk@1bigred.com) |
Date: 2000-10-04 13:06:12 UTC-04:00
Good point Susan.... I think I
will take a walk on my lunch hour tomorrow and check Locust Shade.
One of our biggest letterboxing pleasures is checking on our boxes
and enjoying the stamps and notes of visitorsSusan
in rainy, misty leaf-falling Vermont