I agree 100% Doublesaj. Of the many letterboxes that we have found that
contained an ink pad in them, none of them were of any use anymore except
for the brand new boxes we were first finders on. Otherwise, the pads had
dried out and become completely unusable and we, like you, carry our own
inks and markers to make a unique and special stamp of each one we find.

So, in my NOT so humble personal opinion, I'd rather not see an inkpad in a
letterbox, it is only a waste in my opinion.

Team Rayvenhaus does not include an inkpad in any of the letterboxes that we
place or maintain, though we do include a pen for logbook marking and such
as we've found that a pen keeps longer.

Just my 2.989786756 (adjusted for inflationary egos) cents worth! (Grin!)

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I am new to this still... so my opinion may be off. But, personally, I
like stamp pads in the boxes. I know when I put a stamp pad in the box,
I pick a color that goes with the stamp. For example - Piglet has a
Pink Stamp (thank you to The Engraver). When I stamp my log book, I
want it to be a color that was meant to go with it... not my boring old
purple stamp. Again, I may be the minority, but it's just my opinion =]


Debbi

Frankly, we use our own special pens and stamp pads to color the stamps
we
find before stamping in our journals. We find that stamp pads in boxes
are
either not the colors we want or a big mess. I think by now, most
letterboxers
carry their own so I really don't think you need to go to the expense of
placing
stamp pads in boxes.

What do the rest of you think?

~~Doublesaj & Old Blue~~
P35 F 157 X50 V18 A18 HH 6






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

In the 100 or so boxes I've found in Oregon and Washington the only ones
I've seen that have ink pads in them are postal boxes. I do like when the
placer puts a color image on the journal so I know what colors the creator
had in mind, but I'm perfectly happy to carry my own pens and ink pads with
me.

Melanie
P 32 F115 X28
-----Original Message-----
From: Debbi Scott [mailto:dscott5377@earthlink.net]
Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2004 10:17 AM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [LbNA] Stamp pads in boxes?


I am new to this still... so my opinion may be off. But, personally, I
like stamp pads in the boxes. I know when I put a stamp pad in the box,
I pick a color that goes with the stamp. For example - Piglet has a
Pink Stamp (thank you to The Engraver). When I stamp my log book, I
want it to be a color that was meant to go with it... not my boring old
purple stamp. Again, I may be the minority, but it's just my opinion =]


Debbi

Frankly, we use our own special pens and stamp pads to color the stamps
we
find before stamping in our journals. We find that stamp pads in boxes
are
either not the colors we want or a big mess. I think by now, most
letterboxers
carry their own so I really don't think you need to go to the expense of
placing
stamp pads in boxes.

What do the rest of you think?

~~Doublesaj & Old Blue~~
P35 F 157 X50 V18 A18 HH 6






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Doublesaj@aol.com writes:


> I think by now, most letterboxers
> carry their own so I really don't think you need to go to the expense of
> placing
> stamp pads in boxes.
>
> What do the rest of you think?
>

Well, I may be a minority, but I like when there's a pad in the box. It
lets me stamp the placer's image in the color THEY chose to express it in, rather
than just whatever color I happened to be carrying.

But I also live in a place where it never freezes, so that makes it easier to
keep pads in boxes.

dscott5377@earthlink.net writes:


> I know when I put a stamp pad in the box,
> I pick a color that goes with the stamp.
>

Yes! When I get around to hiding my pink ribbon letterbox, it'd be kind of
weird for people to have to stamp it in some other color! And I carefully
picked an "Army green" for my heavy artillery box (which has since gone missing,
darn it all!)

I carry pads in the colors each of my family members has chosen for our
personal stamps, but I don't want to have to tote a whole spectrum around!

DebBee


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I like this idea.
ROC'nRON

Melanie wrote:

>In the 100 or so boxes I've found in Oregon and Washington the only ones
>I've seen that have ink pads in them are postal boxes. I do like when the
>placer puts a color image on the journal so I know what colors the creator
>had in mind, but I'm perfectly happy to carry my own pens and ink pads with
>me.
>
>Melanie
>P 32 F115 X28
>
>
>

> I really don't think you need to go to the expense of placing
> stamp pads in boxes.

You know, it's kind of funny you said that, because just weekend I
found one of your boxes that had a stamp pad with it. ;o)

-- Ryan

Adding my two cents. None of the BOXDN boxes have stamp pads in
them. Most of my stamps are carved so that they can be colored in
like a coloring book. On each backing is an example of what I think
the colors should be.
Steve

I guess it would depend on the box. Maybe if we had a run of bad luck
with the ink pads, or grew tired of buying them, then I'd stop
including them.

Some stamps seem to need a certain color and this is the primary
reason we include a pad in the box. For example I could never put a
pine tree stamp with hot pink ink (:-D). Another reason we include
the ink pad is convience for the finder.

We carry a different color ink for each personal stamp, including the
dog's. I find that the longer we're at it and more experienced we
become, more colors end up in the backpack. Probably by summer we'll
include markers like LePlume (sp).

One thing I have heard from many, many different people over time is
including a pencil like the little ones used in golf. The question
that always nags at me (and I know it's a silly one) is what about
sharpening it? When they can no longer write, is there a pencil
sharpening fairy? I'm sorry if this is a dumb question to some, but I
never would think to carry a pencil sharpener, in fact I've used
mechanical pencils for at least the last 17 years and would really
have to dig around to find a sharpener. This is why we include a pen,
even though the ink isn't archival and may fade. For the well
maintained boxes I bet the pencils are kept sharp, but not all boxes
are carefully tended.

Just asking.
catbead


--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Doublesaj@a... wrote:
> In a message dated 3/23/2004 9:08:55 AM Pacific Standard Time,
> jayandamy76@y... writes:
> for small stamp pads to place in my
> letterboxes
>
>
> Frankly, we use our own special pens and stamp pads to color the
stamps we
> find before stamping in our journals. We find that stamp pads in
boxes are
> either not the colors we want or a big mess. I think by now, most
letterboxers
> carry their own so I really don't think you need to go to the
expense of placing
> stamp pads in boxes.
>
> What do the rest of you think?
>
> ~~Doublesaj & Old Blue~~
> P35 F 157 X50 V18 A18 HH 6
>
>
> Letterboxers take nothing and leave nothing
> but good impressions. Sir B
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hmmm...if I should go hiking for your boxes and do not carry a stamp
pad, which I don't since I assume they will be in the box, how would
I transfer your stamp to my journal? Do others carry an ink pad with
them when they go letterboxing? I would think if you included a
simple black ink pad, then they could be colored in at home.

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Steve" wrote:
> Adding my two cents. None of the BOXDN boxes have stamp pads in
> them. Most of my stamps are carved so that they can be colored in
> like a coloring book. On each backing is an example of what I
think
> the colors should be.
> Steve

> Well, I may be a minority, but I like when there's a pad in the
> box. It lets me stamp the placer's image in the color THEY chose
> to express it in, rather than just whatever color I happened to be
> carrying.

*chuckle* But if they don't put an ink pad in the letterbox, then
they clearly didn't "choose" a color to express their stamp in.

I always like the idea that everyone has the same stamp, but
slightly different versions of it and was rather surprised the first
time I heard someone say that liked having stamp pads included for
the very reason you suggested. The color is a part of the image
should be 'preserved' across multiple finders.

I understand there's no right or wrong in this case, but I'm partial
to the variety of different ways people will color the same stamp.
I like to see the unique colors or color combinations that people
have used on my stamps that caused some VERY cool effects I never
even thought of originally.

One example was my Silver Falls series, which I planted before I
discovered the wonderful use of markers and multiple colors on a
single stamp. They're nice stamps, but not especially impressive, I
thought. That was until I saw what someone else had done with them
by coloring the different parts of the stamp different colors.
WOW! The stamps just POPPED! I wanted to go out and restamp them
again in my logbook using multiple colors!

There was another stamp I carved for Heceta Head, which was a really
great stamp that was specifically designed to use multiple colors.
For test stamps, I used a single color (it's quicker), but the final
image I used multiple colors and it turned out great. Later I saw
someone who had found the letterbox later, and they used a single
color for the stamp after multiple colors had been used. It created
this VERY cool effect where it gave the whole stamp almost an old-
time look like you'd see on a poster a hundred years ago. The whole
image had a certain tone of color, but the individual colors beld
through as well. You'd have to see the image to understand, but it
was far more amazing than I had done with a single color or multiple
colors. It was a blend of the two I had never thought to do before.

So even when I've planted a stamp or already found a stamp, I still
delight in seeing what others were able to do with it. So everyone
has a the same stamp--the content--but 'reads' it differently
keeping it unique and special. A blending of letterboxers.

I'm not really trying to talk you out of including ink pads with
your letterboxes with this diatribe, though. I've even deliberately
avoided using ink pads that were included with a letterbox on more
than one occasion because I thought I could do a better color job.
(Sometimes it works out, other times, it doesn't. *shrug*)

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "catbead1" wrote:
> Some stamps seem to need a certain color ... For example I could never put a
> pine tree stamp with hot pink ink

Oh my, what would Martha say to that?
Hmmm, I think it's quite handy for (some) stamps, say my baxter woods series,
where you could have a different color for the leaves as they change chlorophyll
pigment through the season.

> We carry a different color ink for each personal stamp, including the
> dog's. I find that the longer we're at it and more experienced we
> become, more colors end up in the backpack. Probably by summer we'll
> include markers like LePlume (sp).

Since day one I've rocked the phyto stamp with hand-colored markers. I love the
colors and I probably carry about 20 different ones, as most people who have met
me at a gathering can surely speak of (!) I think some patience is required to
coordinate these items, but they're well worth the effort and you can be sure you
always get the color you want without a mess in the box.


> One thing I have heard from many, many different people over time is
> including a pencil like the little ones used in golf. The question
> that always nags at me (and I know it's a silly one) is what about
> sharpening it?

Does thou not carry thy own personal sharpener?

Dick Blick online has a fantastic one that has a little screw on end so that you don't
spill little shavings all over the place: http://www.dickblick.com/zz214/22/
products.asp?param=0&ig_id=6312 (prismacolor is the brand name)


> This is why we include a pen,
> even though the ink isn't archival and may fade. For the well
> maintained boxes I bet the pencils are kept sharp, but not all boxes
> are carefully tended.


Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. Where do you box?
Phyto

> is what about sharpening it?

That's why I like pens better as well. And perhaps ink isn't
archival-safe and may fade, it's been my experience that pencils
will fade far quicker than pens.

On the one or two occasions I've wanted to use a dull pencil that
was in a box (because I forgot my own pen), I've sharpened it using
rocks or concrete or whatever is available. Rub that pencil down to
a point. If someone carries a pocketknife, there's also the option
of whittling it down to a point.

But I always try to remember a pen so I don't have to resort to such
tactics. =)

-- Ryan

>I generally recommend to newbies not
> to include ink pads only because of how troublesome they are in the
> wild. Freezing, getting flooded, etc.

Maybe it's my lack of sleep, but this has me rolling on the floor.
Are these wild ink pads, un-broken ink pads to be lassoed, are there
ink pad cowboys out there rounding the critters up, taming 'em down
for the rest of us?

catbead

I always include ink stamps in my boxes. My carving skills are not
the greatest. I find using colors a way to "spruce up" my stamp.
Using the same color (or groups of colors) on a stamp also keeps them
cleaner. Some stamps get all gucked up when many differnt colors are
used.

I don't mind the expense of ink pads. Actually, this is probably my
least expensive hobby lol. I enjoy picking the colors out for a
stamp to make a basic stamp into a pretty stamp. I usually buy the
ink pads for a series before the stamps are carved. I am working on
two series right now. I have all the ink pads bought and only half
the stamps carved.

I must say I have enjoyed reading the different opinions expressed
tonight on this subject. It makes me realize how we all enjoy the
same hobby in slightly different ways.

moonstone_baby

New folks may not be so prepared, and would be bummed to miss out on the fun at their first box. There's also the "artist's conception" of the color they envision, but that's a bit esoteric for a bear of little brain like me.

Dave
the von der Insels
----- Original Message -----
From: Doublesaj@aol.com
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2004 1:04 PM
Subject: [LbNA] Stamp pads in boxes?


In a message dated 3/23/2004 9:08:55 AM Pacific Standard Time,
jayandamy76@yahoo.com writes:
for small stamp pads to place in my
letterboxes


Frankly, we use our own special pens and stamp pads to color the stamps we
find before stamping in our journals. We find that stamp pads in boxes are
either not the colors we want or a big mess. I think by now, most letterboxers
carry their own so I really don't think you need to go to the expense of placing
stamp pads in boxes.

What do the rest of you think?

~~Doublesaj & Old Blue~~
P35 F 157 X50 V18 A18 HH 6


Letterboxers take nothing and leave nothing
but good impressions. Sir B


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

My "A Major Award" HH definitely needs its hot pink stamp pad.

Dave
the von der Insels
----- Original Message -----
From: Janet
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2004 7:28 PM
Subject: [LbNA] Re: Stamp pads in boxes?


I always include ink stamps in my boxes. My carving skills are not
the greatest. I find using colors a way to "spruce up" my stamp.
Using the same color (or groups of colors) on a stamp also keeps them
cleaner. Some stamps get all gucked up when many differnt colors are
used.

I don't mind the expense of ink pads. Actually, this is probably my
least expensive hobby lol. I enjoy picking the colors out for a
stamp to make a basic stamp into a pretty stamp. I usually buy the
ink pads for a series before the stamps are carved. I am working on
two series right now. I have all the ink pads bought and only half
the stamps carved.

I must say I have enjoyed reading the different opinions expressed
tonight on this subject. It makes me realize how we all enjoy the
same hobby in slightly different ways.

moonstone_baby








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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "dave & diane" wrote:
> There's also the "artist's conception" of the color they envision, >

Casco Bay Painter's "Traveling Paintbrush" HH is a fantastic example by design of
what the artist envisioned and in turn inspired many foliks to emulate in their
subsequent images. I have this beautiful impression of CBP's stamp in my logbook
with at least 6 colors used. Thanks for the inspiration!

phyto

Hmmm, might be interesting to have a box where everyone stamped their own
impression of the box stamp into the log, so they'd all be together in a
"collection."

I still see the color choice as part of the original creation, though. At
least in most cases.

I remember finding a Celtic/Irish series once. I was so disappointed that
they didn't have pads, and I didn't have a green one with me. I had to stamp
them in black, and it was just WRONG!

DebBee


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

The only time we found an ink pad in a box was in Hawaii and in an INDOOR
Wisconsin location. There's no way a pad would survive in boxes around
here - we have enough problems keeping them warm enough when we carry them
with us from the car out to find the box. (Yes, we've been out this winter
in some frigid temperatures!) No one around here even bothers to put a pen
in the box since they won't write properly in the cold. We all bring our
own supplies and it works fine for us. (Hint: Carrying the ink/markers/pen
in an inside pocket or inside your mitten helps.)

I envy all of you in warmer climates!

Wisconsin Hiker

-----Original Message-----
From: StDebb@aol.com [mailto:StDebb@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2004 6:45 PM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [LbNA] Stamp pads in boxes?


Hmmm, might be interesting to have a box where everyone stamped their own
impression of the box stamp into the log, so they'd all be together in a
"collection."

I still see the color choice as part of the original creation, though. At
least in most cases.

I remember finding a Celtic/Irish series once. I was so disappointed that
they didn't have pads, and I didn't have a green one with me. I had to
stamp
them in black, and it was just WRONG!

DebBee


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




Yahoo! Groups Links

> > to include ink pads only because of how troublesome they are in
the
> > wild. Freezing, getting flooded, etc.
>
> Maybe it's my lack of sleep, but this has me rolling on the floor.

I'm with you, Catbead! Troublesome ink pads in the wild? I have 3
large dogs, 4 persnickity cats, 2 daughters and one largely
uncooperative husband. Troublesome ink pads are the least of my
worries!

Seriously, I don't have a strong opinion either way. If I can fit
an ink pad in the box I include one. If not, I warn folks to BYOP.
If I do include one, I could care less whether you use it - just
have fun and box!

I throw in a marker with my letterbox. They're cheap, they take up
less space and I would think they last longer. It's there as
a "just in case" more than anything else. "Just in case" a finder
has no pad, then they can use the marker.

MonkeyToes


> Frankly, we use our own special pens and stamp pads to color the
stamps we
> find before stamping in our journals. We find that stamp pads in
boxes are
> either not the colors we want or a big mess. I think by now, most
letterboxers
> carry their own so I really don't think you need to go to the
expense of placing
> stamp pads in boxes.
>
> What do the rest of you think?
>
> ~~Doublesaj & Old Blue~~
> P35 F 157 X50 V18 A18 HH 6
>
>
> Letterboxers take nothing and leave nothing
> but good impressions. Sir B
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Ahm gon' take Ol' Paint out onta th' trail.

Dave
the von der Insels
----- Original Message -----
From: catbead1
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2004 7:12 PM
Subject: Re: [LbNA] Stamp pads in boxes?


>I generally recommend to newbies not
> to include ink pads only because of how troublesome they are in the
> wild. Freezing, getting flooded, etc.

Maybe it's my lack of sleep, but this has me rolling on the floor.
Are these wild ink pads, un-broken ink pads to be lassoed, are there
ink pad cowboys out there rounding the critters up, taming 'em down
for the rest of us?

catbead



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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I always carry a stamp pad with me, because I don't think I've
encountered a box with it's own pad yet. Some have markers in them
to use.

Cristy

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "runicwitch"
wrote:
> Hmmm...if I should go hiking for your boxes and do not carry a
stamp
> pad, which I don't since I assume they will be in the box, how
would
> I transfer your stamp to my journal? Do others carry an ink pad
with
> them when they go letterboxing? I would think if you included a
> simple black ink pad, then they could be colored in at home.
>
> --- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Steve" wrote:
> > Adding my two cents. None of the BOXDN boxes have stamp pads in
> > them. Most of my stamps are carved so that they can be colored
in
> > like a coloring book. On each backing is an example of what I
> think
> > the colors should be.
> > Steve

I would suggest carrying a pad with you--even if you expect to find a stamp
pad in the box, sometimes stuff happens and the pad has dried out or been
compromised in some other way. Hate to see you disappointed.

I have noiticed, also, on many clues the need for a stamp pad is mentioned,
so be sure to double check that!



Mama Stork
aka Pam in Cinci



>
>
> Hmmm...if I should go hiking for your boxes and do not carry a stamp
> pad, which I don't since I assume they will be in the box, how would
> I transfer your stamp to my journal? Do others carry an ink pad with
> them when they go letterboxing? I would think if you included a
> simple black ink pad, then they could be colored in at home.
>

Maw said to make sure them things are house broken. She don't want to
clean up no terra cotta ink offa her clean floors.

The Wandering Weavers


--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "dave & diane"
wrote:
> Ahm gon' take Ol' Paint out onta th' trail.
>
> Dave
> the von der Insels
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: catbead1
> To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2004 7:12 PM
> Subject: Re: [LbNA] Stamp pads in boxes?
>
>
> >I generally recommend to newbies not
> > to include ink pads only because of how troublesome they are in the
> > wild. Freezing, getting flooded, etc.
>
> Maybe it's my lack of sleep, but this has me rolling on the floor.
> Are these wild ink pads, un-broken ink pads to be lassoed, are there
> ink pad cowboys out there rounding the critters up, taming 'em down
> for the rest of us?
>
> catbead
>
>
>
>
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>
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>
> c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
Service.
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I did include a stamp pad in the first box I ever placed back in Dec
2000 and even though it was in a ziploc water got to it and turned
the whole contents into a purple mess. Down here in the swamps of
Louisiana it's alittle hard to keep water out of the boxes and even
harder to keep them from floating away. I do plan on noting on all
of my clues that you will need your own stamp, but back when I
started boxing the LbNA site had a link for people 'Getting Started'
It suggested that you carry a pad with you because most boxes will
not have one. Now with the "Micro Box" coming into the picture more
and more :o( it's imperative to carry something to ink up with.

BOXDN
Steve
P13F13

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "runicwitch"
wrote:
> Hmmm...if I should go hiking for your boxes and do not carry a
stamp
> pad, which I don't since I assume they will be in the box, how
would
> I transfer your stamp to my journal? Do others carry an ink pad
with
> them when they go letterboxing? I would think if you included a
> simple black ink pad, then they could be colored in at home.
>