My scrapbook is actually quite simple. Simple but complete. I'm no
perfectionist. (Actually, I don't know a cropper who is a perfectionist,
but my world is small in that department.) I gear the scrapbook towards "in
case I ever have to return to that spot." Tho I do put a lot of personal
artwork in my scrapbook. The placement of the letterbox will often suggest
a nice watercolor theme to me.

In the scrapbook, I have the stamp image, I have a copy of the clues, I have
handwritten notes, and I have copies of any maps I used. That way, if
someone is having trouble finding the box and suspects it's missing and they
ask me to go check because I've already found it, I know just how to get
there to go check. Or if another placer plants a box in the same park or
area, I can flip to the pages in my scrapbook where I have the maps for the
previous box I found in that same area. I note any "shortcuts" I took. I
also have it noted on the maps if the placer made a mistake in their clues
in any way so that I can quick note it if I have to go after another box in
that area. Some placers will correct mistakes in clues if they find out
about them, some won't. Some "mistakes" are actually challenges in the
clues so shouldn't be changed anyway for the sake of the character of the
clues.

It has really come in handy down the road. I can't count how many times I
was going online or into my computer to search for the Salt Creek Bicycle
Trail map until I started the scrapbook because there are/were a lot of
boxes planted in that same area. Now I just flip to that page in the
scrapbook and save some time. Or I might discover a really cool unusual
map online and just know I'll never find my way back to it if my computer
crashes and I lose my "Favorite Places." So just in case my computer
crashes and my external hard-drive backup also fails, I'll have a paper copy
in my scrapbook. :-) Can ya tell I don't trust computers much? (Yet, in
all these years with my e-machine, I've yet to have a crash -- knock on wood
hard enough to break my fingers.)

When I think about it, in a way my scrapbook is much more all about the maps
than all about the letterboxes. I think I must be some sort of closet
cartographer. Maps have always fascinated me. As a little kid I never
failed to get an A in geography. Actually, much to the consternation of my
teachers, maps were the only thing in art where I was comfortable coloring
inside the lines. I do wraps gifts in maps when I'm wrapping gifts for
children and call it "educational". So my "letterboxing" scrapbook is maybe
just my excuse for having maps close around me. :-)

Odd thing is -- I can't follow a map worth a ........

~~ Mosey ~~

-----Original Message-----
From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of pell_lake_girl
Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2006 10:05 AM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [LbNA] New here :)/cards vs logbooks


*gr* My logbook IS a scrapbook. A mini scrapbook album. I do the stamp, then
I handwrite
a few paragraphs on the search, the trail, any interesting sights. I take
scenic pictures of
these beautiful places I go to, and I leave a blank page to put in 2
pictures, or a postcard
[if it's a museum or something].

It's not very elaborate, but I tell you, after going to CKU-A last spring,
[here's a link for
non SB-ers http://secure.creatingkeepsakes.com/] the last thing I wanted was
to embrace
my inner perfectionist in this hobby. :-)))) It's too easy for me to get all
caught up and
think "Ok I am ONLY using Heidi Swap on this page and I can't use this pink
bc it doesn't
match her gel letters....wait I need some Tim Holtz alchohol inks here...."
I can drive
myself crazy!!!

But I can completely get someone who is more involved than I wanting to do a
whole
album on letterboxing. I fear if you give me a year or two I will be doing
the same... ack!

Freelance Mystic