Hi Meghan,

I found out about letterboxing at a Girl Scout event. We needed to actually take the girls out to find a letterbox after the event to earn the patch, so that inspired me to keep going after the event. Then I convinced a friend whom I regularly went butterflying with to give it a try--on our first butterfly hike of 2007, we found our first letterbox and the butterfly we were looking for! Leps and Letterboxing was born! I've now planted my first few boxes and am closing in on 100 finds. And that's my nutshell version...

:-)
Kit Kat

-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "toongirl81"
> Hi! My name is Meghan and I've never been letter boxing. I have a
> little online 'zine called Pack Rat dedicated to crafts. I'm writing
> an article on "Green" hobbies will be part of our April issue and I
> was wondering if anyone would be willing to let me pick your brain
> about letter boxing: why its so much fun, what drew you in, what keeps
> you going, that kind of thing. I'd really appreciate any help I could
> get.
>
> Thank you,
> Meghan
>
>




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

Hi Meghan

My name is BJ and I am actually fairly new to letter boxing. I'm
hooked now tho. I read an article in the Daily newspaper some months
ago about two locals who plant and find letterboxes. I did some
research after reading the article and found that its a wonderful
hobby. So My boyfriend and me got our stamps together and headed out
for an easy walk to start. Actually the box we first found was Frosty
2007 in Yoe, Pa. We love the out doors and I believe the family time
is a great thing for us. Its a very healthy and happy time :) Dunno if
that helps but hope your article turns out well.

Enjoy the hunt!
BJ


--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "toongirl81" wrote:
>
> Hi! My name is Meghan and I've never been letter boxing. I have a
> little online 'zine called Pack Rat dedicated to crafts. I'm writing
> an article on "Green" hobbies will be part of our April issue and I
> was wondering if anyone would be willing to let me pick your brain
> about letter boxing: why its so much fun, what drew you in, what keeps
> you going, that kind of thing. I'd really appreciate any help I could
> get.
>
> Thank you,
> Meghan
>

I'm a traditional crafter, started with crocheting as a child, advanced
to assorted needle crafts, then assorted other crafts... and over the
last several years became mostly a rubberstamp and papercraft person.
At my rubberstamp club meeting our president mentioned an article in a
rubberstamping magazine about Letterboxing, and briefly explained what
it was. And wouldn't it be great if our club made a letterbox and hid
it for other rubberstampers to find?

Well, so far the club president and i are the only 2 who have delved
into this. She has been boxing and found a few boxes. I on the other
hand fell completely into the addiction. We still don't have the club
box designed, planted etc. But we will do it.

I'm still a newbie. But i love this hobby.

as to my reasonings:
it's fun, thrill of the hunt and then the reward of the find.
there are some amazing stamps out there.
I need the exercise
I enjoy nature and i get to take wonderful pictures along the way.
I like going to new interesting places
I like puzzles and some of the clues are just that, puzzles.
Carving stamps is fun
The people i have met are wonderful!

advice to people who are thinking of starting:
take the time to research the websites. there is a TON of information
out there. check the new boxer boards and the files with saved info.
Then ask questions. Someone will help you.

Learn about traditional boxes first, then branch out into whatever
other types of boxes you are interested in. Don't think you have to do
it all.

You can do urban boxes if you don't like the nature hikes.

Try carving. It's easier than you think. remember your first attempts
at other types of crafts, and how you improved with them. The same
thing will happen here, you will improve.

Do not fear going to an event. You will get a lot of help and
encouragement. You will be exhausted, and overwhelmed, but you will
have fun. But, focus on meeting the people and learning; not on trying
to find all the stamps. and if the event offers a "cootie shot" get
it. You can do them the next time, or even remove you "anti cootie"
sticker at the end of the meet and get a couple if you want to. And if
you get some cooties you don't want to deal with, find someone who will
take them ( kids are usually willing to do this. some events have a
place you can put unwanted cooties.)

Remember three main concepts:
Respect the environment - don't destroy anything to get to a box.
Be safe - do not put yourself at risk to get a box.
The boxes are meant to be a secret thing. Find and replace with sealth
if you are in an area where others may see you.


Other than that, i wish i had started in this years ago when my
daughter was younger. It's a wonderful hobby that the whole family can
participate in. And, you can actually teach/learn some interesting
things. Oh, if you are taking a long roadtrip, there is probably a box
along the way that you can use to break up the long drive time.

Other than that, my advice is to just have fun and enjoy it.

Petrified Peep Eater

Great info and great advice! I just have one question, how do you get stale peeps? I try but they never have a chance to age that long.



Lundy


-----Original Message-----
From: Lizz
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 8:26 pm
Subject: [LbNA] Re: Article




I'm a traditional crafter, started with crocheting as a child, advanced
to assorted needle crafts, then assorted other crafts... and over the
last several years became mostly a rubberstamp and papercraft person.
At my rubberstamp club meeting our president mentioned an article in a
rubberstamping magazine about Letterboxing, and briefly explained what
it was. And wouldn't it be great if our club made a letterbox and hid
it for other rubberstampers to find?

Well, so far the club president and i are the only 2 who have delved
into this. She has been boxing and found a few boxes. I on the other
hand fell completely into the addiction. We still don't have the club
box designed, planted etc. But we will do it.

I'm still a newbie. But i love this hobby.

as to my reasonings:
it's fun, thrill of the hunt and then the reward of the find.
there are some amazing stamps out there.
I need the exercise
I enjoy nature and i get to take wonderful pictures along the way.
I like going to new interesting places
I like puzzles and some of the clues are just that, puzzles.
Carving stamps is fun
The people i have met are wonderful!

advice to people who are thinking of starting:
take the time to research the websites. there is a TON of information
out there. check the new boxer boards and the files with saved info.
Then ask questions. Someone will help you.

Learn about traditional boxes first, then branch out into whatever
other types of boxes you are interested in. Don't think you have to do
it all.

You can do urban boxes if you don't like the nature hikes.

Try carving. It's easier than you think. remember your first attempts
at other types of crafts, and how you improved with them. The same
thing will happen here, you will improve.

Do not fear going to an event. You will get a lot of help and
encouragement. You will be exhausted, and overwhelmed, but you will
have fun. But, focus on meeting the people and learning; not on trying
to find all the stamps. and if the event offers a "cootie shot" get
it. You can do them the next time, or even remove you "anti cootie"
sticker at the end of the meet and get a couple if you want to. And if
you get some cooties you don't want to deal with, find someone who will
take them ( kids are usually willing to do this. some events have a
place you can put unwanted cooties.)

Remember three main concepts:
Respect the environment - don't destroy anything to get to a box.
Be safe - do not put yourself at risk to get a box.
The boxes are meant to be a secret thing. Find and replace with sealth
if you are in an area where others may see you.


Other than that, i wish i had started in this years ago when my
daughter was younger. It's a wonderful hobby that the whole family can
participate in. And, you can actually teach/learn some interesting
things. Oh, if you are taking a long roadtrip, there is probably a box
along the way that you can use to break up the long drive time.

Other than that, my advice is to just have fun and enjoy it.

Petrified Peep Eater





Yahoo! Groups Links






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

Are you a member of the fan club?

http://www.marshmallowpeeps.com/

~~ Mosey ~~
Peep fan club member............Peeps need peeps too............


-----Original Message-----
From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of Lizz
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 7:26 PM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [LbNA] Re: Article


Petrified Peep Eater

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Lundy
wrote:
>
>
> Great info and great advice! I just have one question, how do you get
stale peeps? I try but they never have a chance to age that long.
>
>
>
> Lundy
>

I poke a couple holes in the package and let them age for a few months.
I consider them 'done' when they crunch!!!
The Just Born/Fan Club websites indicate 25% like them 'stale'. But
that includes tough. they must crunch! for me.

Check out the Chicago Tribune website for pics of Peeps dioramas
submitte for their contest. Other papers held the same contest; you
can find a lsit of them on the Just Born website.

And in answer to the other post, yes i did join the fan club years ago,
but i kind of lost touch for a bit.

FYI i found Peeps toys at the $1 store tonight: playdough set inside a
plastic Peep, Bubble blower Peep and light up Peeps. ( chicks and
bunnies - Yellow, pink, purple, and blue).

Petrified Peep Eater (who is currently out of crunchy peeps)

My daughter says she loves Peeps, but we still have some on the counter from last Easter!! Time for me to put them in hot chocolate... Or maybe carve them up to make first finder prizes?

:-)
Kit Kat

-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Lizz"
> --- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Lundy
> wrote:
> >
> >
> > Great info and great advice! I just have one question, how do you get
> stale peeps? I try but they never have a chance to age that long.
> >
> >
> >
> > Lundy
> >
>
> I poke a couple holes in the package and let them age for a few months.
> I consider them 'done' when they crunch!!!
> The Just Born/Fan Club websites indicate 25% like them 'stale'. But
> that includes tough. they must crunch! for me.
>
> Check out the Chicago Tribune website for pics of Peeps dioramas
> submitte for their contest. Other papers held the same contest; you
> can find a lsit of them on the Just Born website.
>
> And in answer to the other post, yes i did join the fan club years ago,
> but i kind of lost touch for a bit.
>
> FYI i found Peeps toys at the $1 store tonight: playdough set inside a
> plastic Peep, Bubble blower Peep and light up Peeps. ( chicks and
> bunnies - Yellow, pink, purple, and blue).
>
> Petrified Peep Eater (who is currently out of crunchy peeps)
>
>
>
>




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

There's lots of how-to info at http://www.letterboxing.org/, but the best way
to find out about letterboxing is to give it a try for yourself. The above URL
(click on the book) and http://www.atlasquest.com/ have clues listed by
location, pick out a few that look easy and go see for yourself.

If you take along ink, a pen or pencil, and some paper you can get the whole
experience -- look through the logbook to see who else has been there, "stamp
in" with a thumb print or just leave a little message, and take home an image
of the stamp that's in the box -- some of these are really impressive. Note
that the easier a box is to get to, the greater the risk of a non-boxer having
found and removed it, so take care not to be seen finding them and don't be
disappointed if it takes a few tries to actually get one.

I bet if you said where you are, you could find someone reasonably nearby who
would take you along on a hunt (some areas have more boxers, and boxes, than
others but it's worth a try). I'm still pretty new at it, but if you happen to
be in the Puget Sound/S.W. Wash. area.... Most areas have regional lists, too.

There's also the Newboxers list you can hang out on (you can join it through
the LBNA site but I forget exactly where the link is -- somewhere among the
"how to" stuff).

For myself, I'm in it for the visuals -- many many pretty stamps, plus
beautiful places for my camera and the occasional glimpse of wildlife to make
me feel special. And yeah, it's like a treasure hunt, but so's digging
potatoes (which is great fun too, but only if you're not doing it all day).
Plus boxing gives me somewhere to bike TO; it's no fun just to go around and
around the block.

The stamp carving is fun, too; I'm not really ready to place a box yet (maybe
this summer, if all works out) but I like to make little tiny stamps for my
logbook representing the different critters I see on my way to and from a box.

If you'd like something wordier or some photos, feel free to drop me a line.

Weird Dana
(who is a librarian and therefore has to answer questions, usually at greater
length than was originally desired)

P.S. No URL for the 'zine?

--- toongirl81 wrote:

> Hi! My name is Meghan and I've never been letter boxing. I have a
> little online 'zine called Pack Rat dedicated to crafts. I'm writing
> an article on "Green" hobbies will be part of our April issue and I
> was wondering if anyone would be willing to let me pick your brain
> about letter boxing: why its so much fun, what drew you in, what keeps
> you going, that kind of thing. I'd really appreciate any help I could
> get.
>
> Thank you,
> Meghan
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>


---------------------
If God had meant me to cook, She would not have invented the telephone.
-- Sword of maiden's tears / Rosemary Edghill

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com

Wow! What a fantastic community you have here. I'm blown away by the
amount of responses I've got. I'm just starting to pick through your
emails and my research to pull things together. Hopefully some of you
won't mind if I ask some follow up questions in the near future :)
Thank you all, and because Dana asked for it, here's the URL to my
'zine, if anyone is interested:

www.packratmag.com/zine

Thanks again!
Meghan