Just like much else about this hobby and assemblage of your boxes, I
think it is a personal preference.

I personally like to see boxes and stamps that have a kind of theme
appropriate to the location, i.e. either in keeping with the name,
history, activity, landscape, mood, etc. It would seem this would be
particularly meaningful when later looking back through your log. If
you are using purchased stamps, it can be a bit more difficult to
make it all work together since you are limited to what you can find
ready-to-buy. Of course, if you are carving or have a stamp
commissioned, it is your choice!

As I am putting together ideas for boxes and stamps, I am trying to
stick with themes for places that lend themself to a theme. For
those that are just a pretty spot along a hiking trail in a woods
somewhere, it is a great opportunity to do a stamp that I've been
wanting to do but is just a nice design or graphic, or to create a
theme around a feeling or mood or even a favorite color or word! In
this case, the box sets the theme and the stamp is in keeping with
this -- with the ideas people have been giving for containers, you
can really make the entire package work together, and turn a ho-hum,
non-specific location into a true treasure hunt! That is where the
creativity comes in!

I know some people like to put the name of the box or location on
their carved stamps and I like this particularly when the name is in
keeping with a landmark or historic site. Others routinely put the
date on the stamp, which I have decided to do only for hitch hikers
and stamps that may be for a specific, dated event.

I saw some cool containers yesterday at the local dollar store here
(Dollars & Deals). They were called beach capsules and are available
in the shape of a buoy (2 sizes - small one is about 4.5" long x 1"
diameter) and also something similar to a binoculars case (about 4.5"
x 3.5" x 1"), in several bright colors. They are meant for
underwater use and have rubber seals and an attached nylon cord.
This might be something that would work well in keeping with your
tropical fish theme. If you are interested, e-mail me and I can send
you a picture and would even be willing to mail you one if you cannot
find these where you live.

Just my 2 cents... Am interested in what others think.

Deb (aka SpringChick)
P5 F3 X0

--- In letterbox-usa@y..., Fireflylight@a... wrote:
> I was wondering how people felt about stamps being specific to
where they are
> placed...
>
> Does anyone feel strongly about this? So far, I think only one of
the stamps
> I found was not really specific to it's location. Out of the boxes
I have
> placed, three are very specific, one is generally related and the
last is my
> hitchhiker which is a kangaroo. Last I checked, kangaroos are not
> necessarily indigenous to Maryland, but I loved how the stamp
turned out!
>
> I just carved a stamp of an aquarium fish - can't think where I
could place
> it where it would make sense! Maybe I could hide it IN an
aquarium... now
> that might be fun! hmmm....
>
> So, just wondering if it's good form to put random stamps in a
box...
>
> Coleen
> P5F6X2