If you already have a good hiding location for a letterbox in mind,
look into the history of the area--either natural history or
cultural--the internet might be of significant help here. That
might inspire you as to ideas for possible stamps.

What's popular in the area? A certain type of a tree, an animal
(bird, mammal, fish, etc), did something significant in history
happen in that area? Was electricity discovered there or did the
Pony Express pass through? If you've already scoped out the area,
there might be info signs there describing things that are
significant in the area--use those to help come up with ideas for
designing your stamps. If history is what is big in the area--what
about an image of whatever event or object that is with a name that
corresponds to it?

Are you inspired by a book, a children's story, a fairy tale or a
classic novel? What about creating a series inspired by that book?
What about a movie filmed in the area or an area that reminds you of
a place in a movie (i.e. Brigadoon or The Sound of Music)? What
about a song (classic, rock, jazz, swing) that you like that invokes
a certain feeling, era, epoch? What about food that you like? Or a
sport that is popular in the area (i.e. Field of Dreams). That's
what is so exciting about this sport--you are only limited by your
imagination!!! Let it go wild!!!


As I'm not the best carver in the world, I've tried to come up with
an animal or a thing important to the area to use as the image for
the stamp AND ENSURE THAT IT IS EASY ENOUGH FOR ME TO RECREATE IN
STAMP FORM. If I couldn't do it in kindergarten, I'm not going to
be able to carve it today... ;)


Hope this helps...

See you on the trail...

dvn2r ckr
F22P6X4

--- In letterbox-usa@y..., Fireflylight@a... wrote:
> I too am also having trouble coming up with good ideas for
stamps. Would
> love suggestions. Also would like to know more about series
boxes. Can
> anyone fill me in?
>
> Coleen
> P5F7X2

Well, if you can't come up with a series based on where you want to
place a letterbox, get your inspiration elsewhere. Anywhere!

Ryan Carpenter has placed an African Safari Series in the Columbia River
Gorge that is absolutely wonderul and I can promise you there isn't a
hippotomus (sp?) naturally occurring anywhere in this hemisphere except
in a zoo as far as I know. His stamps are brilliant and nabbing them is
such a fun safari in itself in a very wonderful place.

Funhog placed a very delightful series called "What's for Dinner" in the
Balch Creek Area in Portland, Oregon, and it is so much fun to get!!! It
has nothing to do with the area it's placed in, but I can't even begin
to tell you what a good time we had hunting for this series.

You can easily do the same thing, Colleen! These are two examples of a
series of letterboxes that have nothing to do with where they are
placed, yet all are coveted stamps that are thoroughly enjoyable to
stamp into.

I've often thought (goofy, I know) of placing a "Dental Health" series
with stamps of teeth, toothbrush and dental floss. Now where would I
place those where they are particularly relevant?

The Dental Hall of Fame is probably in some far off remote city I'll
never get to, and even if I did, they probably have manicured grounds
where the landscaping crew would unmercifully confiscate my darlings and
send them hinter into the netherworld, never to be discovered by
letterbox lovers and stamped into. HA! It's a risk you have to take.
If I do plant this series ever, it will be closer to home, rather than
where I imagine any formal dental extravaganza resides.

So you see, it can be anything. Be free. Let your imagination run.
It's all up to you. If you place a cool series, eventually letterboxes
will get around to them. I'm nearly certain of that.

It's fun to tie a series into something it relates to (like my Who Let
the Dogs Out! series placed in Forest Park starting at the Dogwood
Trailhead). but don't sweat getting things to historically or
geographically relate, or what have you, unless you really love that and
think that will be interesting to letterboxers (which it often is).

Hope this helps give you some ideas. Just let the spirit move you, eh?

Best regards,

Amanda Briles
The Paisley Orca

I've heard of people doing it both ways. The only problem with one
box leading to the next is that it needs to be in a place that you
can get to more often to make sure that there are enough sets of
directions to lead people from box to box.
Also, sometimes you might post clues to the first three and in the
third box have directions to a 4th 'bonus' box or something like
that. Everyone has summed it up pretty well.
Take another hobby you have an make stamps for it...anything. I
think the more creative your ideas..the more interest in the whole
thing.

--Kristen :)

--- In letterbox-usa@y..., Fireflylight@a... wrote:
> Thanks everyone for the great ideas!
>
> As far as the series boxes go - are there clues for each box, or
does the
> first box lead you to the next box?
>
> Coleen
> P5F7X2