My top five...

This is a purely self-indulgent post.  Purely.  You should leave now if you don't want to hear me rambling about my favourite letterboxes from my own collection of plants.  Yep. Just leave.

I've recently hit 200 letterbox hides.  If you look at my online log at AQ, it might indicate otherwise, but there are various reasons for that.  Nevertheless, I've hit 200 and just wanted to look back at some of my favourites from my own collection of boxes.

My top five favourite clues:

1. The Numbers Station - runner up, The Numbers Station: Atencion.  Why?  It's my audio clue, that's why.  Little puzzley, not as hard as people might think it is.  I put a lot of work into these - still a little sad that not many others have found them, hence why I planted another in the US.
2. The Devil's Advocate.  Not really killing the mystery that this alias is one of mine. Why? There are bits of clues everywhere and you have to sort them all out to get enough clue to find this one.  Really fun, I think.
3. The Purloined Letter.  Why?  The clue took me a lot of digital skills to make, but to crack the clue takes a mere second once you catch on.  I'm not as big a fan as cipher clues as I am steganographic ones, and this one ranks high for me.
4. Letterbox Cliche.  A recent plant - this one had germinated during discussions with Vivian the Viking and Starhexen about terrible clues.  Again, I love me some steganography.
5. Hic Sunt Dracones.  I love maps, so I made one of my own.  I still have the hard copy of this - I hand drew this map and the clue online is just a scan of it.  Perhaps I should frame it or something...

My top five favourite hiding spots:

1. Polar Bear, Polar Bear. Why? In the side of a building, that's why.
2. Toronto Skyline. Why? Although it's a very basic carve, I really love where I've placed this one.  It's in a tiny key-holder on the back of a greenhouse sign.  It's still there any no one has discovered it.  Crazy.
3. Whoooooo Are You Looking For? Why? One box part of my first series, this was in a magnetic canister in plain view.  I still haven't been able to do that since.  However, the box itself fell apart and rolled down a ravine.  Ooops.
4. Annandale House.  Why? I know some people don't like (read: hate) planter's pouches, but sometimes, with a perfect spot...
5. I'm Just a Worm. Why? I gorgeous old stone house - in ruins - hides this little guy, which is the perfect Labyrinth tie-in. Was 'cached once, might have happened again, but I refuse to relocate...

My top five favourite carvings:

1. And a Bottle of Rum.  Why? I left this one down in Key West last year and wanted to leave something well carved in my wake.  This image was super-fun and I used the stamp in an earlier post about ink qualities.
2. A Touch of Voodoo.  Why?  Sometimes you just find a perfect image to carve who's subject is perfect and style matches your carving technique.  The clue and the hide where so-so, so I can only imagine it was the carve and the logbook that earned this box the purple diamond.  
3. Legendary White Squirrel.  Why? Not really a hard carve, but I love how the whole thing came together.
4. James Perrot.  Why?  Hasn't been found by anyone yet, but this one was sent to We Live & Breathe Letterboxing XV and will hopefully be making a return trip to be permanently planted in Ontario.  Lots of work went into this one.
5. The Merchants of Florin. Why? I just found images I loved and they turned into a great mini series.  

My top five favourite locations:

1. Albion Falls.  Why?  One of my very first letterboxes, this one was planted in Hamilton at one of the most amazing waterfalls.  It truly must be seen to be believed.
2. Siste, Viator: Key West. Why?  One of my favourite letterboxes (by someone else) is planted in this same area and something truly marvelous to go see.
3. The Scottish Letterbox. Why?  Stratford is so lovely, I wanted to leave a box in a quiet spot that should be protected.  It wasn't.  Seems it might be gone already.  Sheesh.
4. That Old Tin Can. Why? I love the Distillery District in Toronto and wanted to place a box that would help others -particularly visitors - discover this cute area.  Mission accomplished.
5. The Hawthorne.  Why? Actually planted in a historic hotel in an amazing little City.  One of my favs, even though it didn't last long (nor did I expect it to).

My top five international boxes:

1. The Hawthorne.  Why? My first box planted internationally, in Salem, Massachusetts. 
2. Sunny Days. Why? I planted this one while on a trip to Myrtle Beach.  In my view, it was a poor hide, but nonetheless I ended up with a steady list of finders until the wooden staircase it was under was replaced.
3. Love in Suraksan.  Why?  Although I suspect this box will never be found by a letterboxer, this is certainly the farthest away I can get from home to plant.  The image is a heart around a maple leaf and part of the Korean flag as well.  Great memories from an amazing trip.
4. And a Bottle of Rum. Why?  A great carve as indicated in my favourite carves list, but just a great box all around.  According to the finders, it would appear that it is not hidden where I left it and has been moved around quite a bit.  Sigh.  But I still love this one.
5. Get Your Geek On. Why? I love Comic Con.  And I'm such a big nerd. And letterboxing is quite nerdy as well.  Putting that all together? I don't even care that this one got just a few finds before disappearing...

My top five all-round favourites:

1. The Numbers Station 
2. The Devil's Advocate
3. The Merchants of Florin  
4. Letterbox Near a Postbox
5. The $1 Tour of Hamilton

BONUS: My top three worst boxes:

1. The Suits. Why? Quick carves on the back of erasers, not well done.  Little duct tape pouches which were easily lost.  No connection of the theme to location.  All around pretty sucky.
2. Bottoms Up. Why? This one was carved - poorly - on a mounted lino block. Uh. 
3. Little House in the City. Why?  Well, really, what was I thinking?  Ugh.  Glad it only had one finder.