10 tips for hosting your first letterboxing event

Even ran into some of the little letterboxers at the Markham Fair today after Box ON!

The dust is indeed settling over this year's Box ON! event.  It was fantastic - I had a great time, the weather was perfect, and it looked like everyone was enjoying themselves.

If anyone had ever asked me two years ago when I started letterboxing whether I would host one of these events in the near future, I would have said no way.  But now, after having hosted one, here are the things I learned that might help you out if you are in the same position I was hosting your first event:

Venue: Milne Park, Markham.  Check.

1. Breathe.
2. Figure out the location of the letterboxing activity *before* you host.  In my case, I volunteered to host the year's Ontario letterboxing event in my hometown before I thought through where I could actually have people come and letterbox.  I had already scheduled the event and picked a theme before my mind even turned to that. There are no big parks or trail systems in Markham.  Oops. Luckily, the only place that I could possibly host it was actually the perfect place to host it, so we all lucked out and I didn't have to change the event location.  Phew.
3. Pick a theme that you'll like.  If you'll like it, others will too.
4. Don't do it all yourself: letterboxers are a particular type of human being: kind, generous, and genuine.  Ask and you shall receive; everyone who attended my event voluntarily contributed, either by carving stamps, giving a raffle item, helping to plot, buying raffle tickets, etc.
5. Exception to tip 4 - things come up and sometimes the good intentions to contribute a stamp will not flesh out an actual stamp.  Just be alert to this and have a back up plan if you think you won't have a full set of boxes for the event.
6. Clues, clues, clues.  Check 'em once, check 'em twice.  And you'll still goof some of the lefts and rights.  I went to an event a while ago and there was a right in the clues where there should have been a left.  It was fine and I found the stamp, but remember wondering if they double checked their clues.  Well, karma is a bitch, and I did it three times in my clues. Gah.  It's a lot of clues to put together at once, so take it slow and try to mentally go through each clue to keep it clear.
7. Clues again: be straightforward in your clues to save yourself some grief.  It's a lot of clues at once... I had this great (read: sarcasm here) idea that I'd send people off to a letterbox which would contain a clue to a further letterbox - for each letterbox of the event.  Sounds great in theory until you get into the practicalities of actually planting boxes like that - compounded by the complexity of planting some like that with secret bonus boxes associated with them.  Gah!  Save yourself the trouble.



Amazing shirts for raffle with art by the immensely talented Ondine, check.

8. Venue choice: as a personal preference, I like private venues with potluck meals over restaurants.  I like the privacy of a rented venue for the ability to talk letterboxes, do exchanges, personal travelers, raffles, etc. without the prying eyes of muggles. Also, since it's potluck, it can be pretty economical when folks don't have to pay a restaurant for dinners for a whole family when done this way.  However, once you pay for insurance on top of the rental costs, it can be pretty costly to rent the venue.  On the other hand, I know from hosting other non-letterboxing events that to reserve space for large groups often requires credit card reservations and minimum orders amounts for everyone that can leave you on the hook if a lot of people drop out suddenly or arrive not very hungry.  Food for thought ;)
9. If you are going to be putting out some money for the venue, and you probably already will be putting out money for the actual boxes themselves, a raffle is a nice way for people to contribute financially without actually asking them for an event fee or something like that.  Because of the raffle, I was able to completely offset the venue and insurance, so that was a definite plus. 
10. Relax and have fun! People know what to do - show up, letterbox, then go back, eat, and hand out with all the cool letterboxers whose signature stamps they've seen in all the logbooks.  There's actually not much for you to do once you've reserved a venue and planted your letterboxes.  Sit back and enjoy yourself as well!

The event planning and execution was amazing, but boy am I tired.  Now I actually get to go back to the regularly scheduled carvings and work on things that actually don't have to do with mysterious things ;)  Maybe I should do something really ridiculous and carve Hello Kitty or something.

For posterity, here is the clue map I made for the event. Click on it to see it in full size.   Happy trails!

No matter how many letterboxes I plant, I can still mess up my left from right

Apparently I have two right feet. Or, perhaps I'm just not an ambi-turner.

I've been going through all of my clues and adding them into Atlas Quest for tomorrow's event so that people will be able to log them as soon as they get home, and it's a good thing I did as I've noticed two errors in my clues that will mean that I have to go out into the park tonight to make some last minute fixes.  Oops.  In both cases, the clues say to do something on the right - when really it's the left.

I've actually done this before a few times, writing down right when I mean left, and usually I catch it before I post it.  And it's always that I say right when it should be left.  Never the other way.  I remember at least once I didn't with my Not Irrelephant box.  I'm slightly worried that there will be other glitches in the clues that I've not noticed yet.

So the moral of this story is that it doesn't matter how many boxes you plant, you can still mix up your left from right.  Good to know and keep in mind when trying to follow clues.

I also noticed that once these go live, I'll have planted 150 letterboxes. That's a nice round number.

I also noticed that if Jiggs nabs every box for this event, he'll hit 3000 finds.  That's a crazy number.

Eagerly awaiting tomorrow...

Box ON! Ready and raring to go!

Milne Dam is ready for Box ON!

So, the boxes have been planted, the clues have been clued.  And I have significant anxiety about boxes going missing before the event... but we're only a few meager days away... Also, the weather forecast looks lovely for the event, so I'm really excited! If you know what's good for you, know your ciphers, people!

In the past 48 hours, I planted 40ish boxes in Milne Park and got to see this lush park from a completely different perspective.  I grew up in Markham, and this park was pretty much it when it came to significant parklands.  However, despite some school trips here for ecology classes and whatnot, I never actually explored this beautiful place.

And what a beautiful place it is.  While planting these boxes, it was clear that the flora and fauna were all amidst preparations for Box ON as well.  Wildlife galore came out to greet me and find out how the preparations were going, and the trees were all clearly buffing up their leaves to show their newly blazing colours.  I love autumn.

Anyways, below some snaps of what I saw while planting.  Can't wait to see everyone this weekend...

Happy trails!

My supervisor supervising the packing of letterboxes. 

Companion ducks, keeping a steady eye on my goings on.

Vibrant new colours were everywhere.

Hard to see, but those fishes were HUGE and making huge splashes while trying to swim upstream.

The Duck Welcoming Committee, practicing.

Muskrat hard at work, cleaning house for everyone's arrival.

A hint of things to come...

Just one piece of the puzzle...

I'm wiped, but all the boxes have been planted now for Box ON!  Very exciting.  Also have half of the clues done, really just need to finish up and hit print.

Can't wait for Saturday!

Happy trails :)

Box ON! One week to go...

Slightly hyperventilating... Not really feeling well and may be fighting a head cold.  Over tired as well and mostly want to sleep for a solid day, cozy in my own bed.  I blame my co-workers and their disease-spreading schoolchildren.  Sigh.

Lots to do... Mostly planting... Now worried about the potential for rain. Isolated showers?  Isolated? How isolated?

Hopefully very isolated.

Event planning: packing letterbox stage complete

So further finishing up progress has been made, and with an excellent trip out for some shopping yesterday, I bought, painted, and filled the remainder of the letterboxes for the event.  To be clear: all the letterboxes are packed and ready to plant for Box ON!.  [insert heart palpitations here]  There are little towers of black Lock & Locks all over - a robber might be concerned.

Also, for those Canadian boxers out there: I went to Walmart to pick up a few more boxes and the big blue Lock & Lock box is on sale for $12.95 - for 18 pieces (9 complete boxes), usually $20. That's $1.63 per box, tax in.  It's not being advertised, they just dropped the price on the shelf. I bought two :)

Next step is to get these bad boys planted; I'm scheduled to plant not this weekend but next owing to the Saskatoon trip.  Plant 'em, clue 'em, then sleep.  There will be much sleeping.

Box ON! Progress update...

T-19 days until Box ON! 2012!!

So this weekend, I made a lot of progress with prepping all the boxes for Box ON, so I'm pretty happy.  Time is a-ticking, and I've got a Saskatoon trip, as well as a Buffalo trip, between now and then.  How'd that happen? Cuz I'm a lunatic, that's how.  Anyways, here's a round up of this weekend's accomplishments:

What 43 stamps look like.

• At this point, all of the stamp carving is done.  Done. I'm putting down the tools and there will be no more carving until after the event.
• I've mounted all the stamps I made with the soft grey linoleum - I think about 20 of these all together.  But they are mounted and done. 
• I've sprayed a crazy number of L&Ls for the event, still short about five.  Need to buy more boxes and spray those...
• I've made about 10 pouches, still need another 6, ran out of duct tape, but those will be done soon.
• I've started cutting all the fabric I'll need for the stamps.
• The logbooks are done - all I need to finish is the logbook for the event, but I want to spend more time thinking about this because I plan to convert the event stamp into a personal traveler and want a big book.
• I've actually assembled one of the short series, they are now ready to be planted.

Basically, I could have kept going, but I ran out of various materials I need to finish assembling everything.  Once that's done, I'm off to plant!

Incidentally, does anyone know where to get Christmas ornament hooks at this time of year?

Success! Very basic coptic stictching achieved...

Look at me! I'm awesome!

Okay, I don't sew.  So sue me. But what that means is that I have a terrible time when I'm trying to figure out the basic sewing structures for things like coptic stitching for logbooks.  Sure, I can work miracles with sticks, but have thus far kept to the basics with my book sewing.

No longer.  In putting together a logbook for the upcoming event, I actually - finally - successfully stitched myself a logbook using the coptic stitching method. Probably, one day I'll post about my fumblings in making one of these books, but for now I'm content to post a picture of the final product and let it speak for itself.  I'm inordinately proud of myself.

My first coptic stitched book - 3x4" with sparkly covers - perfect for a night time letterbox, don't you think?

I wish you all luck with your crafty ambitions!  Happy trails!

Letterbox Event Planning for BoxON! 2012 - Mystery Markham

Okay.  I've got to be honest here.  I'm becoming a little concerned.  What was I thinking?  Why did I agree to do this?  We are one month out and I have almost 50 letterboxers relying on my ability to actually plan an event...

I have a lot done, but I still have a lot to do.  I have a scary pile of stamps staring at me in a box on my desk that need to be planted.  I have still more stamps that are... theoretically... in the mail coming to me as we speak.  I have letterboxes to make, plantings galore, logbooks to finish, clues to write, clues to organize, follow ups with the venue, food to organize...

And then random other things pop into my head: what if it rains? do I need to entertain the kids? I don't know how to entertain kids... what if the kids revolt? what if they mutiny and the police need to be called in?

I'm sure I'll get it all done.  I always do.  But now I'm starting to wonder why on earth I agreed to do this. Work [read: that thing I do to give me enough money to allow me to letterbox] is going to be crazy in September, so between working late at work and working on this stuff...

Tick, tock... time is running out...

How to make a piano hinge book

My latest creation: a piano hinge logbook.

Here is a cute special book that I've made before for some of my letterboxes. It's called a "piano hinge" because of how the spine works - take a look at a piano hinge on a door sometime and you'll understand.  It's really nice to look at and feel in your hands because it moves differently than a regular book, but if you hate sewing signatures together for logbooks, this makes an interesting alternative which involves no sewing.

Anyways, here is what I needed to make it:

• Paper all the same size to be used for the signatures – I used 6.5 x 4.5” cardstock because I want really good impressions for stamping
• To decorate my cover, I have this replica map that I will be using to make the cover
• Bamboo skewers – I used 11 for this project
• Matching embroidery thread

Tools I needed:

• Scissors, 
• ruler, 
• bone folder, 
• double sided tape (I hate glue sticks – you can use that instead if you like), 
• and super glue.

The first thing I did was fold my signatures. Because I was using cardstock, I only used two sheets per signature. For 11 skewers, I need 10 signatures – however many signatures yours is, use one more skewer than there are signatures.  Use your bone folder, but don’t worry about getting the creases tight, you’ll see why later.

All folded and ready to go!

Next, making the covers: take a page of card stock and fold it over and tape it shut...

...making sure that the folded edge is folded over a skewer which is then removed.

After that, I covered mine with the reproduction vintage maps that I have, but decorate any way you like so long as you still can put a skewer down that folded edge.

Next you need the magic number for all the cuts we’re going to be making.  Measure the edge of the signatures/cover that will be the spine – then divide by 5.  The result is your magic number.

Using that magic number, measure along the hinge of your covers marking dots every measure.  You should have four dots.  Then cut in perpendicular to the spine at each dot making five tabs, essentially. 

On the front cover, cut off the first, third and fifth tab.  On the back, cut off the second and fourth.

Make sure you use pencil for these dots – they’ll show if you don’t erase them after.

Next make these dots along each of the signatures you made – you will not be cutting tabs off of these, but at each dot just cut in about one centimetre at each cut.

Next, time to weave with the skewers.  Take first the front cover and the first signature.

When you put the cover and first signature together, you'll see that the tabs align and there are doubles at the second and fourth place.

What you’re trying to do is to insert the skewer and weave alternately signature then cover tab, then signature, cover, back and forth again until you’re out the other side.  It’s a little tricky forcing the skewers through and it’s sometimes helpful to take another skewer to help open up the hinge holes a bit from the opposite end as you go.

When you’re done, two tabs will be stick out from the first signature – take the second signature and do the same thing again…

And again...

And again...

And again... I think you get the point.

 

Almost done...

Voila! The binding is all done and the book is complete.

Next, you're going to have to weave the skewers together then clip the extensions off with the scissors - don't use your good scissors.

Do the same with the other side.  I then used a touch of glue at the skewer and thread at each skewer to hold the binding together.

And it's complete!

Done and done!

 Finally, finished with a celebratory adding of chocolate to milk.

Happy book making!

Mini logbook making

So, now that my fingers are actually wanting to do work again, I've started getting some of the logbooks made that I need for Box ON!. Today, I started sewing some mini-signatures I use in making my little magnetic letterbooks. 

Generally speaking, now that I've gotten into the swing of making my own logbooks (a big change from the earlier days when the logbook was a total afterthought in the letterbox-creation process), I actually prefer to make them from scratch.

By making your own, you have the following benefits:

• Save on cost - it's way cheaper to make then to buy;
• Make them the exact size that you need them (you know, as your lock 'n lock size dictates);
• Make them exactly when you need them - no hunting around at stores or debating the usefullness of little lined notepads; and
• Make them to go with the theme of the letterbox.

All in all, I'm pretty happy to make my own nowadays.  I'm pretty fast at sewing my signatures together, and I like reusing all sorts of different papers for the signatures or covers.  And, as I mentioned before, there are some great things when making your own books in terms of hiding - like these below that I'll be using for some more of my magnetic letterbooks.



Next step - magnetic letterbook!

 Looking forward to a weekend full of letterboxing... happy trails!