How to leave awesome comments *or* the post where I do some comment shaming

So, I've been letterboxing for over three years now, and about four summers.  Somehow in Ontario along the way I got spoiled: the core community of letterboxers here are frequent and generous commentators on their letterbox finds online.  In support of this opinion, I provide you with evidence here and here.

But some folks don't comment.  Or comment with just, "thanks". This is baffling to me.  Particularly in the boxes I've found/planted in the US: really hard work going into some of these boxes (the carve, the book, the hide, the clue) and nothing.  That's just the local culture.

There's no rule, of course, saying you need to leave comments.  Nope. So, Bumble, stop yer whinin' and be thankful for what ya got.  There's no rule against me farting on your breakfast either; it's just good manners that I don't. My view is that it's just good manners to leave comments for planters and future finders.

But you know what, I'm going to go even further: you should be leaving good comments.  Not just "thanks". Of course "thanks" - that seems to be a holdover from our geocaching cousins who regularly leave "tftc". Shudder.

So, here's my helpful gift for you if - like me - sometimes you're at a loss for what type of comment to leave. I present you with an acronym.  Everyone loves an acronym.  Mine is CHAT.  Cuz remember, you always want to chat with the planter...

C stands for clue.  All you need to write is one sentence about the clue.  Basically you can just try to answer one of these questions about the clue: Did you like it? Was it accurate? Was it straightforward? Was it new or interesting? Were you able to follow it properly? Was any research involved?  Anything new that you learned?  Did you have to figure it out before hand or on the trail?  Are there any errors or problems with the clue that should be noted? Just one quick word about your thoughts on the clue that was given (or not given, as it were).

The next letter is H.  This stands for hide.  Again, just a sentence will do. The important part of this one relates to letting the planter know additionally if there is a problem with the box (ie. missing, in bad shape). Try and just answer one of these questions: How was the hide? Was it interesting? Was it well hidden? Was it tricky? Was it a cool or novel hide? What did you think of the hide? Were there any problems with the hide?  How was the box? What was its condition? Is everything still secure/dry? Did you like the hide?

The next is A.  This stands for art.  No matter how artistic the planter is or isn't, there is still some pride that goes into putting together the carve and logbook.  Keeping in mind that there is a wide spectrum of abilities, all you have to do is try and make a comment or two.  For example: How was the logbook? Was it handmade? Did it match a theme? Was it full? How was the carving? Was it large or small? Did you like the theme/style? Was it intricate? Just your quick thought on the book and carve.

And finally, T, which stands for trail. This means the trail, the indoor location, or basically the locale of the hide - as you know boxes can be placed just about anywhere.  Answer the question of: Did you enjoy the trail? Was it a good location? Was the weather good/bad? Did you see any wildlife? Get eaten by bugs? Were there muggles?    Was it a new place you would have never been to but for the box? Was it in a cool indoor location? Was there anything special about the locale?

There you have it.  Easy-peasy.  Just remember to CHAT with the planter and mention the Clue, Hide, Art, and Trail. Give a good comment and your karma will thank you - and in a world where there is a dearth of comments, you will certainly endear yourself to the planter (which may be useful if you come upon a clue of theirs you just can't solve...).

As always, happy trails!

Fun, fabulous, functional fonts

Probably the most difficult thing I've had to learn to carve is text.  Somehow, when carving regular images, I feel like there is a lot of leeway given in the interpretation of the object that I'm carving.  When I carve some bad lines in an image, my brain interprets everything properly when everything is stamped up and things often look better than the disaster my fatalistic brain has come up with.

However, with text, there really is no leeway. My brain has been hardwired for reading and will notice even the faintest improper wiggle in the lines.  I guess a lot of other people feel that way too and because of that they are intimidated from taking on something with text.

But, my advice would be, carve it anyway! You'll only get better at it!  Carve more! Practice makes perfect!

I remember going and finding a Fiddleheads carve out in the wild that had some text on it that completely blew me away.  I had to learn to do that...

The thing is, you're only setting yourself up for sadness if you use default computer fonts for your carvings.  Here's why: default fonts that come pre-installed with whatever software you're using (such as Times New Roman, Arial, Helvetica, etc) are meant for dense writing on paper and huge amounts of text. The fonts are meant for printers printing at 500 dot per inch.  The individual glyphs are tiny, thin, well nuanced, and essentially not well-suited for carving.  Can they be carved? Yes, by really talented carvers, at large sizes, etc.

That's not me.  I need to carve good lookin' text and not have the letters be giant.  And let's face it, default fonts are boring.  I work all day with Times New Roman and Cambria. Gag.  No more, thanks.  Where's my freedom of creative expression?

Oh.  Free fonts, you say?

DISCLAIMER: BY READING THE REST OF THIS POST, YOU MAY LOSE TIME, SLEEP, AND MAY END UP WITH A HUGE BACK-LOG OF CARVING TO BE COMPLETED.  BY READING THE REMAINDER OF THIS POST, YOU HEREBY WAIVE ALL RIGHTS BY YOU, YOUR HEIRS AND/OR SUCCESSORS FROM ANY CLAIMS, RESULTS, OR DAMAGES INCURRED BY THE GRATUITOUS AND WANTON GORGING UPON FONTS.  YOU HAVE BEEN HEREBY WARNED.

There's nothing like a new font to get your creative juices going.  As much as I wander through the depths of Google Images looking for pretty pictures to carve, I probably spend even more time wandering through the depths of free font sites, finding inspiration at every turn. You need fat fonts, not necessarily round - but big black ones that are conducive to carving even when tiny.

I remember in the lead up to Box ON! deciding that I was concerned that there weren't going to be that many boxes out for the event and that people were going to be climbing all over one another at the box locations.  Coming up with a way to slow people down and increase the number of boxes was achieved one day while wandering through fonts: why not carve labels for each of the boxes with both the name of the mysterious location and the carver?

I found the perfect font for it: Rapscallion.  I liked the font so much that I used it on the map for the event as well (you can check that out here). I also found a number of icon fonts for the glyphs I used to mark the locations of the boxes on that map.  Essentially, that map was one big ol' font fest.

Seriously, if you're not a technically inclined person, don't fret about installing new fonts on your computer.  Whether you have a PC or a Mac, it's super easy, there are great instructions at DaFont here.

I spend most of my time at DaFont, but here's a great list of free font websites to check out:

• Dafont - my favourite site, spend a lot of time here - check out in particular the section on "Dingbats" - lots of great carving images, no editing required.
• 1001FreeFonts - great site, some great fat black fonts that are good for carving.
• Creamundo - many nights have been lost in this website
• Action Fonts - also has a great dingbat section, I particularly like their Alien Symbols 

I'm sure there are a lot other great places to get fonts... I'm inspired now and my carving materials are still buried in my packed stuff.  Grr. What was I thinking?

Wet & moldy logbooks - how to dry 'em out without taking them home

Off to Saskatoon tomorrow and I'm using a new backpack I bought as my carry on - and had to pull out those little silica packs that the manufacturer threw into it to keep the bag from being wet or moldy. I've taken to collecting these in a ziplock that I keep in my letterboxing kit. I find them frequently in new bags/purses, shoes, in those cute cardboard boxes, and I think you can actually outright buy them online.

I use them when I come across those poor waterlogged boxes that we all find.  Whether they are completely filled with water or slightly damp, there's only so much you can do during the five minute stamping in to dry them out.  I keep those little silica packs handy to put into the ziplocks or into the containers to soak up the remaining moisture and hopefully preserve the logbook. The intertubes tell me that these can soak up 40% of their weight in moisture - in a slightly damp logbook, that will make a huge difference...

Wish me a fun time in Saskatoon! So long as it doesn't snow while I'm there, it will be a success!

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!

How I made a hollowed book

Sometimes the stars align and something perfect results with hardly any planning.  In particular, sometimes one develops a need to create a hollowed out book.  You know.  For sneaky reasons.  Nothing beyond the need for a book is in your mind, but then when you turn up at a local Chapters to browse the fine literature, all the puzzle pieces fall into place when you find this:

Really??? "How to decipher mystical motifs - and know where to find them"??? What bliss! It's like someone wrote the cover of this book just begging for it to be made into...  ahem.  I think I skipped around the store with this book in my hands, I was so happy.  It's... just... so... perfect.

I bought it, brought it home, browsed through the poor little guy... but as you can see, this book was doomed to be disemboweled.

Note: I am normally very pro-book.  I am against book abuse.  I sign the petitions.  I go to the rallies.  Despite my tablet, I still buy books.  But this one had to be sacrificed to the letterboxing gods.  It's for the greater good.  I swear.  Man, do I feel guilty.

Anyways, I looked up some instructions online for the hows of creating a hollowed out book.  I'm not going to list all the steps here, but I'll link to the instructions I used:  I first found a webpage called, "How to Hollow out a Book in 80 Easy Steps".  Wow, 80 steps?  But then I found, "How to Make a Hollow Book: 13 steps (with pictures)".  13 sounds easier than 80.  But they were both great.  So I followed them both.  I'm a hussy like that.

Anyways, here is the photographic journey in making my first hollowed out book.  I'm proud to say that neither I nor my feline assistant were injured in the making of this project.  Happy trails!

Okay, so generally speaking, I first cut out the prettiest page.  This will be the back of the hollow with this is done.

A couple pages over that will be kept and not hollowed.

On the other side of those pages, tape in some plastic to protect them from glue.  I used those crappy ziplocks someone left instead of my freezer bags... *shakes fist*

Glue and water, 70% and 30% respectively.

I glued the edges together and then put it under this kettle bell for about 30 minutes.  Can you believe people use those for exercise?

Okay, so after it was dry, I carefully measured out some margins and made my first cut.  Slowly

But as time went on, I just got tired of all the cutting and tried to speed it up.  Some crappy edges are the result.

Done!  Now just to glue that pretty page into the back.

Glued the interior edges then put it all together to dry.

Done! I can't wait to get up to some mischief with this...

How to make a needle knife for stamp carving

Pirate booty

I have been trying unsuccessfully for some time to get the materials together that I need to make a needle knife.  I've seen some spectacular carves done with them and have been envious, so I've been wanting to make one.  I saw Kirbert's description and instructions here (just over halfway down the page) as well as Rubber Rabbit's description here, but couldn't find the opportunity or time to get everything I needed.

Recently, I had to give blood and obtained a needle from the clinic [read: stole] and have been subsequently trying - and failing - to find a tool to put the clipped needle in.  This past weekend, I finally got the right tool, and now I am the proud owner of a carving needle.

So, in no particular order, here is what I did:

• First, head out to your local vet clinic or pharmacy and ask for a large-gauge needle (or, like me, go give blood and abscond with a needle while the nurse ain't lookin').
• Next, cut the wire off with a wirecutter - or a pair of scissors you're not particularly fond of.
• Then, follow Kirbert's recommendation to obtain an Excel hobby knife.  Or, take the long route and try a whole host of different unworkable knives and get turned away from all sorts of stores who don't carry pin vices.  End up going back to Kirbert's suggestion.  Canadian readers note: Curry's carries Excel-brand hobby knives that work perfectly, $5.
• Remove the blade, replace with needle.  
• Sit back impressed and have an adult beverage.

Start to finish, this is pretty much it to make a carving needle.

Now that I have it, I'll have to find something super-detailed to carve.  I'll be back soon and let you know how it goes.  Happy trails!

How I made a magnetic logbook letterbox

So, with OPAL just around the corner, I've been carving away and taking on Fiddleheads' library challenge.  However, while I love the idea of having letterboxes in libraries and right on the bookshelf, I haven't been able to bring myself to actually ask a librarian for permission to do so for a number of reasons all stemming from the old addage it's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to get permission...

Since I've already planted quite a number of letterboxes in libraries, including within the library systems in which I intend to plant for OPAL, if I ask and am refused I am potentially jeopardizing the existing boxes.  After all, most of them would be very easily found once the library is aware of their presence and of the clue locations.

Here it is: the final self-contained magnetic library letterbox

My intention then is to plant my upcoming library OPAL boxes without permission and therefore they must be easily concealable.  In the past, this has meant either planting the stamps as magnets without logbooks - but I'm a huge fan of reading logs - or planting magnetic planter's pouches - which is less than desirable.

I've therefore had an idea percolating for some time for a self-contained logbook/stamp holder that would be magnetized... I've finally made one and am going to show you what I did.

First off, I had a number of things on hand: carved stamp for the letterbox, small pads of blank paper, needle and embroidery thread, cardstock, patterned cardstock, double-sided tape, felt/fleece, rare earth magnets, markers, ruler*, bone folder, scissors, gum (I can't think without gum).

Next, I cut down the cardstock to the right size and fold - there were four folds made as you can see in the image below (the signatures for the logbook and the stamp are above). 

Next, after I have the folds right, I covered the card stock in the decorative stuff.  You'll see that I used double-sided tape for pretty much everything in this project.  I also added two small bars of rare earth magnet - you can see them in the middle below.  I lined those up so that where they would be in the final product is at the back where it would serve to attach properly to a metal surface.

You can see the magnets a little better in the image below.  I covered them with double sided tape as well to make sure they wouldn't slip around between the card stocks.  I've used these little magnets very successfully in the past in letterboxing - they are very powerful, and because they are so small, they are easy to use to convert a stamp into a magnet or to made a pouch magnetized.

Once the card stocks were taped together, I then taped in a piece of felt which is where the stamp will go once the thing is complete (I really should come up with a name for this thing - any suggestions?).  I then sewed in signatures I had prepared out of pieces of paper I took from a small pad of paper. (I hate cutting paper for signatures, so why bother?)

Then it was pretty much done, just had to add the name and typical info I include in boxes (although minus my usual geocache warning). 

Below, you can see it folded with the stamp in place from the top to understand how it works.  I initially used the embroidery floss to tie it closed, but decided on a colour-coordinated rubber band instead.  In the future, I would incorporate an elastic right into the design (like moleskin books).

And that's it.  There will be more of these made and used for OPAL (and likely other places).  I'll probably get a better feel for proportions in the future boxes, but for now I'm really pleased.

*Yes, I use a ruler, but for its straight edge, not as a tool of measurement.  I eyeball everything and generally won't make something if it requires me to measure things too precisely. Also, this explains why I am a terrible cook, can't sew to save my life, and why my lab marks in undergrad where subpar.