We have a hard time letting go of our boxes too. You put so much time and effort (not to mention heart) into making them, that they become a part of you.

But the thing to remember is.... you are sharing your love/heart with others who feel the same way. You are baring a piece of your soul for others to enjoy. You are making people happy by providing them with something to look forward to.

So go ahead put all you've got into your letterboxes. Share the love!

Everyone can always use some extra lovin' :)

Lani
Team Springamajack

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I'm just finding it hard to let go of them

That's how I ended up with my signature stamp AND my trail name. =) I originally meant to plant the spider I used during some of my earliest boxes, but I liked it so much I kept it as a signature stamp. Then I carved a turtle and I liked IT so much, I kept it for my signature stamp. Then I thru-hiked the AT and needed a trail name, so I used Green Turtle. Then I learned that there are a lot of turtles in the world and I wanted to be more unique, so I changed it to Green Tortuga.

And now I'm stuck with a signature stamp I didn't mean to have and a trail name I came by largely by accident. ;o)

-- Ryan

Ah a feeling I know well - letting go. I still have one stamp that I'd planned for a special place and I ended up not finding a secure enough hiding place. A special stamp I didn't want to see go missing right off the bat. Still looking for the right place for it.

But I share Lani's sentiments:

But the thing to remember is.... you are sharing your love/heart with others who feel the same way. You are baring a piece of your soul for others to enjoy. You are making people happy by providing them with something to look forward to.

mt walker

Same thing with us. I free handed our little hiking bear from a statue I had bought for my mother. I was going to plant it for her, but she fell in love with it and he became our mascot and sig stamp.

LOL! I wrote a little ditty a while back, about this very thing.

I made a little letterbox.
The stamp came out so fine.
In great detail I carved it out,
And didn't miss a line.

I made a little letterbox.
The log's a work of art.
I've double-bagged it in the box;
It shouldn't fall apart.

I made a little letterbox.
The hiding place is pretty!
A scenic hike, a county park
Not too far from the city.

I made a little letterbox.
The clues I wrote are hard,
(THAT should keep the noobs away.)
In verse form – I'm a

I made a little letterbox.
Shall I post it on AQ?
But what if someone seeks it out
Who don't know what to do?

I made a little letterbox.
Off-line I'll keep the clues!
So only those who contact me
Will get location news.

What if that's not secure enough?
I'm frightened for it now.
What if the baggie goes unsealed?
What if it's eaten by a cow?

What if a band of newbies
With kids and dogs in tow
Shout out "I found the letterbox!"
For all the world to know?

What if they're more experienced,
But careless just one time?
What if the lid's not put on right
And the box fills up with grime?

I guess I could go postal
And mail it around.
But even then it could get lost!
No, that idea's not sound.

I made a little letterbox.
It's sitting on my shelf.
The world's a big and scary place.
I'll just keep it for myself.

~ rozebud

RE: Prescription bottle - I a letterbox that was a prescription bottle, and it was VERY damp and moldy and icky inside. You may want to figure out a way to either hide them where they will not get wet at all, or a way to waterproof it.

RE: size - I made an HH that's in a mini-Altoids tin; it's only like 1" x 2". Of course, as an HH the waterproofing issue is not quite as important, as it will shelter within another box. Small, large, in between - I love 'em all! As long as it fits in my log book, I'm happy (which is why I have a second, larger log for events).

~rozebud

Okay Rozebud, that was just too cute, lol.

I LOVE YOUR POEM!!! I printed it and I'm going to glue in my logbook! THANKS!!

I carved a portrait of one of my favorite TV characters from my childhood. The show had an awesome name, and I thought "what an AWESOME name for a hitchhiker". I was going to plant it and see where it would travel to, but I found that I couldn't part with it, because its one of my best carves, in my opinion. My brother talked me into making it a personal traveler, which was just as cool, since the word "travel" is part of the name of the stamp and the TV show. As for my other stamps, I felt a pang with them, too, but I realized that keeping them to myself was contrary to the whole point of carving them. You put so much into them, its a shame to hold them from their destiny.

*blush* Thanks!

Uh, Thang Q...Thang Q Verrry Much. :-D

Hi Rosebud, I loved your poem because it is cute and witty, but it is also full of implied wisdom. As a newbie, I appreciate your candor. Take A Hike Lid Lid

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And now I'm stuck with a signature stamp I didn't mean to have and a trail name I came by largely by accident.

See, I never would have figured that for your trail name. I wondered, of course, how it came to be. We rather thought there was some deep research involved here, or at least an abiding love for turtles. It was that or we thought you had a disfiguring hump. *wycked grin*

We were going with the research theory though. *nodding*

Tee

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It was that or we thought you had a disfiguring hump.

My grandfather had a pretty good hump going before he died. There's still time for me. =)

While hiking the trail, being Green Turtle seemed kind of appropriate in a way. It wasn't deliberate or planned, but there I was, walking day after day with my home on my back and sleeping wherever I happened to stop. =)

But people said I hiked too fast to be a "real" turtle. *rolling eyes* Hey! The trial is 2,176 miles long. If I walked SLOW I'd never have reached the end! *rolling eyes again* =)

-- Ryan

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If I walked SLOW I'd never have reached the end!

Ack! What a horrible idea.. Where would we be if you were still on the trail??? Banish the thought of walking slow!

Tee

I so am this poem! I am putting this in my log book (attributed to you of course). Hopefully at the Mid-Mo Event you can stamp it for me.

~Perdu

I wrote an Irish Blessing for Letterboxers that I put in with My St. Patrick's Day box (that I have yet to plant - shame on me), but yours is much better!