Getting Started: Letterboxing

I am sure by reading my blog for a bit now, you have seen more than a few posts about letterboxing. From first being introduced to what letterboxing actually is to making our own and planting our first letterbox.

Letterboxing combines the love of outdoors (from hiking and using a compass) to treasure hunting (the actual search of the letterbox - clues and discovery) and art (making your own stamps, letterboxes).

The thing that is really awesome about letterboxing is the fact that you can do it really at any age. You can participate as a family or with friends or a significant other. It is easy to start and a fairly cheap hobby to pick up.

Supplies Via Bagels and Crawfish

All you need to being with is a notebook (any size will do - as long as it is big enough to hold a rubber stamped image), an ink pad, and stamp (you can find these items anywhere at a craft store or where any scrapbooking  or teacher supplies are found). The notebook will allow you to record any and all stamp you find during your letterboxing adventures. The ink pad and stamp is to leave your personal stamp in the letterbox you find. All of these items can vary in price, but can be found and purchased all together at about $10 max.

You can choose to join in a community or not- that choice is up to you. However, there are a ton of websites out there to help you find letterboxes in your area. Letterboxing.Org is the national website (and one of the best places to start) to find your first few letterboxes. It also does it by easy, medium or experienced levels - so newbies can find easy letterboxes to get use to the hobby. Atlast Quest, which is one community I am apart of, allows you to create your own logbook online (in addition to the one you carry) to show others what you have found - as well as what you have planted. It also allows you to find boxes planted that is for the community specifically. There are always a few perks to creating your own profile in a community, but you most certainly do not need to participate in one to have fun.

Keep in mind that not everyone that finds letterboxes are actual letterboxers- and some letterboxes will get removed/stolen and they may not be there when you go to actually search for them. Some park officials will spot letterboxes and trash them - however, most states actually support letterboxing (and geocaching). Even if the box is not there, do not fret. Not all letterboxes are missing. If you do find that a letterbox is not where it was originally placed, you can always notify the owner of the missing box and they may be able to replace it. Letterboxing is very fun -even without the find of the box - so keep in mind that not all boxes will be discovered.

I hope this will persuade some of you to go out and try letterboxing for yourself! You never know what you will discover!