Prep for a November Mini-Meet

My early November mini-meet / carving event is turning into a not-so-small meet.  Amazingly, there are 11 people currently signed up for the event.   I was expecting two… three at the most.

So now I’m preparing.  Firstly… to set up a bit of a presentation on the computer including an overview of AtlasQuest and a look at LbNA.  Some image selection and preparation, transfer and then on to carving.  It should be a good day of exchanges both of stamped signature images as well as ideas and techniques…. (not to mention a couple of personal travellers).

I have four stamps ready to go for new letterboxes.  I will likely have a couple of more before the event.  They will be permanently planted around the city.  However, I’m not anticipating that they will be found on the day of the event… after all, that’s not what it’s for.  But I will give out the clues to those that come and give them a chance to find before I post them publicly.

Also been working on an event stamp.   I really like this image

but I just can’t get it to transform properly into a line sketch for carving.  I think I’m going to just try a trace (basic bush, building, bridge and river’s edge outline shape) and see how I like that.  We’ll see.  I’ll figure something out.  Then to add the words… Calgary Mini-Meet, Exchange and Carving Event.  November 5, 2011.

This is way more exciting than work!!!!!

 

Thanksgiving Monday Letterboxing Trip

After a nice big meal on Sunday, my family consented to accompany me on a LB trip out towards the mountains on Thanksgiving Monday. It was sunny when we started out… sun and clouds for most of the day. And the temps got up to about 12C, so it was actually a fairly nice fall afternoon.

We began southwest of Cochrane by turning down 68 toward Jumpingpound Demonstration Forest where we were able to pick up BlueJs Northern Owl… a quick and simple find.    We feasted on our picnic lunch on the tailgate of the truck while the eyes of numerous cattle watched from the nearby woods.

  

Then it was across to the Kananaskis Trail (Hwy 40) and the Colonels Cabin Historic Site where we were able to pick up Blue Js Falcon.  This is the kit that I wear while letterboxing.  My husband is threatening to make up T-shirts for he and Alex identifying them as muggles.

Then on toward the mountains.   The next was a fairly lengthy hike up Heart Creek toward the waterfall where we were unable to find The Playmakers Heart Creek Trail box.  Too bad.

 

Still further west to Dead Mans Flats and up to the gates of the Banff Gate Mountain Resort.  This trail quickly and easily yielded up No Moose by 8 Bare Feet.   And then on still further west to Canmore where we picked up The Three Sisters by MPBS in the heart of a very touristy (and busy) downtown.  Time to head for home.  On our way back along Hwy 1A we made a quick stop at the Ghost Reservoir Provincial Recreation Area to pick up Crimson Lake Grouse by Blue J.

Our day ended at Dairy Queen in Cochrane for a treat _ reward for a hard days work.  All in all, a successful and happy day.  Thats pretty much it for the close boxes.  All future trips will now be further afield with less rewards along the way…. that is until I get more Albertans carving and planting.

First Find, First Carve & First Event

Well, I’ve finally settled in enough to get going with letterboxing. Last week on a lovely fall afternoon I stopped at the Bowmont Natural Area to pick up Blue J’s Bowmont Duck…. my first Alberta find. Yeah!!!

I have also been working on a series from Thornton W. Burgess’ Green Meadows and Green Forest series. A couple of nights ago I completed my first carve. It is Danny Meadow Mouse. I’ll likely plant it this week, although I’m not going to post any of the clues until after Nov. 5. I have planned a mini-meet/carving event at the Scouts centre where I work for Nov 5. This is where I will get a chance to meet at least two or three Alberta letterboxers, including Blue J and BiblioTech. I plan to give out the clues for all my planted boxes (I hope to have at least 3 or 4 by then) out at the event. I will post the clues several weeks after that, to give all of them first crack at it.

Hopefully, I will be able to encourage everyone to get out there and get planting so we can get a good base of letterboxes(ers) in this fair province I now call home.