Letterboxing book 2

2nd book complete

Warning!

Yes.

There will be spoiler pictures of my library Letterbox creation.

Once I set it free, I may never see it again.
And it's my blog.
I can do what I want!

Purchased at Goodwill, Ponder This is my newest letterbox.

It originally contained some sort of poetry. Two like-themed verses per page, written from two different angles.
(I had started thinking of it Jekyll & Hyde poetry.)
One seller lists in his description: "simple short verses that note the positive side of adversities, or as author calls it, life's verities". Sort of a question & answer verse on the same subject.

I asked Steph if it was too good to glue together.
As our poetry expert in the house, perhaps I was misguided picking this book to alter. Err....no.

It was decided some books need to be glued shut and this was perhaps a perfect example. Sorry, Leonard.

Practice for carving my own stamps continues.
Most all of the images I've used so far start out from free clip art sites. We've used up quite a few 4X6" slabs of Speedball Speedy Carve. I'm also experimenting with an exacto knife along with gouges for the last few carves I've tried.

The "pink stuff" is not recommended for exacto carving?

Now you tell me.
You can't see where you've cut using the pink stuff.

The stamp for the book was originally going to be the bookworm stamped on the title page. I was going to put it in the Children's Room of the same library my other book was placed in.

After reworking clip art of the birds on a wire - I gave them tufts of hair and put both feet back on the wire for the upside down bird, I decided to change stamps that would go with this book.

If you Ponder This stamp - print it upside down and the image takes on a comical new meaning!

I am a NUMBER!

*Who left the lights on?

Today I went to the library to plant my first letterbox.

(I released 2 hitch hikers this weekend as well!)

I intended to spend a leisurely morning scouting out clues to coincide with numbers that would designate its location on a shelf. So I parked on the slanted hill in front of City Hall. At least an hour of free parking.

I had it in my head I would use a C for "enter the library through the Children's Entrance" or numbers like 3 (top floor the elevator will take you); 4 for the number of arched windows when you step off the elevator and turn left. In the end, I'm just using the number as the clue.
Maybe I'll make the next one harder!

Once I chose the book I wanted to place it next to, I went to the circulation desk and asked, "Please may I have a number... :) and could I possibly have one of those stickers so it will fit right next to this book (Cocoon Silk) on the shelf without looking out of place?"

She was SO helpful! And totally most likely to become the area's newest Letterboxer. Quote: "Oh, I'm so excited about this!"

She disappeared to a back room and came back (quite a while later) with a number all printed out. Asked me if I would like it on the outside binding or top front cover. (bottom binding!) Her co-worker standing next to her said she actually has The Letterboxers Companion book checked out right now. They were both very interested.

The book is currently resting in its assigned spot in a back corner of the library, snuggled between Cocoon Silk and I am Japan Raw Silk. Book binding how-to shelf just opposite. Plenty of empty shelf space nearby or a computer table on the back wall for stamping in out of sight.

Please don't make a mess stamping ink.
Don't forget to write!

* As I walked back to the Wrangler nearly ...eh hem...2 hours later I see headlights on the jeep. It was broad daylight. No way did I use lights! Perhaps I bumped it with my knee? Please let that be sun shining off the glass?

NO. Dead battery, indeed.

Story gets worse: Wrangler's from 1995 have locking front hoods.
The key to which is home on Tom's set - I have just the spare ignition key.
No hood key.
On a slanted hill. I've got booster cables and 3 men offering to help Distressed Woman. No hood key.
And a night-shift working husband sound asleep, through ringing phones and answering machine messages.

10th try was the charm.
And then his rescue trip took forever because Broadway was blocked off by police road blocks from hell.

I am so grounded the rest of the week.
But I have a NUMBER!

Totally shaking this off and remembering only the good part after I hit publish. Please be distracted by my Mama & Baby Moose pictures. We went camping last week and I didn't even take a picture of the tent to prove actual sleeping on ground occurred.
It did. Oh, my aching back!

Altered Book Letterbox complete

It's Done!

The page inserts explaining Letterboxing and the details of my project have been glued down to the altered book.

Magnets were sunk into the book edges to lock all of the parts in if picked up and moved by accident.

The page actually snaps shut once it comes near to the metal hiding between pages.

I've carved a few stamps this week, experimenting in positive and negetive space. This is the one I've chosen for my first plant. Plus a dream catcher will become my signature stamp.

At some point I want to set a dream catcher free as a Hitch Hiker along with a logbook with my woven dream catcher cover.

I've mixed the themes of detective mysteries, treasure hunt searches and games with a clip art from my Office program to come up with something to carve. I think it's an interesting enough stamp so that it would not be a disappointment to someone going out of their way to find it.
Well, I hope.

I stopped by the Library reference desk to see about getting permission. I was given the name of 2 directors and have emailed the adult division. No response yet, but my write-up doesn't commit this book to specific library. So I can shop for a different library if need be.

Altered Book Letterbox

Under Construction

Still practicing Coptic Binding, this time using 2 playing cards sewn together as the covers. The idea came to me after my trip to Goodwill and Salvation Army stores in search of Nancy Drew books to alter. I came across a couple of other books I thought had potential.

One is an Agatha Christie book with a padded hardcover. Very classy looking with a gold leaf image on front. Title is "Cards On The Table" - thus the playing card theme took hold.

My 1st Letterbox to plant in a library is being attempted.
Still have no earthly idea what to carve as the stamp. Leaning towards an image of the library it would be planted in.
Could you start sketching Steph?

Our order of the "Pink Stuff" from Stampeaz will be here next week.
Sorry, local scrapbook store.
Even with $5 shipping, buying 4 is like getting one free.
(or maybe it's more like buy 3, get one half price...math not my strong suit and Sara is asleep.)