399 :'(

Looking down at Cannelton, In

I have been trying to log my 400th traditional find by the end of 2013.  A few weeks ago I went out looking for boxes that I had already attempted and found a few.  I needed 11 more to get 400.  So the weather today was supposed to be nice and I set off to find some letterboxes.

I printed off 15 clues and headed off to Perry County.  The first box was listed at Cannelton, In but it was actually in Kentucky looking down on Canntelton.  I am glad that I got this box in the winter when there were no leaves on the trees.  The view of the river was beautiful.  You could see barges, bridges, and a lock & dam. The stamp was an image of a steam boat.

High Cross near Celtic Cross

The second box of the day I had stopped and looked for three times before.  But someone said they found it so I was going to look again.  But the gates were locked.  There was a sign with the "Winter Hours" but it was closed.

From there I went to check on a box I had found before.  At our event in October some ladies said that they couldn't find it.  I stopped to check and it was alive and well.  It was at the Celtic Cross.  Here is a pic of the new cross in the area.

Now I  was off to Derby.  This is an area that I have never been to.  My noxer husband is a state highway engineer and he acted like he knew the area well.  I wish he would have been there.  I think I got almost to Derby and had to turn around due to high water.

High water :(

This wasn't a huge deal I just ended up finding my boxes in a different order.  I went to 2 small cemeteries.  One of the boxes had to do with a trapeze artist who was murdered in the area.  The second was tricky to find because they tell you to look for names on stones that can only be seen from the back sides.  Found a geocache and then found the letterbox.

Nice lake I found while looking for a box

Next was a box at a park in the Hoosier National Forest.  The gate was closed and I ended up walking quite away.  But the stamp was nice and like I said the weather was good too :)

From there I went looking for another box that I looked for once before.  It was at a covered bridge in Spencer County.  You were supposed to look thru a pile of rock to find the box.  All the rocks look the same to me but I finally did find it.  The stamp was a great carving of the bridge but the box was in bad shape from being smashed by the rock.  And the log was wet.

Back at Huffington Mill 

From here I went up to the Spencer County Memorial Forest.  I had a found a box here before but another one had been recently planted there.  There were some guys using the shooting range but they didn't seem to pay much attention to me.  So I did my thing and headed back to Warrick County.

Back in Newburgh I found two dumpster boxes that were close together.  One was at the humane society and the other at a park.  It was starting to get dark so I was moving fast to try to reach my goal of 400.  I tried another box in Newburgh (that I thought had a bonus) but I couldn't find it.

I cross the county line back in to Vanderburgh were I belong and grab a box planted near the YMCA and rush to a steak house for a quick drive by.  The steak house had recently closed and I couldn't find the box.  I was at 398 with one clue left.  I knew that I would not reach my goal of 400.  I almost went strait home.

My last box of the day as at a local university.  It was an easy box to find but I went home disappointed.   I printed off 15 clues, looked for 13 (counting the locked fence), and found 10.  I came up with 399, just one short of 400.

Secret Santa

I got my Secret Santa stamp today.  It is a cute little frog from Pink Cookie.  Since it is tiny I will probably send it off as a HH or cootie.  Thanks :)
Merry Christmas!

LTC Spirit

Today was a great mail day.  One of the things I got were the cards from the "LTC Spirit" swap.  My card was inspired by a Christmas card that I sent out a few years ago.

I really like the Christmas card and tried to remake it.  My LTC had 3 stamps; feet on the front, hand on the inside, and blood in the hand.

I embossed the blood in the hand and rubbed some ink around the edge of the card.  I felt like the card needed something else but I couldn't decide what :/

LTC Calendar

I participated in the "LTC Desk Calendar 2014" swap.  Each person made a card for one month of the year.  Then nosox bound then and we got a really cool calender.

I picked December of course.  I choose my image and worked on the stamp for a few days.  Then one afternoon I walk in to find Lil Ewok (almost 2) stabbing my stamp with a gauge :(  I had to emboss the image to save it.

I think it turned out okay but I probably won't be able to use the stamp again.

Christmas Cards LTC

The kids and I just got our cards back from the "Christmas Cards 2013" LTC swap.  We got some really great cards back.

I made the church card.  This is a stamp that I had recycled from the "Christmas Clue" game last year.

Lego Clone Trooper (11) made the presents.  When he saw the paper at Hobby Lobby he just had to have it.

Daddy's Favorite Princess (5) made the ornament.  The tree branch stamp we got at a yard sale at the end of the summer and she was determined to use it.

R2-D2 (8) made the tree card.  Pretty plain but that is what he wanted.

First Time Hosting

I just hosted my first LTC swap. It was called "Christmas Carols 2013." Everything went smoothly and all the cards look great. Some folks are just so creative! But with a snow storm I am not sure when I'll get the cards to the post office :/