Favorites

Recently, I signed up to participate in a interesting departure from our usual crazy letterboxing protocol. I have letterboxed in a traditional fashion for years, finding hidden gems out in our parks and along trails all over the country. I have letterboxed 'postally' by sending hand-carved stamps and homemade logbooks through the mail to other letterboxers in just about every state. I have solved letterboxes virtually on the computer and have "found" Letterboxer Trading Cards by the thousands. But this is an interesting twist that I am excited about; it's a Favorites Journal.

The idea is for a group of carvers/letterboxers to make (or purchase and personalize) a blank journal. In the one you prepare, you stamp your favorite carve to date, along with your signature stamp. Above is the journal I made using the standard sewing-type binding, measuring 5" x 5". Then, at the agreed upon date, all of the group sends their journal to their 'mail-to' person, ring style. They, in turn, stamp in their favorite carve & signature stamp. When you receive your journal back, it should be filled with wonderfully favorite stamps from all the friends in the project. Cool, huh?

So, in thinking about this, I decided to create a list, of sorts, of my favorite things. Have you ever just made a list of them? I say it all the time, "that's my favorite *fill in the blank*!" Do you? Just for fun, here's my list (not in any particular order); actually, this would make a great word cloud...

SweeTarts * road trips * good champagne * the beach…anywhere * coffee * lightsabers * dancing * singing in my car * Star Wars * birds * working out * sand dollars * Itzhak Perlman * John Williams * laughing out loud * wisdom quotes * photography * hotels * good friends * Obi-Wan Kenobi * philosophy * Torah * cats * the underdog * eclairs * baby feet * puppy breath * Hebrew * my Jedi robe * old photographs * The Book of James * good hair days * summer * burgundy * fast, fast, fast * Filet-o-Fish sandwich * Ewan McGregor * Anne with an E * Jo-Jo * Boots * Vitamin water * good red wine * my Speeder * bloomin’ onions * Nora Jones * the wind in my hair * chasing seagulls * Donny Osmond * my computer * tiny green frogs * organized closets * shoes * Israel * looking cute * Episode I * my Grandma * Polo Cologne * Oregon coast * puffins * Shavuot * visiting the south * airplanes * yoga & meditation * old men...

Haha! That's kinda fun!

In case you are curious, here is my favorite carve. It was pretty difficult to pick a favorite out of the literally hundreds of stamps that I have carved, but this one is special. It was carved in remembrance of a letterboxing friend who recently lost her battle with cancer. I like to say this carve was divinely inspired, as I would be hard pressed to duplicate such a portrait again.

Sweet Janet