We Didn't Start the Fire

As so often happens when I want to blog about an event that I had attended, I find that I just didn't take many pictures because I was so busy boxing.  This event, unfortunately, was no exception.  With over 100 boxes to capture, we "boxed on", a term that my friends, Idlemoon, Blue Delft and Red Cruzsader coined.  So many boxes to find, thanks to the event hostesses, Paper Trail and Chicken Little and the contributions from Team Awesome Pants and Jabber, along with a large group of wonderful carvers.  

I knew I was at the right place when I saw the sign below!

 The name tags and favors below were custom made by Castlekeepers for each attendee.  My 45 was "America the Beautiful", chosen, I think, because my AQ profile mentions my love of touring the United States.  It couldn't have been more appropriate.

 

The Billy Joel Wall of Fame!

 

My boxing buddies, Blue Delft, Idlemoon and Red Cruzsader.

 Pink boxed with us this day and we got to join in her excitement over finding her 1000th box.

We were blessed with beautiful weather, lots of friendly people and over 100 new additions to our stamp collections.  In other words, a typically wonderful Paper Trail event.

Love Those Movies Event

 

My main reason for being in Florida on this particular week was to attend Eeyoremama and Tiggermama's Love Those Movies event being held in St. Augustine.  The gathering was being held in Anastasia State Park right next to the St. Augustine Lighthouse.   After a very dismal and cold couple of days, this day turned out to be picture perfect.

 My friends, Idlemoon, Super Rod and Blue Delft flew down from Pennsylvania and Maryland to attend the event.

 When we go to events, we like to find as many boxes as possible, since the stamps made especially for events usually are very special.  We quickly started out searching for Minions along the beach.

 After capturing all the Minions, we made our way back to the pavilion in time for the raffle drawing.  I was lucky enough to win several new stamp pads and a pack of parchment paper.  I do parchment paper transfers for my own stamps, using kitchen parchment paper, so I am very happy to attempt a transfer using the office variety.  I had priced it out myself a few weeks ago and it was just a little out of my price range so this was a big win for me.

 

 

 As we headed for another set of boxes, I captured these little kids fishing. 

 We met up with LCab on our way to another series and she posed with Idlemoon and blue Delft at the end of the long, long boardwalk above.

 One of the big advantages to boxing in Florida is that almost wherever you go, there is a beach.  Idlemoon decided to take the scenic route back from this box.

Although I was too busy boxing to take too many pictures, I had a wonderful time.  Eeyoremama has announced that the next one will be held in two years, when I am RETIRED and can stay as long as I want to.  Even better, it is being held at a park even closer to our condo.  Can't wait to attend Love Those Amusement Parks!

Gypsyladybug Visits Philadelphia

When I had attended the Gargoyle Preserve event, I had found so many boxes by carvers that I had never seen before and one name which came up on many stamps was Gypsyladybug.  As it worked out, this same lady was going to be working in Philadelphia and Idlemoon quickly gathered a group of us to get together for a small meet and greet.

Here Gypsyladybug and I pose at the  TGI Fridays where we assembled.

 

Idlesun was oblivious to all of the women surrounding him as he focused on his games.

 

Treasurehonas and Idlemoon pose for a picture while we waited for dinner.

 We were soon joined by Lotus, Celtic Cat and Wednesday Bowler and we exchanged PTs and a very nice event stamp that Idlemoon had carved in a very short time.  When the music began and it turned out to be rap, it was time to break up the party and head back home and to reality.

Gargoyles Enjoying the Great Outdoors, the People

What good is a letterboxing event without people?  No good, I say.  So here are my pictures of some of the people who were my companions for the Memorial Day weekend.

Below, Blue Delft and Idlemoon enjoying breakfast. Our first night camping was very cold and the sun was welcome to warm us up.

 The GarBar was THE place to hang out.

 Super Hedge Hoggie enjoyed the comfort of one of the swings to review the clues.

 Our hostess, WebCatcher explains the details to Idlemoon, Blue Cruzsader, Red Cruzsader and Blue Delft.

 Blue Delft stamps in to one of the almost 200 boxes that we collected this weekend.

 Idlemoon looks comfy cozy as she stamps in.

 Boxes were everywhere, including this little dock overlooking the river.

 My many thanks to Idlemoon who became our blood hound, searching out boxes and bringing them back to us as we relaxed and just enjoyed stamping in.

 Idlemoon discovers yet another hidey hole with Blue Delft.

 Time to relax.

 New acquaintances, Lilkodamas and her daughter, Blue Roo, exchange personal travelers with Red Cruzsader.

 Nothing was safe, boxes were everywhere and we had to check every little nook and cranny.

 Raffle prizes were given out and Nate the Great, Blue Delft's son, chose the gargoyle cake pop as his prize.  Idlemoon stamps yet another in her logbook.

 Bue and Red Cruzsader waiting to see if their raffle ticket earned them a prize.

 Hubbub of activity.  In the left background, the Cruzsaders chat with the FrogQueen duo.  Chicken Little in the foreground with her back to us and her daughters seated.  Mystical Lil Hopper in the orange shirt behind Chicken Little.  CTEagleEye chats with Night0wl and Super Rod to the right.

 Red Cruzsader searching for crayfish.

 My place in the rear as we looked for boxes on the island.  I am following the Cruzsaders who wore matching shirts the whole weekend except in different colors.  What a great couple.

 At the pond on the island, Leatherbottom and DEPPsperado discuss their finds while Mr. CTEagleEye takes pictures.  Night0wl steps off the picnic table while Super Rod surveys the pond.

 Irish Ref, Blue Delft, Sewsewbizzy and Idlemoon in discussion.

 Nate the Great played hard and fell asleep in this unlikely position.

 Blue Delft at the GarBar.

We had a wonderful time at this event, there was not a down side to anything.  The setting was idyllic, the weather was picture perfect, there were tons of new boxes to find, lots of new carvers in my collection, many new letterboxers to meet and several old friends to hang out with.  Thank you, Castlekeepers, for many new and wonderful memories.

Gargoyles Enjoying the Great Outdoors, the Gardens

As I had mentioned previously, there were so many details in the landscaping which kept up the theme of the home that I couldn't begin to mention them all.  However, one thing that I did take several photos of are the fairy gardens and gargolyes that were tucked everywhere and almost all of them had a letterbox with them.  Here are a few.

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 Red Cruzsader ended up becoming the happy owner of this Star Wars themed garden.

 I ended up with the strawberry jar as the prize for my winning raffle ticket.  I placed it with my own little garden gnome.