It's Maker Magic Season!
Maker Magic is a geocaching HQ series where cachers are encouraged to host events that encourage hiding of geocaches! They have many different themes, but this one is going to be focused on the love of Hybrid Letterboxes and custom stamp creation! All materials will be provided. Thanks to the generosity of GeocacheAlaska!, there is no need to pay for the materials unless you want to take the tools home. Everyone will leave with some stamps of their own! This is the second of two events. You are welcome to attend both if you want lots of time to make custom stamps, or just one-- whatever works in your schedule! The first event will be at Chugiak High school and the second will be in Spenard.
So what exactly is a letterbox hybrid?
A letterbox hybrid combines the 200+ year old hobby of Letterboxing with the relatively newer hobby of Geocaching. The major difference between letterboxing and geocaching is that in letterboxing, the coordinates are not always the primary way to find the letterbox. Letterboxes are more often found through clues, descriptions of way points, and other puzzles. The other element that sets letterboxing apart is that each letterbox includes a stamp. When a letterboxer finds the box, they add that stamp to their own personal logbook and they stamp the logbook with their signature stamp.
Stamps come in three types:
-storebought, pre-designed stamps
-hand-carved stamps
-custom stamps printed by a machine that match a specific design
During this "Maker Magic" event, we will learn how to make hand-carved stamps and if time allows, make our own personal log books for those who want to collect the stamps they find in future letterboxes!
Please log your "will attend" as early as you can so that we can ensure there are enough materials for everyone.
Thank you to GeocacheAlaska! for their generous underwriting of this event. They have paid for all the carving tools for this event, so that we can offer this workshop multiple times. If you're a GeocacheAlaska member and you'd like GCAK to support your event, you can complete the event support form here.
2025-2026 School Year Coffee Series Events
Event #1: Jitters, September 29th (Eagle River)
Event #2: Chugiak Cafe, October 11th (Chugiak)
Event #3: Kaladi Bros on Tudor, October 13th (Anchorage)
Event #4: Sleepy Dog Coffee, October 21st (Eagle River)
Event #5: Jitters, November 5th (Eagle River)
Event #6: Lekker, November 8th (Palmer)
Event #7: Sleepy Dog, November 19th (Eagle River)
Event #8: Jitters, November 26th (Eagle River)
Event #9: Sleepy Dog, December 3rd (Eagle River) 5:30-6:30 pm
Event #10: Let's Talk Adventure Labs & Drink Coffee, December 7th, Kaladi Bros on Tudor (Anchorage) 7:45-9:00 am
Event #11: Almost Solstice at Jitter's, December 10th 7:15-7:45 am
Event #12: Chugiak Cafe, December 13th, 11:30-12 noon
Event #13: Wednesday After Work, Sleepy Dog, December 17th, 5:30-6:30 pm
Event #14: Winter Break Kick Off, Kaladi Bros, December 20th, 9-10:30 am
Event #15: Goodbye 2025, Kaladi Bros in Wasilla, December 30th 9-10:30 am
Event #16: Eat Your Frogs and Do Your Logs, Kaladi Bros on Tudor, January 6th 5:30-7:30 pm
Event #17: Hello 2026, Jitters, January 7th, 7:15-7:45 am
Event #18: Post-CITO Coffee @ The Dog, Sleepy Dog in Eagle River, 10:15-11:15 am
Event #19: Wednesday After Work, Sleepy Dog, January 14th, 5:30-6:30 pm
Event #20: Jittery in January, January 21st, 7:15-7:45 am
Event #21: Chugiak Cafe January, January 24th 10-11 am
Event #22: Wednesday @ The Dog, January 28th, 5-6:30 pm
Event #23: Lekker January, January 31st, 11 am
Event #24: Frogs @ The Dog, Wednesday February 4th, Sleepy Dog, 5:15-7:00 pm
Event #25: Wednesday After Work, Wednesday, February 11th, Kaladi Bros on Tudor 5:30-7:00 pm
Event #26: Chugiak Cafe February, 10-11 am (Wildflower CITO afterwards at Chugiak High)
Event #27: Frogs @ The Dog, Wednesday, February 18th, Sleepy Dog, 5:15-7:00 pm (this event!)
Event #28: Wednesday After Work, Wednesday February 25th, Kaladi Bros on Tudor 5:30-7:00 pm
Event #29: Puzzle Study Hall @ Kaladi's, Tuesday, March 3rd 5:30-7:00 pm
Event #30: Thursday After Work @ Sleepy Dog 4:30-6:30 in Eagle River
Event #31: Pie Weekend Wrap Up 1-2 pm March 15th @ Kaladi Bros on Tudor
Event #32: SYCS at Sleepy Dog 5-7 pm March 16th
Event #33: St. Paddy's @ OMR 5-6 pm March 17th
Event #34: SYCS @ Kaladi's on Tudor 5-7 pm March 24
Event #35: Pre-CITO Coffee @ Sleepy Dog 9-10 am March 28th
Event #36: SYCS @ Sleepy Dog 5-7 pm on April 2
Event #37: Lekker April 11 am on April 4 in Palmer
Event #38: SYCS @ Kaladi's on Tudor 5-7 pm April 7th
Event #39: SYCS SPECIAL MAKER MAGIC @ Spenard Rec Center 5-6 pm on April 14th
Event #40: SYCS @ Sleepy Dog 5:30-7 pm on April 21 (a CITO from 4-5 at Chugiak High beforehand)
Event #41: SYCS Kaladi Bros 5-7 pm on April 28
Event #42: The FINAL SYCS @ Sleepy Dog on Wednesday, May 6th! We will break for the summer!
And here's the SYCS hall of fame!
Attend a School Year Coffee Series event 5, 10, or 15 times and earn your badge of honor (a sticker).
5 "Attended Logs" at any School Year Coffee Event:
LadybugKids
GeoFootstomper
RB126127
Shrike841
10 "Attended" Logs on any School Year Coffee Series Event:
Jljeb1
HotHouseRhyme22
PolarisPrime10
ValerieSeaker
Cytoplasm7447
TrailsEndAK
15 "Attended" Logs on any School Year Coffee Series Event:
Birkenstock Report
TheBiggestJJBAFan
RSPace
Glenn.Fish
Hyfolks26