Best Free Box Photo for December and Happy 2014!

Pin It Now!

Sorry for the dust, but I went to Costa Rica over the holidays.  I will report more on that in the new year.

I came upon this free box around the beginning of December.  I was going to People's Farmers Market and just stepped out of the car when a younger woman with a foreign accent approached me and asked if this stuff on the sidewalk corner was free since it appeared to be lacking a "free" sign.
I said of course it's free, but asked if I could take a picture before she grabbed some stuff.  I felt silly because in the end she only grabbed a small bag of red ornaments.

Anyway, Judy, who is in Issue 14, sent me an email that evening saying that she and Bea went to the Farmers Market and came upon an Xmas free box and found the zine.  I truly thought that was a free box miracle and pretty awesome.

I hope you had some great finds in 2013 and I wish you the best luck in 2014!

Issue 14: Free Box the Miracle is Out!

Pin It Now!
There were so many contributors to this issue, it's amazing.  I hope you get a chance to find one and enjoy it as much as Meghan and Maddy are :)

I just want to add that Meghan made this dog sweater out of a free boxed dress and it latches with an amazing free boxed button and her leash was found in a free box.  Maddy the Free Box dog, our new mascot!

Happy Buy Nothing Day

Pin It Now!
I had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday surrounded by the ones I love.  We ate around 2 and took an afternoon walk to Laurelhurst Park since it was such a lovely day, plus that helps with digestion.
On the way back home, I spotted a Thanksgiving free box and had to investigate.

I ended up getting a great lightweight long sleeved sweater that is totally adorable.

Hooray!  That means I don't have to hit the stores at 5 a.m. today to find that perfectly cheap item I never wanted or that nobody else would want as a gift either, but feel the need to buy because it's Black Friday.
I digress...Happy Buy Nothing Day!
And I am thankful for Portland's wonderful free box community!

Free Floral Arrangements

Pin It Now!

Maybe you want to cheer your home up with a little color.  Nothing does that better than a bright beautiful flower arrangement.  When I lived in Indiana almost 20 years ago, I used to dumpster dive flowers all the time.  Floral stores throw out perfectly usable flowers for whatever reason.

I haven't done that for a long time now, except for a couple of years ago when myself and my friend Christopher made a giant flower mandala for the Jazz Festival.  It was amazing.  We went to the floral headquarters on Swan Island and grabbed tons of flowers.

I have found many free vases in free boxes.  The one I used in the flower arrangement below was left at Laurelhurst Park after an event that happened the day before.  I felt that it needed to be rescued before it was broken.
On Saturday I came home to find my neighbor was pruning her plants for the winter.  There were piles of rosemary and marigold and others herbs laying on the sidewalk, so I grabbed an armful and off I went to make a free arrangement.

I would also like to add that it's very easy to procure free rosemary in Portland since it's growing everywhere.
I have also been going to town making terrariums.  I have most of the bowls I am using in free boxes.  They're everywhere.  Here's two bowls I found just last week.

I hope this post inspires you to find ways to cheer up your home on the free!

Free Box Photo for November and Issue 14 Submissions, Please...

Pin It Now!

I happened upon this amazing scene today and it made my heart smile.

It's by the Fred Meyer Corporate Headquarters in SE off of Powell and 21st if anyone is interested.

That reminds me.  I am starting to work on Issue 14 entitled Free Box the Miracle, so if any of you amazing free boxers have a miracle find (whatever that means to you) or free box story you would like to share, please email it to:  freeboxthezine@gmail.com

You  can send pics, a sketch, a short story, you name it and I will love it!

Day After Free Halloween Candy

Pin It Now!

I had a brilliant idea this year for a way to rid my home of leftover Halloween Candy, put it in a Free Box, of course!

I actually put it out closer and it worked like a charm.  By the end of the day it was gone.

First Time Free Boxer, Eric Heiden

Pin It Now!

I met Eric on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela and we kept running into each other at some point every day for a few weeks.  I really enjoyed his company.  Eric is from New Orleans and told Sarah and myself of his great love of Snowballs.  Apparently it's a delicious treat that you can get in New Orleans.  I had never heard of it.
I don't believe New Orleans has yet experienced the free box phenomenon unless you consider the abandoned houses of the Katrina disaster a giant free box, but that's another story...

If you have Issue 13, then you have read the story of one of my favorite Camino moments, which was the sudden appearance of the vegetarian oasis otherwise know as The House of the Gods, which was this amazing spread of vegetarian and vegan delights along with hammocks and benches and just a wonderful environment to hang out in.

This is a photo that Eric took and I absolutely love it because it shows the absolute bareness of the path at that point and then this little heaven in the middle of it all.

Sarah and I literally spent two hours that just hanging out with other friends we'd met.  Eric happened to be one of the folks we were hanging out with.  I pulled out the remaining issues I had brought along of Free Box the Magazine and shared them with Eric, Alistair and Gabriel.  Alistair was blown away and said he would become an International Free Box Correspondent. 

Apparently at The House of the Gods there was a take something, leave something pile and Eric decided to check it because apparently he needed a pocket knife.  Sure enough, there was one!  He traded it for a book he had read.  I then made sure to capture the moment because this was Eric's first free item experience and it was just too cool to pass up.

We had to take a few photos of Eric displaying the knife because it's a bit of a challenge posing with a knife without making a person look crazy or threatening.

Eric said, "it's just like Christmas morning."  I couldn't agree more.

Brother Sewing Machine

Pin It Now!

I was biking home from work today and I happened upon this free pile that had a working sewing machine that was in the box and everything was accounted for.  I couldn't believe.  I left some other items I had collected behind because I could only fit the sewing machine teetering on the top of my basket and boy was it worth it.  I don't think I have found something I was so excited about in a long time.  Probably the last time was when I found an amazing sewing table!

I had a feeling as I looked out my window this morning that there would be an onslaught of free boxes out today and I was correct.  I hope everyone found something awesome wandering in this lovely fall weather as well!

Permanent Free Box

Pin It Now!

I have been meaning to check this free box out for months and I finally did it!  It's located in between SE Holgate and Cora on 25th.  It's pretty nice, very big and the hangers are a nice touch.  There wasn't much there when I stopped by.  It was a very rainy day, but everything was protected in this super cool free box.

Issue 13 Centerfold

Pin It Now!

It's always hard to appreciate the photos in the zine due to it being black and white and by the time the zine is finished it's a copy of a copy and the quality isn't always the greatest.  I wanted to share the centerfold photo in color because the dress Sarah found is really pretty and a great score.

And this one didn't make the centerfold, but it's a great photo:

Enjoy~

Alistair Buchanan: International Free Box Correspondent

Pin It Now!

I first met Alistair on the Camino walking his heart flag back to Finisterre.  His Camino involved sleeping in abandoned buildings, waking up in the drizzling rain shouting with vigor and running down hills at full speed.  I really liked his company and the tales of Camino quests he would take on.

He's from Cambridge, England.  He told me of a take an item, leave an item shelf in Cambridge that he would frequent and got some great items from and I hope to hear more about that.

Here's his report that I just received yesterday:

It's Alistair, reporting on a great freebox on the beach in Fisterra, at the end of the camino and the end of the world! (See attached picture). It contained some great items- not limited to a water gun, volleyball, sunscreen and towels. It served the beach well.

Super cool! 

Issue 13 Compostela Edition

Pin It Now!

Hello, Freeboxers.
I have put out a very special Free Box the Magazine all about the various free boxes that myself and my good friend Sarah Dyer came across on our nearly 500 mile trek across Spain on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela.

I did, however, unbelievably forget one person and story that I met on the eve of our adventure and that was Liz from Australia:

She was very excited about the zine.  She said in Australia they didn't really have free boxes, but once a year they have a council cleanup day where everyone puts out their "trash" and a bunch of volunteers go around and clean it up.  Apparently lots of people will cruise around and check out the "rubbish" because you can find lots of good stuff.
If you would like to learn more about Clean Up Australia, here's a website I found about it:
http://www.cleanup.org.au/au/

I can't believe I left this story out.  I will add more detailed stories of people's free box encounters on the blog as a supplement to the zine, so stay tuned and be on the lookout, coming soon to a free box near you:

Another Person's Post About a Free Box

Pin It Now!

I found this blog post on the web today.  It's great:

http://www.pantylinepress.com/hyperbole/2011/06/some-things-arent-meant-to-be.php

Plastic Animals

Pin It Now!

Look what I found today:  a bin full of amazing plastic animals. 

I am so excited to use them for a project, but what?  Well, the first opportunity presented itself.  It just so happens that I was going to make a postcard of a photo of this small brass bathtub that I found in a free box on Saturday.  Apparently Carye Bye collects bathtub photos every year and this will be the 10th Anniversary.
Here's the official postcard photo:

Here's a few extra because it was so fun taking these photos!

Happy Plastic Animals!

Carye's International Free Box Day Pics

Pin It Now!

Carye Bye just sent me a couple of photos that I thought should be on the blog because they're great!

She saw this truck on the way home from the picnic, really in the free box day spirit I would say.
Thanks, Carye!

International Free Box Day Photos

Pin It Now!

Well, the first International Free Box day was a success.

There's more free stuff off to the right out of the picture.

I met Jennifer who gets blank shirts out of free boxes, silkscreens I heart free boxes onto them, and then returns them to free boxes.  Super cool!

Jennifer with a bunch of plain t-shirts to silkscreen and a free pair of Vans.

Tom with a I Heart Free Boxes shirt.

She left a bunch of her shirts and I am happy to say they were a hit!  I love it.

Carye brought me this hilarious item she found in a free box:

It's the natural gift idea!

Here's a photo of Carye with some of her scores of the day:

Tom actually made that coffee shop board game.  We tried to play it, but there were too many distractions; perhaps another time.

And of course this wonderful giant free box and picnic couldn't have been possible without the lovely Meghan Sinnott, free box finder extraordinaire!  Here she is checking out the image transfer book while we try to play the coffee shop game:

I hope everyone had a fantastic International Free Box Day wherever they were on this lovely planet!

Davis Free Boxes

Pin It Now!

I just found this on the internets and thought it was super cool.  It's how to put out free stuff and all sorts of info about free boxes and the like at Davis.
Check it out:

http://daviswiki.org/Free_Piles

The etiquette section is especially good.

International Free Box Day Fun ~ August 17th

Pin It Now!

It has been officially declared that August 17th is International Free Box Day, which also corresponds with National Thrift Store Day; weird.

To celebrate the first International Free Box Day I thought it would be super cool to have a giant free box/swap on August 17th at Washington School, which is 12th and Stark, at 1 p.m. till 4 p.m.

Found in a Free Box as seen in Issue 11

I also thought that having a giant potluck picnic to hang with like-minded free boxers would be fun as well.  Please bring your hula hoops, park games, musical instruments or just some food to share and hang out with such an awesome Portland community.

Of course for the giant free box, please bring lightly worn items that you are tired of or lightly worn housewares, anything that still works and you think could become some free boxer's new treasure.
There will be some issues of Free Box the Magazine available while supplies last.

Also, please spread the word...Facebook, twitter, email, whatever and since it's International Free Box Day, please let your friends know that don't live in the United States.

I hope to see you all there this upcoming Saturday!!!
Hearts,
Bece

p.s. - all the leftover goodies will be donated to Transition Projects

2013 Zine Symposium

Pin It Now!

Hello~

Don't forget about the Zine Symposium this weekend.  Free Box the Magazine will be present for the first time.

Here's the website with all the details:

http://www.portlandzinesymposium.org/

Hearts~

I'm Back!!!

Pin It Now!

So I walked nearly 500 miles across Spain.  It was hard work, but very fun at the same time.  I do have a European free box report for you, but that will come later.

My dear friend Jane was my lovely airport pickup and on the way home we spotted this awesome pot that she had been on the lookout for.  My first free box back in the States; pretty sweet:

I hope the free boxes have been flowing in Portland this summer.  I can't wait to do some scavenging myself :)

Free Box the Magazine is on an Adventure!

Pin It Now!

Free Box the Magazine is going traveling once again, this time to Spain.  I will be walking the Camino de Santiago and I have heard there are free boxes on this journey due to the fact that people just get sick of carrying certain items.  I won't be back till the end of July and I will report back what the free box scene is like in Spain.  Adios~

My friend received this sweet travel trunk for free from one of her clients.  This is not how I will be traveling, though.

Clothing Exchange Free Box

Pin It Now!

Last night I hosted a spring time naked lady party, which is always fun.  It was also my friend, Keri's, Jesus b-day so that was fun, too.  She handed out these super cool Jesus buttons she got from SCRAP.

I acquired a couple of new pieces of apparel, which I totally love.  The most hilarious thing, however, is this t-shirt:

This reason it's so funny is because in exactly 2 weeks and 4 days I will be walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain.  What a weird coincidence.  I heard there are free boxes on the Camino, so I will let you know when I get back.

So today I thought it would be rainy, but it turned out to be a lovely afternoon.  I immediately grabbed the 5 boxes of leftover clothing from the naked lady party to have a free sale:

Nothing delights me more than a scene like this!