Welcome Free Box the Zine's Zion Correspondent

Pin It Now!

So I have never been to Zion National Park, but judging from the photos I've seen it looks beautiful.

 A few weeks ago I met this amazing woman named Carrie Sue who lives and works for Zion National Park and she told me something really cool.  There's a park free box where people who are leaving the park leave the items they no longer need for others to partake in.  I don't know the details.  I know that you can often get bottles of olive oil; pretty sweet.  Now, I really have to go check out the wonders of Zion National Park.

I would also like to add that Carrie Sue was very excited about the zine and she took the whole collection, issues 1-9, to put in the Springdale Library where she lives.  She is going to keep us posted on amazing Zion and Utah free box finds.
Oh, what beauty the world beholds!

P.S. - My camera bit the dust and so I was borrowing one, hence the blurry photo.  I am getting a new camera tomorrow!

Happy Buy Nothing Day!

Pin It Now!

So here's the deal.  In response to the frenzied shopping that occurs on Black Friday, 20 years ago Adbusters came up with Buy Nothing Day to try and bring awareness to how consumerism has become the focus of the holiday season.  Because this is their 20 year anniversary of this campaign they are taking it a step further and calling it Occupy X-mas.  I think it is very thought provoking.  I will let you read more about it at this link:
http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd

Of course, Free Box the Magazine is in support of Buy Nothing Day since I believe you don't need to buy anything; it is there on the street for the taking.  You may have to wait a bit longer to receive it, but doesn't that make it all the more precious?
Case in point.  Yesterday I had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration at my friends' house.  When I got there, they had turned one of their rooms into the free room.  I found a very expensive and sturdy pair of brown boots, which was perfect because the brown shoes that I have been wearing are starting to leak water, which is not good in Portland weather.
Check it out:

And just today, which was a beautiful day I might add, I was coming home from the park and someone had just put out a tv that has the digital converter already inside of it.  I know this because I have the exact same tv.  The remote control was there and they had attached a huge sign which read:  FREE.
So I called up my friend because I knew she had a tiny tv and refused to go by the digital converter box.  Turns out she didn't need to buy it because she got one for free.

Anyway, I hope this inspires you to think and wait before you buy because it may just be waiting for you on the corner of the street.

~Happy Freeboxing~

Best T-shirt find for October and perhaps best T-shirt find Ever!

Pin It Now!

So I came upon a free box a week or so ago and nothing really interested me except for this amazing t-shirt that was right on top.
I will let you be the judge.

Amazing concept, Check.
Amazing logo, Check.
Amazing logo and concept drawn on with a sharpie, Check.
Total DIY

Free Box Photo for October

Pin It Now!

You know summer is over when you find a free box full of half frozen otter pops.

Free Box the Magazine's Boston Correspondent, Liz

Pin It Now!

Dear Free Box the Zine,
I am so sad to have missed your deadline for the United Free Boxes of America issue!  Attached, please find a photo of me with my first free box find in Boston - this was our first day in our new neighborhood.  "Free box" is a bit of a misnomer, since people just put things out on the curb on trash day, but I think of it as free box day.  Apparently, you get fined if you have stuff on your curb when it's not trash day, so I'm trying to figure out how to put out a free box that doesn't get us in trouble...I have lots of good ideas, but little energy; don't worry, though, I will do it!  And I"ll keep you posted.

Thanks for flying the free box flag! (even if your posts on the blog feel a bit like you're rubbing it in, since I can't free-box in Portland anymore *sigh*),
Love,
A United Free Box Fan

Happy Autumnal Equinox

Pin It Now!

So here is your free box photo of summer 2011:

I found this inflatable floating device about three years ago and have just kept it in the trunk of my car.  Well, this summer I was at Sauvie Island and I happened to remember it was there.  I pulled it out, blew it up (after at least a half an hour) and It Worked!  I am so thankful I kept it all these years.

As you know, today is the Autumnal Equinox, so happy fall.  I have been procrastinating putting together Issue 9 of the zine, but I said that it has to be done by the end of summer.  Well, I am happy to announce that it got printed up and put into circulation today thanks to the IPRC and Gabby Holden (she is my favorite)!  Whew, I made it just in the nick of time.

Look for Free Box the Magazine Issue 9 in a free box near you, if you live in Portland, that is.

Doesn't the cover look great?  Yet another amazing cover by Cory McMahon.

Thanks and happy free boxing!

Happy Labor Day!

Pin It Now!

As I was riding home this evening I had such a sense of free box unity with the world surrounding me.  I think this feeling became most apparent when I saw a couple loading up this really sweet dresser that had been on the free curb for about a week now.  It made the smile that was inside me creep out.
It all started when I was riding to Food Not Bombs this evening and I came upon an amazing free box that was primarily filled with costumes.  Now, those that know me know this was a great find.  I do love costumes!  Some of them were for children, including a very colorful clown suit, but I am sure I will have no problem finding recipients.  The weird thing about this free box was that there were three brightly colored cummerbunds in there.  I found it strange because on Friday I also found a white cummerbund.   What is the universe trying to tell me?  I will ponder that.

So when I got to Food Not Bombs literally everyone I talked to was free box crazy, which I love.  Everyone was really interested in the zine.  I met this wonderful free boxer who had come across Free Box the Magazine about a year ago and was super excited about it.
We talked and I would like to say that I am proud to introduce Melody, a new Free Box the Magazine correspondent.

She, too, found a sweet costume  Just from talking with her, I am pretty sure she is going to have some amazing stories to tell.  She also told us of a sweet free box on 30th and Stark that we needed to check out.  Here is some of her loot.

So after hearing some amazing stories about free box finds from various people and with our bellies full, myself and my friend, James, went to go check out this free box she was talking about.  On the way there we came upon a couple more free boxes and grabbed a few things.
Oh, and I am happy to announce that the permanent free box structure that I thought had disappeared from Colonel Summers park is back and better than ever!  I think it was just in the shop for some upgrades.
So Melody described this free box as having a lot of books, and that it did.  I grabbed four books, one of which is entitled "The ex-Boyfriend Cookbook."  Now, I picked up this book because the title is intriguing.  What inspires the recipes?  Is it a reminder of your ex-boyfriend's favorite dish or perhaps the comfort food you enjoyed after the breakup.  I suppose I could look through it, but I will savor that for another time.  For now I will just have to be plagued with these burning question.  
A fellow freeboxer grabbed a couple of books and James grabbed a few.  He also took some books for prisoners, which I thought was a great idea.
Anyway, here is my photo of the loot I accumulated:

Clown suit on left, awesome books, various clothing and three cummerbunds.

So I hope everyone had a very relaxing labor day and enjoyed the sense of community as much as I did.
Happy Free Boxing!