Some Creative Supplies

Tonight, we are going to deviate a bit from our usual design post and talk a bit about some basic supplies you can equip yourself with that may become part of your regular cache design kit.  Some of these supplies may be used more than others depending on how you design your caches, but all are useful.  We'll start with supplies for the inside of your cache.

Interior Supplies

1. Baggies - these are wonderful tools for protecting a logsheet from moisture.  Larger kitchen use baggies can be useful when placing a regular size cache, while smaller arts & crafts baggies are great for micro and small caches.  The smaller ones can be found at any arts & crafts store, and usually in arts & crafts departments of stores like Wal-mart and Target.  Just find the section where beads are found and you can find a variety of sizes in 50 and 100 quantity packages, often for $2 or less per set.  A few bucks can supply you with enough baggies for plenty of potential caches.  Carry them around with your regular caching supplies and you can help other cachers protect their logsheets as well, or replace damaged baggies.
2. Writing utensil - not everyone likes to add a writing utensil to their caches, often because of the varying cache designs they might use.  Consider picking up a package of golf pencils.  Since they are smaller, the open up the range of cache sizes you can use them in.  Plus, a writing utensil inside can be useful if a cacher forgets their own pen or pencil.
3. Swag - this may not work for micro caches, but if their is room for swag, consider adding an item or two.  What you use is entirely up to you.  Dollar stores are invaluable resources as you can often by packages of items like toy soldiers, plastic coins, etc.  Crafts stores are also useful, especially if you might be interested in making some personalized FTF swag.  Party stores often care packages of cheap party favors for parents looking to make gift bags for their child's party.  Toys often make great swag for kids.  What should be avoided?  Inappropriate or hazardous items, alcohol, food, liquids (what if something accidently breaks), and sharp objects or weapons, among other potentially bad swag ideas.
4. Stash Notes - you can get these from various geocaching sites.  They break down geocaching into an easy to understand explanation for muggles who might find the cache.

Exterior Supplies

1. Camo Tape - there are several varieties of camo tape that you can find, ranging from camo duct-tape to camo felt tape.  They are all usually pretty good.  Take any basic cache design and add camo tape to help reduce the visibility of a cache.  Most stores that sell a variety of duck tape will sell camo tape right there.  Otherwise, check sporting goods stores/departments to find some.
2. Sharpie - this can be used to write something on the outside, like "Official Geocache, Do Not Remove" or a GC code.  
3. Geocache Label - unless you make them yourself, you can buy "Official Geocache" labels to apply to the outside of a geocache.  These can be useful in case a muggle happens to find the cache.  Great when combined with a Stash Note inside.
4. Spray paint - this mostly applies to ammo cans.  Try to have a can of spray paint, preferably a shade of Forest Green, to paint a recently purchase ammo can.  This is done to cover up the military markings which might worry muggles if found.

Each of these items is not necessary, but can be useful ways to add a little extra umph to your next cache.  Are their any other ideas out there?  Post a comment and share your ideas for readers to consider.

TripCyclone

The Pen is Mightier Cache

While caching, you'll eventually run into a cache design that you hadn't thought of before.  This design is exactly one of those caches.  I ran into it a while back while traveling.

Materials Needed:

• A pen with a clear casing
• Logsheet

The most important aspect of this design is having a certain type of pen.  The pen must be designed such that there is a clear casing somewhere in the design.  A clear casing that would allow you to see the inside of the pen.  Well, this isn't a necessity as you could probably design this without such a particular type of pen, but for the purposes of this design, it should be clear.

Open the pen up.  Carefully roll a logsheet around the ink holder and slide the whole setup back into the pen.  Make sure the logsheet is positioned so it is visible through the clear part of the pen casing.  Then seal it back up.

Why leave the ink part inside?  Why not?  You can quite honestly say that you don't need to bring a pen to the cache, even if it is a micro. 

This is a quick, cheap micro cache design.  Make sure you have some spares for future maintenance and have fun as people log their surprise at this different design.

TripCyclone