I have just 10 minutes ago returned from a rather covert mission with Little Punk (aka, Secret Squirrel Jnr).
We made our very first drop for The Toy Society.
The Toy Society is something I have only recently discovered (again with the late & the bandwagon...), I WAS going to say I only just came across it yesterday, but that would be a bit of a fib as I really saw it first during Thursday's My Creative Space, over at Myrtle & Eunice, I just didn't realise it... in all the excitement of lots of spaces to see, I skimmed through Tania's post taking more notice of her lovely anecdote than what her pictures were about & moved on. It was only yesterday after "discovering" The Toy Society through a bit of web surfing that I found myself back there thinking.... "Oh."
Anyway, I fell in love with the idea of "dropping" a handmade softie in a public place for anybody to find & love, to hopefully brighten somebodie's day, spread the handmade love, inspire random acts of kindness (or random acts of craft!), encourage people to interact more with their environment... and more. It is akin to guerrilla knitting I believe, something I have admired from afar but not been game to participate in as my knitting skills are such that I would more than likely be arrested for vandalising public property. There is so much to love about the whole concept that after reading through the blog for a wee bit I even got a little teary... (..yes, yes, big baby, yes yes...) & KNEW I HAD to make a drop myself, the sooner the better.
So, that is why I didn't get to bed until quarter to 3 this morning... I was busy hand sewing Ruby's face...
This morning I sorted her out with her "papers" ('Take Me Home" tag & letter about The Toy Society) & took some glamour shots & off we went.
I had thought all night that I would drop her at the big park here by the lake, it's always busy & there are kids through constantly, and we were heading there when I was drawn to take a detour through our horribly neglected, under appreciated 'Sculpture Park'. I picked an old sculpture off to the side of the park, nestled amongst rampaging weeds & rusting quietly, thinking that the person who came across young Ruby there (IF anybody does) would be someone who either appreciates the sculptures as they were intended to be appreciated or at the very least is paying attention to what is around them, as opposed to just plopping her on a swing in the playground - I might as well just hand her to a child passing by, or give her to an undoubtedly appreciative Pumpkin, this way, I thought, it is as though I am contributing my own little piece of art to the sculpture, a limited installation if you will....!
It was surprisingly nerve wracking taking her out of my backpack & tying her to the sculpture - looking around furtively as I did so. I was nervous (why...?!) and excited about leaving Ruby to her (hopefully pleasant) fate.
It's sunny here today but there are showers on & off. She won't get wet in her little zip lock bag, but I do hope she finds a lovely home sooner rather than later.
I am SO going to do more of these. Definately will have to make something for our next trip to the beach... AND I've signed up for the Christmas Toy Drop, AND I want to make a Softie for Mirabel before December....!
