Here’s something that floats my pay-it-forward boat muchly … The Toy Society.
A movement that started as a little street art project in Australia (and is now international) The Toy Society operates on a beautifully simple premise: make a toy, put it in a bag with a note saying “Take Me Home, I’m Yours” and then leave it somewhere out in the big wide world for someone to pick up and, well, take home.
I love it for its randomness and for the fact that it’s not through a blog (although you know I love a giveaway!) it’s out there … where random acts of kindness are oh so welcome. It’s a way to rejoice in our humanity, rather than feeling ashamed of it, as we so often do.
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| Dropped: Newport Restaurant, Broomfield, CO USA Number of toys:1 Made by: decapod Dropped by: decapod When: Nov 28 2010 And decapod says: corduroy double-headed tiger inspired by Chinese toys, left in a stone lion outside of the restaurant via |
What I really really love it for, is that it is NOT seasonal. It operates all the year round. Even so, I've just signed up and I'm going to do some now. What the heck! I thought I'd make one to cheer up my fellow teachers at work perhaps? ... just nonchalantly leave something in the staffroom?
Which leads me to my real "creative space" for this week ... it's in my bonce, not my viewfinder I'm afraid ...
I know we are all focusing on Christmas and our loved ones right now, but I want to plan for something fun to do early in our shiny new year of 2011. Start how I mean to go on.
Once all this 'ere festive stuff is done and dusted, I’d love to run a Toy Society inspired swap in early January - If we all made something, swapped it and then left our partner’s gift somewhere near where we lived, it could be kinda cool?
I'd like to open it up to include gifts for grown-ups too ... so you could just leave a pincushion, or a teatowel, or a toy ...
What do you think? Fancy a flickr swap in January? We could spread the lurrrrve? Please take a few seconds to leave your thoughts … there's a poll right at the top of the page, on the right - I'd love to know ...
