No I haven't forgotten my little blog...

... just preparing for some improvements on the weekend :)

Really going somewhere with this...

So I was brave today. I made my flower up at work (a lovely combination of street map and grid paper) and when I got to the bus stop after work to place it- well the bus stop was occupied. I almost wimped out. But I walked up, looked a rather nice-looking man in the eye and silently placed my creation in the safety of the bus shelter.

He may or may not have sized me up for a very un-colourful white jacket (with nifty tie-back sleeves). But I did it anyways. He may or may not have smiled when I looked at the flower, but he didn't pluck it (as the stalk of the flower invited him to) as it was still there when I drove home past the now-empty-of-humans-but-inhabited-by-a-flower bus shelter.

I wonder who will pick this flower, and I wonder what they will make of the maps...

O- and why blu-tack?
Because blu-tack is a useful, but not really a permanent or big fix for things. Similarly, my flowers might not make your whole day bright, but they will make a moment bright in a small way- and that's a great start. Also my home is largely held together by blu-tack (shhhh- don't tell the bank) and so it's kind of apt to spread this useful substance through the suburbs. I believe much of life is held together by blu-tack- it's just that we don't often admit it!

Plucked

My first two flowers have been plucked. My first plant was at a bus stop on a major road. I'm not sure if the bus stop was in use because it was devoid of all colour. A yellowed-beige without a single ad, or any sign of colour. I planted a flower there yesterday, and this morning it was gone :) Hopefully someone's day got a little big brighter!

Last night I made a lovely blue and red flower, and it was planted on a lovely red post-box near a bus stop and a pay-phone. It was planted this morning and gone by this afternoon. Maybe someone's mail-run got a little bit more colourful.

Just a few notes about my plantings-

• They are done with blu-tack so that they won't leave any permanent marks.
• As tempting as it is to alter road signs (I really wanted to fill a road works sign's wheelbarrow with flowers) I won't- I'd hate to distract a driver in any way.
• I also choose blu-tack as I intend the flowers to be re-planted, not hidden away. It's fine if someone chooses to take the flower for themselves, but I want them to put it up somewhere that they can see it, so that it brightens their day.
  

Tonight I'm going to delve into a book of local maps to create some flowers for tomorrow- I hope to plant them before work (maybe more than one- I'd like to create a little flowerbed somewhere).

If you've happened across this page it means you have found a paper flower.

Because it is attached with blu-tack you can choose to:

• leave it where it is
• move it to a better spot or
• take it to keep for yourself (it's ok if you want to keep it, but it would be lovely if you pass it on to someone else too).

If you find the time, please let me know how our little paper flower has brightened your day via blutackitbetter@gmail.com and I'll do my best to publish it here. You may even be moved to make your own paper creations to make our little corner of the world a little brighter- have fun and let me know about your adventures in brightening our world!

:)