And here's the result of Round One: these diminutive, Asian-inspired, scroll-legged succulent planters.
What's it all about, you ask? Allow me to 'splain.
A few weeks back, I got an email from the environmental sustainability department of Stevens Pass Resort, a snow sports paradise up in Washington State. Stevens is a "sustainable green" ski resort, and takes its mission seriously. This lovely department, name of Jennifer, had been trying for months and months to find someone to recycle/repurpose/reuse a bunch of these little doohickies:
They are non-recyclable plastic packing clips for skis. They are tough, weird and unwelcome in every respectable place on earth. (Kinda like me, hee.) Nobody, but nobody would take them off her hands.
So I took 'em. Two hundred and forty seven of them.
I challenged myself to use them up. Every last one! Over the next few posts I'll demonstrate some fun things I found to do with them. Then I'm gonna throw it open to the crowd and we're all going to brainstorm together for more ideas.
The planet will lose two hundred and forty seven weird, unwanted plastic ski clips. It will gain a bunch of useful, interesting or beautiful creations. Yay, planet.
Now on to the repurposing, Round One!
In two of the clips, I drilled sideways holes like this:
Then I bound the two pieces together with craft wire.
I planted an anchovy tin with succulents and placed it on the base, and oh em gee, so stinkin' CUTE!
I took it a little further, binding five of the clips together to form a bigger platform. You know - for a bigger plant.
These little critters are Chuck Norris-level tough. The pot above weighs nine pounds.
Finally, I found that these platforms are a charming way to display all kinds of things! Like random objets d'art and geological specimens. Check out my ginormous chunk of petrified wood:
I just love my scroll-legged bases! I whipped up a bunch, and have placed them all around my house and garden, under multiple objects. I used up 48 clips.
So ends Round One of my 2014 Winter Games. Next time, another thrilling repurposing, rescuing some more of these crazy ski clips from clogging a landfill.
Hope you will come back and cheer me on.
In case you missed any:
Round One
Round Two
Round Three
Round Four
Round Five
Round Six
Round Seven
Round Eight
Summer Update, Part One
Wow - you made something actually useful out of them :) I guess you can make flat trays from them or make them into frames - display posters, fabric bits or photographs. PS: I love your chunks of wood, feeling envious that you have place to keep them ;)
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I love your games - can't wait to see what you make next!
ReplyDeleteWell a gold medal for you! That was great of you to take those clips and challenge yourself. If the rest of your projects turn out this great, you may just sweep this event! What size are the clips?
ReplyDeleteSo Coooooool.. Love the way you did it..what a smart usage :) waiting for round two!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSend me some because I have an idea to repurpose some of these babies. Pat S
ReplyDeleteYou need to make a larger one and use it for your podium when you accept your gold metal. Hmm, I see a necklace or two in the works.
ReplyDeleteSomebody will definitely HAVE to bundle and sell these doohickies now! We all want some to work with now too! I like the tiny planter....definitely Asian style :) I can see maybe stepping up the idea into a pagoda! Can't hardly wait until round two! Definitely gold winners!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! Love those scroll-legged bases.
ReplyDeleteAre they big enough to group a bunch together and maybe put mini ceramic tiles on them and use them for trivets for hot pots?
ReplyDeleteLove what you have done with them already!
ReplyDeletegreat!
ReplyDeleteCOOL! What a great challenge Mich - can't wait to see what you do with the rest of those clip thingies!! They'd make cute bag handles too!!
ReplyDeleteWhat amuses me most this they are from Stevens Pass and somehow they found you in LA.
ReplyDeleteStevens Pass Resort definitely chose the right women for the job. Looking forward to seeing what you make with all the clips.
ReplyDeleteyou continue to be my hero Mich!
ReplyDeleteThese are super cute! I love the wee succulent planter. I love your challenge - it reminds me of our first introduction, when you challenged yourself to make 10 (was it 10?) things from my box of random dollar store crap. xoxo
ReplyDeleteThis is quite a challenge! I thought of your project(s) and mentioned you in this post! http://www.beadinggem.com/2014/07/get-handle-on-this-jewelry-display.html
ReplyDeleteYour imagination and cleverness amazes me. Those ski clips do lend a very oriental flair to the little plant holders. I can't begin to tell you how impressed I am with all the many ways you've come up with to use these little plastic parts - you've proved that they can be valuable instead of being trash. Talk about a true Trash to Treasure project. :)
ReplyDelete