I am a big fan of crafty projects that repurpose things others would normally throw away: old t-shirts, jeans, light bulbs, etc., and turn them into eclectic, 'upcycled' home decor or wearable pieces of art. So, of course, the following project caught my eye (well, the shoes did first, then the actual project). Who would have thought to do something like this?

Actually, Giddy Spinster did — a designer with a good eye for shoes and an ingenious idea. She gets hold of used, mile high stilettos and gives them new life as planters and bookends.

Mother Nature Network reports: "…her handiwork is quite remarkable: she removes the top of each shoe, sands it, drills holes for drainage, and places succulents or cacti in the makeshift planter using organic soil/fertilizer and plants from a certified organic grower in Berkeley. Each reclaimed stiletto planter, sold individually, costs in the ballpark of $55 to $80. For international customers who are barred from receiving plants through the mail, Giddy Spinster will create a sculptural DIY 'unplanted' shoe for $60."

This article appears in Aug 19-25, 2010.