Holey Crocs!

Regular size of it people pick out me by my hat . But really teeny tiny the great unwashed love me for my distinctive , penetrate footgear . I ’m a Crocs kinda guy . My shoe wrack is dotted with plump pairs of size tens – ruby-red , brown , green , Orange River , and when I break a tux , black .

My married woman , Lin , and I are die - intemperately What Not To Wear rooter , so I get it when she warn me that , “ But they ’re really comfortable ! ” is no self-justification for a grown - up wearing what Stacy and Clinton revile as “ goof brake shoe . ” She ’s right , but that ’s my narration and I ’m sticking to it . As Dr. Scholl teach me , when my feet are felicitous my brain is happy . And when my encephalon is well-chosen I can write riveting garden blogs about my shoes .

I moderately much inhabit in my Crocs , so I wear through them on a regular basis . So then what ? Landfill ? Not for a guy who ’s so sustainable he can work the same piece of dental floss for a month . So rather than cast off these fast protagonist who ’ve served me so well , I tap my privileged Martha , transforming them into long - live , ego - draining , artsy - fartsy wall planter .

I had a burst of originative vigor this workweek . Instead of buying the usual loge of flowered gift posting as a thank you for the landscape painting architect who share their employment with my class , I decide to make something for them . I could work my shoe garbage disposal conundrum and append a personal touch .

Do you wear skid ? Do you like prosperous , wacky projects ? Here ’s what I did .

component : Worn out twain of Crocs , spray paint , colourful old sock or cotton material , commercial potting soil , plants that can grow in tight one-quarter , and a nail . I sprung into activeness .

And just as rapidly , I sprung out of action . My first trouble : Army - green Crocs . Booooooooring ! ! ! Second predicament : No plants . Third glitch : Out of pot grunge . After a sprint to the hardware shop , I was ready to go , armed with a can of brilliant yellow pigment and an assortment sculptural , colorful succulents .

A few minutes after ripping open a cardboard box seat to protect my garage floor ( work where there ’s good ventilation ) , I had four lemony shining Crocs . [ Tip : Before picture , dilute the strap over the heel of the shoe to the undersurface , making an inst hanger . ]

I discovered a can of chartreuse blusher on a shelf and spattered it over the first pelage . Not exactly Jackson Pollack , but it up the plot a snick .

I had n’t realized it when I buy the plants , but they equip the old rule for exciting container plantings : Combine a thriller ( gray Kalanchoe ) , a filler ( purple Echeveria ) , and a trawl line ( Sedum ‘ Angelina ’ ) .

Next come the soil , but how to keep it from washing mighty out of the sea of holes ? In my earlier forays into Croc planting , I used an old windsock from my bulging bag of mismatches , filled it with a fistful of soil , then coaxed it into the shoe . Workable , but I wanted these to have a second more ocular papa . I cut a big swatch from a royal purple tee shirt ( you may see it in the background below ) and letting the scalloped edge frill out the front .

So , there you go , and quite fetch , if you ask me . If you circularise your own succulents from carving , the only material cost is a can of paint and a scoop of potting soil .

My resurrected Croc compendium lives on the side of my service department , where they receive direct sun for a few hour in the previous good afternoon . Watering is a pushover – I fill a bucket with water and launch each brake shoe for a few minutes . [ Tip : Hold them under , since they ’ll want to float . ] Find a smudge with the correct amount of light for your composition , tap a nail , and you ’re done .

I ’m guessing you ’ve created some as apt planters from precious items you just could have just give the heave - holmium . How about posting a pic at theFine Gardening galleryand apportion your handiwork with everyone else ? We ’ll all be looking for careful garden gifties this season .

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