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Make a Chic Copper Air Planter Out of Upcycled Plastic Straws
Save the planet while decorating your home.
Shain Rievley
Don't let those plastic straws end up in a landfill! When you're done slurping up your iced coffee, save your straws to make a few of these gorgeous faux copper air planters.
What You'll Need
- 6 plastic straws
- thin, flexible floral wire
- copper spray paint
- air plants
- needle nose pliers
Shain Rievley
Cut Straws
Shain Rievley
Cut three 7-inch straws, three 5-inch straws and three 2.5-inch straws.
Create First Triangle
Shain Rievley
Image 1
Shain Rievley
Image 2
Shain Rievley
Image 3
Shain Rievley
Image 4
Shain Rievley
Image 5
Thread a long piece of wire through two 7-inch straws, leaving about 30 inches of excess wire on one end (image 1). Use needle nose pliers to create a bend in the wire between the two straws (image 2). Thread a 2.5-inch straw onto the short side of the wire, bending the wire between it and the 7-inch straw to form a triangle (image 3). Twist the open ends of wire together to close the isosceles triangle (image 5).
Make the Top Pyramid
Shain Rievley
Image 1
Shain Rievley
Image 2
Slide the long end of the wire back up through the first 7-inch straw (image 1) and thread another 7-inch straw onto the same wire, bending the wire between the two straws (image 2). Then, bend the excess wire at the end of the straw to hold it in place.
Shain Rievley
Image 1
Shain Rievley
Image 2
Shain Rievley
Image 3
Shain Rievley
Image 4
Shain Rievley
Image 5
Thread a 2.5-inch straw onto the same wire, to the bend (image 1). Bend the wire, then thread it back through the first 2.5-inch piece, connecting the two 2.5-inch straws and creating half of the pyramid base (images 2 & 3). The two wires should now meet. Bend the long wire at the corner, then thread another 2.5-inch piece onto it, creating a triangular base (image 4). Wrap the long wire around one corner of the base to secure (image 5).
Make the Bottom Pyramid
Shain Rievley
Image 1
Shain Rievley
Image 2
Thread two 5-inch straws onto the long wire, bending the wire in-between each straw to create a triangle (image 1). Connect the triangle to the base by threading the wire back through one of the 2.5-inch pieces (image 2).
Shain Rievley
Image 1
Shain Rievley
Image 2
Thread the final 5-inch piece onto the wire (image 1), bending the wire to hold it in place. Thread the wire back up through one of the other 5-inch straws and secure wire to the base by twisting the excess wire together (image 2).
Finish It Up
Shain Rievley
Cut off excess wire, clamping the raw edges with pliers to avoid snagging. Attach another piece of wire to the top of the planter for hanging, then paint with copper spray paint.
Shain Rievley
Place an air plant (Tillandsia) in the middle base of the planter, hang and enjoy! When your plant's ready for water, take it out of the base, soak thoroughly in a bowl of lukewarm water and sit it upside down on a paper towel to dry.
