Upcycled helium tanks

I’ve been holding onto some empty helium tanks, determined that I can recycle or upcycle them, rather than take them somewhere for recycling. My idea was to turn them into outdoor planters. So I got out the angle grinder and fit it with a metal cutting blade, then clamped the tank into my work bench so it wouldn’t wiggle.

Cutting off the top of a helium tank

It wasn’t hard to cut the top off; it took longer to grind the edges so they weren’t vicious sharp. I did what I could with the angle grinder, then used a file. I then flipped the tanks over and drilled drain holes with a stepped drill bit. While my youngest wanted me to leave them pink, I just couldn’t do it. I used black and silver spray paint to obscure the writing.

Painted tanks

When the paint was dry I filled them with dirt and set up some extra drip line. I put onion seeds in one and watermelon seeds in the other. We’ll see if anything grows! At least they look good.

Upcycled helium tank planters

Critters

All sorts of little critters around the place! A little rough earth snake loves to hang out under the chicken’s foot bath. I’ve moved him twice. He looks very much like a little worm, but if the chickens spot him he will look like lunch.

Rough earthsnake

These little guys may be leaf footed bug nymphs, and were hanging out on the oregano.

Leaf footed bug nymphs

This toad likes to hang out under the rosemary. There are so many toads and frogs!

Toad under the rosemary

Testing concept

I have an idea rolling around in my head for an application for my alpaca yarn. I pulled out some spun merino to test the concept. Basically, it is varied sizes of spirals sewn together. I used a half double crochet to make the circles, stitching not into the front or the back loop, but the third loop. It results in quite a pretty spiral. This test swatch will suit nicely to protect my pots and pans now that it has successfully demonstrated the technique works!

Crocheted merino wool spirals

In a pinch

What to do when you go out to check the chicken and forget the egg apron? (Or basket, or anything for carrying eggs, really.) Fold up the bottom of your t-shirt. Of course it was a high egg production day. We cycle high and low; one day we get 7, then the next day we get 4. Then on rare days we’ll get a node and 11 hens will lay on the same day. This spring there has always been at least one broody or recovering broody that hasn’t started laying again, because we have 12 laying hens, but we have never had 12 eggs in a day.

Impromptu egg carrier (my t-shirt hem)

Cake and Niddy Noddy

Sounds more like something to have in the evenings than to do with spinning. Ha. I transferred the first skein of alpaca off the niddy noddy and wound it into a cake so that I could wind the second spindle full onto the niddy noddy and wet it down. The next step is to card some more fleece!

Dark brown alpaca yarn cake
Blended alpaca yarn on a PVC niddy noddy