The other day I was checking out Cargoh, a newish online “social marketplace" and amidst the usual suspects for sale — wall decals, greeting cards and jewelry — the wares of a seller named Giddy Spinster (she also maintains an Etsy storefront) caught my eye. You see, she’s a designer working with a most unusual medium: reclaimed stiletto heels.

 

I’m not sure where Giddy Spinster sources her footwear — a used stripper shoe outlet? Jenny Farley’s reject pile? I mean really, where does one find a used, size 8 dominatrix shoe? — but 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.