Let There Be Light? The Religion of Upcycling

Photo courtesy of cityup on Instructables.com

OK. I'll admit, I spend too much time on Pinterest. Way too much time, usually because I'm hunting for that perfect recipe that both looks AND tastes good (extremely difficult to find both in one recipe sometimes!) And while there I run across some DIY projects that make me go Hmm.  This is one of those. Actually to be strictly fair, I ran across another DIY lighting project, and that link took me to this one!

I warn you now. This IS NOT a Martha S. project. While it is functional, unlike Martha projects I am not dying to have one of these in my home. I don't regret my lack of DIY skills over this one. No this is a DIY project that I'll happily leave to someone else. Both the doing and owning. (All my funny friends out there PLEASE DO NOT make me one for my birthday, I WILL REGIFT!)

For those of you looking for a plunger like this, it's called a 'bellows plunger' for obvious reasons. You can pick one up on Amazon for under $11 in designer blue. But even in designer blue, I really don't want to upcycle one!

In case you haven't identified the product that has been upcycled, it's your favorite (and one presumes used, but cleaned) toilet bowl plunger. THEY MUST BE KIDDING! If you follow the links under the photo it's easy enough to assemble (just be careful of some of the comments that tell you how to best clean it, a few could burn your eyes out).  But the IDEA. I mean I'm all for upcycling. But... but... OK, for once I am nearly speechless. Sputtering. Befuddled. As to WHY anyone would upcycle a PLUNGER!

Upcycling by definition is:

"the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value." (ty wikipedia!)

OK, I think someone took waste products a little too literally! The idea that anyone would be hitting their local garage sales (or even their own basements) and grabbing an old plunger to upcycle.... please tell me it isn't so?  And please tell me you wouldn't actually HANG IT UP in your living room or dining room.  (YUCK!)

I have finally found a good reason to stay off Pinterest and other DIY sites! Oh please, please, please! NO MORE! That beef stroganoff recipe that looked good but tasted like paper was bad enough, but please, no more bizarre upcycling projects! Since this is making me swear off Pinterest et.al. (for at least two weeks) I guess this means I'll be getting a lot more work done.