DIY Sea Urchin Air Plants

Living on a seven by twenty-one island I naturally have my moments when I feel isolated from the rest of the world. It is then, with a quick click on Pinterest, that the outside world – in all its depth and colour – is brought tantalizingly vivid and close…and the inspiration to create strikes.

What you’ll need from the tackle box:

  • 12 inches of clear fishing line. If hanging several octopus-like Sea Urchin Air Plants in a group I would snip the fishing line at different lengths so you give yourself the room to be creative and play with varying heights.
  • A dried out sea urchin or an assortment of dried-out sea urchins. I opted for the English Channel Urchin. 
  • Ornament hangers
  • Air plant(s)
  • Scissors

Experience DIY

Step 1 – Select your air plant and sea urchin. For bigger sea urchins I used the Caput Medusae as they give the effect of a spindly octopus. For the smaller sea urchin I used the Lonantha Peanuts. The size of the bottom opening of the English Channel Urchins determines which size air plant you will use.
Step 2 – Wrap fishing line around the “neck” of the air plant, working your way up to the top of the air plant criss cross the left and right “arms” of the fishing line, knot quarter inch from the top. 
Step 3 –  
Taking the loose end of the fishing line knot it on to an ornament hanger.
Step 4 – Feed fishing line and ornament hanger through bottom opening and then top opening until the air plant bits snuggly in the bottom opening.
Step 5 – Pick a spot where there is adequate but not direct sunlight and hang.

Not the DIY type or a few too many steps from the ocean and therefore unable to comb the beach for a dried-out sea urchin? Purchase a Jellyfish Air Plant Kit here.

Are you inspired? 


P.S. No green thumb and the maintence of an air plant seems daunting? Use a sea fan (similar to the one pictured) in the place of the air plant. The combination offers the same effect.

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