Kick In the Ash Tray?
What do you do with your old ashtrays when you quit smoking?
I’m fine with pitching most of them, but I have several ashtrays that are really pretty cool. One is carved brass from India. Three are bright enamel over brass in colors or patterns I really like.
I had the work gang do a little brainstorming about non-smoking uses for ashtrays and here are some of the options we came up with:
soap dish (I’ve used an antique cloisonne ashtray for guest soaps for years. It’s very cool.)
coasters
candle holder
container for potpourri other scented stuff
paperweight
cat food dish (my sister, Meg, uses a silver bowl for her spoiled kitty)
cookie cutter
sorter for beads or other tiny craft items
broken up and used for stained glass or mosaic
planter
doorstop
as a container for:
salsa, dip, olives, nuts, dried fruit, candy, sushi
coins when you empty your pockets (Jeff’s pockets contain the same stuff you’d find in an 8-year-old-boy’s pocket–string, rubber bands, coins,paper clips, CD liner notes, nails, cough drops, pens…)
coins for the poker table (Thank you, Steve L. Why wasn’t I surprised that you came up with this?)
toothpicks/party picks
earrings
paper clips, safety pens
Ashtray Art
A fraternity at the University of Nebraska-Omaha made a huge ball “sculpture” out of more than 650 ash trays as part of their “Snuff Out Tobacco” campaign. Pretty cool. I think it would make nice art in my garden–perhaps next to the giant rose-colored hollyhocks. Hmmm…
