For anyone who had a chia pet growing up, TikToker Ali Spagnola seriously brought the nostalgic feelings beginning on June 7.
Not only did Spagnola decide to grow a larger-than-average chia pet, but she decided to use a rather unexpected foundation for the plant.
A toilet.
That's right.
In the caption for the first video in the series, Spagnola declared:
"Attempting [a toilet] chia pet."
Spagnola had covered the entire toilet, including the seat, base and tank with chia seeds and planned to water the entire toilet three times a day.
Her goal?
"[Let's] see just how fluffy and green this gets."
Fellow TikTokers were appropriately interested and weirded out.
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
But by day four, the toilet began to show positive green growth.
The internet, of course, was invested.
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
In the caption of a seven-day recap video, she wrote:
"Art is meant to make you feel something."
Let's just say, this TikToker did not disappoint.
Some TikTokers found the "test run" hilarious.
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
Others were more or less disturbed at the thought.
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
Perhaps not surprisingly, the TikToker also taught the community an important lesson: What the TIkToker may giveth, the TikToker may also taketh away.
Immediately following the series of growth videos, she began a new series, indicating the rapid deterioration of the chia pet when it was not consistently watered three times per day.
Here is the first day of the deterioration series, which is the only one that is currently available.
Fellow TikTokers expressed dismay at the new turn of events.
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
@alispagnola/TikTok
Though the community expressed dismay, Spagnola pointed out that this project had largely taken over her life, probably due to the high frequency of watering sessions, and had left her unable to work on other projects.
Not to mention, this was the only working toilet she had access to.
@alispagnola/TikTok
Since there's only one video in this series so far, Spagnola has an important decision to make: allow the plant to continue to deteriorate, or begin watering it consistently again and hope for the best.
It seems likely that Spagnola will continue with the new series, however, and while it's sad to see the lively plant go to waste, all good and weird things must eventually come to an end.
