I started using these to quickly divide up my bugleweed. It spreads by runners, and at the end of the runner it will grow another plant complete with roots. I just cut the runner off and use hairpins to hold it in another spot so the roots are held to the ground. Then just water once and they grow. Better yet, do it before it rains and they grow. I'm all for lazy gardening.
I suggested to joannakat to use hairpins to hold down cottonballs or cottonpads with peppermint oil on them where she's trying to deter rabbits from their nightly snack of her ornamental onions. Around Chicago, they wouldn't stay in place 5 minutes without some way to hold them down.
The cheaper the hairpins, the better. The U-shaped ones that you don't need to pry open are easiest to work with. If you can find the cheapest kind without the safety ball tips at the ends, even better.
