Wine corks provide a great resource for making presents, particularly for a wine lover. The following article suggests a number of handmade present ideas with various amounts of wine corks required, from just a handful of wine corks to a bigger collection.
Collecting Wine Corks
If this is a gift that you are planning ahead for, the wine corks could be collected from your own life experiences.Take a look at the wine corks that come from your chosen bottles as some have more design than other. For instance, Herder Winery from the Okanagan region of British Columbia, Canada has wine corks with wonderful swirls. If you cannot collect enough wine corks from your own personal life, try visiting make-it-yourself wine shops as they will have wine corks for sale or be able to tell you where to purchase some. Visit a few restaurants or local pubs in your neighbourhood with an empty container and ask if the staff wouldn't mind providing you with the wine corks from a night or two of work.
Main Material Required and Basic Tips for Wine Cork Crafts
Aside from the wine corks, there are other essential materials required for these wine cork craft gifts:
- a glue gun or other strong adhesive, such as craft glue
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- sandpaper
When cutting the wine corks, make sure you have a lot of room to cut the wine corks as sometimes, wood chips can fly a distance. Go slowly to avoid any injuries and try a number of knifes until you find the one that is most comfortable. Use the sand paper to even out the edges. Wine corks are different sizes, so before you ever start glueing, make sure you have fit together the pattern of wine corks beforehand. Sometimes, it can be a little like a puzzle, and you may have to trim wine corks to complete an effective look.
Wine Cork Name Card Holders
This gift idea only requires a handful of wine corks or even better, champagne corks. Give a gift of six or more name card holders for dinner parties. To make this gift, simply chose a wine cork and from the side, slice a spot for name cards to fit. If using champagne corks, then make the slit at the top instead. This gift could also be used for a creative business card holder. For an extra touch, provide some blank name cards for the gift receiver to use at his/her next dinner party.
Wine Cork Picture Frames
The number of wine corks required to make this gift depends on the size of the picture frame. Try and choose a picture frame that has flat edges to help make the corks stick more easily. The corks could be solid or cut lengthwise, or one cork could be cut, like a salami, into slices. Position the cork pieces around the frame and chose your design. Another quick way to make a picture holder is to use a single wine cork and attach a wire with a clip to hold a photo. A hole may have to be drilled first into the wine cork before the wire is placed.
Wine Trivets and Coasters
Wine trivets are a popular gift to make out of wine corks. One great idea is to buy a frame box and position the corks inside first, and then glue. Another trivet idea is to slice wine corks in half and use the pieces to make a trivet design. Wrap the final glued project with ribbon for an extra touch. To make coasters out of wine corks, just follow the same steps but on a smaller scale.
Wine Cork Magnets
This gift does not require a lot of wine corks. Make a wine bottle out of felt material, or foam craft paper, whatever you wish. Cut a wine cork in half vertically, attempting to get the winery displayed. Glue the wine cork to the bottle and finish with a magnet.
Wine Cork Wreaths
For the holiday, try making a wine cork wreath. There are many versions to make, whether with wine cork added into an original wreath or made completely with wine corks themselves. Wreaths can be made with a great deal of wine corks, but there is a project that only requires approximately 12 wine corks by glueing the wine corks to red bells or balls alternating around to make a circle.
Wine Cork Boards
What a better way to make a cork board then with wine corks. This project really does require a certain number of wine corks to make. The cork board can be made with full wine corks or cut in half. Find a base for the wine corks to be glued to, perhaps even a cork board itself.
Wine corks do not have to be thrown away, there are so many gift ideas that can easily be made with them. This article provides some ideas, but there are many more to find and create.
Christine Moore - Early Childhood Educator, Preschool/Daycare Resources, Online Workshop Instructor, ECE, BGS
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