Crafting With Wine Bottle Corks

Are you at a loss for what to do with wine bottle corks you don’t want to throw away? The simplest way to use them is in creating craft items you can use around the house. Christmas decorations, personalized gifts, a message board and children’s craft projects can be done with slices and sections of wine bottle corks.

Christmas Tree Decorations

Cut each cork into three even disks using a sharp thin knife or leave them whole. Push the corks onto a section of wire coat hanger. Make sure you put the hole in the middle lengthwise. Use several wires to create different colors.
Paint them in the preferred colors with craft paint and allow them to dry. String them onto cord or yarn in any lengths you need. Start the garland at the top of the tree and wrap loops around the tree until you reach the bottom.

Name Brooches

Cut the corks in three pieces lengthwise. Use the center section to make a brooch. Paint the cork slices with craft paint and then paint on the name. When they’re dry a light coat of varnish or lacquer will preserve the paint. A coat of plain white glue could be used instead of varnish. Glue a jewelry pin back to the back of the name brooch.
Use them as gift tags, name badges or award pins in the classroom. Velcro or magnets could also be used on the backs.

Make a Message Board

Use a child’s old chalk board to make a message board. Cut each cork into 4 even disks. Glue them side by side with the edges touching onto the chalkboard until the board is covered. Regular white glue or hot glue can be used. Paint or decorate the edges of the board. Attach a pencil with a cord or ribbon and a push pin. Hot glue a small pad of sticky notes onto the bottom edge of the board.

Children’s Activities

Children can make necklaces with cork rectangles and decorate however they wish. Use stickers, glue on plastic beads or whatever may be available. They can be painted any color they like. Brown corks can be used to build log cabins and fences.