Wine Cork Ornaments - A How -To

Remember how last week I was all embarrassed about the inappropriate number of wine corks I had accumulated in the last several years? 

I KNOW!  

It's sad.

Don't be afraid of the staring sea lion in this box.

I realize that most people don't have a bin o'wine corks like I do. I'm pretty sure that this is some sort of disorder that the psychological community will want to study. Something like; winecorkarecyclingaphobia. I've only got one thing to say to them; "bring it on".

You can buy new wine corks at craft stores or wine/beer making shops. I bet you could order them online also. I wouldn't really know. I come by my corks through hard work. :)

Well, a friend of mine saw that post and sent me some photos of a useful way I could use all these corks as:

Christmas ornaments.

Now, this is a great idea for several reasons.

1. I can hide my wine cork problem

2. Free gifts

3. Allows me to get my crafty hat on. (it is a very attractive crafty hat)

Upon which I thought AWESOME! Then I thought; I could do that. Then I thought; I don't even have to go to the craft store. 

I grabbed my craft boxes (yes, I am so organizationally anal that I have a box just for craft supplies. In that box is smaller boxes. jars, and zip-top bags that contain like items then sorted within the bags, jars & boxes, within the big box, etc.)

Picked out of my massive amount of wine 

corks a few likely victims.

Located my bag of beads. What? You don't have a bag of beads?

Riffled through my cache of old costume jewelry for dangly stuff. My MIL owned an amazing amount of gaudy jewelry. God bless her! She must have known that I would need all of it much later.

Gave a little thought to the mechanics of string through cork transfer. I decided on a large needle.

I threaded the needle with some heavy fishing line with the thought that I would just stab the needle through the cork and voila it would be more than half way done. 

This seemed like a sensible idea. 

Yeah, right!

Until things got a little sticky (pun intended)

Maybe beating the needle with a hammer would be a good idea.

Meh, not so much.

Figured out that I screwed up.

Then rethought the plan.

A large straightened paperclip was employed as a threading device.

 Success!!

Basic Directions

1. gather stuff - large paperclip (straightened with a small loop bent on one end.), beads, something a little bigger and heavier than the beads to hang on the end, thin wire or heavy fishing line, needle-nosed pliers.

2. Thread about 8 inches of wire through loop in paperclip. 

3. Using the pliers push the paperclip through the wine cork. It is very helpful if the wine cork has that hole from the cork screw. Leave about equal amounts of wire on either side of the cork. 

4. Thread beads onto one end, tie on heavy piece. Trim excess wire. Push the beads and corks as close to the heavy piece as you can. 

5. Thread a few more beads onto the other side of the cork. Fashion a loop at this end of the ornament.

 I'm so happy with the way these turned out that I will be taking these with me to Seattle as hostess gifts.

I think this would be a fun activity for a holiday party. Everyone could than take home a little something that they made to remember the event. It could also be done on Christmas eve or Christmas day during that lull in the holiday celebrations between opening the gifts and eating dinner.

Have a happy holidays everyone

Love,

M