If you are a wine lover, then you probably have a lot of wine bottles lying around at home. Since wine bottles are often beautiful, especially expensive ones, you also probably collect, re-use, or upcycle them. But what do you do with wine corks? After all, they’re not as versatile or as useful as wine bottles, right? Wrong. In this article, we will teach you not just one, but three easy wine cork craft ideas which you would love to give to your friends or make for yourself!
Craft Idea #1: Cork Stamps
You know what beats the personal touch of a handwritten note? A note written on hand-crafted stationery. Level up plain paper by stamping it with different designs. To make your own stamps, sketch a design at the bottom of the cork to serve as a guide. Using a craft knife or a sharp cutter, cut around your design with a slow puncturing motion. Make the punctures around ¼-inch thick. When you’re done, cut the cork sideways (around ¼ inch from the bottom), removing only the parts outside your design. Your design should be raised by around ¼ inch from the base of the cork. To use, dip the cork stamp on some ink or press on a stamp pad and stamp away!
Craft Idea #2: Succulent Cork Planters
Succulents are pretty easy to take care of, making them the perfect desktop ornament. They also make the perfect gift for plant-lovers. Want to upgrade your succulent gifts? Try placing them on cork planters.
Using a small screw driver or a craft knife, hollow out the middle of a cork. Be careful not to bore a hole through the other end of the cork. Fill the hole with soil and plant the succulent. You can further upgrade this cork planter by gluing a magnetic strip on its side to make a cute magnetic cork planter. You can also decorate the cork planter with beads or write messages on it with a marker. Make several and give away to your friends as gifts or souvenirs!
Craft Idea #3: Easy Cork Magnets
If you’re the type who likes sticking notes and to-do lists on the fridge, then this third craft idea is for you. Using a sharp knife or cutter, cut a cork lengthwise. This will leave you with two cork pieces. Using an all-purpose adhesive, a double-sided tape or a glue gun, attach a magnetic strip on the flat side of your cork. If you want your cork magnet to look more artsy, cut across the middle of the cork instead to get two half-stumps. Attach a magnet on one end. Start posting notes on your fridge!
There’s nothing like a good glass of wine and some nice music after a long day. Extend your enjoyment of a good bottle of wine by using the bottle itself for a craft project. Not ready to repurpose a bottle yet? No worries. Start with a small project – like the three cork craft ideas above.