How to make the sweetest little recycled wine cork Mardi Gras bear

Make this sweet little wine cork Mardi gras bear.  He looks so adorable just sitting on a shelf, or if you desire you can add a wire loop for hanging. 

The upcycled cork wine cork Mardi gras bear joins other creations like the Wine cork Easter bunny.  It’s so easy and so much fun to make.  So let’s get started.

Materials:

3 wine corks

1 champagne cork

1/8” thick cork sheet available at craft stores

Small awl or pointed nail

X-acto or craft knife

Scrap of white felt

Tiny brown pompom

Black dimensional fabric paint

Small amount of 20-gauge wire

Wire cutters

Ruler

220 fine sandpaper

Piece of corrugated cardboard to cut on

Hot glue and hot glue sticks

Small cork stopper

Tacky craft glue

Purple and gold glitter

Tiny seed beads, beading needle and thread

Thin elastic cord
Pattern for ears, hat, and mask

Mardi Gras wine cork bear

1.    Protect your work surface with one or two pieces of heavy corrugated cardboard. Using two matching wine corks and the X-acto knife, slice thinly down each cork.  Rub on the fine sandpaper to smooth.  This will allow the corks to be stable. Run a bead of hot glue down the side of one cork and attach them together.  These are the legs and base of your bear.

2.    Next, add a generous amount of hot glue on the bottom of the champagne cork (Body) focusing on the areas where it attaches to the legs. Center the body on the legs and attach. (See photo)

3.    Measure and mark a line halfway across the third wine cork.  Use the X-acto knife to cut the cork in half.  Rub the cut end of one half on the sandpaper to smooth.  Turn the half cork on its end and mark in half and cut vertically.  You will have two arm pieces.  (Save the other half for another bear or discard)  Cut a small piece of wire and insert into the arm pieces.  Use a nail or all to make a hole in the side of the bear body, add some glue to the wire and insert into the bear.  Repeat for other arm.

4.    Trace and cut two ears (half moon shapes) on the flat 1/8” thick cork and use the X-acto to cut out.  Cork cuts easily but at that thickness it is simpler to cut them out using short strokes with the pointed end of the X-acto.  If there are any rough areas lightly rub against the sandpaper.  Trim to fit the head if necessary. Add some glue to the edges of the ears and attach to each side of the head.

5.    Cut the muzzle into a circle shape on a scrap of white felt. Glue to the front of the bear face. Glue a tiny brown pom pom to the muzzle for a nose. Add some dots of dimensional black fabric paint for the eyes and let dry.

6.    Now using the pattern, from a piece of cardstock cut the mask and hat brim. Attach the small cork stopper to the brim with some tacky glue.  Place the hat and the mask on a piece of cardboard; coat each piece with some thinned tacky glue and sprinkle with the glitter.  Let dry completely. 

Mardi Gras bear pattern

7.    Next, add some glue to the top of the bear’s head in between the ears and attach the hat.  Add a small sparkle pompom on top of the hat with some more glue.  Poke a hole on each side of the mask with a nail or pin and insert the thin elastic, knotting on each side. For a finishing touch use some tacky glue to add tiny seed beads all around the mask. (Mask made)

8.    Finally make the beads.  Using bead thread and the seed beads make as many necklaces and in any colors as you want.  Hang some from his hands or place around the bear’s neck.