Recycled wine and champagne cork wreath with bow

Grab a glue gun, some wine and champagne corks and in no time at all you can create a beautiful and unique wreath to decorate your home.  Don’t have any corks, don’t you worry!  You can purchase wine corks at craft stores and online at etsy.com or Amazon.com in bulk! The mushroom shaped champagne corks gives the wreath it’s uniquely different look.  This wreath makes a great gift with corks leftover from a wedding/anniversary reception too!

You will need:

 Various wine corks and champagne corks (I used 54 champagne corks and 62 wine corks for a total of 116 corks)

Straw wreath form

Glue gun and glue sticks

Wire

Wire cutters

78” 2 ¼” wide wired ribbon

Bowdabra mini Bowmaker with ruler

24” Bowdabra bow wire

Scissors, ruler

1.     Remove the plastic from the straw wreath form. Cut a piece of wire with the wire cutters and make a loop for hanging.  Wrap around the wreath form and twist together. 

2.     Use the glue gun to apply glue directly to the corks as shown. Use care when applying glue so as not to burn your fingers.  Begin adding glue and champagne corks vertically around the inside of the wreath side by side. As you add the corks hold the corks for a moment or two until set.  The size of your corks will determine exactly how many will fit around. I used 18.

3.     Continue adding champagne corks flat onto the top of the wreath form spoke style in between the vertical corks.  (See photo) Continue around the wreath for a total of 18 corks.

4.     For the third layer attach more champagne corks covering the open spaces left by the previous spoke layer. (See photo) I used 18 corks for this as well.

5.     For the fourth layer you attach wine corks.  These corks are applied all along the outside edges end to end.   (See photo) I used 19 wine corks. After this layer of wine corks sets, glue champagne corks on top standing upright using the wine cork layer as a sort of shelf all around.  (See photos)

6.     Repeat two more rows of wine corks all around the sides for the next two layers, using approximately 21 and 22 corks to go around.

continue adding wine corks around edges

Note:  When gluing corks around the outside if you have trouble fitting the corks you may cut them to size with a craft knife if necessary.

For Bowdabra bow:

1.     Cut a 78” piece of 2 ¼” wired ribbon. 

2.     Cut a 24” piece of Bowdabra bow wire and fold in half.  Place in the Bowmaker.  You will have a loop on one end and two pieces of wire on the other.

3.     Place the ribbon in the bowmaker to the one-inch mark.  Next fold the ribbon to form a loop to the edge of the ruler.

4.     Fold a matching loop on the other side.

5.     Continue folding loops from side to side until you reach the end of your ribbon.

6.     Scrunch down with the Mini Bowmaker wand.

7.     Thread the two loose ends through the loop end and pull tight.

8.     Remove the bow from the Bowmaker.  Tie a knot in the back.  Fluff up the bow with your fingers.

9.     Use the ends of the bow wire to tie to the wreath.

Eucalyptus adorned monogram letters

In ancient Rome and Greece a victor was awarded a laurel wreath to wear upon his head. Forward several hundred years and monogram letters are all the rage. Recently I came across some inexpensive particleboard letters at my local craft store and I thought why not decorate them in a laurel wreath fashion.  I substituted eucalyptus leaves and attached them to the letters. You can be the judge if this effort was a V for victory or not.  I used both mine and my husband’s initials C and V…his name is Vincent, which basically means to conquer, or in other words, the victor. 

You will need:

Particleboard letters

Eucalyptus, leaves removed (I used green but you can substitute any color you choose

Thick tacky glue

Acrylic paint in color to match your leaves

Small paintbrush

Waxed paper to protect your work surface

Picture  hangers

1.     Use the small paintbrush to apply acrylic paint to the front and sides of the letter you are using.  Let dry. 

2.     Gently pull off the leaves from the eucalyptus branches and set aside.  Starting at the base end of a leaf apply a dab of thick tacky glue and attach to the letter.  Attach a second leaf by adding glue to the base and sliding under the previous leaf.  Continue adding leaves in this manner one at a time.

3.     Pat down the leaves occasionally to make sure that the glued ends have adhered to the letter.  Some of the leaves will be raised for the dimensional look. 

4.     Continue working in this manner until you have covered the entire letter.  Fill in any areas with extra leaves as needed.  Let dry.

5.     When the glue is dry attach a hanger to the back and display.

Note:  You can also use the thicker paper mache or wooden letters for even more dimension!

Easy beady bangle bracelet

Bangle bracelets are versatile and popular. You can whip up this easy beaded bangle bracelet in a flash and make it in colors to complement your wardrobe.  Use beads that are on hand and it will cost you pennies!  The 14 gauge wire is rigid enough to make a perfect bangle. Vary the beads by making all one color or by adding beads all the way around.  You will want to make one in every color!

You will need:

14-gauge silver-plated wire (available at all craft stores)

Needle nosed pliers

Wire cutters

Beads in colors and sizes of choice with holes that will fit through the wire

1.     Using wire cutters cut a piece of wire so it fits around your wrist twice.  If the wire comes in a ring it is perfectly shaped for a bangle.  If not, bend it to a circle shape.  You may use a large can, glass or any tubular shaped item as a mold in the size you prefer to create the round shape.

2.     Using the needle nosed pliers curl one end of the wire.  Thread your beads on the opposite uncurled side of the wire.  Add as many or as little beads as you desire.  I chose to not fill the wire all the way so that the beads move around when wearing, but you may decide to fill them all the way to the wire curl.

3.     After you have threaded as many beads as you want, curl the second end in the opposite direction than the first one.  (See photo)

Stiffened thread Valentine heart earrings

The other day as I opened my sewing box, what should I see but a big knot of multi colored thread pieces?  They were all jumbled together and it got me to thinking.  What if I stiffened the thread to make a sort of airy lightweight fabric that I could use to make other things?  Since Valentine’s Day will be here before you know I figured why not heart shaped earrings or maybe even a decorated card?

You will need:

Thread in red and silver

Fabric stiffener (available at craft stores)

Waxed paper

Paper towels

Paper

Pencil

Scissors

Jump rings and fish hook ear wires

Needle nosed pliers

Optional red size E seed beads and tacky craft glue

1.     Cut a bunch of small pieces of red and silver thread mixing together and then bunching it up.  Make two bunches of thread with about the same amount of thread pieces in each one.

2.     Place the thread bunches on a piece of waxed paper. Flatten with your fingers.  Squirt some fabric stiffener on the thread and use a paper towel to remove any excess.  Place in a warm place to dry overnight.

3.     When the stiffened thread is dry, remove from the waxed paper.  Fold a small scrap of paper or cardboard in half and make a half heart shape on the fold, cut out for a heart pattern.  (See photo)

4.     Place your heart pattern on the stiffened thread and using it as a guide, cut out.  Make two.

5.     If you want to decorate your hearts even more you can optionally glue on red E sized seed beads all around and let dry. The hearts are very rigid and look great and the airy heart looks great even as is.

6.     Use a needle nosed pliers to twist open rather than pull apart a jump ring and thread through the top center of the thread heart.  Close the ring with the same twisting motion.  Add another jump ring and a fish hook ear wire making sure the fish hook ear wire is facing in the right direction and close the second jump ring like your did with the first one.  Repeat for the second earring.