Monday, February 17, 2014

Recycled champagne cork St. Patrick’s Day earrings tutorial



I’ve done lots of crafts with regular wine corks and even included some Champagne corks in my designs.  Recently I thought why not create some really green earrings from these mushroom shaped corks?  There was a cross design on the corks I had but you can easily make these with any champagne corks if you follow this easy tutorial.  Great for parties and definitely a conversation starter!

You will need:

Champagne corks

Craft knife or X-acto knife

Drill with small bit

Small awl or nail

Small paintbrush

Green acrylic paint

2 inch head pins

Fish hook ear wires

Jump rings

Green E size seed beads

Needle nosed, and round nosed pliers

Fine sand paper

Heavy corrugated cardboard to protect your work surface

Optional green sequins and sequin pins

1.     Working on a protected surface and using a craft knife, carefully cut the top portion  (at the neck area) off the cork.  Cork is very easy to cut if you use a rocking motion with the craft knife while pushing downward.  Repeat with a second cork.  You will have two slightly rounded discs.




2.     Rub the cut area of the corks on a piece of fine sandpaper to smooth.  This is the back of your earring.




3.     Place the disc on its side on heavy cardboard, and with the front facing out carefully drill a hole through the earring.  Use an awl or nail to widen the hole all the way through.  (See photo)




4.     Thread a green E bead on a 2-inch head pin and insert in the bottom of the hole you made in the cork till it comes out the opposite end.  Thread another E bead on the protruding head pin.  Use the round nosed pliers to bend the wire to the left and then curl around to the base to close the loop.  (See photo)






5.     Working on the front of the earring center and using a small paintbrush and green acrylic paint, make a tiny heart shape.  Make three more heart shapes meeting at the points around. (Shamrock)  Let dry.  Repeat with second earring.  Let dry and apply a second coat if needed. 



6.     Turn over and repeat another shamrock on the opposite side and let dry.  Repeat this step on second earring.


7.     Using the needle nosed pliers, open a jump ring by twisting rather than pulling open.  Attach it to the loop on the top of the earring and add a fishhook ear wire, making sure it is facing in the right direction. Twist to close.  Repeat for second earring.



8.     Optional—For extra flair, attach a green sequin with a sequin pin in the center of your shamrock.  You may do this on both sides.  It is easiest to push the pin in using a hard surface. 



Note:  Come back to visit Make it easy crafts for more easy Champagne cork earring tutorials with other seasonal designs soon.





6 comments:

  1. This is incredibly creative! I'd love to do a project with corks.

    Eat Drink & Be Mary

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  2. Very cute earrings. I share a lot of jewelry crafts too. I would love for you to join us on Friday for our link up.

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  3. What a great reason to drink champagne! Thanks so much for sharing at this week's Whip it Up Wednesday party!

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  4. Who knew you could turn the cork into fashionable earrings! This is so cleverly unique! I love it! Thanks so much for sharing this with us at Countdown in Style! Don't forget to stop by Friday to see if you are featured :)

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  5. I've never seen earrings made out of corks. These are adorable. Thank you for linking up and sharing with Countdown in Style.

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  6. Cool idea. My brother has good collection of used corks, planning to send at corkclub USA for wine cork recycling . lets save forest and earth

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Thanks for your lovely comments!