Today, I’m sharing a wine cork wreath made as a housewarming gift for my youngest son.
He presently rents a condo, located in one of Philadelphia’s historic districts. Originally housing horses and carriages the building is about 150 years old. Gutted years ago, D’s apartment features thick brick walls, high ceilings, five nine-foot tall windows, and hardwood floors.
But, during the pandemic, it’s gotten restrictive having to double-duty his one bedroom as an office space. There’s also no balcony for some fresh air. Plus, he’d really like to have his own outdoor space for a grill, plants and a dog. Add to that a low interest rate, fabulous row house located just blocks away, and he jumped at the chance to become a homeowner.
Because of the virus, we haven’t seen D since early March. I’m really looking forward to traveling across the state, to help with the move and set up his new place. Hubby is taking a bunch of tools. He and our son have a list of home improvement projects planned. I’ll be helping with packing, unpacking, set-up and less physically-intensive projects involving painting, decorating, plantings, and shopping — can’t wait!
So, I’m finally getting back to sharing some of the craft projects I’ve been working on. Most have been gifts that I’ve had to keep secret, as to not spoil the surprise.
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Finding Inspiration & Corks
Happy to join a Craft Blog Hop with 14 other talented bloggers this morning. If you are coming from Cecilia’s and her darling Easy Stenciled Wine Crate, welcome! We both picked projects with a wine theme.
Over the years, I’ve accumulated a lot of wine corks. How about you? I’ve used some in the past to make herb garden markers and a pair of large candle holders as presents for the boys. I toss corks into the pewter pitcher in the glass-fronted kitchen cabinet — until the overflows move to my craft stash.
But, the wine cork wreath required upwards of 200 corks. So, I put a request out to friends who were about to get together for the first time in months for an outdoor birthday lunch. MB gifted me a bag of about 100 corks. We all teased that was a lot of wine drinking, even for sheltering in place, lol!
I first saw a wine cork wreath created by Ann of The Apple Street Cottage. It provided instant inspiration as a great Christmas gift idea for my adult sons. Then I searched “wine cork wreath” on Pinterest and Etsy and discovered a variety of techniques and looks for ideas on crafting my own.
As usual, I borrowed from several different approaches to come up with my own method and style. Let me show you how I did it, along with some helpful tips.
Trial & Error
I’ve made many, many wreaths before — mesh, ribbon, grapevine, evergreen, even one in a watering can. But, I’ve never crafted one out of wine corks before.
First, let me start by saying I changed my method of attaching the corks to the wreath base midstream — three times!
From the get-go, I wanted to insert toothpicks into the corks and then into the foam wreath base. Believe me, it sounds much easier than it is! Pushing toothpicks into the corks by hand was difficult, with the toothpicks constantly breaking, or not going deep enough into the cork. Ouch!
One method I saw online was to hold the cork in one hand, while a toothpick was held by a clamp in the other. That supposedly made it easier to push the toothpick into the cork. Yeah, not so much. Maybe I just lack the coordination?
Next, I switched to first using a nail and hammer to create a hole in each cork for inserting the toothpick. That worked much better, but the darn cork kept rolling around. It was slow and tedious work. Especially with over 175 corks to do!
So, I decided to use a glue gun instead. It wasn’t until I was midstream in crafting the wine cork wreath that I hit on the best method of all — drilling a hole in each cork for inserting the toothpick. Voila! It was fast and easy. Plus, I didn’t break a single toothpick.
That’s why you’ll see the corks attached using glue — rather than toothpicks — in the first few steps and photos.
Craft Tip: If I was to make another wine cork wreath, I’d definitely use the drilling method for inserting toothpicks. It’s a lot faster, simpler, and holds the corks in place more securely than glue.
Crafting a Wine Cork Wreath
With that said, let me take you through the seven steps. Start by gathering together supplies.
Materials
- Styrofoam wreath base
- Burlap ribbon
- Tan pipe cleaners
- Wooden toothpicks
- Glue gun sticks
- Assorted wine corks
- Faux cluster of grapes
Equipment includes a hot glue gun, drill with narrow bit, piece of wood, ruler and scissors.
Craft Tip: Using a variety of corks creates the most interesting wine cork wreath — different sizes, shapes, brands and shades. My creation included all used white and red wine corks. I also purposely showed the red ends of a number of the corks. You can also purchase unused wine corks. Because of the large number needed, an option might be to mix used and unused.
Step 1: Cover Wreath Base & Add Hanger
Begin with a foam ring as a base. I used one about 11 inches. The bigger you go the more corks you’ll need (and you need a lot!). It also will get heavier to hang. Finished size of my wreath is about 15 inches wide, 16 inches tall, and six inches deep.
I recommend covering the wreath base with some type of ribbon. Besides, the corks do not cover every inch of the surface. You also probably don’t want the green or white base peeking through.
I had some fringed burlap ribbon (about 2 1/2 inches wide) leftover from another project. No wire edges are necessary. Use a toothpick or two to temporarily hold the end of the ribbon to the back side of the ring. Then, simply wrap around the form until the entire base is covered. Use another toothpick to hold the end in place.
Craft Tip: If using ribbon to wrap the base, be sure you can easily insert toothpicks through the material. The open weave of the burlap I used made that easy. Plus the coloring and texture blended well with the wine corks.
Turn the wreath over add a hanger to the back side of the wine cork wreath. I wrapped tan pipe cleaner around the ring and created a loop for hanging.
Step 2: Attach Inner Cork Rings
Now you’re ready to add wine corks to the wreath base. Start by creating the first of three rings of horizontally positioned corks in the center.
Craft Tip: If you are using unused wine corks, I recommend using those here, where they won’t be as visible.
First, arrange the corks laying flat — end to end — along the inside of the ring. Corks come in various sizes, so you might want to switch some in and out until you have them reasonably spaced and filling the inner ring. I used 12 wine corks for the innermost ring.
Again, I hot glued these corks into place, but I recommend inserting them using toothpicks instead.
Repeat the process by layering the next two rows of corks. For the the second inner ring, 13 corks were used.
The third layer will also cover half of the curved top of the wreath. Here, you want to be sure to leave enough space between some of the corks to allow for inserting toothpicks for vertical layered corks. Angle them a bit at one end as seen above. It took 15 corks for the third ring.
Set 3: Attach, Layer Outer Rings
As with the inner layers, begin my arranging the corks horizontally, along the outer bottom edge of the wreath base. That took about 22 wine corks. Now, layer the second outer ring of corks over the first.
Craft Tip: Stagger stacking the second outer layer of corks over the first. Position them so the corks don’t exactly lineup one over the other, as seen below. This helps to eliminate unwanted visual caps on the outer edges of the wine cork wreath.
It took 21 for the outermost ring of the wine cork wreath. In case you’re keeping count, we’re up to 83 corks and counting!
When finished, you should have about an inch of so of burlap covered ring between the third inner and outer rings of corks.
Step 4: Fill in Space With Odd-Shape Corks
I had a number of corks that were shaped like a mushroom. To incorporate them into the wine cork wreath, I roughly spaced and attached those into the gap between rings. They were mixed with a few cylinder-shaped corks to fill the space. That took 17 more corks.
It was at this point, I had enough using the hot glue gun and going through glue sticks like crazy! Plus, it took forever to hold each cork in place, and wait until the glue set up. Often, I had to go back and reinforce a number of corks that fell off.
It was actually Mr. Buzz who suggested the drill. I was skeptical, thinking the corks would break in half or crumble. But, not one did! Do work and drill on top of a piece of wood. Frequently the drill went all the way through a cork.
Craft Tip: When using the drill method, it’s important to immediately insert the toothpick into the hole in the cork. Otherwise, it can be very hard to see the tiny hole if you go back later. Complete one cork at a time rather than working in batches.
Step 5: Artistically Insert Corks Vertically
Up until now, most of the corks were laid on their sides and attached to the wreath horizontally. To create interest, I inserted numerous corks vertically. Some had the wine stain side up, others did not.
Craft Tip: Before starting this step, determine where the top of the wreath is (inline with the hanger on the back). You’ll want a “flatter” surface at the top where the bow will be placed.
Begin by filling in the area from Step 4. Once you’re satisfied you have a nice balance, add a few between the inner rings. Lastly, scatter out from the outer rings.
The five layers of horizontal inner and outer rings provide the foundation for the wine cork ring. But, it’s the vertically inserted corks that add the most interest to the look of the wreath.
Craft Tip: Make sure you still have a dozen or two corks leftover. After incorporating the bow and grape clusters, you’ll probably want to add a few at the top of the wine cork wreath. Also, try a test hanging of the wreath on a door or wall to view the wreath from a different perspective. It’s likely you’ll notice a few other spots to add corks.
Step 6: Glue Grapes Around Wine Cork Wreath
Faux grapes come in three colors (dark purple, red/burgundy and green). Choose any one, two or mix all three shades into your wine cork wreath.
Working from a large bunch of faux purple grapes, I divided it into one large cluster and two smaller ones. Then, I cut off the bottom section from the main cluster.
Single grapes were snipped off from that odd end piece. Each grape was individually hot glued to the wine cork wreath. Toothpicks don’t work for this step!
Scatter the grapes in between the corks for both balance and to cover any larger gaps. The grapes also add some color, while coordinating with wine theme of the wreath.
Let the glued grapes dry overnight. Some of the grapes are likely to detach from the wreath and will need reapplied.
Craft Tip: Do a test hanging of the wreath to see how the glued grapes — and corks — hold up. Reapply as needed.
Step 7: Incorporate Bow & Grape Clusters
Before attaching the bow, I incorporated the central and two side grape clusters into the wreath using tan pipe cleaners.
To secure the clusters in place did require removing and repositioning a few vertical corks. Since I had used toothpicks, it was easy to remove and repositioned the corks.
Originally, I had hoped to find a 2 1/2 inch wide ribbon with a wine theme to create a bow. Most were too narrow or lacked wire. None got me excited enough to order online and pay for the shipping. And, I wanted something fairly simple that would appeal to my adult son.
In the end, I used the remaining fringed burlap ribbon that was wrapped around the wreath ring. Little flecks of metallic gold are scattered throughout the fibers.
The 10-loop bow has 12-inch tails weaved between the corks.
For more projects, check out 7 DIY Wine Cork Crafts, Party & Home Decor Ideas where I show you how to make large letters, table number and menu card stands, garlands, lighting, and favors.
Finished Wine Cork Wreath
Here’s the finished wreath hanging on my interior kitchen door.
Opps! I see a spot where one of the grapes fell off, leaving just the glue behind! Gotta fix that before taking it to Philadelphia for my son.
What do you think? Game to make one yourself?
Or, check consider making a Modern Style, Fall Floral & Twig Wreath, like the one I made as a housewarming gift for our eldest son.
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Time to Hop
Next up in the Craft Blog Hop is Lynn and her darling Wicker Paper Plate Holder Pumpkin.
Celebrate and Decorate | Design Morsels | My Thrift Store Addiction
Debbees Buzz | My Family Thyme | White Arrows Home
Home Is Where The Boat Is | Chas’ Crazy Creations | B4andAfters
The Painted Apron | Purple Hues And Me | Bluesky At Home
Zucchini Sisters | My Hubbard Home | Birdz Of A Feather
Enjoying Family Time
My elderly mom has been with me all month, so I’ve really enjoyed spending time with her. We’ve been doing puzzles, painting, crocheting/knitting, taking walks, and making meals together.
We had planned a visit for March that didn’t happen because of the virus and risk of air travel.
Sistah B and her husband will be driving up from Charleston with their dog, Jack. They’ll visit for a few days before taking mom back. I can’t wait as we haven’t seen each other since Thanksgiving.
Plus, it will be so nice to have a dog in residence as I continue to miss my Sweet Scottie Dog. I’ve been searching for a puppy across five states and putting myself on waiting lists since April — to no avail. It’s been like a part-time job! Here’s mom with Fibber McGee last summer.
Scottish Terriers are extremely hard to find these days. Most breeders have been unwilling to sell puppies as pets. I lost out at least four times to breeders that required I show and then breed the dog two to three times. My interest is to have a Scottie trained as a therapy dog.
Others tell me I’m next on the list or a litter is due, but then no response to emails or calls. Until last week, I thought I’d have a puppy by mid-October. But, the price had gone from $2,500 to an outrageous $4,500! Can you believe it? Honestly, I’m pretty depressed about the entire situation. As if the pandemic and political divide weren’t upsetting enough…
I’ll get back to a more regular blogging routine after we return from Philadelphia. Looking forward to sharing a number of seasonal and holiday crafts, decorations, table settings and more. And, maybe some peeks at my son’s “new” 100 year old row house!
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Wow that’s a lot of corks, it turned out great. I love the story about your mom and your search for a dog. It’s a rough time to be without a dog. Hope you find one soon. Thanks for being in the hop.
More corks than I initially thought! I have been on a roller coaster ride on finding a Scottie. Having a new puppy by fall was giving me something to look forward to. I’m glad my mom was here when I got the latest shocking disappointment, and I’m looking forward to meeting my sister’s furbaby.
Wow Debbee that was a lot of work and it turned out excellent! I was visiting at a row house in Philadelphia several years ago! Very old neighborhood and so desirable!
It surely was! Thank goodness for wine drinking, corking saving friends lol! Oh, I wonder if it’s the same neighborhood or area. My son lives in the greater Fairmont area; easy walking distance to the park, river and art museum. His neighbors were all so friendly and welcoming (via mask). A nice mix of ages, races and mostly owner-occupied. It’s a very well cared for area with a lot of developers gutting old places or squeezing in new row houses between others.
Debbie: I’ve almost completed the wine cork wreath and really appreciated your excellent suggestions and instructions. I don’t know how to make the 10 bow ribbon however and can’t find a U-tube video that doesn’t use wire ribbon. My is 2.5 inch burlap without wire. How do you attach to wreath once it is made? I’m a newby at this.
So excited you are making your own cork wreath Deb. I just followed a basic instruction for a 10-bow (or 8, just make another pair) ribbon with wire. The difference is I made the lengths of the folded over ribbon shorter since I knew they’d droop without the wire. You might have to experiment a little. I secured the bow and attached it to the wreath using tan, chenille-covered pipe cleaners. The cluster of grapes helps to conceal the pipe cleaner. If you are interested in other cork projects, I just published, 7 DIY Wine Cork Crafts, Party & Home Decor Ideas.
Wow, Debbee! Your cork wreath is GORGEOUS! And I’m sure your son and everyone who sees it will think so, too!
I’m delighted you think so Gail! Can’t wait to see my son’s reaction. Last time I visited he took me to a wine bar and got his mom a little tipsy, lol. Some of the corks came from there.
You should sell them. I’m sure alot of people would buy them .I would.
Very nice of you to say Rhoda! But, I recently closed my Etsy shop because the cost of shipping wreaths ate up any small profit. Plus, it would be really hard to gather all those corks together.
Debbee, this is the cutest! I picked up a wine cork wreath at a thrift store a few years ago, but it’s not near this charming! Your addition of grapes really elevates the design, and I love it! Pinned, and I’ll be sharing on IG too!
Aww thanks Cecilia, that’s sweet of you to say. I had never seen a wine cork wreath until several months ago on Ann’s blog, neat that you found one while thrifting.
Debee, the cork wreath looks wonderful. It was worth all the work and I’m sure your son will love it for his new home.
I’m glad you have been able to have your mom with you for the summer, and wish you better luck in finding a Scottish Terrier!
I have to admit, I’m pretty pleased with it and can’t wait to share it with my son. But, it will be a long time before I have enough corks to make a second one, lol! Appreciate your good wishes on finding a puppy Rachelle.
This is really cute Debbee! I have a stash of corks I’ve been saving for a craft, this just might be it!! I admire your patience in figuring out the best way to attach the corks, and adding the grapes is the perfect finishing touch! I’m happy your son is a proud homeowner, have fun helping him decorate!
Well Jenna, not sure it was patience — more likely frustration that led me to other methods. Hubby saw me with that hammer and declared there had to be a better way, and he was right! I almost tossed those extra grapes, and am so glad I didn’t. The glue seems to hold, although you couldn’t hang this wreath outdoors in the elements.
How about me? well, no, I’ve never accumulated any wine corks because I don’t drink wine….. or any alcohol for that matter…. It sounds like you’ve been very busy lately!
Debbee, We’ve been collecting corks for many years but I have to confess that our wine cork collection has grown exponentially over the last few months since our ‘stay at home’ order. One of my excuses is that we have taking some virtual Zoom wine classes *hiccup* 🙂 and I almost shared a wine cork craft today. Your son’s wreath turned out great, I’m sure he’ll be pleased with it! So sorry that your Scottie puppy search has been unsuccessful. I hope a furbaby turns up for you soon. Four-legged therapy is the best therapy for these stressful times. Happy to be crafting with you today. ♥
Mary, thanks for the giggle about your growing cork collection lol! Curious what you plan to make with your corks? You are so right about 4-legged therapy; gosh I miss my boy! He was such a character, with a personality 10 times his size. It hasn’t helped that I haven’t been able to volunteer at Animal Friends since March either. Hoping my son’s move and the holidays will be happy distractions in the months ahead.
This turned out so cute and I love it! Wonderful craft hopping with you friend!
Thanks Chas! It’s good to be crafting again.
Such a pretty wreath – lucky son! 🙂 Sheila
Thank you Sheila! Gotta start collecting another stash of corks to make one for my eldest son now.
Very cute wreath Debbee. The use of corks is awesome. We all usually have corks laying around. Happy September.
Thanks so much Linda. Just got back from spending 10 days moving and setting up my son in his super cool row house with rooftop deck overlooking center city Philadelphia. He loved the wreath!
Your wreathe is adorable; your son will love it–he will get a lot of compliments. A frou-frou floral one just wouldn’t cut it for a guy! A new home has SO many doors that could use a bit of decor! I bought a bag–thrifting somewhere but I don’t think there’s enough. Poo! We are content with the 2 cats–although they can be lovies, it is NOT the same as a dog–unconditional love! Dogs have masters, cats have staff! Hope one turns up for you soon–and affordably! My daughter has an Anatolian Shepherd–like a blond German Shepherd with floppy ears. She’s 125# which isn’t bad until she is trying to be a lap dog! They sure don’t need a doorbell!
Glad you like it Kathy — thanks! With all the gluing, I’m gonna recommend hanging it indoors and not in direct sun. There should be several spots in the kitchen, or possibly above his bar cart. Maybe you can supplement the corks you have ones from friends and/or purchasing a bag from Amazon or a craft store. Appreciate your good wishes on the dog front. I’ve decided I will wait if I must to get a Scottie. There’s also the possibility of traveling farther. Glad you and your daughter have loving fur babies in your lives.
I adore the theme of this wreath Debbee! Where did you ever find the bunches of grapes? So well done 🙂
You know me and themes Sara! This one seemed to fit the bill for my adult son’s new place. The grapes came from Michaels, and there are links to options from Amazon towards the bottom of the post.
I love this wreath and my girlfriend has a huge collection of corks. Great tutorial too. I may ask if she wants me to make one with her corks. Pinned
What a lovely gift idea for your friend Cindy! I’m sure you’ll put your own creative stamp on it. Now that my friends have seen what I created with their corks, they want one too!
Your son’s wine cork wreath is stunning, Debbee! He’s going to love it! I like that you chose a burlap bow…it gives it a neutral, masculine feel. Your tutorial is excellent and very detailed. I’m sorry you’re having a tough time finding a Scottie puppy. When we decided to get an Irish Wolfhound, it wasn’t easy to find one, either. I hope you find one soon. Scotties are great dogs! My mom and stepdad had one and she was unforgettable. I’m glad you’ve been able to spend time with your mom and that you will see your son soon. It’s always a pleasure blog hopping with you!
Gee thanks Rebecca! I agree about the bow — turned out a good thing I couldn’t find what I initially imagined lol! Appreciate you good wishes on the puppy search. I may just have to travel further afield to get one. At this point, I may put a pause on the search until next spring. Ugh! Curious what your mom’s Scottie dog’s name was?
Your wreath is beautiful, Debbee and I’m so happy to have inspired you!
Why thank you Ann, I’m delighted you like it! One of the wonderful things about blogging is “meeting” people with similar interests who share and inspire each other.
Fabulous upcycle! I’d love for you to share over at our weekly Creative Linky Party https://creativelybeth.com/creative-crafts-linky-party-4-join-in-the-fun/ Have a great weekend!
Thanks Beth! Appreciate you stopping by and the invite. I’ll bee sure to check it out.
I’ve been saving corks so that I could make this type of wreath, but then I couldn’t decide HOW to make it. Until now! This is the BEST one I’ve seen! Many thanks for inspiring me. Love reading about your traveling adventures and party ideas, too.
Kris, you made my day with your lovely comment! I love hearing from readers and especially like hearing what you enjoy seeing on the blog.
So pretty but the whole toothpick thing is confusing me LOL. So do you drill a small hole at the top all the way through it. Then put a toothpick halfway through it and push it into another cork?? Help please
Yeah, as you read, I struggled at first too. But, the best method I found was drill a small hole in each cork — about half way through. Then, push in the toothpick to about half it’s length. To attach, simply push the exposed toothpick end into a Styrofoam wreath form.
Debbee, Wow! Thanks for sharing all your steps and I am so happy you landed on one that made applying the corks somewhat easy (or easier)! I, too, have a lot of corks and a wreath like this would look perfect in my wine cellar. Thank you so much for sharing! Love it!
Thanks so much Mary! A wine cellar? It’d be the perfect setting!
We are so excited that you participated! Thank you for sharing your creativity! This is so cute!
Thanks Laura — appreciate you co-hosting the party!
What a great addition to our linky party! We are so happy to have you!
I’ve seen a few wine cork wreaths on Pinterest but what makes yours so unique is how you layered the corks! Love it Debbee! Pinned 🙂
And, attaching the corks in 3-4 different ways, lol! If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again!
Your wine cork wreath is fall fabulous! Thank you for sharing with Charming Homes and Gardens.
Why thank you Kim! Just finished packing it up for our trip to Philly. Can’t wait to give it to my son for his new place.
This is such a fabulous idea!! I love it!
Well, I can’t take credit for the basic concept, but I do like to think I put my own creative stamp on it.
I loved this! So glad you shared for Charming Homes & Gardens! I scheduled it to share with my Facebook followers and Pinned!
Much appreciated Kristin!
What a lovely cork wreath, Debbee! I don’t think I’ve seen this one before! Congrats on your feature at Celebrate and Decorate!
Debbee, your cork wreath is amazing.I need to make one since I have way too many corks. Glad you are having a nice visit with your Mom. You will be sad to see her go. Enjoy your visit with your family.
I can’t believe how difficult it is to get your new puppy. The price is outrageous. I hope it come together for you. Hugs, Bev
Thanks ever so much Bev! Will look forward to seeing your creation.
After not seeing anyone for months on end, it was wonderful having my mom here. Then, in quick succession, we got to see my sister/husband and dog, eldest son and girlfriend, youngest son, and brother-in-law/wife all in a two-week window. Gosh, I miss everyone! Appreciate your good wishes on a puppy. I have decided to move forward with surgery on my foot in a few weeks so that I can be all recovered before resuming my Scottie search after Christmas.
Debbee, So nice to get to see lots of your family. I am going to see my Mom tomorrow, I am so excited. Congratulations, you are being featured at Thursday Favorite Things. Take care my friend. Hugs, Bev
First, have a wonderful, safe trip to Pittsburgh! I’m sure your mom (and sister) will be over the moon to see you. If it wasn’t for this darn virus, I’d invite you to visit or meet you somewhere. Would be lovely to get to meet in the flesh!
Thanks too (as always) for the feature!
Your wreath is amazing, I totally love how you’ve finished it with the grapes. The top layer of “randomized” corks really makes it totally unique and very artful. Pinning it for sure!
I’m so glad you like it Debra! Adding those grapes was a last minute inspiration. You do have to use a good amount of glue for them to stick though. Once armed with the drill, I kept adding corks until they nearly ran out lol!
SUCH a unique wreath, Debbee! Love how you added the grapes… it’s perfect for a cork wreath! My cousin gave me a bunch of corks, but they all have footprints on them… maybe I could do a ‘hang-ten’ coastal cork wreath?! LOL!
The wreath was inspired by fellow blogger Ann’s lovely creation. Before that, I never knew cork wreaths were a thing! A few of the corks in the wreath also have footprints on them. Must be for a certain wine label, and your buddy must be a big fan lol!
So good to see you at Tuesday Turn About, Debbee! And happy to be featuring you at the party this week!
I just love this wreath! Hope you had fun with your son. Thanks for sharing with Vintage Charm. xo Kathleen
Thanks Kathleen! We had a wonderful visit, but hubby and I were exhausted after 10 days of going, going non stop.
I’ve made, over the years, wreaths similar to your creation. I possess 9,000 corks— even though I drank not one drop of the wine. The “tool” I use to make a hole, is made by cutting a cork (a Champaign cork works well) in half (so you have 2 stubs), put a nail through the one, glue the 2nd stub back in place, wrap with rubber bands (as a vise) to hold in place while glue dries. I also leave the rubber bands in place as a security measure. When prepping corks I have the tool in one hand, cork in other, push nail tool into cork, place toothpick (tp), grab pliers to grab tp and push the rest of the way into the cork. Less breaking of tp, cork isn’t rolling around while trying to hammer.
Wow Michelle, that’s a lot of corks! Thanks for sharing the details of your technique. Sounds like a very professional operation, and one that probably requires more dexterity than I have lol! My elder son wants a wine cork wreath too, but it will be awhile until I’m up to it again.
I love this! I wish I could get enough wine corks to make my own. I’ll have to send out a BOLO for some, ha!
That’s the only way I had enough corks Niki, although you can buy bags of unused ones too. If you make one, bee sure to use the drill method. And, one reader suggested using plastic toothpicks that don’t break as easily.
I will definitely do that! I saw that you had a friend who had saved a lot. I’m sure I have at least one who’s been saving like yours. Plastic corks are a great idea.
Debbee, Great idea especially for those that love Wineries which is a big deal around here!! Shared on FB!
Glad you like it Debbie, although the concept itself has been around for awhile. Hubby and I are looking forward to 2 days next month exploring the Paso Robles area in CA on our way to the National Parks.
I love this!! What a great idea and perfect instructions. Have a wonderful week!
We just vacationed in CA, including a trip wine tasting in Paso Robles. Came home with a new supply of corks to make another one.
Your cork wreath is great ! I bet your son was very pleased & appreciated all your hard work. I pinned this awhile go,pulled it up today & plan on making this soon…I may have to wait until the holidays as they are approaching quickly,too quickly before we all know it! Love allll the tips you offer as you go along.Thanks so much! Take care.⚘
Hi Holly, thanks so much for taking the time to comment and “visit.” Although it was a bit of a trial and error (lol!) process, I’m delighted what a hit it was with my son. Do hope you make one too! Please circle back and let me know how it turns out. I know what you mean about the holidays, it’s not yet Halloween and I’m knee deep into Thanksgiving (see my latest, DIY Fall Decor: Grapevine Cornucopia Wreath ) and even some Christmas shopping.
I tried gluing so grapes to corks for a wreath similar they will not stay glued to corks every single one fell off! Even the corks fell off the rear so I tried gluing them too so I imagine the toothpick trick would work but not the grapes
Sorry you are having difficulty Jean. After gluing the first time, I left the wreath laying flat so gravity would work in my favor. As I mentioned, a few came loose and had to be reattached. I did a second round of glue just for good measure on all the grapes. Another tip, I tended to place grapes in places where they kinda sat on top of a cork, and were wedged between several. That gave a lot of surface area to apply glue and for the grapes to bind to. I also held each grape in place until the glue set up. Only other thing I can think of was that there was an issue with the glue used, or to perhaps try a different glue like Gorilla?
Beautiful wreath… but on your vertical corks, how do you attach to the horizontal corks already attached to the wreath?
Thanks Karen! I didn’t actually attach them to the underlying corks, but to the foam wreath base — with toothpicks in the spaces in between the other corks. A little dap of hot glue also helped in some spots.
Love your cork wreath – so creative. I am going to make one. Do you have any idea how many yards of burlap ribbon you purchased?
Hmm, not sure how much I used Kathy. It was part of a roll already in my craft stash. You’ll have to figure the size of the bow, and whether you also are going to cover the wreath foam underneath, to come up with a total.
I absolutely love this. We have so many wine corks accumulated throughout the house from years & years. This is the perfect project. I love how it turned out. I currently have a cotton wreath on our wine closet door, I think I need to make this and replace it. Thank you for the inspo. I am sure your son loved it. Pinned! XO- MaryJo
I’m so excited you like it enough to make your own MaryJo! Looking forward to see how yours turns out.
Thank you for sharing this in our Fabulous Friday Link Party! You are being featured this week!
What a lovely surprise Amy! Thanks so much for the feature and for hosting this inspiring party!
I too make cork crafts and find that using florist greening pins work well vs. toothpicks. Simply snip off the top of the pin using wire cutters and you are left with 2 pins. I usually hold the pin with a pliers like tool And insert it into the cork.
Betty, what a great tip! Thanks so much for sharing. We had a wine cork decorating theme for our son’s Unique Rustic Barn Wedding Welcome Party and now I have lots of corks leftover. I may try to make another wreath using your method, although my arthritis makes holding the pliers a bit challenging at times.