Recycling wine corks

I love all the little wooden embellishments out there - but I am no carpenter, so recycling wood into embellishments would take me a century to complete. Though cork is another matter, easy to cut with a stanley/craft knife.

Through my local freecycle I recieved a few wine corks (as I dont drink very often). Firstly I sliced one up into 8 small round bits.

 Then I inked them up with my different stamping pads

With markers, window cling paint pens and glitter glue I made some hallowen embellishments that could be stuck onto a card for extra dimension. I will be sticking a beading pin in them with a ribbon around. I will be giving it as a "treat" to the kids that come round knocking at halloween.

If you have not beading pins, you can stick a safety pin with some gaffa tape at the back.

 These I do really like and will be making more. Brilliant for when wrapping presents to loved ones - just put a beading pin with some raffia or curling ribbon through to tie the present up.

This Easter cross and Christmas star did not go so well - so will most probably keep them for ideas for when children come round crafting.

 I also made a cork button for my card embellishments - could thread fancy fibres or ribbon through it. I used my ancient zenith paper drill for the holes.











Making the love heart cork embellishments

 On your self-healing mat, cut a corner into the circle.

Cut a little indent opposite to the corner

Round off the edges

 Another picture showing the small indent at the top of the heart embellishment.

 Flower cork embellishments

 This cork piece looked a bit cracked - but it was still useable.

I cut little "v" incisions all the way round - then coloured it in markers

 I added a brad pin and some artificial flowers behind.

There is still the crack at the bottom. So to strengthen it I used some sparkly nail varnish. 

 I really like the finished flower and it adds a lot of dimension to the flower itself.

There are so many ideas that these little cork rounds would be good for -
-stamped alphabet elements,
-tiny christmas tree decorations,
-mini garland,thinking black & orange for halloween, yellow & green for Easter, red & gold for Christmas
-necklaces
- bracelets

Would really love to see your designs on recycling wine corks to small craft embellishments.