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Friday, December 13, 2019

Corked !

First, let me start this post by saying that I am not a crafts person. While I have been to a several craft supply places over the years, it's never been for a craft project of any sort.

This year was only the second time I had been in Hobby Lobby, one of the largest craft supply stores in this area, and it was overwhelming.


That said, what I'm about to post about may seem surprising. As a first-time owner of a glue gun, I can say that it's amazing what can be done with it and a supply of glue sticks. 
You may have correctly figured out that the corks will be used for a wreath as the styrofoam wreath is adjacent. The wine corks were compliments of us, wine-drinking neighbors and friends and a local wine store manager who contributed a very large bag of corks she's been saving for a few years. (She said she never knew why and was happy to part with them and so was I.)

Some of these pine cones were purchased in local thrift stores. Others were from a neighbor who collects them for her crafts, but had extras.

The reason behind assembling these items was to create an entry for the annual Christmas wreath contest here at our mill apt residence. While our apt entry is always seasonally decorated, the contest is limited only to a door wreath. Rules are simple: it must be homemade, hung on the apt door, and entered by Dec. 20. Residents vote online and 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners receive Visa gift cards from $100 to $25.

All year, we saved our wine corks and asked others to do the same. Of course, we also had to drink the wine in those corked bottles, after all it was for the contest! A few weeks ago, I started watching online videos and learned many ways to make a cork wreath. 
This wreath was a gift for next door neighbors who had also made the sacrifice of not only drinking bottles of wine during the past year, but also saving the corks. This photo  taken from the back of the wreath shows corks glued along the inner and outer rims. I failed to take step-by-step photos while working. By a rough count, there were over 140 corks on the completed wreath.
Here's the completed wreath. Some add-on decorations were purchased at a dollar store and hot-glued onto the corks. The neighbor who donated pine cones, also does bows, and with her guidance, I fashioned this one and learned that wire ribbon is very useful.

This is how my contest entry looked when corks were glued atop a large straw wreath nearly double the size of the styrofoam one above and so much heavier (what was I thinking?) It wasn't done here; more corks were added before decorations and a bow were attached. When done, it contained well over 200 corks. (It was hard to keep count.)
This completed and decorated wreath was hung on our apt door last week using a Command™ strip hook which promotes easy-on hanging. Apparently, the wreath was too heavy and fell down within a week. Thankfully, corks are very resilient, there was no damage. The purchase of a $2 wreath hanger solved that issue.

Once voting is done and results are tallied, I'll post an update. Here's three other entries with a week left to submit an entry.
Unfortunately, votes from fellow bloggers don't count in this contest. Drat! 

What I learned from this experience, is that it's so easy to get caught up in a DIY project and to collect supplies that might be useful for future projects. Many bought and used or not used may be useful for other projects. (Check out a future post for one.)

How about you — ever done any DIY crafts ?

Cheers & Enjoy your weekend, Everyone.

20 comments:

Anvilcloud said...

I think this post is quite apt. 😇

DUTA said...

I'm also not a crafts person. Yet with the variety found in craft supply stores and with the help of Youtube tutorials I often manage to surprise myself and others.
Your cork wreath project - well done! Hope it's a winner.

MadSnapper said...

I have not done crafts in many years, way back when the kids were small, I got caught up in crafts, like making Chrismtas ornaments out of clothepins, butterlies and a few other things. I made enough I made 200.00 selling them and bought my kids bikes. that was the only time I got bit by the craft bug... your wreathe is really pretty and from here looks like it is the winner. I do like the red lighted wreathe as number 2. good job. bob has clue guns and they are really great for all kinds of things

gigi-hawaii said...

Very interesting wreaths.

Rain said...

OMG I LOVE IT!!! That is wonderful, and yes, I'm in LOVE with my glue gun lol!!! I hope you win (can we possibly grease the judges with more wine?) ;)...Alex and I are collecting corks too, he's going to make me a cork board made of corks one of these days when we have enough! But there are too many screw-on and plastic corks these days so the collecting is slow going! I do a lot of crafts, mostly sewing and paper machier. I love your wreath!

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

That sounds like a very weak excuse to drink lots of wine before next Christmas! The results though are very attractive. I used to work in a school for disabled children and we did lots of craft work with them.

Emma Springfield said...

Sounds like great fun. All the entries are outstanding. Good luck.

Nil @ The Little House by the Lake said...

I love your wreath. I hope you win the contest. 😊

Heheee I went nuts when I got my glue gun. I’ve calmed down a lot now. 😂

Jon said...

Your wreaths are amazingly creative, and it's obvious that a lot of work has gone into them. I had no idea that corks could be transformed into something artistic.
Unfortunately I am completely corkless here in rural Tennessee, where I can't buy wine.
Good luck with the contest!
(I'll confess that I've never used a glue gun)

Bill said...

Nice wreaths, they're pretty and very creative. Good luck!

Michelle said...

As a teacher I am a bit addicted to my glue gun! lol I also find Hobby Lobby over whelming....so much stuff. LOVE the wreath and I hope you win!

Red said...

Well, aren't you talented with a glue gun. Nicely done.

Valerie said...

How wonderful is that?! Oh I do admire your talent and dedication. When I did, messed about with, had a go for a craft event I realised that I was not a fit person even to try my hand at various hobbies. All was okay as long as I kept my work inside my house and not the local church or WI. You definitely achieved your aim. Congratulations.

NCmountainwoman said...

Your wreath is lovely. I've never been a crafts person myself. Just enough to do as a Girl Scout leader. After that, back to a non-craft person.

My name is Erika. said...

I LOVE this cork wreath. What a great project and idea. It is also a good way to use up corks from the year. I will have to save some up next year and give it a try. Hope you are having a super weekend. Hugs-Erika

Doris said...

I LOVE your wreathes! I rarely start with a blank 'canvas' when doing a wreath... usually just remake what I have. Done that a lot!
Looking forward to what's next in your crafting world =)

DeniseinVA said...

What a fun project! Your wreathes are lovely! I use one of those wreathe hangers too. Good luck with the competition. I look forward to hearing more once you learn of the results. Crossing fingers and toes :)

baili said...

wow never saw such beautiful thing dear Dorothy :)

inspite of your first time you did an excellent job to create such pretty wreath here !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

incredibly done indeed :))) loved the finishing ,my younger son bought glue gum many years ago and used to create some fun stuff though not as wonderful :)
just like you i am not into such creativity until now :)may somethings in mind for later probably
blessings to your beautiful days my friend!

L. D. said...

I am working backward with my comments. You wreathe turned out great. You look like you were a professional crafts person as you kept building the layers.

William Kendall said...

Well done!