Wine bottles can be repurposed into such things as vases, lamps and candle holders. Did you know, however, that the simple cork that keeps the wine in its home can morph into something useful as well?
When paired with natural paper raffia ribbon, a wine cork slice can become a spiffy brooch, appropriate for adorning a pocketbook, jacket lapel or blouse collar. The fashion accessory is lighthearted and tropical, especially if you choose a pretty hue of raffia for the flower. If you choose natural raffia, the look will be more earthy. Compliments are guaranteed, so you may want to make some extras to give away.
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Materials
- Wine cork
- Utility knife
- Pair of lightweight clear plastic gloves
- Bottle of matte acrylic paint
- Small fine art paintbrush
- Roll of raffia
- Scissors
- White school glue
- Scissors
- Hot glue gun
- Glue sticks
- Butterfly pin back for jewelry making
- Wine cork
- Utility knife
- Pair of lightweight clear plastic gloves
- Bottle of matte acrylic paint
- Small fine art paintbrush
- Roll of raffia
- Scissors
- White school glue
- Scissors
- Hot glue gun
- Glue sticks
- Butterfly pin back for jewelry making
DIY Everywhere
Instructions
1. Place the wine cork on its side on the work surface.
1. Place the wine cork on its side on the work surface.
2. Slice off a 1/4-inch thick disk off the end of the cork with the utility knife.
3. Put on the plastic work gloves.
4. Coat the edge and one of the flat sides of the cork disk with paint using the paintbrush, set it down on its unpainted side, and allow the paint to dry.
5. Take off the plastic gloves and put them aside.
6. Cut a 3 to 4-inch piece of raffia from the roll with scissors.
7. Cut one end of the raffia piece down the middle longways with the scissors, stopping before the middle.
8. Flip over the piece of raffia and cut it down the middle longways, stopping before the middle.
9. Cut about 20 pieces of raffia the same length as the first, and repeat steps 7 and 8 for each piece.
10. Place one piece of raffia on the work surface and apply a dot of glue to the center.
11. Affix another piece of raffia at its center to the first piece so the two pieces form a plus sign.
12. Continue to cut and glue the raffia strips until the gaps are filled and you have a circle made of raffia strips. Let dry.
13. Trim the ends of the raffia pieces that form the outer edge of the circle with scissors to create a round edge.
14. Apply a few drops of hot glue onto the unpainted side of the cork disk.
15. Affix it to the middle of the raffia circle.
16. Apply a bit of hot glue onto the flat circular portion of the back of the raffia circle.
17. Affix the pin back to the glue and let it dry.
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