Cork Valentine Wreath

Imagine my surprise when I went to look for my Valentine's decorations and discovered that I didn't have one single thing left after purging old decorations last year!  I decided that this was a chance to create something new for my house, and so I started looking around at what I already have, and my eyes landed on.... corks!

We have an abundance of corks in our home and I love to use them in craft projects!  My daughter and I made this adorable pinboard of cork at Christmas one year, my husband made my jewelry holder and I have created a lot of ornaments.  We made a wreath of corks that has long been gone but it had a special place in our home in Jefferson City.

How do you make a cork valentine?

First, I separated the corks by color.  Some wines soak into the cork better than others, for many reasons, one being how long the wine has been corked!  I wanted an ombre look to the wreath, so I sorted them into four piles.

Then I shaped them into a messy wreath, so I could gauge the approximate size of the wreath.  I didn't want anything too big, but I did want to be able to see it from the street.

Next I cut a template from some foam board so I could follow the curve of the heart.  I didn't glue it to the foam board, I just used it as a guide.  I continued to eye it from time to time to make sure it was symmetrical, but not too symmetrical!

I added some twine to hang it with and let it dry inside overnight.

We happen to drink all the wine where we get our corks, but you can check in with a local bar to see if they would collect them for you.  I know someone who found bags of them in a local thrift store.

If you make one, I'd love to hear from you!