CRAFT TUTORIAL: Wine Cork Board with Special Guest Milo!

Posted by Crystal Pepperdine, Founder and Executive Director of Flint Handmade

I can hardly believe it, but I haven't posted a CRAFT TUTORIAL featuring Milo since October's Pumpkin Painting blog post! 

We've had playdates since then, but, sadly, no craft tutorials have resulted.  If I can at least do seasonal craft tutorials featuring Milo, I will be satisfied!

Earlier this month, I took Milo sledding at Kelly Lake Park.  

First, we had to get gas, which Milo insisted on helping pump.  I never realized how much kids could love running errands if you just let them participate a little!

Then, it was time for sledding!  Milo specifically wanted an orange sled, which we bought at Gill-Roy's to support a Michigan-based company. 

For those of you tracking my Not Buying It Project, rest assured...I dug into my change jar to buy the sled, so I'm still only buying food and essentials with my paychecks.  Although, in all honesty, I would consider enriching a child's life an essential.

Milo was a brave little boy!  He went down the hill twice by himself and then asked me to go with him.  Of course, we ended up in the dried grass at the end of the hill, but it's still an adorable picture.

After that, he only wanted to go with me.  Ruh-roh!  I felt extremely old and tired trying to haul myself back up the hill repeatedly, but it was totally worth it.  :)   

 

Before I took Milo home to his mom and my good friend, Michelle, we went to my house for a snack.  There, he spotted my jar of wine corks and thought they were cookies! 

"Can I have a plate of cookies, please?" he asked.

"Milo," I said, "those aren't cookies.  Those are corks.  You can't eat them."

"Can I have a plate of corks, please?" he asked.

Of course, I cracked up and gave him a plate of corks.  He grabbed two corks and started playing with them and dancing around my kitchen!

So, what craft tutorial will you lovely blog readers be getting as a result of my February playdate with Milo?

A WINE CORK BOARD!  I've been saving these corks forever and thought this was a very clever idea when I found it online.  And, the stacked button thumb tacks were one of my brainstorms a couple years ago.  Put them together and you have an awesome upcycled craft project!

DISCLAIMER:  I made my cork board after I took Milo home.  This project could be good for teenagers with adult supervision, but it's not appropriate for small children.  Also, make sure that it's only adults who are drinking to produce the corks, ok?  And, that those adults are drinking responsibly, please?  Thanks.  :)

Wine Cork Board with Stacked Button Thumb Tacks

Materials/Tools:

1) Lots of Clean Wine Corks
2) Serrated Knife
3) Picture Frame (with glass removed)
4) Corrugated Cardboard
5) Paper Cutter or Scissors
6) Hot Glue Gun and Glue
7) Vintage Buttons
8) Thumb Tacks

Step 1: Collect lots of corks from your favorite wine.  I enjoy the Lindeman's Framboise Lambic from d'Vine Wines at the Flint Farmer's Market.  Lambic is actually a beer, but it comes with a cork, so it's all good. 

Step 2: Cut a piece of corrugated cardboard to fit in your frame and secure it in place.  You may have to glue it to the backing board of the frame.

Step 3: Cut the corks in half length wise and lay them on your picture frame in a pattern that pleases you.  Remove one cork piece at a time and glue it back in place before moving on to the next piece so you maintain your pattern.

Step 4: Stack two or more buttons in a color scheme that pleases you.  Glue them together and then glue the stack to a thumb tack.  Repeat for as many tacks as you want.

Step 5: Proudly display your new Wine Cork Board!