DIY Wine Cork Ornaments

Okay, so it's still fall - not even Halloween yet.  But I'm still starting to think a bit about Christmas.  I've been wanting to make some unique Christmas holiday ornaments and decided to try making something using wine corks.

This post will show how to make the basic ornament with loops on each end for decorating and hanging ribbon, etc.  On my next post I will show some ideas I come up with on decorating and embellishing the cork.

Here are the supplies I started out with:

• Heavy gauge wire - I used 16 gauge silver tone
• Wine corks
• Round nose pliers
• Needle nose pliers
• Bent nose pliers
• Wire cutters

First use your wire cutters to cut two lengths of wire - each about 3/4 length of the wine cork.

Next you will need to make a simple round loop at one end of each wire.  I will show you how I made mine, but there are great tutorials that explain this step in detail.  I like the tutorial by FireMountainGems.com which can be found here.

Here is how I did it - start by grasping the end of the wire with your round nose pliers:

Then use the round nose pliers to bend the end of the wire toward you.

Continue working the wire into sort of a shepherd's hook as such:

You will end up with something like this:

Now make the "neck" of the loop by the tip of your needle nose pliers through the loop, then bend it back away from the loop:

Here is what your finished wire with loop should look like:

Repeat the same process with your other piece of wire.  Now you have two pieces of wire with simple round loops:

So now you push the pointed end of your wire through one end of the cork:

I find it helpful to use my bent nose pliers to push the wire through the cork - it allows me to use more pressure without hurting my fingers:

Here is what your cork now looks like:

So now insert the second wire through the other end of the cork so that you have loops on both ends:

Now your cork is ready to decorate.  Use one end to attach ribbon or string for hanging your ornament.  On the other end you can put beaded dangles, ribbon, charms or whatever else you want - the possibilities are unlimited!

On my next post I will show you what I come up with to embellish my wine corks, so be sure to check back soon!