Greetings! It’s that time of year again. Somehow I find myself just as I did last year, with Christmas rapidly approaching and without a single gift purchased. Yipes. I did, however, finally find a home for all of the corks I have been collecting this past year. This cork wreath is now hanging in the little cafe where I work. Interested in making a cork wreath? I found everything (with the exception of the corks) I needed at Michael’s Craft store: corks (a ton … couldn’t tell you how many I used) 18-inch or 12-inch straw wreath* pins (you know, sewing pins) glue (I used clear craft glue … there are one million choices at Michael’s. ) a decorative berry garland (optional, but I think it adds a nice touch) red wire (thick enough and strong enough to hold up the wreath) 2.5-inch wide red ribbon thimble (optional, but helpful)
- I used an 18-inch straw wreath. The next time I make one of these, I might try using a styrofoam wreath instead. The problem is that the styrofoam ones I saw at Michael’s were white (naturally). I think the texture of styrofoam might hold the pins better but I think it would be necessary to spraypaint the wreath a light brown color. Might be something to consider. Styrofoam wreaths are oddly much more expensive than straw wreaths, too. Interesting. I basically followed the method outlined on the blog Daily Inspiration. Truthfully, I doubted the wreath would come together the entire time I spent making it. Not until I wove the berries through the corks, tied the big red ribbon around the top and saw it hanging in the cafe where I work did I accept it had all worked out. Here is what I did: 1. Lay newspaper across a big table. Put in a good movie or turn on some good tunes.
- With your thimble on thumb, insert pins about halfway into as many corks as you can before you get bored.
- Working with 10 to 20 at a time, squirt some glue onto the exposed portion of the pin. Begin inserting corks at a slight angle into the wreath as tightly as you can. This is harder than it sounds. I felt like I couldn’t get the corks packed tightly enough together, but just trust that it will all work out in the end.
- Repeat until the wreath is completely filled with corks. Carefully weave the decorative berries through the corks and around the wreath.
- Make a big loop with the red wire. Cover the wire with the wide red ribbon.
- Hang your wreath, step back and admire your handy work. Please email me if you have any questions about this. I wish I had better photo-documented the process but alas I have not. UPDATE 11-14-2012 I just received a nice email from a Reader, Janice, who shared her method, which sounds better than the way I made mine. I am going to make one this year using her method: This is what Janice does: I use double pointed wooden toothpicks. (AK’s Note: I just purchased some double-pointed wooden toothpicks, however, and am having a hard time getting them into my corks without breaking. They were from the Dollar Store, which could have something to do with it, so I am going to try another brand as well as plastic double-pointed toothpicks.) I push the picks in the corks first and then I put glue in a small bowl and dip the end in before pushing them into the wreath. I have use the straw wreath forms, they seem to be the easiest to work with, for me anyway. I have a friend who used a floral foam wreath form. Her’s looked great too. She wrapped the form with untwisted raffia paper. Also: If you are looking for some ideas for food-related gifts this holiday season, here is a little list I put together last year. If you have any other good ideas of your own, food-related preferably, let me know and I’ll add them to the list:
Also, I’m refining a recipe I have for flourless chocolate cake. The recipe I have is pretty good but the quantity is so large — it’s written in restaurant proportions — so I need to scale it back and tweak a few things before I can share it with you. I made it for Thanksgiving and it was well received. My brother polished off two of these mini cakes in one sitting. He’s such a good boy. Now, I also am wondering if any of you have a good recipe for homemade sticky buns? I really want to make them for my family over the holidays and I have about five or six different recipes on file that I have been comparing. I’m starting to get overwhelmed. If you have any ideas I would love to hear them.
Happy Holidays Everyone!
