Pop the champagne, it’s summer! If you’re a student on summer break over the age of 21, chances are you are spending your summer working, drinking, hanging out with friends, drinking, rewatching that one episode of “Friends” and drinking. There are so many reasons to crack open a nice, or maybe a crappy, bottle of wine, so why not have a glass and put the trash that comes out of it to an environmentally beneficial and creative use with some art projects that will also add fun, beachy touches to your crumbling frat house.
Three of my favorite home decor art projects are all about using those old corks you’ve hopefully saved — if not, here’s another excuse to pop the champagne — to create interesting and unique pieces that you can feel good about. In this article, I’m going to teach you how to make one-of-a-kind summer door curtains, floor mats and framed cork art that will give you one more excuse to cut loose.
1. The Wine Mom Curtain
What you will need:
- A whole bunch of corks
- Fishing wire
- A long stick collected from the woods or beach, or a curtain rod
- Two medium command hooks
- Large-eyed needle
- Hot glue or super glue
First, gather up all of the many corks you have collected over the years (or have purchased in bulk at the craft store). Take your fishing wire and measure it against the window or door frame you wish to hang it from and cut 10 pieces, making sure to add 3 inches from the length you’ve measured.
String a piece of your fishing wire through your needle and pierce it through your first cork. Tie a knot at the end of the wire and apply a small dot of hot glue on the opposite end, so the cork will not slide around. Decide how much space you want between each cork and get creative. After you have finished one strand, continuously dotting each cork hole with hot glue, try alternating the spacing on the next strand, so the final project doesn’t look too linear.
Remember to leave 3 inches or more at the end of your wire to tie around your stick. Once you have strung up the stick with your 10 strands, place the command hooks on the frame of your window or door and lay the stick down, applying more hot glue to secure your beachy new curtain.
2. Floor Mat
What you will need:
- A whole bunch of corks (again)
- Hot glue or super glue
- Baking sheet
- Knife or scissors
- Parchment paper
To start, line your baking sheet with parchment paper, making sure all parts of the pan are protected. Next, cut all of your corks in half, making sure that when you stand them up, they are all at an even height. Start lining up your corks one at a time, applying two small dots of glue to every side that comes in contact with another cork, until the pan is filled.
Grab the parchment paper to lift the square of corks you have just created and set them aside to dry. Continue to make as many squares as you want, attaching each square with dots of glue on the corks that connect to your next square. Finally, rip off any parchment paper that’s stuck to your mat, and slap that sucker in your living room.
3. Framed Cork Art
What you will need:
- A whole bunch of corks
- Large, thick cardboard sheet
- Hot glue or super glue
- Large, open frame
Cut the cardboard so that it fits the inner lining of your frame exactly. Decide on a design you want your corks to make — cross hatch, alternating line directions, an image of your dog, you name it; it’s your design. Simply glue your corks in the design of your choosing onto the cardboard, let it dry and place it into the frame. It’s that easy.
Now, you have three stunning new decorations that can continue to remind you of all those sloppy nights, when you’ve taken your shirt off at a party even though your friends begged you not to. If you want to go one step further with these three art projects, consider adding some paint to your pieces.
Create a small mural in your curtain by painting each cork to give it an image that you can only see at a distance, or try coating the corks in a shiny varnish, so they will not chip away over time, and add a little gloss to the final look. You could hang the floor mats on your wall, or maybe you want to attach them to your door to make a beautiful new entrance to your room.
There are so many ways to make these items yours; I have just given you the basic outlines to start your art projects, but you have the opportunity to use all of your pieces according to your personal style. I hope this article has helped or inspired you to use your trash in a productive, environmentally-positive way. Enjoy!
