Drink Wine So You Can Make your own Cork Board...

                    One rainy Maine Fall, a few years ago, a good friend and I made drinking wine our number one seasonal job. We rationalized the consumption saying that we would make our own cork boards with the plethora of corks we would have on hand. 

       Every purchase was a carefully scouted decision based on the unique qualities of the cork, if the wine was bad, we just drank that one at the end of the night. We calculated the number of corks needed and realized that even we could not drink that many bottles. Hell, if we did, we would forget to ever make the cork boards.

         So our cork board dreams waned and over the years my cork collection increased slightly while my time for projects decreased dramatically. The other night I concocted this small test project as I was awake at four a.m. It was super easy and relatively inexpensive, plus each cork tells a story unlike the ones you can buy. 

       My former wine guzzling partner is coming to visit next weekend and I think I will give this to her as a keepsake to remember that fall and all that wine. 

Here is the list of supplies you will need. Shop your LOCAL art supply when you can!!

1. Corks (about 10-15 for the size shown)

2. A cheap or antique picture frame with glass removed and backing still in

3. Slate finish-quick drying-chalk board paint (one pictured worked great)

4. Craft contact adhesive in tube, clear. " "

5. Acrylic craft paint if you wish to paint your frame

6. SUPER sharp x-acto knife

7. Thick rubbery cutting mat. This really helps control the corks for cutting with that sharp X-acto knife

8. A "Gessoed Art Board" made by Speed Ball found near the flat canvas'. Buy one the same size as the backing of your picture frame. If you can't find one the same size,  you can easily cut it to size with a small hand saw (The Board is the Mona Lisa label below)

9. Fun permanent adhesive stickers- I found mine in the dreaded Scrapbooking aisle.

DIRECTIONS

1. Spray the art board with a light coat fully covering surface with chalk board spray

Paint your frame if you wish to do so at this time as well

2. While you wait for first coat to dry, half the corks lengthwise carefully... I almost lost an index 

on this step. 

3. Coat chalkboard again and let dry one hour.

4. When dry, place chalkboard surface in frame and secure backing.

5. Chose your layout of the assorted corks. You may have to cut some of the end ones to fit, just make sure you stagger this so it doesn't look too engineered.

6. Glue in place the corks, starting with the bottom and working up. On the top row only put adhesive on bottom two thirds of the cork so the glue will not show.

7. Once all corks are secure, place your sticker and let dry. 

I plan on writing on the chalkboard portion some good wines for my friend to try