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I love a good creative challenge. I also love when others help me to overcome a task that is ridden with questions. Recently, a friend (Jennifer) collected wine bottle corks and presented me with the challenge at hand. I did not whine for long.
How would I approach this magic trick? My mind is racing with a few ideas on how to tackle the first steps. I have found that the pure corks work best for cutting and I was able to smooth the edges with an ordinary finger nail file.
After a few trials and errors and after I was able to decide the best method/tool to use to poke a hole in the center of a cork, so that it broke as smoothly as possible. I was able to celebrate knowing it would all come together nicely. The necklace strand is made with simple wooden beads and spaced with a single seed bead.
The pendant section is a portion of one cork that is flanked with glass round beads and wooden disks dyed in the color green. I used silver and green tone wire as wrapped accents around the cork to add a touch of flair and funk. Since this is the first attempt, I am excited to see what else I can create. I would like to use the remaining pure cork stops for jewelry and then suggest that a cork wreath be made with the plastic coated corks, as to not waste them but, use to further her wine theme in the home as a decorative item- something different to appreciate with wine and cheese!
The second project also features a portion of a cork as well for the focal bead. I placed a 
brass spacer disk on top to make it look a bit industrial and rugged. The flowers are decorative brads that I often use in the packaging of Club Creative Studio earrings and it is also represented in our logo design. The brads are secured into the side of the cork with the metal point and a dot of jewelry adhesive. Metal butterfly charms and the hand-torched glass dot beads along with the peach colored ceramic beads finish out the entire look and feel of this necklace. It is unique and as always one-of-a-kind.
brass spacer disk on top to make it look a bit industrial and rugged. The flowers are decorative brads that I often use in the packaging of Club Creative Studio earrings and it is also represented in our logo design. The brads are secured into the side of the cork with the metal point and a dot of jewelry adhesive. Metal butterfly charms and the hand-torched glass dot beads along with the peach colored ceramic beads finish out the entire look and feel of this necklace. It is unique and as always one-of-a-kind.Thanks for the challenge and I will keep working on improvements and using ideas that are both fun and functional.
Club Creative Studio 
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