Halloween Craft: How To Make a Cork Pumpkin

I know I don’t typically share crafts on this blog. Or home decorating ideas. Why? I’m not a craft person. I don’t really decorate my apartment. I don’t get too much pleasure out of either of those things. I’m much more into baking, reading and running for fun. But this is the craft that we did when I hosted the Ladies Craft Beer Society and it was a success. And easy!

Got a lot of extra wine corks hanging around? Looking for something easy to do to decorate for fall and Halloween? I have just the idea for you – you can make a wine cork pumpkin!

This is a VERY EASY  – and I repeat … easy – craft. Even the not-so-crafting-inclined (like moi) can feel good about this!

diy wine cork pumpkins

Here’s what you need:

  • Some wine corks. To make a medium pumpkin (the two on the left in the picture above), you’ll need 25 corks.
  • Something to make your leaves. You can buy fake leaves at a craft store, or green felt or green scrapbook paper.
  • Orange acrylic paint. I bought one that was called “pure pumpkin.”
  • Paint sponge
  • Hot glue
  • Twine or raffia
  • Scissors

Here’s what you do:

  • Find 24 wine corks about the same height and width. I liked lining mine up ahead of time and making sure they looked okay before gluing them together.
  • Glue the corks together! I found it easiest to first use the hot glue to glue the corks in rows. Glue rows of 4, 5, 6, 5, 4. And then glue your rows together. You should have a nice hexagon.
  • Once glued together, you can put the leaves on top. I cut leaves out of scrapbook paper. One of my friends used felt.
  • Cut the last cork in half to make the stem. Use the hot glue to glue it on top of the leaves.
  • Tie the twine or raffia around the cork stem. Tie loosely a few times around or in a bow – whichever style you prefer.
  • Paint your corks! I do this last because it takes a while to dry. You could also paint the corks first, but then you have to wait for them to dry. I poured some orange paint out (fittingly named Pure Pumpkin) on some cardboard and dipped a spongy paint brush in and then painted the corks that were facing out.

And that’s it! I told you it was easy. Feel free to play around with different size pumpkins – bigger or smaller. Also, feel free to paint only some of the corks, or leave them natural or even wine stained for a more rustic look.

lining the corks up, getting ready to glue

lining the corks up, getting ready to glue

We made these at my Ladies Craft Beer Society. So fittingly, I was drinking pumpkin beer while making them 🙂

Warlock pumpkin beer and finished cork pumpkins!

Warlock pumpkin beer and finished cork pumpkins!

C Is For …

I hate to brag, but it was another beautiful weekend in Cleveland. Sunny, 80 degrees, absolutely gorgeous.

So I did what any good native Northeasterner would do when a sunny, warm, beautiful summer weekend rolls around – spend as much of it outside as I can!

The weekend started out with a surprise parade that I encountered on my way home from work that was kicking off Jazz Festival.

And then B and I decided to sit outside, enjoy the weather and enjoy some of the live music that was happening for the festival this weekend. Oh yeah, and some wine. Wine + music meant an excellent start to the evening.

Jazz fest

Jazz fest

We had already planned our dinner – brats and salads from our Fresh Fork share. B made them with some fried onions and they were amazing.

Fresh Fork-inspired dinner - brats, salad and fried onions

Fresh Fork-inspired dinner – brats, salad and fried onions. And yes, more wine.

Saturday started early with a 7 mile run with Nicole. Nicole is starting to train for 50K (yes, 50!) and while I’m not training for anything, I was happy to have someone to do the miles with. Though it was hot, humid and we may have stopped to walk and for water a few times, I was feeling pretty good by the time the run was over and I was ready for the day. Which of course started with my favorite salad at Rothschild Farms.

One of my favorite post-run meals - Rothschild Farms salad

One of my favorite post-run meals – Rothschild Farms salad

And then a quick trip to the West Side Market for an apple fritter and other goodies.

West Side Market goodies

West Side Market goodies

After the market, we headed to Hansa Import Haus to pick up some spicy mustard and summery hefeweizens. I LOVE a good spicy mustard and they have so many to choose from!

Hansa Import Haus - SO MUCH MUSTARD

Hansa Import Haus – SO MUCH MUSTARD

Saturday also happened to be the monthly meetup of the Ladies Craft Beer Society – a few ladies get together craft and drink craft beer. Reanna hosts it in Ohio City and it’s really just an excuse to admire her cute house, drink beer, eat snacks and catch up with other ladies. I am not a crafty person and my crafts never seem to come out (don’t even ask about the mitten I tried to make) … but this one did! Look at my string art!

Me and my craft

Me and my craft (photo credit: Cari!)

I did something crafty!

I did something crafty!

After crafting, I decided to continue to hang out in Ohio City (where crafting was) and enjoy the beautiful weather by finding a patio. My coworker Cari and her fiance joined us and B walked over from downtown. Nano Brew was perfect – their patio was just filling up and I do love their food.

Patio beers

Patio beers

Love being outdoors!

Love being outdoors!

After Nano, we walked back downtown and met up with some other people who were outside at another patio. Beginning to see a theme? I’m envisioning a lot of summertime patios in my future this year.

Sunday started off somewhat early when B went to softball and I decided to be productive in his absence. It included folding clothes, some meal prep for the week (which included soaking beans, making chicken, boiling eggs and massaging kale … I love this stuff!), working out, hanging up my new craft, and some other boring stuff.

Meal prep!

Meal prep!

But when B got home – it was BEACH time! I’m beginning to love this summer tradition. all weekends should end with reading and relaxing on the sand.

The beach was a lot less crowded this weekend

The beach was a lot less crowded this weekend

And of course, after beachtime it was dinnertime with B’s family. This week were at his brother and sister-in-law’s house and enjoyed a super summery meal, followed by strawberry pie on their front porch. Dinners and nights like this make me almost ready to move to the suburbs. But then I remember how much fun we had Friday and Saturday going out and walking around downtown and Ohio City and the feeling quickly fades.

Turkey burgers, quinoa and potato salads = perfect summer meal

Turkey burgers, quinoa and potato salads = perfect summer meal

Some questions for you:

How was your weekend? Tell me something fun you did.

  • In your opinion, what’s your favorite summery meal? Turkey burgers or ribs. Plus a nice salad, pasta or quinoa salad with fresh veggies, corn and sweet potato. 
  • Meal prepping  -yay or nay? Do you enjoy planning and prepping lunches and other meals in advance? Yes – if I have time, I love it. I love preparing the food, getting them ready for the week and the whole planning element.
  • What’s your favorite summery beer? I need suggestions!