Stamp projects are a really fun way to get creative with your kids. They add pizazz to art projects and are particularly fun for adding detail to stationary. Repurposed wine corks make ideal stamps and are a fun art project as well. Here’s how to make your own DIY wine cork stamps.

1. Gather your supplies.

For this project you’ll need:

-wine corks
-x-acto knife
-pencil
-stamp pad

Don’t fret if you don’t drink a lot of wine. Ask your friends if you can borrow their wine corks. Or you could go to a local wine store or wine bar and see if they wouldn’t mind letting you have some extra wine corks. Discarded wine corks are easy to find in a society that drinks tons of wine.

2. Design your wine corks.

Choose simple and fun designs for your wine corks. You want them to be simple to carve into the wine cork and also simple enough that it’s easy to discern the design. Think of designs like hearts, circles, stars, smiley faces, or arrows. If you carve a design into the side of the cork instead of the bottom, you could choose larger designs. Have fun personalizing your wine cork designs.

Image: Elaine with Grey Cats

3. Cut out your designs.

Using an x-acto knife, cut your designs out of the wine corks. If you’re making wine corks with your kids, this part of the project should be reserved for adults only. X-acto knives are really sharp and can be very dangerous for children.

4. Have fun with your new wine corks.

Why buy stamps when you can make your own? Put your new wine cork stamps to work on all your favorite art projects.

What are your favorite repurposed wine cork projects? Check out other fun wine cork projects like this DIY bathmat or this DIY cork coaster.

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Wine cork image from Shuttershock

The post Turn Repurposed Wine Corks into DIY Stamps appeared first on EcoSalon.

I have a large, shameful pile of junk in my basement that has been growing out of control for three years. I try not to look at it when I pass it, because when I do I inevitably feel that flush of guilt – “Why haven’t I recycled this stuff already?” But for many items, from packing peanuts to old scraps of carpet, it’s not as easy as putting it in a curbside bin. Sometimes it seems like an awful lot of effort just to find out whether something can be recycled at all, let alone how or where.

But don’t give in and toss those questionable items in the trash! You might be surprised at some of the things that can actually be recycled. Turn wine corks into flooring, trade in energy-sucking holiday lights for LED strands and transform your old sneakers into a tennis court – sometimes it’s as easy as simply dropping them in the mail.

Wine Corks

If you can’t bear to throw away wine corks and tuck them away in a drawer for some craft project that will never materialize, here’s a tip: send them to Yemm Hart Green Materials of Missouri. They’ve started an experimental wine cork recycling program that processes the old bottle stoppers into lovely environmentally friendly cork floor and wall tiles. Eventually, they hope to actually pay people for their corks, but for now, do it out of the kindness of your heart. Here are five other creative reuses for old wine corks.

Books, DVDs & CDs

Most people don’t toss their used books, DVDs and CDs in the trash, but buying new consumes unnecessary resources (and a lot of cash) – so why not trade your old ones for something that’s new-to-you? Swaptree.com is a cool website that allows you to essentially keep a constantly fresh, rotating selection of reading material, movies and music for zero dollars. Who doesn’t love free stuff? Just sign-up, list your unwanted stuff and choose the items you’d like to receive. Then, you simply complete the swap through the mail. Easy!

Shoes

They’ve been through a lot – from dog poop at the park to downpours on the trail. It wouldn’t exactly be charitable to donate your grimy, rough-looking trainers, but the landfill isn’t the answer either. Nike is happy to take your rubber-soled shoes – no matter who made them – and recycle them into new athletic surfaces like basketball courts and running tracks. Find your nearest drop-off location at the Nike Reuse-A-Shoe website.

Foam Packing Peanuts

Nobody with eco-minded tendencies likes receiving a package full of polystyrene packing peanuts. They’re made from petroleum, and aside from that, they’re just plain annoying and hard to get rid of. Instead of sending them back out to be somebody else’s problem, give them to people who actually want them: EPS recyclers. Polystyrene packing peanuts and molded foam cushioning can be either dropped off at a local location if you have one, or sent in the mail.

Carpet

Whether it was ripped out of a flooded room or just saw more than its fair share of pet stains and baby vomit, old carpet can be pretty gross. Unfortunately, getting rid of unwanted carpet isn’t always easy, but if you’re lucky, you might just have a carpet reclamation company in your area. Check out the map at CarpetRecovery – you could be able to give that shaggy rug new life as composite lumber, roofing shingles, railroad ties or automotive parts.

Holiday lights

You want the green cred – and lower utility bills – of LED holiday lights, but just can’t justify buying new ones yet. That’s cool, use what you have, but when those old strands give up the ghost, send them off to HolidayLEDs to be recycled and you’ll get more than just do-gooder satisfaction. They’ll gift you with a 15 percent off coupon for anything on their site, so you can get the twinkly LED lights of your dreams.

Bras

Maybe you’ve grown out of purple polka dots (figuratively) or grown out of your old size (literally) but either way, don’t toss that bra. Most of us take a selection of clean undergarments for granted, but there are plenty of people in need. Bosom Buddy Recycling will take your old bras and give them to deserving women around the country including women’s shelters, transitional housing and breast cancer survivor support groups.

Prescription Medication

Our water has a drug problem, and as a result, we’re all taking in way more medication than we bargained for. Drinking water in many major metropolitan areas is contaminated with all kinds of pharmaceuticals – from antibiotics to antidepressants – and it’s not just a result of them passing through our bodies. Instead of flushing your prescription meds down the toilet, donate drugs that are still usable. Not every state has a recycling/redistribution program or allows patients to donate directly, but it’s worth a shot – check out the list at NCSL.

Images: dawgbite77, psyberartist, ianmunroe

The post 8 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Recycle appeared first on EcoSalon.

Of the 13 billion (!) bottles of wine sold each year, almost all of the corks end up in landfills. Sure, you could recycle your old wine corks through ReCORK America, which partners with SOLE to turn winestoppers into stylish footwear. And we certainly encourage you to do so.

But finding a new use for your old corks can be even more eco-friendly, because it means less manpower and transportation. Read on for ideas on how to re-purpose your extra corks.

Cork Board

We’re positively smitten with this trio of cork boards created by one resourceful DIYer. All it took were some old inexpensive frames, spray paint, a glue gun, corks, and a dash of ingenuity.

Pin Cushion

Once you’ve polished off a bottle of bubbly, put your champagne cork (or regular wine cork) to work as a pin cushion. No alternations needed!

Table Leg Stabilizer

We all have that table leg that inexplicably wobbles. Slice off a small piece of cork using an exacto knife, slide it under the leg, and you have an unobtrusive and non-scratching way to stabilize your table.

Trivet

Protect your countertops from hot dishes by creating a trivet out of old corks. There are several different kits available online or you can follow these simple instructions.

Wine Charms

These wine charms give a playful nod to a glass’ contents. This blogger used stamps, small eye screws, and a strand of jute to tie it all together.

Image: andrewasmith

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