Vino Bella "Beautiful Wine"

I don't know about you, but I enjoy the occasional glass of wine.  I'm not exactly what one would consider a wine snob and here's proof:  if I open a bottle of wine and don't finish it, I recycle it by adding ice and club soda to it the next day and rather enjoy that, also.  Ratio for me is half bubbly, half wine and sure, you can call it a wine spritzer if you want.  I find it refreshing and so have my guests.   After you drink your wine there's all that stuff left over which have recycle written all over it.  You know, the bottle, the cork, the bladder if you drink box wine... ok, maybe it's not a lot of stuff but you know what?  Recycle it!  Some folks actually save the corks!  Hehe, you knew that didn't you?  I know you know but  I don't believe I've ever seen these put to creative use in real life so I'm am going to throw some ideas out there.  Let me know if you use one of these recycle ideas, ok?  Call me...kidding...just leave me a comment.

That wine bottle, sometimes it comes in a divine color like blue and almost seems shameful to throw it away.  Don't! Clean it out, remove the label, add a cotton ball or a few to slow the flow of the water, then shove a wine pourer thing in the opening. Now, place a finger over the spout and invert the bottle before shoving it into a large thirsty plant.  Will drip water like one of those $15 globes and hold more water. (^_~) I've also done this with the bulbous plastic Pom bottles and pierced the cap and inverted into smaller plant. It was a wonderful, hacked discovery that can come in handy when you are going on vacation.  Corks are also something you can toss into your garden like you would mulch.

Will you look at this?  It's a thumb drive...or flash drive or USB drive or memory stick, WHATEVER! but it's inside of a cork!  You can remove the deco

rative outer case of your existing USB mem stick and strip it to these minimal styles presented.  What every hi-tech wino needs, right?  If you're not all that brave (wimp) you should know that these are available at Smediart but of course if you cut a cork in half, trace the thumb drive with exacto knife and remove cork pulp until you have the proper fit, then match seams and glue closed (removing excess glue with wet cloth) you'd have yourself one, too.  F. F. Coppola designed some just like these and distributed them in 2007 in limited quantities.  This key fob on the right made at RePlayGround gives example to what I mean about the bead and key chain.  RePlayGround also has a kit for this key chain project ava

ilable for $3 each.  

Cut a cork in half and then snug a round cork half up against a book to steady cut a straight line.  Then slice through it, a shallow 1/4 inch with an exacto knife to create a slot - you've made place card holders or savvy way to introduce menu items on your buffet table.  Wine efficienado's have wine stoppers.  A decorative way to create a gallant wine stopper is to attach an ornamental knob such as ones to that go one kitchen cabinets and have a place into the top of the knob allowing one to screw it into a cork with glue on the threads.  Allow to dry completely and you have yourself a stylish wine bottle stopper.

I must admit I find wine glass charms necessary when entertaining one or more friends.  Germaphobe, maybe.   My solution has been to use mix matched wine glasses found at garage sales.  Recently, having collected some sea glass or beach glass, and having a "now what" moment these charms were created.  My sea glass comes from the shores of Lake Eerie but you can purchase sea glass at hobby stores along with any of these elements presented.  Add a  jump ring to a wine glass charm ring then, not too close to an edge or it may break Drill a small hole, then attach the jump ring combo.  All of the sea glass will have different sizes and shapes but when you get to the bottom of your wine glass you may not remember what your charm looked like.  You slush!  This is why I recommend using a metallic paint pen, add a number or letter for distinction.  Hand wash please.

Corks, especially very ornamental ones would also make  fantastic refrigerator magnets. Use length of cork or cut into coins.  Use an exacto to cut and gouge out a small space for a round, super strong magnet and glue it inside of this created space.  It's important to use a strong glue because of the strength of the magnet.  Try Gorilla glue, and follow directions or don't come crying to me.  E6000 is also a good adhesive choice.  Allow generous overnight drying time.  

Knit a gnome outfit...why? Why would anyone do this?  If you knit, you know why (^_~) so here's the pattern.  The pattern is by Manne and translated into English by Saartje. I have knit sillier things...well, maybe not but that doesn't mean you can't.

I recommend using something natural like twine, sisal or hemp for this project. I think you may as well do this, also: make knitting needle point protectors.  You can lend some spiff by adding a beautiful bead with a head pin.  Corks sliced into coins have been used to hold stitches onto needles, crochet hooks also.

Being the inquisitive type, I took apart a wine box and found this great metallic bladder inside.  You'll recall, I'm not a wine snob and Black Box Wines sometimes show up at my house at random but I recommend you use a large box of wine for this project. Box wines are said to be more eco-friendly and several wineries are introducig wines in 3 to 4 liter Bag-in-box (BIB) packaging.  I only use wine in bottles for entertaining ... say that's nice - but doesn't this look like a pillow when inflated? I thought so, too!  By sewing up a terry cloth towel *pillow case and adding suction cup hooks to the top corners or in the center back, this would be a luxurous treat for when you linger in the bathtub or jacuzzi/hot tub.  *pillowcase instructions courtesy Lil Blue Boo