Homemade Wine Charms

So I'm not usually the "Pinteresty" type. Don't get me wrong. I like making things, sewing, crafting, and being creative, but I usually have so many other things going on, I don't prioritize these things on a daily or even weekly basis. But this year, there were two compelling reasons to make one of the gifts we gave. First, money was tight. Second, the older I get, the more I realize that one or two really heartfelt things beat a slew of cheap and meaningless crap (like many of the stocking stuffers that arrived in my children's stockings...I'm not perfect). And this craft is the pinnacle of awesome because not only is it meaningful, but it is also useful and environmentally friendly.

If you want to make your own, here are the steps...

Step 1: Use a sharp, serrated knife (like the bread knife seen here) to cut a cork into six equal pieces. I like slicing through the middle first, and then cutting each half into thirds.

Step 2: Use an old nail file (or fine sandpaper would work, too) to smooth the cork pieces. I did both sides to make them all the same texture.

Step 3: Using a fine-tipped Sharpie in both red and green, alternate colors to spell MERRY. I added a sprig of holly for my last charm. The font you see is of my own creation, but others would look equally nice.

Another view.

Step 4: I bought tiny eye-hooks online (but they can also be purchased at Home Depot). These, purchased on Amazon, are 3/16". The wine glass charm rings were also an online buy. These are 35 x 40mm, but I wish I had gone with a slightly smaller diameter, as these are just a little too large. 

Step 5: You'll need to apply gentle pressure to screw the eye-hook into the cork. I centered my hooks above each letter. Thread the ring through the eye-hook and voila! You've got your finished product!

Overall, I like the way they turned out. We even used my sister and brother-in-law's set at our holiday gatherings! My one mistake: I didn't make US a set. I'll have to rectify that next time.