DIY Custom Wine Cork Letter

So Willie is honestly the brainchild behind this fabulous DIY cork craft. For our wedding he created an H to be displayed on the bar along with the non-alcoholic drinks (this is the only picture I could find...sorry you can't get the full effect). Since then, we have created a hand-full of custom letters as engagement or wedding gifts and people LOVE them. I think they are extra fabulous because they are created specifically for a couple and hand-made gifts are just the BEST!

Materials:

1. Paper Mache Letter

2. Hot Glue Gun and Glue

3. Cutting Board

4. Lots of Corks

5. Sharp Knife or X-ACTO Knife

How to create your own:

1. For the 3-D effect, buy a large paper mache letter from your craft store. All my versions were created using the 12" letter, however they do come in 8" as well. I have also seen many variations of this craft and you can use a flat letter and/or place the corks sticking upwards, but this is MY favorite version for sure!
2. I have also gotten really lucky and gotten FREE corks from our local wineries. So don't be afraid to ask you local vineyards or businesses. They especially LOVE when the couple is getting married at their winery and the gift represents their wedding venue :) 
3. For many letters it is not necessary to cut the corks in half (as you can see with the H and G versions), but for my M example and the tiny angles, I cut the corks in half before beginning.
4. Then, it's a big puzzle. Start by placing the corks and getting an idea of how you would like them to look. For the M version, I created two distinct sides. The 'traditional' Willie way and the 'funky' Ashlyn way. There really is no right or wrong way, just insuring you don't left cardboard showing and your cork are straight will results in a beautiful design.
5. Once you have a layout decided, start gluing!
6. I recommend doing the front and back before tackling the sides. The corners or angles will require some cutting to fit. 
7. Have fun creating your stunning personalized wine cork letter!

My version

Willie's version