My trash to treasure imagination came alive while I was checking out the status of my husband’s office remodel. “Office supply heaven,” I thought to myself as I walked around and looked through piles of stuff. A few mismatched metal bookends sat dejected-looking on the floor. “Are these up for grabs?” I asked my husband. While giving me the I-knew-I shouldn’t-have-brought-her-here look, he replied, “Sure, take them.”
When I got home I pulled out a plastic bag filled with wine corks that a neighbor gave to me before she moved. I’d been trying to think of something I could make for her new home with these corks and my newly acquired bookend inspired an idea. After I completed the project, I presented her with a combination bookend and mini cork board.
Supplies:
Bookend(s)
Wine corks
Glue
Paper
Pen
Instructions:
1. Gather supplies.
2. Place the upright side of the bookend down flat on a piece of paper and trace around it with a pen. This will be your template for cork layout.
3. Because wine corks are different lengths and circumferences, you’ll want to play around with their arrangement before you settle on your final layout. Arrange the wine corks on the paper to your satisfaction, remembering to place their best-looking sides facing up. Carefully cut any cork with a sharp knife to make it fit. 
4. Lay the bookend flat on your work surface, with the side to be decorated facing up. Allow the stand/support portion to hang over the edge of your work surface.
5. One by one, remove a cork from your layout paper and glue it to the bookend. Repeat until all the wine corks have been glued to the bookend. Let dry.
Linnell’s Notes:
1. The bookend I used flared out slightly at the bottom, so one row of corks looks tilted. It’s okay, though, because nothing’s perfect in life. Right?
2. My former neighbor immediately recognized her corks. Though not the prettiest thing I’ve ever made, I was glad I could rework something of hers into something more useable for her new home. I figured some of the wine corks must hold a few special memories for her.
