Decoration with corks from plastic bottles. Crafts from bottle caps for home and garden (36 photos)

Site arrangement 23.06.2020
Site arrangement

But also using plastic covers from them.

From absolutely waste material, you can create a simulator for the development of fine motor skills, organize a board game, create original wall clocks and panels, make flat and voluminous toys. Do you still throw away plastic caps?

Figurines of animals, insects from plastic covers

With children of primary school age, you can do a mixed application: stick a few covers on cardboard and fantasize about their decor. They make wonderful birds, pets, wild animals, fish, insects.

If you string plastic covers on a fishing line, thread or wire, like beads, you can make volumetric figures of animals and insects. Now they are already able to move and it becomes interesting to play with them.

Flowers from plastic lids

Bright caps from plastic bottles can turn into the heart of a magical flower. Similarly, glue them to the cardboard and decorate. If you glue not only the plastic cap itself, but also the neck of the bottle, then you can hide some secret for the child inside. For example, a butterfly or a bee. Then it will be interesting for him to “work” with such objects.

Pictures from plastic covers

If there are several bags of plastic covers, then it is worth moving on to large-scale art projects and installations. Lids can be glued and nailed. The main thing, as always, lies in the brilliant idea.

Flat men made of plastic caps

Similar to making simple animal figurines, silhouettes of various characters and flat puppets can be made from lids. We fantasize and stick them on a base made of cardboard or thick fabric, decorate and enjoy the result!

They will add originality to the picture, make it voluminous and interesting with details from caps that match in color. These can be elements of the face, buttons on the suit, flowers, balls and much more. For example, like this funny clown!

Transforming robots made of plastic caps

It turns out that it is easy and simple to please your boys with a creative robot. To do this, we string the covers on a wire base and assemble all the parts together. Now our robot can move, you can attach different types of weapons, wheels or even a car, antennas to it, use unusual or completely ordinary tubes, boxes and cans in its design.

Transport based on plastic caps

Traffic can be extensive and stationary if you choose to render traffic on large format paper or cardboard. For such a project, you will need: find a base from a large box, select the necessary decorations and cut them out of magazines and newspapers, draw the necessary objects yourself, glue everything on the base, and then do the lid craft. To do this, we take a variety of lids: small ones from juices, medium ones from mineral water, large ones from canisters and five-liter plastic jars. For business!

Spending time playing with such a "simulator", the baby will not voluntarily train his fingers, opening and closing the lids, looking for a second picture under them.

Please note that the caps can be not only the core of a flower or the wheels of a car, but also be a door or a window that hides interesting details and photographs.

Fantastic cars can be made from improvised materials. Almost everything is suitable for this: a toilet paper roller, a yogurt jar, other containers, canisters, cardboard boxes for dairy products.

Other lid items

Indeed, there is no limit to human imagination! It turns out that you can create stylish watches from plastic covers, organize a game of checkers, make toy musical instruments, sweets, and even decorate a children's kitchen for games.

Photo sources in the selection: foto-tur.ru/?p=8773, womanadvice.ru, fotostrana.ru, subscribe.ru, armama.ru, ayamama.ru, podelkilegko.ru, uckomp.ru, forgetfullino.blogspot.ru, boombob.ru, lestnica.info, cinesoft.ru, everything.kz, www.awd-auto.ru, handmadehelp.ru, dou98.zlatoust.me, thebestartt.com, mirfb.ru, boltayanozhkami.blogspot.ru/2012/ 09/pirozhnie-iz-probok.html, horoshaya-mama.ru/, stranamasterov.ru/, solium.ru, faberena.blogspot.ru/2012/07/ein-lernspielzeug-aus-den.html, morburybeverly.blogspot. ru/2012/12/blog-post_8408.html, photo-bazar.ru/?p=8855/, fotohomka.ru, handmade.jofo.ru, studon.ru, stranamam.ru, searchmasterclass.net, allriddles.ucoz. en

Did you know that corks are a very popular craft material in other countries? They make paintings, figurines, rugs, decorations, frame furniture and create non-standard decor elements. Therefore, do not rush to throw out traffic jams after the past holidays - they can be very interesting to use!

At first glance, the cork seems to be a banal and useless thing. However, fans of interesting DIY ideas can easily refute this statement by demonstrating intricate products.

Crafts from corks

80% of the material for wine corks is produced in the southern countries - Portugal and Spain. The local climate favors the growth and prosperity of cork trees, which serve as material.

The properties of wine corks cannot be overestimated. Thanks to the tannins that they contain, the development of microorganisms is suppressed. The suberin makes them resistant and the wax makes them waterproof.

If you have accumulated enough material, we suggest you use it wisely.

With their help, you can create interesting and beautiful things that will be useful to you or will appeal to children.

Advice

If you do not have time to accumulate the required amount of material, you can purchase them on the Internet. The price for 100 pieces fluctuates around 300 rubles.

Draw an interesting image on one side of the cork. It can be a heart, a number, or any other symbol. Cut out its outline in such a way that the drawn element protruded. Now you can paint it with any color and use it. Kids will love putting their own stamp on postcards or notebooks, decorating walls, and more. Make a seal with your child - he will be interested in choosing his own distinctive sign.

Paintings

Thanks to the texture, you can get an unusual 3-D picture. It will be difficult to make a letter or a whole word without proper skill, but everyone can build a three-dimensional heart. All you need is superglue and a little time. The resulting picture will be a great addition to your home interior. Another interesting application is a stylish backdrop for a photo shoot. The front of the corks is easy to paint in your favorite color or make a smooth transition, from white top to raspberry bottom.

Chandelier

animal toy

Tie or sew a small wine cork cover, tie a thread to it. This will be great fun for your pet. If you want to diversify the life of a cat, make a mouse! A fur cover with ears and a tail (which can be knitted and sewn on) will distract the cat from your shoes and possibly leave furniture intact.

Holder

Openwork and unusual holder is useful for thematic and festive events, they can decorate the desktop. They can hold notes, reminders, business cards and guest cards. "Wine holder" is made in two ways. Take a metal wire, decorate it with beads and wrap it around the cork. You can also fasten several corks at once. A small incision is made along the top, where you can stick the paper.

Candlestick

You can add warmth to your home with a homemade candlestick. Take two glass containers of different sizes - you need one of them to be twice the size of the other. Place one container inside another. Fill the space between them with wooden elements. Place a scented candle inside a small bowl. You can also make a pre-candle yourself - from the remnants of old candles.

Panel for notes

Very often we need to leave some information to loved ones, or hang up a reminder for ourselves personally. In this case, a panel will help you out, which must be hung in a place accessible for viewing. You will need a base on which you will glue the cortical elements. It can be made both in the usual rectangular shape and in the shape of a heart. Draw a garland of light bulbs along the rim - the panel will become a full-fledged decoration for your home.

Hanger

This element of the interior is useful for those who have a summer house or a country house. Attach cork plugs to a planed board, previously varnished and in your favorite color, using a screwdriver. Now you can hang potholders and many other things on it.

Canape skewers

To make your table look original when guests arrive, use this tip. Cut corks into circles, find toothpicks and twine, look for interesting items to decorate. On each toothpick, put on a circle with a fabric heart glued to it, beads or twine bows. Guests will note such ingenuity!

magnets

Who doesn't like to decorate their refrigerator with beautiful magnets that "hold" notes, photos, postcards. Cut the wine cork in half (make a cut “along”. Glue a piece of magnetic strip to it and hang it on the refrigerator. You can first paint or decorate a homemade magnet. If you cut them into circles, you can make interesting magnets for children in the form of letters of the alphabet.

Hot stand

Several dozen wine corks, combined with glue and satin paper, will create unique coasters for hot dishes. This is an indispensable attribute for every kitchen. Cut all corks in half to create a cylindrical shape. Glue them together in the form of a circle or a hexagon. The outer edge is completely glued with decorative fabric or tape. You can also glue a small loop.

House for the birds

Take a thick cardboard, cut out the components for the house from it: the bottom, the roof, the walls. Cut along the cortical elements, paste over all four walls with them. Next, cut the corks into circles and form neat tiles for the roof from them. Don't forget to leave a round hole for entry.

Jewelry Organizer

A large number of earrings, bracelets and beads are very difficult to store. They are constantly confused, it takes a lot of time to search in the box. Make it easy for yourself to store your jewelry with this unique wall organizer. Corks are tightly glued to a strong base - you can use both halves and circles. Then attach some small hooks to them to hang your jewelry on.

table top

This furniture design option is suitable for your country house. Update them to an already damaged countertop. Using liquid nails, glue the corks to the surface, laying them tightly against each other. Top coat them with clear varnish. Definitely, such a countertop will look incredible!

Trinket

You will need to buy accessories that are sold in specialized stores, or use parts of key fobs that are no longer needed. Color or sign each keychain, decorate them with beads. Get an original thing that can be used as a gift.

Filament curtains

Prepare various beads, a large number of corks, fishing line. Using a needle, make holes, string them onto the fishing line alternately with beads.

Pen

You will need four standard holes, drill through holes in them, insert ink paste inside. Your child's classmates will be surprised by this innovation!

From champagne corks

Some people collect champagne corks, others throw them away right after the holidays. However, they can really come in handy, become an original addition to the familiar interior.

For example, an old chest of drawers or wardrobe can be decorated with designer handles.

For this you need to prepare:

  • champagne corks;
  • pencil;
  • cross screwdriver;
  • screws.

You need to mark the middle of the cork, attach it to a box or door. On the other hand, you need to push the screw with the tip forward and screw it into the cork with a screwdriver from the narrow side.

Also, champagne will be useful to you in the manufacture of the original necklace. It can become not only your unusual accessory, but your child's favorite thing or a nice gift for a friend.

Materials you will need:

  • champagne corks;
  • needle;
  • colored threads;
  • pencil, ruler;
  • thimble;
  • glue;
  • felt.

Mark with a pencil, cut most of the cork into several thin pieces. A width of 4-5 millimeters will be enough. Choose a color scheme, you can choose one shade for several circles.

Step back from the middle, start tying the cortical circles with multi-colored threads in a circle. Use a thimble if you are afraid of hurting your fingers. The middle of the product should resemble an asterisk.

When you are done with the last circle, take a piece of felt and glue all the tied cork pieces on it. Cut off excess fabric, sew chains for beads to the product.

From plastic lids

Human fantasy has no limits. There are many crafts made from plastic bottles, but no less interesting things can be built from the caps of such bottles. Finished products can be found quite rarely, since it is not so easy to collect a sufficient amount of material.

However, if you set a goal, you can involve the whole family and friends in the collection of plastic caps. For some, this is ordinary garbage, for a creative person - material for a future masterpiece. From such a plastic foothold, you can build toys, jewelry, interior items.

Plastic crafts from lids vary:

  • color and size;
  • form;
  • the amount of material used;
  • final destination;
  • the way the covers are connected to each other;
  • ornament or pattern.

Fastening can be done in different ways. For example, to make children's toys or corks or create a picture, use Moment glue. They can stick covers on three different sides - front, back, side.

To attach corks to a wooden base, use self-tapping screws, nails with a wide head. It is possible to ensure the durability of a thing due to the fishing line, which connects all the elements. To do this, make two to six holes on each cork.

The two holes on the lid look like a button that needs to be sewn on. Four holes on the sides are made in order to securely connect all the elements together with a fishing line and create a reliable structure.

This type of fastening is used when creating fences or arbors.

Most often, plastic crafts are suitable for summer cottages or baths, but many of them are acceptable for an ordinary apartment. Small coasters for cups look spectacular and unusual. It is no less interesting to make watches from caps of different sizes.

The rug can harm linoleum or natural wood flooring.

The main advantages of this type of material can be reduced to the following points:

  • economy;
  • diversity;
  • the possibility of coating with paint, spray, gel;
  • the same size;
  • the ability to create a large number of crafts;
  • ease of use.

From beer caps

Reusing lids is a good thing. Beer caps, which are thrown away in huge quantities every day, have never been in short supply. Even if you do not drink this intoxicating drink, someone you know should definitely do it! As a last resort, you can ask the bartender for a favor for a bag or two of corks.

Chinese wind chimes

Talismans, which are hung at the window or on the street, are very popular among Americans. Not so long ago, fashion has come down to us - "Music of the Wind" is often hung in summer cottages. It is believed that such a talisman attracts good luck to the house. However, wind chimes bought in the Feng Shui department will greatly affect your wallet. And why, if you can use beer caps and make them yourself. You will need metal rings, a piece of a tin (or any other base) on which the wires will be attached, a large number of multi-colored lids. A melodic ringing will be heard from every breath of the breeze.

Panels for the kitchen

Decorative piece of beer caps will decorate your kitchen. It is interesting not only to hang it on the wall, but also to adapt it by the faucet. A skillfully made panel will look no worse than a designer tile. You will need a base on which you will glue the tin lids.

Candles

Cute and neat candles will be a great addition to your home decor. They can decorate a table for a romantic dinner, a New Year's interior, as well as a wedding. Simply flip the lids over, fit the wick and fill the mold with clear wax. You can use wax from old candles, which must first be melted in a saucepan over low heat.

Earrings

Purchase beads and fasteners at the craft store, pick up beautiful beer caps. Homemade compositions will be a great gift and add to your personal collection of earrings.

Organizer

Do you like doing needlework, making beadwork? Then you will love the idea of ​​making your work easier by creating a handy compact organizer. Glue the lids to the plastic rectangular base and fill them with small beads. It will be easy and convenient for you to collect beads!

Tab for books

Paint the inside of the lid to your taste, stick to a large paper clip - you will enjoy a convenient bookmark, you will never lose the place where you finished reading.

Decor

A great option for joint crafts with children. Paint the lid however you like: you can make a ladybug or a sun. Use acrylic paints. When the product dries, glue it on a gift box or postcard.

Wreath

Select the lids by color and try to make a wreath that will decorate the front door. To do this, you will need glue, a strong base and accessories.

Crafts for the garden

It is difficult to resist the desire to decorate your garden or vegetable garden with colorful crafts. In addition, such crafts can be very useful.




Recently, craftsmen have been making crafts from various waste materials. Crafts made from corks from plastic bottles are especially popular. They look bright and attractive, are not afraid of moisture and sunlight, so they are perfect for decorating a summer cottage. Children can also be involved in creativity, they will really like this activity.

Making crafts with the kids

Plastic corks are a great material for children's creativity. They can be glued, strung on a fishing line and decorated, thanks to which funny figures, panels and decorative items appear.

For starters, you can try to make an alphabet magnet on the refrigerator. Using glue, you need to fix the magnet on the surface of the lid, and draw circles equal to the diameter of the lid on a piece of paper. Write letters inside each circle, cut out circles and paste them inside the lid. This will make a useful and fascinating alphabet. The child will play with homemade magnets and at the same time will get acquainted with the letters. In the same way, you can make an arithmetic set by writing numbers instead of letters.

Another type of bottle cap crafts is appliqué. An aquarium of fish, which is made of lids, looks unusual. . You will need:

  • Lids in different colors and sizes.
  • Colored paper.
  • Blue or blue cardboard.
  • Plastic eyes. If there are no ready-made ones, then you can draw with a felt-tip pen or cut out of paper.

Cut out triangles from colored paper., they will serve as the tails of the fish. Then stick them on blue cardboard in random order. Fix the plugs to the tails with glue or double-sided tape. Place ready-made eyes on the lids (or draw them with a marker). From green paper, cut out algae of various sizes and shapes. Paint bubbles with white paint to make the fish look like they are alive. The kid needs to be given room for imagination: make pebbles to the bottom or depict an underwater castle.

Children can make simple animal figurines, flat puppets, and silhouettes of characters they know.

This is easy to do: you need to glue two or three covers, fixing them on a cardboard base and decorating. There is another way that can be made from corks: they can be collected on a fishing line, like beads, to obtain three-dimensional figures of insects and animals.

Boys will have to taste to design a robot but. To do this, you will need colored covers, a cord and an awl. First you need to make holes in the center of the covers. To make the legs, fasten the four covers in the center, placing them on top of each other. Also make the second leg. You need to start collecting hands from the edge of the lid, then put three pieces one on top of the other and pass the cord through the center.

Then proceed to the body of the robot: put two covers with ribs, and place a flat one between them. Assemble another one of the same design. Fasten both parts with a cord, hide the knots under the caps. For the head, connect the two caps in the center with a cord. A wonderful toy with your own hands is ready!

Robots can be decorated with mosaics, egg cartons and plastic boxes. It all depends on the imagination of the young designer.

If there are a lot of traffic jams, then you can try to make a mosaic. You will need: corks, glue gun or screws, a sketch of the picture. First of all, you need to decide on the surface on which the sketch of the future composition will be placed. If it is a wooden surface, then you can use glue. Corks are glued in turn to the surface in accordance with the pattern. If you want to attach from the back, then it is better to use screws. A similar mosaic can be placed on the facade of the house or on the fence, decorate the gazebo or bath.

When attaching plugs to a concrete or brick wall, a special compound will be required. It can be cement, a stucco compound, or a base for laying tiles. Corks are glued gradually, the entire surface is filled in small areas.

You can also cut out some shape from plywood and fix the covers on it with glue according to the sketch of the picture. It will be interesting to decorate the garden with such figures, giving it a cheerful and unusual look. The paths in the garden, lined with traffic jams, look original. For this you will need:

  • A large number of corks of different sizes and colors.
  • Construction adhesive.
  • Cement.
  • Sand.
  • Formwork boards.

First of all, you need determine the location and size of the track. It is worth applying the markup according to which the laying of traffic jams is planned. It is necessary to dig a trench about 10 cm deep, level the ground, make formwork around the entire perimeter of the trench. Then pour sand to half the height. It is worth preparing a solution for pouring in advance: combine sand and cement in a ratio of 1: 4, gradually adding part of the glue.

Pour the cement onto the track in small portions and then press the corks into it in accordance with the figure. It is necessary to carefully monitor the depth of indentation: it must be the same, the cement must reach the top of the cork. Next, you should wait until the cement has completely hardened, if traces of mortar remain on the surface, remove with a stiff brush. Then dismantle the formwork. Bright garden decoration is ready! If desired, the path can be supplemented with curbs.

Useful things from lids

Useful household items can also be made from plastic lids. For example, in the country house, original curtains made of covers will look beautiful and creative. To make them you will need:

On each cover, make holes opposite each other so that the cord runs through the middle. The bottom one is fastened with a knot or a bead, a button. All the following elements of the thread are held on it. Attach the finished thread to the rail in accordance with the pattern. Continue to assemble the curtain to the desired size and according to the diagram. Fix the finished curtain in the doorway.

Another interesting idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat can be made from bottle caps. Make a massage mat that will help to cope with the nervous tension received during the day. Good for foot and back massage.

You will need a lot of lids strong fishing line and awl. First you need to choose the future pattern of the rug. In the traffic jams on the sides, make four holes with an awl, according to the principle of a cross. Then lay out a pattern from them and start putting them on the fishing line in turn. After that, the covers of the extreme row are strung on a fishing line through opposite holes. In this order, collect all subsequent rows. Give the rug the correct shape, tighten the fishing line, if necessary. Tie knots on the fishing line, and set fire to the ends or break off. Using a similar method, you can make coasters for cold dishes or make a rug in the hallway.

All summer residents are divided into two types: patient, who are ready to collect corks from plastic bottles for two or three years, and those who throw them away. The former, as a rule, always win, because they can, almost without spending money, decorate a house and a plot with cork crafts, lay out garden paths with them, sew an “eternal” shower or hallway rug, and many other useful and, oddly enough, beautiful things.

Decorative crafts from corks for windows and walls of the house, fence and flower beds

Crafts from corks are good because you almost don’t need to spend money on them (or spend at a minimum), that you can make a lot of useful and necessary things for your home and garden from them, and that you can reduce the amount of garbage and save nature once again.

Plastic bottles can also not be thrown away, but put, like corks, into crafts.

For a small craft-panel on a flower bed, you need about 90–100 traffic jams, but, as in any craft, the more, the more interesting the result. In addition to traffic jams, you need to prepare:

  • fiberboard sheet;
  • screwdriver;
  • jigsaw;
  • small screws;
  • a skein of fishing line;
  • scissors;
  • marker.

How to do:

  1. First you need to think about the design: will it be a flower, a bird, a fish, an animal, a robot, or something else.
  2. The sketch must be drawn on plywood and then cut out with a jigsaw.
  3. Treat the plywood with an antiseptic, you can wash it, toned it.
  4. Put the corks on plywood to figure out how the pattern will go.
  5. Then you can glue them on mounting glue such as "Liquid Nails" or superglue, but it will be most reliable to fasten with small screws.
  6. If desired, you can make the fringing of the fmigurka with a snake folded from corks. To make it, you need to pull off about 80–90 corks with a fishing line (we pierce each cork with an awl and thread the fishing line, fix the ends with a knot or solder the tip of the fishing line with a burning match). If you made a flower, the stem can be made in the same way - only instead of fishing line you will need to insert wooden skewers into the holes made in the corks (skewers for barbecue are suitable).

Cork mosaics in the form of flowers and birds - photo gallery

From the inside of the cork, you can additionally color or glue beads, rhinestones, carbochons into them. As a basis for decoration, you can take barbecue skewers or thin slats. Such cork flowers will delight even in cloudy weather. it is not necessary to completely cover the panel with covers if you paint the base. The main thing is to be able to choose colors well. Craftsmen create panels and paintings that can decorate entire walls of the house.

From traffic jams, you can lay out a simple panel with a geometric pattern or a complex pattern. In both cases, it is more convenient to work with the base - gluing corks directly onto the wall of the house or the fence is problematic, especially if there is no experience.

What to do:

  1. Draw a picture on a sheet of plywood. If there are problems with drawing, print the drawing in close-up - for example, on several A4 sheets. Glue the parts of the picture, cut along the contour, and then circle with chalk on plywood or immediately on the wall of the house.
  2. Sort the corks by color.
  3. Degrease them by wiping with alcohol or acetone.
  4. Put the corks on plywood (preferably with the outside so that the bottom looks up - it will be more convenient to glue them).
  5. Glue the corks with a glue gun.
  6. If desired, cut out the pattern around the edges.
  7. Attach the plywood to the wall of the house or to the fence using nails or screws.
  8. The gaps between the plugs are recommended to be treated with a cement color of a suitable shade.

We make a simple mosaic "Swan"

For the manufacture of a two-meter-long panel in the form of a swan, approximately 475 corks will be needed. Of course, you can make a less grandiose version, for example, as in the photo below. You will need white and blue plugs, a few red ones for the beak and 1 black one for the swan's eye.

If it is not possible to collect corks of just such colors, it does not matter, if necessary, white ones can be painted with primer-enamel or aerosol.

How to make such a panel:

  1. Apply a drawing to the base (plywood, wall, fence). It is most convenient to do this with chalk, so it will be easier to erase if the sketch is not to your liking.
  2. Fold the cork pattern on the plywood.
  3. Transfer the corks to the base one by one, starting from the top, screwing with a screwdriver, nailing or gluing with hot glue from a glue gun.

If you use corks not from lemonade, but from milk, for example, which are larger in diameter, you will need one and a half times less

Panel "Dog" from traffic jams

To make a panel in the form of a puppy, you need 490 corks. Of these, it will be possible to make a mosaic of 28 * 32 cm in size. You can “play” with flowers: as in the case of a swan, first put plain corks in a panel, and then color it. So the mosaic will turn out brighter and more fun.

Photo gallery: 2 panel templates and a pop art masterpiece

To transfer the template to a larger scale, print it, divide it into 6–9 squares, then photocopy each with the same magnification. It is better to paint the base of such a panel to match the main color of the assembled covers
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Mosaic in the form of a robot

For a mosaic in the form of a robot, you need to collect 450 covers (they will make a panel measuring 15 * 30 cm). Covers of two colors are enough for the robot - light and dark, so that the picture turns out to be contrasting. A geometric pattern will be easier to lay out than, for example, puppy ears or swan plumage. Therefore, with such a panel, you can start decorating the dacha - to try your hand.

It is not necessary to strictly follow the picture, details can be added or removed, but the outline will help lay out the plugs evenly.

Photogallery: three-dimensional figures-robots made of plastic corks

Part of the bottle is used for the robot body
The robot can be painted from a spray can with aeropaint and acrylic to sign the name With such a robot it is interesting to play in the country For kids, you can make funny bright robots on a fishing line, which you can “lead” along the path

Other ideas for pictures from plastic corks - photo gallery

How to make a garden path and a border for a flower bed out of corks

The track needs a large supply of traffic jams - about 1200 per 1 sq. m. Therefore, it is easier not to save them, but to order new ones, having previously estimated the area that you will decorate. The cork path will last a long time if a solid concrete base is prepared under them.

How to do it:

  1. Mark the length of the path and dig a trench about 10 cm deep along it (the width is equal to the future path).
  2. Drive in pegs along the edges of the trench and stretch the twine or fishing line.
  3. Put crushed stone or broken brick at the bottom - this will be a drainage layer.
  4. Prepare a cement mortar (cement, sand, tile adhesive in a ratio of 4:1:1).
  5. Fill a small transverse strip of the trench with mortar, immediately, before it has set, lay out the plugs (so that the convex part looks up).
  6. Wait until the cement dries, clean off the excess, if any, with a stiff brush.
  7. Continue along the entire length of the track.

Similarly, you can decorate the border of a flower bed.

Patterns for garden paths: how to lay out corks - photo gallery

A panel in the form of scales is not the most complex pattern, you can lay it out even without experience in garden decor. Before laying corks on cement, practice on the ground - you must clearly understand what the pattern will be. that you have enough corks of each color

Country curtain from traffic jams

For one curtain you will need:

  • about 2000 traffic jams;
  • wire or fishing line;
  • from tools - an awl or a drill to make holes in traffic jams;
  • as a base, you need to take a rail or a round stick according to the size of the window or doorway, but you can get by with a cut of dense wire. The curtain is light and will not sag under its own weight.

How to do:

  1. Estimate the length of the future curtains.
  2. Cut pieces of fishing line (it is necessary to cut off with a margin of 5–7 centimeters - for knots from above and below).
  3. Lay out a pattern of corks on the floor.
  4. Make holes in each cork.
  5. String corks on the fishing line.
  6. Tie knots at the top and bottom of each cut.
  7. Do the same for all remaining plugs. Tie fishing lines with corks to the cornice (rail or wire).
  8. Fix the curtain in the window or doorway.

Corks for curtains can be of different diameters, but then the distance between the fishing lines should be greater

Eternal cork rug

A rug made of plastic corks is a very practical thing. It can be laid in a country shower or hallway. It does not wear out for a long time, does not fade, dries quickly and dirt does not accumulate in it.

To make a rectangular rug (this can be put both in the hallway and in the shower) with a size of 10 * 15 corks, you will need 150 pieces.

What you need besides traffic jams:

  • a skein of fishing line;
  • awl or drill;
  • scissors.

How to do:

  1. Pierce each cork in four places - the holes should be opposite each other.
  2. Lay corks upside down on the floor or on a table to get an idea of ​​what the pattern will be on the rug. You should get 10 rows of 15 corks in each (however, it is not necessary to observe exactly this ratio, you can make a square, hexagonal or round rug).
  3. Pass the fishing line in each row - from left to right and from top to bottom. You must thread two fishing lines through each cork, and secure the ends with knots. The line must be well stretched so that the rug does not fall apart.

Cork rugs are very convenient in the shower and in the hallway: they do not collect dirt, do not fade, and are easy to clean.

Master class on making a cork rug - video

Now it is somehow unfashionable to decorate a summer house and a garden plot with home-made swans from tires and flowers from plastic bottles. They say it's tasteless. But no one will say that cork-lined garden paths or panels with a geometric pattern, or a foot massage rug look cheap. On the contrary, crafts from traffic jams are now in vogue - even in cities. And in the country they are also very practical.


What to do with caps from plastic bottles, juice boxes, yogurts, ketchups, medicines, various caps and other rubbish? Do not rush to get rid of them - because this is a good material for children's, family and even professional creativity! In addition, today plastic is practically not recycled in our country, and you can help save nature without sending another portion of garbage to a landfill. And it's not garbage - but puzzles of future masterpieces. Here are some ideas to help you!


"Lid" mosaics

Perhaps, almost all crafts with lids imply mosaic technique in one way or another. But the easiest way to start is with collages. To do this, we collect more multi-colored caps with the children, wash and dry them, and then sort them by color.

Then we select a picture and divide it into small squares: each of them more or less corresponds to a color, and you just need to pick up a similar cover.

You can attach them to any surface - corrugated cardboard (from large packing boxes - for example, a refrigerator, etc.), plywood, metal sheet, concrete wall or wooden fence (the main thing is to choose the right glue). It is not necessary to apply a stencil to the surface: relying on the pattern lined with squares, we lay out the covers close to each other - the mosaic will still turn out to be even.

You can start with small mosaics - to try your hand, and then you can get into the taste! For example, Nikolai Petryakov is an ordinary resident of Bratsk, who creates large-scale mosaics right on the walls of his house.

We have a reproduction of Shishkin in the photo, and the self-taught master covered the rest of the walls with a kind of embroidery with patterns. Why, "Bears in the Forest" - you can use your favorite images and even family photos if you wish. And if the cottage is definitely not suitable for this, then almost in any yard there are uncomfortable fences or garages. Make a gift to any playground!

Here is another lady who can inspire with mosaic ideas - Michelle Stitzlein. She not only found a worthy use for plastic lids, but also figured out how to make the panels more voluminous: for this, Michelle fastens the lids with the convex side down.

She has a plethora of magical trash work from Starry Night to wall-sized rainbow butterflies - but we love the watermelon! (By the way, the title photo of the post is also her tricks).

Here's a self-portrait by Chicago-based artist Mary Ellen Croteau - a great example of using photos in a cap mosaic. She worked on it for a whole month - after all, the size of the panel turned out to be 2.5 by 2.1 meters. But what is the result ... And do not worry about the complexity of the task - Mary also started with the simplest drawings.

Lid toys

Ladybugs and frogs are family friends! It’s not difficult to make them: just paint the covers of a suitable color with a black indelible marker, stick cardboard paws and bead eyes (or you can use blank eyes that are sold in needlework stores). You can settle animals both in the garden and on the bookshelf.

Everything for life

The Greek craftsman Athanassios Babalis invented just such a shopping bag (370 covers) and an ottoman chair (1250 covers) especially for the Green Design 2008 festival in Athens. The work, by the way, is not dusty: we take covers and cases in each four holes at the same distance from each other. To do this, you can use a thin knitting needle heated over a gas burner (plastic melts like butter) - just do this without the participation of children.

Then everything is simple: we connect the covers into “chain mail” using a fishing line or thick threads, and from this fabric we model at least a string bag, at least a massage foot mat - with patterns, drawings, creative “chaos” or plain.

And if you fasten the lids with wire, you can get a basket.

Fridge magnets

A must have in the house! They can hold notes and photos, or simply decorate the kitchen. We have two options: emoticons or berries. Cherries are a little more difficult to make, so it’s better to show the progress of work on them - and the rest is the same. So, we make a small incision on the red cover and pass a green cord (berry leg) through it. We fill the lid with plasticine, but not to the very edges. We connect the second end of the lace with another cherry cap. In the middle of the lace we tie a green ribbon with a knot or bow - these will be the leaves. (depending on size) slightly pressed into plasticine or glued to the edges of the lid. That's all - where is ours?

Cover-curtains

Here we do not need "chain mail" - after all, these are curtains from separate garlands of plastic covers. Therefore, in each of them you need to make only two holes, and string large "beads". You need to fix them on a wooden block or fishing line stretched in the doorway. If desired, you can organize a simple pattern.

Covers in the garden

Garden furniture is different: someone in the country has an expensive "braid" from the store, and someone makes it himself from improvised materials. In the latter case, it can be embellished with plastic covers and create an interesting effect (at the same time masking the flaws of the furniture).

"Paved" paths are especially good between the beds. Of course, many people want to relax in nature without anything artificial - and would rather prefer stone or gravel.

But caps are a low-budget way to get through the garden after a rain and keep your shoes clean. It's also a way to express yourself!

Decorations for a playground or a garden bed can be made more functional by giving them the shape of carrots, tomatoes, eggplants and other fruits that grow in the garden. Each bed can be marked with a corresponding "sign" - especially since while the seedlings are small, it is not always easy to understand who is in front of us. We take plywood and cut out a template figure. We nail a longer stick to it and paint the workpiece in the desired color. It remains to attach the covers with small nails - the plug is ready.

Cap beads

If you make a couple of holes in the lids, they can be used along with the rest of the little things to create colorful necklaces - they will come in handy in children's games, as garlands for the holidays, or even Christmas tree decorations. And that's just the beginning: in the next issue, we'll see what metal lids can do!

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