Here’s an easy upcycle for old wine corks. Turn them into simple stamps for printing cards, gift tags and wrapping paper.

We had a New Year’s Eve party this year and somehow (and I’ve no idea how this happened!!) we ended up with quite a lot of corks.

pile of corks to use to make paint stamps

You can make paint printing stamps in any simple shape from your old corks but as valentine’s day is just around the corner I thought I’d try a heart.

Turning old corks into stamps for printing a really easy craft, but as a very sharp craft knife is involved this is one for the adults. Kids could definitely enjoy creating art with the finished stamps though.

How to turn old corks into printing stamps

old corks a sharpie and craft knife to make a cork printing stamp

What you need:

old corks
sharpie
craft knife - mine is an Xacto knife. I’ve had it for years, replacement blades are easy to get - I love it

then for the printing you’ll need:

acrylic paint
an old plastic lid or plate
a foam applicator
A sheet of foam; kids craft foam or a thick felt will work too

Start by drawing your chosen shape on the flat bottom of the cork with the sharpie. Keep it simple for the best results. I chose a heart and just drew it freestyle. If you are not confident you could cut a shape from scrap paper first, or even punch a shape using a paper punch and then draw round that.

Start to cut away the cork outside of the shape you’ve drawn, leaving the shape in the middle.

I found it easiest to score a line all around the cork just a fraction down - maybe 1/8”, about 3-4mm. Then I scored all around the heart shape I had drawn.

Keep your fingers well away from the craft knife. Hold the cork on one side and use the knife on the other side.

The cork cuts really easily so you don’t need to apply loads of pressure. Remove little pieces of cork as you go. You can always trim a little more - you can’t stick it back on!

I really took my time and removed the cork slowly and carefully, being careful to watch my fingers and that super sharp blade. Even so it took less than 5 minutes to carve a heart stamp on a cork.

Once you have finished the carving I’d highly recommend drawing the shape again on the top of the cork, making sure it is the same way up as the carved shape on the bottom. It doesn’t have to be precise, just the right way up. You could draw an arrow to indicate which way up your shape is instead if you prefer.

This way you will know how to position your stamping. I printed a couple of wonky hearts before I realised this easy solution. As I always say “I make these mistakes so you don’t have to!”

Printing with your cork printing stamp

Squeeze a little acrylic paint out onto a plastic lid or plate and use a foam applicator to spread the paint a little. Use a dabbing action with the foam applicator to cover it in paint and then dab the applicator onto the cork stamp.

Place whatever you are printing onto on top of your foam layer and print away!

Having the foam underneath really does help your prints to come out well. You can print without it but you’ll get more texture from the cork showing. Of course, that might be just the look you are going for in which case - print away however you like!

I made 2 heart cork stamps and they are almost the same. There is no need for you to make 2 the same of course, I made one to try out the idea and see if it worked, then the second so I could photograph the process.