Do what?  Oh, just make my own jewelry display case out of corks and a picture frame!

I’m currently living in a studio suite with very limited space and have been battling with my jewelry storage for months.  When I saw one of these displays, I knew it would be perfect for working out the quirks.  Fortunately, I collect corks religiously and already have a good supply.  I did need a frame, however.  I found one I liked at Fan Tastic Thrift.  I choose it because it has deep sides, meaning the corks won’t be sticking out akwardly.

Now, how do I do this thing?  I’ve recently had my mind on the idea of making a wine cork bath mat, which I found via Lady Lullabuy (who I believe also has information on cork made jewelry displays).  Having read how to make the bath mat, I had a starting point; cutting the corks in half, length-wise.  I used a basic utility knife on a cutting board.  To prepare the frame, I simply put the glass in behind the cardboard and closed the wire tabs locking everything in place.  I, then, started gluing the pieces, using my hot glue gun, to the front of the cardboard.  As I did this, some pieces needed to be cut down in length.  I placed those her and about in each line, as you can see from the photos above and below.

As I neared the bottom of the frame, I realized that my corks would not fit evenly to fill in the entire frame.  I opted to leave this space between the two bottom rows of cork, instead of at the very bottom near the edge.  I then inserted tiny hooks (found on the hardware isle at the dollar store) into the bottom row of corks, perfect for hanging bracelets, necklaces and even some rings.

Overall, I am quite satisfied with the outcome.  As it turns out, I don’t have enough jewelry to fill it, yet.  Guess this means more shopping!