Charm Pin

This charming pin is another opportunity to use your corks with the most interesting designs. I love to find images or words that pair well with charms, like this crown cork and bee charm, making a “queen bee” pin.

You will need:

* 1 cork with interesting printing

* Coping saw

* Sandpaper

* Needle-nose pliers

* 1 main center charm

* 2 smaller charms

* 3 (¹⁄₄" × ¹⁄₂") screw eyes

* 3 jump rings (¹⁄₄")

* E6000 glue

* 1 (1¹⁄₄") pin back

1. Cut the cork in half lengthwise with a coping saw. Gently sand the cut edges and back. Brush off any remaining dust.
2. Using pliers, attach the charms to screw eyes with the jump rings.
3. Screw the screw eyes with charms, evenly spaced, into the bottom of the cork.
4. Glue on pin back to the back of the cork.

OPTIONS!

• Use 3 different charms.
• Use smaller charms and use more of them.
• Attach a chain to the 2 outside screw eyes instead of charms.
• Use the cork lengthwise and use just 1 charm.

Why Is So Much U.S. Wine Produced in California?

California is, hands down, the wine capital of the United States. It accounts for more than 90 percent of all the wines made in the country and 75 percent of all the wines consumed within its borders. The climate has a lot to do with California’s preeminence. Not only is it ideal for growing grapes, it is so reliable that there is little variation in the wine from year to year. Getting enough sun every year to ripen the grapes is never a problem in California. The challenge is to find areas cool enough to allow the grapes to ripen slowly, thus allowing full flavor development.