I’m a winemaker and also the mother of four children.
Two occupations seemingly difficult to reconcile.
I try to spend as much time as possible with my children, even in the midst of the high season and I’m working more than ten-hour days.
Everything gets even more complicated when for various reasons, I need to spend more time at home, especially as winter closes in. Everyone knows how easily children get bored and when work beckons, it’s hard to satisfy their desire for company.

But I try. Always.
So, how to invent something to keep my four children busy for the short time I can get away from work?
For sure it has to be a game for them and not ‘housework’.
Every day in the cellar, we uncork many bottles, and we keep all the corks if they don’t have filters or protective coverings.
Where do all these corks go?
The special container for corks that we keep in the tasting room is always overflowing: most of the corks are recycled with the help of the “Acchipicchia Workshop” that creates for our customers beautiful keychains

Corks can however, be recycled and reused in many ways and with many pleasant surprises.
Cork is a 100% natural material with many properties such as being waterproof, insulating, pliable, robust and light.
All qualities that make corks perfect for many creative uses.
Such as?
Well, I’ve thought a lot about this, checked out hobby programs and sites and I’ve decided to take action myself: I’m going to try and come up with alternative uses to make objects and Christmas decorations, starting with a simple cork.
Let’s begin!
1. In the kitchen, corks can be transformed into original trivets or coasters: just cut the corks into disks of at least 3 mm and stick them together.
Tie a coloured ribbon around your eco-trivet and see how pretty it is.
2. Following the same procedure, you can also have fun making a lovely mat for the kitchen or the bathroom.
In this case, you don’t need to slice the corks up, just glue them together, as shown in the photo below.

3. To surprise your guests, decorate the table with name cards made with corks.
Draw a line to divide the cork in two lengthwise and cut into it to a depth of about a half a centimetre.
Now you need only insert a label with the name of the person who will sit there.
You’ll see how surprised they are!
4. Don’t waste money on expensive Christmas decorations: make them at home with corks.
From a small Christmas tree to garlands of little cork figures that the kiddies can play with, there are many ways in which you can recycle corks.
5. Here’s an great idea for entertaining children: repurpose corks as stamps.
Cut out letters and designs, dip them in coloured ink and have fun.
6. You can also make bulletin boards with corks.
Post-it notes and lists won’t be lying around the house any longer–they’ll be posted in full view.
Another fun way of decorating!
7. Just for a laugh: trim the cork at both ends to form a wedge.
Pinch them between your nose and lips: instead of drawing on white napkins when we are sitting and waiting in a restaurant, my children have a lot of fun stealing my cork and pinching it between their own noses and lips.
Guaranteed laughter!
These are just some of the ways you can reuse corks, leaving plenty of room for imagination and perfecting the art of arranging a fun afternoon with your family all together!

