3 Ways to Make Custom Wine Bottle Stoppers

Interesting bottle toppers: They’re conversation pieces, and an easy accessory to add to that bottle of wine you’re bringing to the holiday party. We indulged ourselves with three easy cork toppers, and we think you’ll drink up this inspiration.

Be On-Trend With an Antler Wine Topper

Oven-bake clay is a great material to work with if you’re sculpting your own wine toppers, and the best way to secure the topper to a plain store-bought cork is by using a brad nail. The cork is soft, and the brad nail will act much like a long pushpin, but stays put and works well at securing a topper. 

Work the clay into your hands for a little bit to soften it, and then craft away. Antlers can be made using small coils of clay.

Flatten another piece of clay, and trim it to be the same size at the top of your cork. Put a brad nail into it, and secure the two antlers atop, working the clay well so that they are well-fused in place. The nail can go into the oven with your clay as it bakes, but note that the cork cannot! 

Bake the antlers at 230-degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Allow them to cool, and then spray paint if you wish. (I can’t resist a glossy gold.) Add a dab of adhesive to the top of the cork, and push the nail in to attach the antlers to their new pedestal. 

Customize it with a Pre-Made Ceramic Figurine

Pre-made ceramic figures are available at many craft stores in a number of shapes, sizes, and themes. Whether you paint the object (as often intended) or leave it looking clean and matte white, it’s an easy way to customize your own topper. You can attach the object to a small, coin-size piece of oven bake clay similar to the antlers shown above, but get as creative as you wish. I wanted Santa standing upon a drift of snow, so I let the base overflow the top of the cork. Attach the figure to the cured oven bake clay using a strong multi-purpose adhesive.

Design Your Own Modern Art

Felted wool balls assemble quickly, easily, and look mighty whimsical topping a bottle of red. Use hot glue to attach the balls to the cork and to each other, building them upon each other to create a miniature modern masterpiece. MoMA, here you come!