Branch Candle Centerpiece for Fall Table
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To further illustrate my love for all things Pinterest, I talked my hubby into making me a branch candle centerpiece much like this one. Here are his instructions.
From my hubby:
Not really a lot of rocket science involved here, once the proper branch is selected. Don’t be afraid to prune in order to get the right balance on the table – and leave some branch stubs for character! As for spacing the tea candles, I established center and then spaced evenly to the ends. BTW, lots of shavings generated, so do this outdoors.
I had a problem in that none of my hole bits were large enough. If you have a standard set, you will likely find that the largest is 1″ – not big enough for a tea candle. So, rather than make a hardware store run (where they know me by name now) I started each spot with a bit from a hole saw set, the kind that you use to cut out holes for door handles. It has a standard drill bit in the center – see the center hole? – and then a circular ring of teeth that cuts the circumference. I don’t remember the size, but it’s larger than 1″ and matched the tea candle perfectly. Lucky me!
The next step is a switch to the 1″ hole bit. This is placed in the same center hole you just made, but it cuts an entire 1″ hole as deep as you want to go. BUT BE CAREFUL! If you go too deep, you’ll either bury the candle or, worse, go all the way through to the other side. See next pic for a closer look.
Notice here that you end up with a 1″ hole and then a small ring of wood before you get all the way to the outer circumference.
Almost there, but the next step is critical to completion…
A necessary switch to a wood chisel now, because we need to remove that last little ring of wood. Set the chisel in the bottom of each hole and tap with a hammer, going all the way around. Clean the bottom of the hole and drop a tea candle in to check the depth. You may find that you need to go deeper, which means doing each step again in very small increments.
The top of the candle should be flush with the wood. Taller is fine, if you prefer, but I would not go deep and create a fire hazard. No need to seal or polyurethane – again, we are dealing with flames! Oh, and the branch I used here was from a huge holly tree. Just happened to have pruned it when my bride presented me with the idea!
Marty here:
Yes, my husband can make things, write about them, play the guitar and sing, take care of the kids and even make chocolate chip peanut butter pancakes. Yes, he’s amazing, and he’s mine. For 25 years now.
The table runner is actually a tablecloth folded over that I’ve had for years. I like glitter and glam so I love the sparkly threads.
I spent all of about $4 on the three pumpkins (Michael’s at 50% off, with 15% more with my teacher’s discount).
Pinecones=free, from God’s great beauty outdoors. The rest of the foliage was some I’ve had or purchased after the season at 80% off.
My most favorite part? These homemade scarecrows made by my oldest daughter (now 23) in our first year of homeschooling in 1997. Okay, I made most of it because she was, after all, only five. But it’s the thought that counts! They have been a part of our fall decorations for 15 years and are still cute today!
If you want to see more of my fall decor just click on the pictures below to be taken directly to the posts.
To see more of my husband’s projects go view the window table, table made of fence posts, pallet shelves and my scrapbook room.
Oh wow, thanks for putting this on your top ten for 2012! I had seen this last fall but for some reason didn’t pin or post here? But you inspired me and I made some for my Thanksgiving table in October. I couldn’t remember where I had seen it…asked in my post if anyone had. Some mentioned the link that inspired you, but I knew the one I saw had used a chisel! I’m going back to my post to add the credit to this post. I’m so glad I finally found it again!
Debbie 🙂
Gosh, that is so pretty!
Hi! I’m Bella from ArahBellas. You linked this up on my SPARK party and Loved it so I featured it on my blog. This is truly amazing and beautiful. Thank you so much for linking p, hope to see you soon. Feel free to grab an I’ve been featured button.
-Bella
Thanks for featuring my Branch Candle Centerpiece, Bella! Hope you’ll enjoy my blog and stay a while!
Gave you a featured shout out! Thanks for linking! LOVD tidings, Lilly
Thanks so much for featuring my branch candle centerpiece!
Congratulations! You’ve been featured on Handy Man, Crafty Woman’s Wicked Awesome Wednesday! Please feel free to stop by the website to pick up your button! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you so much for featuring my centerpiece. It’s such a sweet (and easy) little project. Have a great day!
Wow loving this. it is so lovely, and your pumpkins along the candle center piece looks so cute. It is very beautiful! Thanks for sharing your inspiration with Sunday’s Best – you helped make the party a success!
Thanks, Cathy, for stopping by. Happy fall!
Love this! Thanks for joining HSH!
Sherry
Hi Marty,
You did such a beautiful job with this centerpiece. It looks so beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing with Wednesdays Adorned From Above Link Party last week. This weeks Link Party is opened at
http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2012/10/jasmine-body-butter-and-wednesdays.html
from Wednesday until Sunday.
Hope to see you there.
Debi Bolocofsky
Adorned From Above
http://www.adornedfromabove.com
Thanks, Debi! Enjoying linking each week. Thanks for hosting!
Wow Marty (and hubs), that’s totally amazing! Your husband did an amazing job routing out those holes for the candles, and it looks fabulous on your table with all those other decorations! Thanks for sharing this at The Fun In Functional!
Thanks, Jessi! It looks like your party is growing each week. Congrats!
It is! We were over 100 links last week, how fun!
Just wanted to let you know that I featured this today on The Fun In Functional! You can check out the feature and grab a button here: http://practicallyfunctional.net/2012/10/the-fun-in-functional-and-a-guest-post-link-party-19/
Just wanted to let you know this will be part of my link party wrap up and features post tomorrow! It’s so gorgeous.
Hi Marty, what a great hubby you have to make you this wonderful branch candle center piece! I love it!!!
Thank you for sharing it at Project Queen’s Party last week. I will be featuring it tomorrow night (Monday) at the Highlight Party!
Love the centerpiece!
This centerpiece looks very pretty! Visiting from Freedom Fridays Party.
How adorable! You’ll be able to decorate this through to the winter holidays and beyond, I’d imagine! I can even see it in spring with a few little nests and robins’ eggs tucked in around it. 🙂
Stopping by from Chic on a Shoestring’s Flaunt-it Frday. 🙂
So LOVELY! Very festive and I love the natural element!
Absolutely love this! Looks amazing and I love how simple it is! Definitely going ot be trying this maybe for a winter tablescape! Thanks for the inspiration!!
LOVE it! And the pumpkins are adorable!
Hi, Marty! Love the centerpiece! And I think I might be able to get the hubbers to do the drilling for me. I know he has just about every drill bit known to man, so one of these should (hopefully) be gracing my Thanksgiving table this year. I love that you still use your daughter’s handmade scarecrow. I’ve kept and still use all of my (now 28 yr old) daughter’s treasures, too. Thanks so much for sharing your great tutorial! ~Mary
Thank you for your sweet comments. My husband is wonderful about helping with my “projects” and I am very blessed. Let me know if you talked your husband into the same!
What a great idea! I love the rustic fall look of it.
Thanks so much for visiting my blog!
WOW how beautiful!!!! I absolutely love this, what a great, natural and rustic looking centerpiece! Just beautiful!
Thank you so much! I am learning to love all things rustic, and my husband does a great job with his projects!
I absolutely LOVE this. It would go perfectly with all our rustic decor.
I am leaning more and more towards rustic decor myself. I’m learning I love all things wood!
LOVE this! So cheap and easy! I’ll be making one this weekend!!!! Found you off Momnivore’s dilemma!
Sweet! Were you able to make this? It’s such an easy project but beautiful.
I’m visiting from the party of Seven-Alive. This is such a good idea and tutorial. Beautiful. I would like to feature this in November.
You may feature it if you’ll just include a link back to my page. Thanks! I’m glad you like it!
Featuring this Friday, Nov. 17.
Such a beautiful project!
Thanks so much!