If you’re a blogger that blogs about diy projects, crafts and/or home design, you know one of the biggest challenges we face is trying to come up with projects no one has thought of before. With literally hundreds of thousands of bloggers, most of whom are super creative, this is no easy task. Well, a few weeks ago I *thought* I came up with a project that was the holy grail of projects…original, easy and free. Well, I don’t know what rock I was living under, because apparently this project was thought of last year! I came across a post after we did the first log but before the second one from sasinteriors. Check it out if you have a few minutes for some great visuals.
One thing we have no shortage of, whether it’s in our home in NY or Massachusetts, is trees. I gathered up two branches and asked Fisherman to drill some holes using a drill bit that was 1.5″ in diameter, the perfect size for tea lights. We did the first one a few weeks ago, which was using a birch log. Birch is a soft wood, and it wasn’t as easy to work with as maple (I think the other one we used is maple), but I like the look of it so we gave it a try. Here’s the end result. Do you see that little white dot on the mantel? That’s wax. Because the candles weren’t exactly level, as soon as I lit them the wax dripped. Lesson learned.
I decided I wanted something a bit larger and found a branch that fit the bill perfectly. After measuring and marking where we wanted the holes to be drilled, we got to work. Well, maybe Fisherman got to work. I supervised. I’m good at that.
We had the grands for the weekend, and you know what I say…you’re never too young to get familiar with power tools. Ok, so I don’t say that, but it’s true.
Well, maybe not. Looks like he’s had enough diy for one day. Is he not a little peanut?!
This is a great project and I love how it turned out! If you already have the drill bit and tea lights, this project is free, and free is good. If not, it’s just a few dollars.
Here’s some tips should you decide to give it a try:
- Make sure your wood is free from rot and mildew. Before beginning work on it, give it a scrub and let it dry outside.
- Try to get a branch that is wide enough so that the outside parts of the holes won’t be on a slant. If they are, the metal parts of the tea lights will show on those two sides.
- You might want to consider using a fire retardant spray. Better yet, don’t leave this unattended when lit.
XXX
Partying At
Family Home and Life
Connie says
Thats really nice 🙂
Marty Walden says
Visiting from hometalk. You did a great job on your branch! I just think it’s wonderful with the tea lights. Thanks for commenting on mine!
Kelly @ Corner of Main says
Cute! I wonder if I can get my husband to make me one 😉