Yes we have a fireplace....

but no fire inside of it. All is well, though. We've got our candles to keep us warm. :)

This is my first Christmas crafty project I'm sharing here. More to come! I just started photographing the decorating progress. This particular project is one of my favorites, though. I got some dried out birch logs (with burl and all!) that came from fallen trees. Then I sliced them using a table saw (I know most people don't have these, but you could probably use a hack saw, or borrow someone's!) and then had a couple of muscular men hold them tight while I drilled into them using a special circle bit bought to use on a drill press (which is basically a ginormous power drill). The custom circle cutter drill bit was a splurge, but my pop bought it, claiming that he would surely use it again. :) I love him for that. (and for lots of other things, of course!) So, after I had sliced up birch loges with cylindrical holes in them, I procured some polyurethane spray (good ol dad!) which I used on the logs, bought some votive candles to fit in the holders I had (I bought the circle bit to match the size of my candle holders) and voila! A candlescape for my large coffee table! (after I let the polyurethane fumes dry out for a week or so!) It's perfectly cozy, and everyone who comes over just loves them. But honestly, I could care less if they love them (so I tell myself!), I just think they're the greatest and... well, "I'm in love, I'm in love, and I don't care who knows it!"

Comments

[katie]

love them! haha! i seriously will have to make some of these when paisley gets older. great job!!!

<3katie

[rose]

wow wow wow, these are freaking cool. go you and your power tools ;)

[Vanessa]

looks awesome!!!

[mandie segura]

So cool! It's kindof like Pottery Barn's vase cuffs, but even better-way better!

[Rachel Denbow]

Freakin' genius. I love that you made your own and that they look so classy.

[dani]

ack! you are amazing!!!

[kim whitten]

completely fantastic!
and what great gifts those would make.

[Bekka]

You just completely amazed me.

I love the drill press -- I have two of them in my classroom. :)

[Jess]

oh my! These are lovely!!! My pops has similar tools so I could totally do this. Maybe next year, thanks for the idea!

[Kara]

Ummm. Yeah. Gorgeous.

[elise]

love this! so fantastic.

[Bev]

those candles are superduper.

[missteee]

These are great! :) What a good idea!!

[emily anderson]

this is crafting genuis!

[sarah]

those are amazing! what a wonderfully, beautiful idea.

[sarah]

those are amazing! what a wonderfully, beautiful idea.

[danielle]

i love this! great job