DIY Wood Candle Holders

Love the rustic look of tree branch wood candle holders? With the right tools you can make them very inexpensively yourself!

Oh hello there, Saturday-Crafterday! It’s been quite awhile since I have shared a DIY project. Not that I haven’t been getting crafty, I have simply slacked off when it came to sharing them with you (although I did share the dining room light fixture and concert ticket holder on Instagram). In fact one I have had under my belt since last fall after helping my dad cut down a tree in the backyard. After sprinting away trying not to get smushed by it (I was holding the rope to lead the direction in which it fell while he cut the tree-we’re experts really), I got the idea to save a few of the prettier sections for DIY projects. I had all kinds of grand ideas but the first and best of them were these candle holders.

From a branch that was about 3-inches in diameter, we arbitrarily cut 2, 5, and 7-inch long pieces which were then belt-sanded. On the designated tops, we drilled 1/2-inch deep holes with a 1-1/2-inch bit spade drill (the wood was first secured in a table clamp). We could have stopped here and had a very nice product but my dad had some suggestions to take them to the next level.

We coated them with varnish and then adhered some felt to the bottoms with spray-adhesive. Viola! Beautiful real wood tea candle holders. These things were so easy to make it was tempting to make scads of them to give out as gifts or, as some people suggested, sell. But for now I think I’ll stick with what I’ve got. My dad did actually make me another kind where the log lied flat on it’s side and drilled 4 holes into the side/now top. My obsession with trees is showing…

One year ago: Easy Corn Salsa

Two years ago: Pear Yogurt Almond Cake with Cinnamon Brown Sugar Buttercream