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    Home » Crafts » How To Make A Tea Light Log Candle Holder

    How To Make A Tea Light Log Candle Holder

    Published by Gail | Published December 9, 2016 | Updated April 9, 2019
    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Have you ever seen a tea light log candle holder used for Christmas centerpieces? Recently, I was outside throwing ball with Lulu Mae, something we do at least twice a day. She got distracted, so I was left there just standing and waiting for her to get her ball when I noticed one of my ornamental pear trees needed a little trim of a useless tree branch.

     

    pear tree branchIt’s that bottom branch on the right. You can see a dead limb up to the left. In the background you can see my diy hose hanger.

     

    pear tree branch trimmedYou can see that there are already a couple of pieces that have already been broken off up at the top. Did you know that you do not need a chain saw to trim tree branches? I actually have a chain saw now, but I’ve never used it. Rodney used it when we installed the DIY picket fence last year—to remove some trees that were in the way.

    *this post contains affiliate links for your convenience*

    sawzall bladesRodney told me about these tree pruning blades at that time and I ordered them on Amazon in a five pack. (the one on the right) Notice the teeth are different and it’s quite long.

     

    reciprocating saw cuts tree branchI attached the blade to my reciprocating saw, climbed a ladder and got right to work. Tree limbs are much heavier than they appear, and it’s best to start pruning up near the top, dropping a little at a time.

    trim dead branches with sawzallThese pieces were from the top of the branch, getting rid of some of the weight made a big difference!

     

     

    trimming a tree with a sawzallTa Da! In no time, all the branches were trimmed off the tree. Can you see the piece I had my eye on for the log tea light candle holder?

     

    forstner bit for log candle holderIt really is the perfect specimen, don’t you think? It’s about 28” long. I used this Forstner Bit  to drill the holes 1 ½” in diameter.

    drill center candle holder hole with forstner bitI drilled the first hole in the center of the log, enjoying the wood shavings flying out of the way. This bit really makes this job so easy!

     

    forstner bit for log candle holder holesThe holes ended up being about 3.5” apart. It really was a lot of fun creating all of these candle holes. I held the log with my feet as I drilled the holes. I don’t recommend you doing that. To use one of these bits, apply light steady pressure until the bit bites the log, then continue until the bit is even with the wood as I did here. Using a candle to test the depth. (You’ll see later that I actually went back to the driveway to drill the holes deeper)

     

    blow off log candle holder and debrisI used my cordless blower to dust off the shavings, and remove them from the driveway. Notice the Gorilla Glue tape on the switch. I dropped it over the summer and I’m afraid if the switch is turned all the way off, it may not switch on again.

     

    log tea light candle holderI bought a couple of Christmas Kitchen Towels at Hobby Lobby (28x20) because a table runner would swallow up my tiny table.

     

    tree trimmingsI cut some clippings from a pine tree and a holly tree. I have several pine trees, but chose the one with shorter (softer) needles. The holly tree is full of beautiful red berries!

     

    tea light log candle holderI spent a great deal of time trying to get all the greenery “just right”, only to decide that the candles don’t sit deep enough in the holes. That is when I took it back outside to drill the holes a little deeper. I seriously could drill these holes all day long. Smile

     

    redrill holes in tealight log candle holderPlan “b”. I removed the red towel, opening the Merry Christmas towel a little more on the sides. Can you see how the glitter tea light candles rest a little deeper in the holes now? I bought them at Hobby Lobby too, but you can pick them up on Amazon using the link above.

     

    log tea light candle holder centerpieceIt’s really too large for my small kitchen table, but the lighting was a little better in there. I have a leaf for the table but I rarely use it. Want to make your own DIY Bless The Food sign, click that link. 

     

    easy diy log tea light candle holder MyRepurposedLife.comWhen you make one, you can make your own decision about how deep to drill the holes, but I really like the way these candles sort of “sink” into the drilled holes.

    Love it? Please PIN IT!

    glitter tea light candles log candle holder MyRepurposedLife.comIn addition to the real greenery, I also used 4 glitter (gold) sprigs from Hobby Lobby and some pine cones I bought on clearance after Christmas last year at Home Depot.

    2016-12-06 17.22.37aAfter trying it on my table, I moved it to my mantel below my Christmas Trees For Sale sign.

     

    When I envisioned making this log tea light candle holder, I thought I would have to turn the log over and lightly sand the bottom so that it would rest flat and even on the table. But after laying it on the driveway, I went with it’s natural resting face. heheheh

    As always, this tutorial is to inspire you and show you how easy it is to make a log candle holder—and that you don’t need a chain saw to do so. It’s up to you to figure out how you want to display yours. We all know that’s not my forte. Smile

    Here’s the part where I tell you to BE SAFE! Do not leave candles unattended. I do NOT recommend using real tea light candles in a log candle holder. If I choose to use this for ambiance, I will be buying some battery operated tea light candles.

    Where would you use this log candle holder?

    gail

    Use some of those smaller branches to make great Christmas ornaments.

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Becky

      December 06, 2017 at 10:10 am

      Very nice Gail! I want to make one.

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        December 06, 2017 at 5:30 pm

        Thank you Becky. Using that bit was soooo much fun. The way it chucks the wood out is so awesome!

        gail

    2. Pam

      December 13, 2016 at 1:19 am

      What an awesome idea. Looked great on the table but so much better on the mantel! Beautiful.

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        December 13, 2016 at 8:38 pm

        Thank you Pam! I hope that you have a very Merry Christmas.

        gail

    3. Angie at Knick of Time

      December 11, 2016 at 9:24 pm

      What a beautiful way to put a dead branch to use, Gail. Love it and pinned it!

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        December 12, 2016 at 9:03 pm

        Thanks for your sweet comment Angie, and I appreciate you pinning it!

        gail

    4. Laurel Stephens

      December 10, 2016 at 8:32 pm

      I really want one of these candleholders! Thanks for the tutorial, Gail. Now, where to find a branch...

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        December 12, 2016 at 9:03 pm

        Yay Laurel! I just can't say enough how much I loved making this project. so.much.fun.

        gail

    5. girlfromwva

      December 09, 2016 at 6:52 pm

      if i had something like that, i would use it in the dining room on the apothecary chest we have in there.
      great job on the candle holder. and thanks for the info on getting the limbs off without using a chainsaw.

      Reply

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    Hi, there! I’m Gail Wilson, the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. I’m obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believe that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again—myself included! I hope you’ll enjoy the journey and pick up a few tools along the way… literally!

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