Rustic Tree Trunk Candle Holder





The gorgeous tablescape

 


When I attended my cousin Sarah's 30th birthday party in February, I had no doubt I could count on three things: good music, good food, and good people. Little did I know that my aunt and uncle would also throw in some awesomely crafty centerpieces and decor, as well! They went above and beyond to set up the tables at the party. For the center of the centerpiece, My uncle, Kevin cut each of the logs and branches out himself and hollowed out each of their tops large enough to fit a tealight. Using logs of three different lengths, my aunt, Rita adhered them together with a very strong epoxy and tied brown and green twine around them. Thankfully, she allowed me to take one home with me, as I fear I would've snatched one up with or without permission! As if that wasn't enough, Kevin also cut holes into smaller pieces of log to turn them into faux flower vases (I also currently own one of these in my household...thanks, Uncle Kev!). Rita also used white, cupcake liners (and lots of 'em) to create the adorable bouquets that sat atop glass bowls and battery-operated tealights. The party was a wonderful time, and the birthday girl made 30 look good; however, now the pressure is on for all future parties to come. Can't wait to see what kind of creation they hold...



Another view of the decor





Centerpiece for the gift table







The yummy and super-creative appetizer table





Blossoming Tree Centerpiece



I am all about designing on a dime, so I decided to borrow from the bounty of free items Mother Nature has to offer. Using a square vase that I have had forever, I filled it with a variety of “river rocks” (that I couldn’t find in nature, so I bought from a dollar store) and placed three of my favorite branches found outside into the vase. To make the flowers, I used five sheets of tissue paper that I folded like a fan and cut into 4” pieces (for smaller flowers). I used jewelry wire to wrap around the center of each tissue paper fan, leaving a tail of wire to be used later. Carefully pull each layer of tissue paper toward the wire in the center on one side and do the same to the opposite side. Once your flower is completed to your satisfaction, use the wire to twist around any part of the branch you would prefer. Repeat this process until your “tree” is decorated the way you want.

In case you’re as much of a visual learner as I am, here is a link showing how to make a variation of tissue paper flowers somewhat like mine. http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Tissue-Paper-Flowers