Rustic Candelabra

 The decor style in my home leans toward farmhouse/rustic/casual/eclectic. I prefer a neutral color scheme - to me it's calming and soothing - and I can add a splash of color here and there if I want. Many of the home decor accounts I follow on Instagram are neutral farmhouse as well. This candle centerpiece was a popular addition to many Thanksgiving tablescapes posted last month, and I really liked it. This first photo is from Liz Marie Galvan's blog, and I suspect was the inspiration for this popular DIY. 

We happened to have a couple of 4x4 beams lying around back by the garage, so I asked Greg to cut me a section. They had some warp, but there was a decently long straight section. My dining room table is 72" long with the leaf in it, which we just leave in so the table is always ready for the grandkids to join us for a meal. The section he cut is 37". He used the air compressor to blow off dirt and potential bugs hiding in the crevices of the wood. I used a palm sander on all four sides to smooth out the rough spots and make sure there would be no splinters. 

We got out the Forstner bits and I tried to drill holes by hand, but I got two done and knew my wrists weren't up to the rest. We put that bit on a drill press and I got all my holes the same width and depth. 

I spaced the holes randomly, but first found the center of the 4x4 and moved from there in each direction. There are 18 holes. The random spacing bothered me after I was done, and I wished I had just gone in a straight line up the middle. 

It took a few days for the candles to arrive, and they were the most spendy part of this project. Once those went in the holes, I liked the randomness of the spacing much better. There are a few inches on each end of the beam, in case I wanted it shortened. For now, the length is good. 

Here it is filled with candles and on our Thanksgiving table. 

This was a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving when we celebrated virtually with family in a few other states. We did have a candlelight dinner that night, and there was plenty of light for us to still be seen on Zoom. And the heat. It didn't set off the smoke alarms, but I had to quick change out of long sleeves for a summer shirt - sitting at the table with all of those candles was too hot for long sleeves. 

I wish I had a photo of this all lit up, but I currently do not, and it's late, so I'm not going to clean off the table and set it up right now. That just means there'll be a part 2 to show you just how pretty it is tomorrow night. 

I realize this might be a bit too rustic for many, but it fits right in here. I like it much more than anticipated. 

As for the rest of the table, placemats are from walmart, as is the flatware. Plates are Mikasa French Countryside (from our wedding registry), napkins are Amazon. The napkin rings were purchased from a small shop online. Those crystal glasses were 99¢ each at Goodwill last winter. I got them out and washed them as I set the table. Then, while we were eating and chatting, I tried to pick up my glass, but the bottom fell off the stem and spilled my drink all over the tablecloth. We figure it had been broken previously and glued back together before being donated. Just a tip to check that glassware next time before purchase...

Okay, that's it for me tonight. It's posting late, but three days in a row. Woo hoo!