When birch branches began falling in our yard, I knew it could only mean one thing--it was time to attempt Rebecca's Advent Log. Our selected branch was small, so instead of Rebecca's glorious ruby tapers, we chose utilitarian emergency candles from CVS. (This may sound like an odd selection, but the emergency candles were readily available, relatively inexpensive, and the perfect size for our handy branch.) The ample Christmas candle is a mottled cranberry, guaranteed to give the room a merry glow on December 25th!
Here are some photos of the process:
Dh went to Sears with a sample candle for just the right drill bit, making the job relatively easy.
Perhaps my favorite part of the process was watching Agnes' reaction. How politely she suggested that perhaps the living room was not the best place for a project such as this, and how maternally she held on to Maureen and Patrick, warning them to avoid both drill and saw! Dh and I had to laugh--she is turning into the two of us!
(It may not look it, but the branch is extremely steady and well supported by three chutes Dh sawed and sanded to the proper size and keeping it from rolling.)
Now, needless to say, this is still something of a work in progress--it will need fresh evergreens from the yard, and the red candle, too large to be drilled into the branch, will be raised. Our wedding picture must be stored away lest it go up in flames.
Still, don't you love it?! When Dh was finished, I sat on the couch for some time admiring the way he brought Rebecca's family tradition to life (at least to a modest extent) right here in our living room!
Thank you, Rebecca! With each candle we light this Advent, a prayer will go up from our home to yours!
Alice
This is simply beautiful! You've inspired me.
Posted by: Erin | November 20, 2006 at 05:20 AM
That's beautiful!
Posted by: Jennifer | November 20, 2006 at 05:49 AM
It's wonderful! I do love it!
Posted by: Karen E. | November 20, 2006 at 08:26 AM
Oh Alice I am giddy with delight! I LOVE the small white candles and the one that you chose for Christmas Day! It is such fun to see the log adapted for your family, with your own personality and creativity! Yippee! :)
And I am thrilled to see that it CAN be done with a drill bit rather than a press, makes the whole process more friendly. Can you share what size bit Chris used to drill the holes?
Posted by: Rebecca | November 20, 2006 at 08:52 AM
Thank you, dears!
Rebecca, I will find out the size of the drill bit. More than once, dh remarked, "This drill bit is perfect!" as he worked. He brought the candle with him to the store and found an exact fit. The candles are very steady and secure.
Posted by: Alice Gunther | November 20, 2006 at 09:10 AM
Beautiful Alice! I've never seen this sort of Advent candle branch before. But why, oh why does that drill in that birch branch on top of the gorgeous wood floor make me so nervous??? :)
Posted by: Cheryl | November 20, 2006 at 10:38 AM
Beautiful!
Posted by: Katherine in TX | November 20, 2006 at 12:51 PM
What a great decoration! You have one wonderful dh for doing that. :)
You probably think I'm strange for saying this after asking about your paint colors too, but I just love the scene on your fireplace mantle. After we painted our living room I was debating painting our mantle white (it is now brown and black)...I never thought to paint a scene on it! Or rather, since I can't paint worth beans, ask my *mother* to paint a scene on it, lol. :)
Posted by: Amy | November 20, 2006 at 12:54 PM
Thank you, dearest Amy (and all of you sweet friends)! Would you believe that scene was already there when we bought the house, and I hadn't noticed it during our many walk throughs of the place? I did not see it until our first day moving here, and I exclaimed, "I LOVE THAT SCENE!!! It looks like Fatima!" It actually has a church in the center with a little cross on the steeple, and the blue mantle reminds me of the Blessed Mother!
I do not know if the previous owner hired an artist to paint it or if the mantle was purchased with a scene already in place. It is difficult to tell by looking at it.
Thank you so much, and thanks to all of you for your kind comments!!! Rebecca's ideas always earn me a great deal of praise! : ) : ) : )
Posted by: Alice Gunther | November 20, 2006 at 01:06 PM
Gorgeous, Alice! I hope that when the time comes, you will post pictures of it all alight!
And God bless precious Agnes. She has such a heart for tiny children. I wonder where she gets that?
Posted by: Jeannine | November 20, 2006 at 01:24 PM
That really is gorgeous. How sweet your Agnes is. Ever since reading Rebecca's post about her Advent log, I've been wanting to find a tree branch to use. Unfortunately, we live in a neighborhood that does not have big trees.
Posted by: KC | November 20, 2006 at 03:33 PM
It gorgeous! I would love to see it with the greenery too.
Posted by: Cheryl | November 20, 2006 at 09:42 PM
I adore how we share ideas and adapt for our own families in this wonderful way! What a merry glow Advent will have in your home.
Posted by: Jennifer | November 21, 2006 at 08:16 AM
I love this, Alice. I showed my dh your wonderful pictures and he says..."now,... don't get carried away" LOL I say..."Too Late!" ;o) I love it! You know, my dh really does love power tools and a mission ;o)
Posted by: Donna Marie | November 21, 2006 at 10:05 AM
It's so lovely and what a great job he did!!
Posted by: Meredith | November 21, 2006 at 12:50 PM
Oh, Alice! What a beautiful family treasure - and memories in the making! I can't wait to see it filled with Christmas greenery! And now I'm going to show this post to Bill, who has several birch logs piled beside our shed ... ;)
Posted by: Dawn | November 21, 2006 at 07:42 PM
How wonderful! I hope you post once again once the evergreens are in place. So great!
Posted by: Colleen | November 22, 2006 at 02:25 PM
That's so pretty!
Posted by: Beck | November 29, 2006 at 10:52 AM