Valentine Candlesticks

I was decorating my mantel for Valentine's Day and something was off. The candlesticks I was using were thin and black and didn't fit the vibe of the overall mantel decor. I decided to hurry and make some! These wood burned Valentine candlesticks turned out so cute!

Supplies for Valentine Candlesticks

(affiliate links)

Branches

Drill with Bore Bit or Paddle Bit

Wood Burning Tool

I would have prefered the look of birch branches, but I used what I had on hand. Our poplar tree blew down in a storm several years ago so I have been using the wood from that tree in as many projects as I can ever since. I cut the branches to three different sizes for varying heights.

I chose a bit that was roughly the same size as the base of the candle I would be using. The bit has a pokey center that you press down into the center of the wood before you start drilling.

Make sure to grip the branch very tightly as it can jerk around. I ended up putting on leather work gloves after drilling the first one.

If the hole ends up being too big for your candle (even store bought candlesticks can be loose) you can wrap tape or string around the base of your candle to beef it up enough to fit snugly into the candlestick.

If you have been around for any length of time, then you know I love and excuse to pull out my wood burning tool.

I decided to freehand the heart and initials since it would look more authentic, like it had actually been carved by hand years before. If you are not very confident in your freehand skills, you could easily draw it on beforehand with a pencil or use a stencil.