Thursday, June 11, 2009

DIY RUSTIC WEDDING CENTERPIECES

I adore all things rustic and natural, and with the economy still hurting I guess, I should figure out how to DIY.  Once Wed as created a simple way to make rustic cake stands or centerpieces.
What You’ll Need
A Cross-Cut Wood Plaque (round or oval)
A Cross-Section of a Tree Limb   (Make sure the top and bottom are parallel)
Titebond Ultimate Wood Glue (or a similar extra strong wood glue)
A Large Wood Clamp

Instructions

Cross-cut wood plaques can be found in your local craft store or online at Hofcraft. The come in a variety of sizes ranging from 5 inches to 12 inches in diameter.   They are usually found in the section with the wood-burning kits and other wood crafts.  They are clean, sanded and ready to use.

1.  Take your tree limb section and wipe the cut surface clean.   Put a generous amount of extra strong wood glue on the surface. (see figure 1)

2.  Place the limb section in the center of the back side your wood plaque and press down firmly.  Wipe away any excess glue with a clean, damp cloth. (see figure 2)

3.  Place the two joined pieces in a wood clamp and let dry for at least one hour.   If you don’t have a wood clamp, you can stack a few heavy books on top of your pedestal until it’s dry.   (see figure 3)

4.  Use your pedestals to display cakes and desserts (see figure 4) or use as a base for a centerpiece.   If you want to place food directly on the wood surface, coat it first with a food-safe wood sealer.  If you would like to keep the wood it’s natural color, place a piece of parchment paper beneath your cake or dessert.

What it Cost
Wood Plaques $3.99 - $5.99 each
Tree Limb - Free from our wood pile!
Wood Glue - $3.35

42 comments:

  1. I am planning to use some wood disks that my dad cut from a tree stump, but I'm concerned about bugs on the tables. I don't want to use any toxic pesticides, but I also don't want creepy-crawlies on the cake! Any ideas?

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    1. Maybe try and use a wood coating of some sorts? Like a sealant? Just an idea...don't know if it would work or not, but worth a thought!

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    2. Nuke pieces in the microwave or store them in the freezer for a week before putting them together

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  2. so how do you keep the bugs off the stump so they are not crawling on the tables and cake?

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  3. Place them in the deep freeze for a week. That will definitely kill any bugs you may be concerned about.

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  4. Thank you for this post. Funny how the universe gives you what you need. I was looking for new direction and came to your site. You continue to be a source of inspiration.

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  5. um, amazing. I am crafting up a post for my blog based on wood table settings/center piece inspiration I found via Anthro and was looking for places to buy oval wood place settings and came upon this! LOVE this idea and totally want to try it. I'm also including you in my post. Check it out Monday. :)

    MeggyD from www.ChasingDavies.blogspot.com

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  6. Pretty good post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon.

    Susan Graham

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  7. If you put the wood in the freezer it will not kill the bugs, it will only make them dormant. When the wood thaws out, the bugs will wake up and still come out and crawl accross the table.

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  8. Put the wood in plastic zip-lock type bags or space bags (air tight bags)leave them for a week. I guess it suffocates them. I heard on tv.

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  9. I love the wood center pieces, that's a great idea, very nicely done.

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  10. The cake is sooo cute... the birds and the flowers make it more beautiful. I'm loving it.

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  11. The freezer will kill the bugs because I did a project for my college environmental biology class where we had to collect various bugs to mount, pin, and preserve as well as classify by genus and species. Anyway, I collected bugs at home (from the garage, yard, shed, etc.) and kept them in plastic tubberware containers and put in the freezer for a few weeks until I got enough to take to school and dip them into the appropriate chemical to preserve them. The insects were definitely dead, even when they did thaw out.

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  12. Thank you for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do some research on this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I'm very glad to see such wonderful information being shared freely out there.
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  13. My husband works for a tree company in dawsonville.he comes across some beautifull wood peaces.cant wait to use this idea in our may wedding.

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  14. Any ideas how to preserve the wood for a few months? My wedding is not for 4 months but I would like to make these stands now.

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  15. In reply to how to preserve for a few months-- should be fine without any preservation. Just like a cut piece of wood in your woodpile would be unchanged for a few months. If you tried to keep for a few years it might dry or crack but a few weeks shouldn't make a difference. I would just make it and put it in a box or undisturbed area

    Going to do this for my niece- thanks!

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  16. Elegance can be easily achieved with the right decorations and materials. This idea is very beautiful because this wooden centerpiece compliments the cake. Your eyes would focus instantly on the cake and the rustic decor adds drama to the whole table setting.

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  17. DIY reustic wedding centeepiece is given in the post here.know details from here

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  18. This is a good post. This post give truly quality information.I’m definitely going to look into it.Really very here.thank you so much.Keep up the good useful tips are provided works

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  20. This is an excellent post. I am really happy that I came across it. Thanks a lot.

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  21. I am using these for my wedding in April. We cut the wood and treated a spray shellac and the pieced DID split and the bark started falling off all within about 3 weeks. We decided that we would need to wait until the week before the wedding and make them again.

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  22. I would love to buy one of these if someone is making to sell, please?

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