Eucalyptus Centerpiece with Upcycled Wine Bottles

DIY: Eucalyptus Centerpiece with Upcycled Wine Bottles

Whether you’re looking for budget-friendly wedding decor or a beautiful focal point for your dining table, this eucalyptus centerpiece made with upcycled wine bottles will give your space a simple elegance. It’s quick and easy to put together, which means even the most uncrafty can take on this project ;) Here’s what you’ll need to get started… 

1. Wine bottles

First, you’ll need two clean clear wine bottles. Ideally, you’d upcycle wine bottles (you can ask friends if they can save a bottle for you if you’re not a wine drinker), but if you need to, here’s an inexpensive set you can buy.

If you want bottles that are a little funky, this set is fun.

2. Eucalyptus Branches

For the eucalyptus branches, you can either buy a fresh bunch of eucalyptus or get faux branches, like these, these, these, or these. There are pros and cons to both options. One nice thing about faux branches is they won’t break as easily when you’re putting them into the wine bottles or pulling them out. 

You’ll want to cut your eucalyptus branches to the desired length. You can eyeball the length by standing the branch up beside the bottle before you cut it.

Once you have your eucalyptus branches ready, put a single branch in each wine bottle. Then, fill the bottles with filtered water.

3. Taper Candles

You’ll need two taper candles. I like these dripless 12” natural beeswax candles (also in white), these dripless 10” rustic taupe candles, and these 12” terra cotta candles. It can be tricky to get candles to stay in wine bottles, but here’s a trick: light your candle and then tilt it so a few drops of wax drip onto the mouth of the bottle. Then, quickly push the bottom of the candle into the mouth of the bottle while the wax is still warm. Hold it in place for about 30 seconds or until the wax hardens. Here’s a video tutorial.

4. Wooden Slab

Add a rustic detail with a raw-edge wooden slab. Another pretty option here. And if you need to buy in bulk for an event, here’s an option.

What do you think? Would you make this eucalyptus centerpiece? Let me know if you give it a try in the comments!

Weekend Scrolling: 02.17.23

Hi! How was your week? I felt like I checked a bunch of random stuff off my list this week. You know how you have some weeks where you feel like you didn’t get anything done (even if you did), and others where you feel like you crushed it? I finally had a productive-feeling week.

I’ve been trying to think of ways to add something extra to my Friday posts. In the past, they’ve included a bunch of links that caught my eye that week — which I’ll continue to do, but I want these lists to feel a little more personal too. One idea is to include pictures I’ve taken to document stuff during the week. I take a ton of photos every week, and I’m always curious about what other people are taking photos of too. So I’ll start by sharing some of my camera roll, and let me know what you think of this new format in the comments. Open to any suggestions to make this weekly series more fun!

Here are 11 things I read/ate/watched/listened to this week…

1. Chickpea and spinach stew. Highly recommend if you like chickpeas.

2. “On the Relief of Rihanna,” by Anna Pitoniak for her Substack, The Responsible Liar. “I’m good, her body language said. My identity doesn’t hinge on this performance. I’m doing this my way. I’m doing this because I feel like doing it. The magic didn’t happen because she was trying to prove something. The magic happened because she had seen past the proving.”

3. Crocuses! In mid-February! That’s like a month early for Brooklyn.

4. Katelyn Tuohy, an American long-distance runner and sophomore at NC State, break the collegiate record in the indoor 3000m at the Millrose Games, a replay on Peacock.

5. “Devil’s Horns,” a sunrise during a partial eclipse in Qatar.

6. A slice of my friend’s birthday cake, made by another friend, that was a delightful, mysterious explosion of fruity flavors!

7. The Home Depot Beat.

8. This adorable Valentine’s Day card by my friend and artist Liz Groeschen. LOVE.

9. From Park Slope Ale House, a bowl of tasty hand-cut fries.

10. The Edge of Tomorrow. I’ve rewatched this a few times now and always enjoy it.

11. A sunny walk along the New Croton Dam in Cronton-On-Hudson. Worth the short drive north of the city if you’re looking for an easy day trip and a cute town to wander around.

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!