Yule log is a natural holiday centerpiece
Dec. 19—CHAZY — Locals got their yule on at "Make a Holiday Centerpiece" with instructors Ricky and Priscilla Laurin at the Alice T. Miner Museum on Wednesday evening.
Participants used natural materials — birch, evergreens, pine cones — to create a beautiful candlelit centerpiece for a holiday accent.
"My method is something that I learned in 4-H probably, 40, 50 years ago," Ricky said.
"My mother was a 4-H leader, and this was project we would do every year. Basically, I went out and got a bunch of birch logs, cut them into six-to-10-inch pieces, and then I made a flat spot by running them on the table saw or I put little birch branches to make feet for them. I use one screw, so they can be adjustable."
Participants selected a log and had a choice of candles in two sizes.
"They would pick if they wanted one or two or whatever they wanted, and I would drill a hole by measuring and make sure they were centered," he said.
"We went out and cut a bunch of greens. We had cedar, Scotch pine and Christmas tree. They could staple or glue whatever on to their yule log. Some made them very simple, and others covered them in greens, whatever their choice was."
The yule log is a fun project, and it doesn't take long.
"Everybody can do it to their touch," Ricky said.
"There were little colored balls for Christmas ornaments, bows. Then, we had a bunch of inexpensive Christmas decorations that were donated."
The yule centerpiece will last a month or two.
"We used to do them like the first week of December when I was a kid, and they would last past the first of the year," Ricky said.
"They can always be reused because a lot of them stapled stuff on. You pop the staples off, the branches come off, and you can start again next year."
Email: rcaudell@pressrepublican.com
Twitter@RobinCaudell
