Milk Crate with Mason Jar Centerpiece

I returned to teaching last August after switching careers a few years back, and I am enjoying my first summer off in about 10 years. It is GLORIOUS! I have so much time now, and I have been very productive. After scrolling through thousands of pins on Pintrest and exploring a bunch of awesome blogs, I decided to try out blogging myself. So here goes...

We'll start with my deck. Over the past few weeks I planted flowers in my pots, cleaned and sealed the floor boards, and bought new furniture. When I finished putting my furniture together, I snapped this picture to share with my friends. My dog, Stella, jumped into the shot when she saw my camera. As you can see, she's quite a character!

Last night I replaced the light fixture outside, hoping that would be the finishing touch my deck needed. (Like I said, I've been productive.) While it was a definite improvement, it simply wasn't enough to give my outdoor oasis the proper mood lighting I wanted.

I decided I needed lighting that was a little more romantic and could also serve as the centerpiece of my new conversation set. I had an image of mason jars and candles in my head, so I set out antiquing this morning. 

Here is the project I completed today after checking out some really cute antique shops in Old Town Bowie, Maryland. I found an assortment of mason jars and milk bottles ranging in price from $2 to $8, and the wooden crate was $25 at the Bowie Antique Depot. I bought a bunch of unscented votive candles for $2 at Pier 1 and a flower branch, which I placed in the milk bottles. My mom recommended pouring sand in the bottom of the mason jars to keep the candle wax from sticking, but the sand also keeps the votives in place. (Thanks mom!)   

Voila!