I’ll keep this short, but I feel the need to remind everyone who loves decorating: There is a reason the manufacturers put the warning “Do not leave candle unattended” on their products!!! After our lovely Labor Day Eve dinner party (see “Summer Breeze” under the Summer tab), I decided to keep the candles burning so that we could enjoy it for a bit longer after doing the dishes. My husband and I had not been in the house for more than a minute after clearing the dishes when I saw the reflection of flames in the window. We dashed out and, luckily, extinguished the fire within 30 seconds before it spread to the house. The wind had kicked up and blown the linen over the flames. The only casualties were the table linen, 3 of the centerpiece items (the linen fused to the sides of the glass), the top of the table, and my pride. We could have lost our home or, more tragically, our lives.
Please, please, please be careful! Evening tablescapes are fabulous with tons of candlelight, but candles can be dangerous if you don’t watch them closely! I learned that the hard way!
Please join Susan and some of the other tablescapers for more 2010 Tablescaping Bloopers!
Tablescapes at Table /Twenty-One 
Oh my! That’s so very frightening!! I’m so glad you had no serious damage!! A very good reminder that it only takes a second to forever change one’s life. I’ve begun using the battery operated faux wax candles for that very reason. They make some very realistic looking faux candles now.
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Mona, thank you! It does only take a moment! I use the LED candles on occasion, but I couldn’t do it this time because I would have had to have completely dismantled the larger centerpieces to turn the candles on. I went with the real deal, and you see what happened because of my carelessness. I will NEVER leave a candle unattended again!!! This really scared me! If I have to leave the area, I’ll just blow them out and then re-light them when I return. Hope you had a good holiday!
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oops! My friend had this happen on Christmas eve one year! They left the living room and had to replace the carpets and pain and draperies but only in that room, they truly nearly lost their home! Glad you saw it and caught it. I truly am enjoying the bloopers and plan to take photos of them and save them for next year!
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OMG.. you are soo lucky. what a horrible thing to have happen, but what a cheap lesson to learn. I’m glad you were not harmed and that your home is okay.
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Good Warning, and not a funny blooper at all. Glad everyone was safe.
Yvonne
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Yikes! This is one of my greatest fears when I use candles. Glad you are all safe.
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Oh my goodness, you were so lucky to catch this in time. We turn our backs for a moment, and disaster can strike.
Thanks for visiting with me and my bloop-up and thank you for a warning we should all pay attention to.
Happy New Year
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Isn’t it scary when something like this happens? While I haven’t burned a tablecloth, I have burned a wooden candleholder. In college. I woke up and fortunately, I smelled smoke. It has started burning down into the holder and could have so easily burned ALL NIGHT and killed me. This is a wonderful warning and good reminder. Thanks. And I’m glad you and your home were safe.
XO,
Sheila:-)
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Whoa, Sheila!!! It would have been even worse for you since it was indoors!!! Both of our experiences (and I’m sure that of many others!) just proves how much respect we need to have for fire. It can be your friend, but it can turn on you in a heartbeat! Have a good week, and thanks for stopping by!
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I’m glad you posted about this. Thank God you and your husband caught it but you’re right.. never leave it unattended..I left a candle burning in a jar that was also inside a vase. The flame never died out and it got so hot it cracked the outer vase.. I just happened to look over because the flame was higher. – i blew it out real quick.. just glad i caught it too…
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