Recycled Glass Jar Candle Holders
Reuse Jars as Functional Art with These Stylish Designs
Sep 19, 2009
Glass jars have many uses once their original contents have been emptied. One functional and decorative use for empty jars is holding candles. Jars of any size can be used; baby food jars work well for tealight candles, while larger jars like those from pickles or spaghetti sauce will accommodate pillar candles. Here are a couple of ideas for decorating glass jar candle holders.
Glass Marbles
Flat glass half-marbles are commonly sold as craft supplies or as colorful fill for fishbowls and aquariums, and can often be found at dollar stores. They are ideal for decorating glass jar candle holders, as the light will shine through the colored glass.
Supplies:
- Empty glass jar, washed thoroughly
- Flat glass marbles
- Glue (read the packaging carefully to make sure the glue will hold glass and will dry clear)
Instructions:
- Use a small dab of glue to attach each glass marble to the jar. Start by making a ring of them around the bottom of the jar.
- Work upward, adding additional rows of glass marbles, offsetting each row so that the marbles nest against each other. Continue until the jar is completely covered with glass marbles.
- Place an appropriately sized candle in the jar and light.
Tissue Paper
Another material ideal for decorating glass jar candle holders is tissue paper. Using white tissue paper gives a frosted look, and it also comes in a wide array of colors to match any design scheme. Covering the exterior of the jar with tissue paper will give a soft, glowing effect.
Supplies:
- Empty glass jar, washed thoroughly
- Tissue paper
- Decoupage medium
Instructions:
- Tear the tissue paper into smaller pieces.
- Cover the outside of the jar with decoupage medium. Stick the pieces of tissue paper to the jar, covering the entire outside surface.
- Seal the paper in with several more coats of decoupage medium, allowing each coat to dry before adding the next.
- Insert an appropriately sized candle.
The candle holders can be further embellished by adding other small touches. Try gluing an old costume brooch or other forgotten jewelry to the front of the candle holder to add more visual interest, or wrap the jar in a grosgrain ribbon and tie it in a bow. When embellishing with flammable materials, keep safety in mind. Be sure to avoid putting them too near the mouth of the jar where they may come into close proximity of the flame.
With either design idea, try making a matched set using different sized jars. A set of three matching recycled jar candle holders in varied sizes makes a lovely gift!
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