Whether you have several leftover jars and you are just not quite sure what to do with them, or if you simply love the idea of putting candles in jars, you have come to the right place! We have so many ideas that you are going to love!
Maybe you are looking for advice on how to make your own candle in a jar, how you can use candles in a jar for your next event, or information on different kinds of candles you can use in jars, but no matter what, we are here to help! So let’s dive right in and go through all of our amazing ideas for candles in jars!
Make Mason Jar Candles
One of the most time-consuming, but also most rewarding ways to enjoy candles in jars is to make the entire candle yourself! The good news is, that we have the step-by-step directions right here so you can make some fragrant and beautiful candles in jars in just a few steps.
While any jar will work, mason jars are often the best option as they have a wide opening and therefore you will be able to continue to light and enjoy your candle even as it melts.
First, let’s find out what tools and ingredients you will need to make your candles in jars:
- Jars
- Pre-tabbed candle wicks.
- Metal pot and saucepan, or double boiler.
- Soy candle wax flakes.
- Color dye blocks or flakes.
- Essential oils.
- Scissors.
- Chopstick or piece of cutlery.
Most of these items can be found at your local arts and crafts store, and you can also order anything you need online. Once you have what you need, simply follow these instructions:
- Cut the wicks – It’s important to note that the wicks should be slightly taller than the jar itself.
- Prepare the wax. You can find out how much wax you are going to need by filling the jar twice with flakes, when they melt, they will fit perfectly!
- Melt the wax. Place water in the saucepan or in the bottom of the double boiler, and add the measured wax to the metal pot or top of the boiler to melt over the heating water.
- Remove the wax from heat – Wait until the flakes are completely melted, then take the wax off the heat and allow it to cool to a medium temperature.
- Add the color flakes or blocks. – We recommended starting with a small amount and gently stirring and adding until you reach your desired color.
- Add the fragrance. – Essential oils are a great way to add fragrance to your candle, once again, add a few drops at a time and stir until it reaches the desired scent.
- Wait for the wax to cool completely.
- Then pour your candle into the jar around your cut wick.
Tricks of the trade: Place a chopstick or piece of cutlery across the top of the jar and tie the top of the wick to it, allowing the rest of the wick to float down into the jar.
Once the jar feels cool to the touch, you can remove the wick holder and cut it so it protrudes about one-half inch from the top of the candle.
That’s it! Now, your mason jar (or any jar) candle is ready to enjoy!
Holiday Candles In Jars
The holidays are a beautiful time to decorate your home, and what will look better next to your festive decorations than one or even several themed and scented candles in jars! If you are thinking of making your own candles in jars, as we outlined above, you can easily make them holiday candles by adding certain scents such as:
- Pine
- Cinnamon
- Spiced Orange
- Fig
- Chestnut
- Sugar cookie
- Gingerbread
- Vanilla
- Pecan
You can certainly find some of these scents in essential oils, but they can also be found in candle fragrance blocks. If using fragrance blocks, you can still add them just as you would essential oils as the candle wax begins to cool.
Whether you have made your holiday candles in jars or simply purchased classic candles from the store, you can decorate them with holly, burlap, lace, or any other material that makes your candle go from normal to festive in seconds!
Certainly, take ideas from the list above, but anything you find magical and festive in your own mind can make for great holiday candle decoration.
Weddings Candles In Jars
Weddings are certainly a time for romance, and of course, celebration! Candles in jars can be such a simple but effective way to set the perfect lighting and mood at your wedding. Luckily, candles in jars are also an incredibly cost-efficient way to decorate for your wedding!
As you know now, you can make the candles in jars yourself if you want to pick that perfect color, scent, and jar design, but you can also find them in almost any store or online at a variety of sites. No matter which candles you choose, you will want to decorate them to fit your specific style.
There are a variety of materials you can use, as well as size, placement, and even scent. While technically any kind of candle can be used at a wedding, tea light candles are an incredibly romantic option. So keep reading! In the next section, we are going to teach you how to create the most beautiful tea light candles in jars!
Tea Lights In Jars
One of the most magical sights is dozens or even hundreds of candles in jars filled with those little tea lights we all know and love. However, there is a bit of a trick to getting these candles just right. The first thing you may notice when trying to make tea lights stay lit in jars is that they are hard to light when they are at the bottom of the jar, and often go out when you try to place them after lighting.
To fix this problem, we have a few simple solutions:
- If you are using large jars, such as mason jars, place the tea lights down first and then light their tiny wicks with a long firelighter.
- Sometimes tea lights move around when you are trying to place the jars in just the right place and the light will, unfortunately, go out. To combat this issue, you can place a bit of hot glue under the candle before lightly dropping it into the jar.
You can also make your teal light candles a little more festive by placing sand, rocks, crystals,or anything else that fits your decorative style in the bottom of the jar before placing the tea light inside.
Special tip: if you are making tea light candles for a big event that will last several hours, you may want to have extra tea lights on hand and someone who will pop around after a few hours and change the emptied tea lights for new ones as they don’t last forever.
Macrame Hanging Candles
Macrame hangings have come into style recently as we just can’t get enough! If you are looking for a fun craft to try, you can definitely make your own macrame hanger for your homemade or store-bought candle in a jar, and it can hang absolutely anywhere!
Macrame is a fairly easy hobby for beginners, and it is really just a series of knots! The best news is, there are tutorials all over the internet so you can get tying, hanging, and enjoying today!
Even if you don’t want your candles to hang, a little macrame jacket around the jar can make your candle stand out and add a little flair to any home or event.
Beach Themed Candles In Jars
While there is a never-ending list of themes you could incorporate into your candles in jars, one of our favorites is making them feel like little mini beaches! This process is super simple and fun, and it can add a little flair to your home, beach house, wedding, or even just by your bathtub!
All you need to do is add a little sand to the bottom of a jar, add a few small seashells, and then place a tea light or small-medium-sized candle inside. We recommend choosing a scent that reminds you of the beach to complete the experience!
Bug Repellent Candles in Jars
If you enjoy a picnic in the park, a barbeque in your backyard, or any event or night out in the beautiful evening air, there may be one thing that keeps the night from being perfect: pesky little bugs or mosquitos.
Once again, candles in jars are here to save the day! And not only will they keep you free from a night of itching, but they will also enhance your night with their beauty. There are actually several ways to easily make bug repellent candles, so let’s break them down and you can pick your favorite!
No Wax? No Problem
For these incredibly easy bug repellent candles, you will need:
- A jar.
- Floating candle.
- Fresh lemons or limes.
- Fresh basil sprigs.
- Lemongrass essential oil.
To make the candle, simply place a few slices of lemon and lime in the jar with a fresh basil sprig. Then add water until about three-quarters of the way full. Add a few drops of lemongrass essential oil and place the floating candle on top!
Citronella Candles
There are several ways to make citronella candles in jars so that you can enjoy a bug-free night and have beautiful decorations at the same time! One way is to follow the instructions above to make your own candle and when adding the fragrance, simply use citronella.
The other option, if you already have a candle in a jar that is not citronella scented, is to light your candle and allow the wax to melt, and then add several drops of citronella oil. You can also make your own floating candle, as mentioned above, but with citronella instead of lemongrass oil.
No matter which option you choose, these candles will be a welcome addition at any outdoor gathering, you can place them around your yard or table, hang them with your new macrame hanging, or even decorate them with some of the themes we’ve already described!
Final Thoughts
Candles in jars are stylish, beautiful, functional, and fun! And luckily you have several ideas of how to make your own candle from scratch, or how to decorate or enhance candles in jars you already have!
We hope you have fun making some of these candles in jars and of course, be creative! Your candle in a jar can be absolutely anything you want it to be.
