If you are looking for DIY gifts to give friends and family this holiday season, you’ve come to the right place! These candles are fun to make, and easy to do in a large batch to cover all your gift giving. Check out the supplies and instructions below.
WHAT YOU NEED
Mason jars (I like the bigger ones, more wax equals longer burn times!)
Wax (I used soy wax, but any kind of candle wax will do)
Candle wicks (be sure to get long enough ones!)
Skewers (you’ll need these to center the wicks!)
Candle color dye (optional, you could just go with the natural color of the wax)
Paint (I used Behr Interior flat in an array of colors from Home Depot)
Paint brush (I love these)
THE INSTRUCTIONS
- Cover your surface with newspapers and turn your mason jar upside down. Stir your paint so it’s mixed evenly and paint the first coat on the outside of the mason jar. The second coat of paint will even out any streaks, or try dabbing the paint on with your brush.
2. Paint a second coat once the first coat is dry, and let it dry for a few hours.
3. Once the mason jar is dry, place the wick sticker to the bottom of the wick, and stick to the inside bottom center of the jar. Do not cut the wick yet, leave it the full length.
4. Take a skewer and rest it across the top of the mouth of the mason jar. Wrap the excess wick once around it. Adjust the wick so it travels up the center of the mason jar. The skewer helps hold the wick in place as the wax hardens. (For more details how to set this up, check out my votive candle DIY.)
5. In a double broiler, melt your wax. Once melted, remove from heat and add your fragrance oil. A common amount to use is 1oz per pound of wax. Often your wax will tell you how much fragrance oil it can hold, so check the label! Add the candle dye until you reach your desired color.
6. I let the wax cool slightly before pouring it, so it’s not so hot to work with. It won’t solidify that quickly, so you will have plenty of time to work with it. Carefully pour the wax into the mason jar while keeping the skewer with the wrapped wick in place. Once you fill the wax to the desired level, tighten the wick around the skewer again and be sure it’s in the center.
7. Let the wax harden. Give it several hours. It might look hardened but the center might still be solidifying! So be patient.
8. When you are sure it’s cooled, you can remove the wick from the skewer and clip it to about 1/4″.
9. Take your sand paper and go over the textured, raised parts of the outside of the jar. I love how this looks because it creates a vintage aesthetic, and makes the paint look less flat and more dimensional. It also looks beautiful when you light the candle and the sanded parts glow more.
10. Optional step: print out round stickers for the mason jar lids. Include a cool graphic or a message to your candle receiver!
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