How to Make Canned Jar Candles

Canned jar candles are one of the easiest types of candle decorations you can make. This is a great craft to do with kids because of the creativity, versatility and ease of the designs. Canned jar candles make beautiful gifts and the best part is that you can easily change them each season without a lot of hassle or time.

Things You'll Need

• Widemouthed vintage canning jars
• Assorted ribbon
• Dried flowers, potpourri or other decorative fillers
• Assorted votive candles
• Glass votive candle holders
• Craft glue
• Work space
• Table

Instructions

1. Find canning jars. You can find vintage canning jars at any craft store or try looking in weekend garage sales as well. Chances are your mother or grandmother canned vegetables and jelly at one point, so ask her if she has any you can use. You can also use your used store bought candle jars that have burned through their wax.

2. Place your votive candles into the glass votive holders. The glass votive jars should be specifically sized for votive candles and the candles should fit snugly into the jars.

3. Fill the jar with the dried flowers or the filler of your choice. Almost anything goes here, but try and fill according to the season. Cinnamon sticks in fall, jelly beans in spring, ornaments in winter etc. How much filler you need will depend on the size of the jar, but you need to fill it high enough that the votive candle holder is in line with the mouth of the canning jar.

4. Place the votive on top of the filler. If the mouths of both jars line up, then you can fill in around the votive holder. With one hand, hold the glass votive holder, while you fill the space between the walls of the canning jar and the walls of the votive holder with the other hand.

5. Tie a ribbon around the mouth of the jar and curl the ribbons with a pair of scissors. Put a dab of craft glue between the glass and the bow of the ribbon to keep it in place.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure that your votive candle holder is steady and balanced on the filler, so that the flame doesn’t tip and start the potpourri on fire.