DIY: Turn Vintage Glassware into Homemade Candles
It’s official: candle making is chic.
If you have any old glassware laying around that is no longer being used, this is the perfect DIY project for you. If not, check out your local Goodwill or antique store for inexpensive glass containers in need of a chic revamp. I used a variety of different shapes and sizes to create a vintage-inspired oasis in my own home!
What you’ll need:
Glass container
Candle wicks
Hot glue gun
Popsicle stick (or a utensil will work)
Household Paraffin Wax
Candle scent
Saucepan
An empty Smuckers jam jar or something similar
Metal cookie cutter
Choose the glassware you’d like to use.
The wick needs to be attached to the bottom of your container. First, tie a knot at the end of a roll of candle wick. Use a hot glue gun to stick the wick’s knot to the bottom of the canister. Hold the wick in place by laying a popsicle stick on top of the container. Tie a knot with the wick at the top of the jar to hold it in place.
Measure out how much wax you would need to fill your container, then double it. That’s how much wax you will need to melt. For a quicker melting process, cut up the wax blocks into smaller pieces.
Next, you need to melt the wax. Create a water bath using a saucepan, an empty Smuckers jam jar or something similar, and a metal cookie cutter. Place the metal cookie cutter at the bottom of the saucepan and place the glass jar on top. Fill the saucepan with water until it hits approximately one inch of the jar. Set the heat on low and let the water boil.
Add the wax into the jar. While waiting for the wax to melt, add any fragrances and dyes. For me, the wax took approximately 6 to 10 minutes to completely melt, depending on how much I added at a time.
Pour the wax into the glassware container. Use a paper towel around the edge if you’re worried about accidentally pouring wax onto the lip of the jar.
Wait for the wax to cool! It may take around an hour for the wax to completely harden.
Trim the wick. Your candle wick should be less than half an inch long.
