Upcycled Candle Jars

I have an obsession with candles; I burn them in my home on a near constant basis, and am always left with a number of jars that are far too pretty to throw out. I've discovered that upcycling them is easy; with a creative eye, I've found several uses for my most favorite candle jars.

I thought this Voluspa candle from Anthropologie, with its stunning black and gold jar, was fabulous the first time I laid eyes on it, and the Makassar Ebony & Peach candle inside had the most amazing,  sexy fragrance. The jar was too glamorous to toss so I now use it to house some of my jewelry.

 
I couldn't bear the thought of parting with this White Tea Thyme candle jar, also from Anthropologie--it's achingly sweet with it's painted hummingbird and bright flowers. After cleaning it out, I decided it would make the perfect candy jar; the candy colors make a brilliant background for the words on the glass.

 

I bought these Glade candles because the shimmery orange holders match the warm colors in my living room. I knew I could easily clean them and reuse for tea light holders. To make them even prettier, I "beaded" them with fabric paint, which gave them a sort of exotic feel that I love. They would also make perfect drinking glasses at a festive, Moroccan-themed dinner party, no?

 

These simple glass holders aren't necessarily pretty or special, but when I spotted the candles in Target (also Glade) I knew they would make the perfect mini dessert cups. I can also use them for soup shooters or any other mini appetizer I can think of.  And because they're so inexpensive I can stock up and use them for a tasting party.

There are different ways to clean candle wax out of the jars, but I've found what works for me is to freeze the jar, then use a sharp knife or metal skewer to break up the hardened wax. Then I just give it a good scrub with hot water and soap until all the wax is gone. 

photography by Angelica Golden