Turn Glass Jars Into Adorable Candle Holders With This DIY

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While decorative candleholders can be expensive, they also add charm and coziness to a space, making them an extremely tempting purchase. Fortunately, one adorable DIY from Instagrammer @life_art_98 walks you through the process of creating your own candleholders out of glass jars. While she decorates these cute containers for fall, her project is easily customizable to any season or holiday, or can be made in a more neutral color palette to be used year-round. All you'll need is a glass jar, some white paint, Mod Podge, and any decorative elements that take your fancy. Oh, and of course, the candle of your choice!

While the creator does not specify her exact materials or brands, we've compiled a list that will help you recreate her look. Start with an old glass jar in any size so long as it's large enough to hold a small candle — you can even use multiple jars of varying sizes if you want to create an assortment of holders. You'll also need a paint that's designed to adhere to glass, like an acrylic enamel paint — a popular choice for DIYers. 

The content creator also uses a removable sticker to create a paint-free window at the front of her holder. For these, you can use any type of sticker that states it removes easily from glass, which come in a wide variety of shapes, from the simple to the ornate. For decoration, your best bet will be decoupage paper — a thin but strong type of paper with a translucent quality, designed to be glued to surfaces. Finally, you'll need some standard Mod Podge, and the candle of your choice.

If you want to recreate a peep window in the front of your candleholder, start by applying your removable sticker to the middle of the jar. Next, cover your jar in a layer of white paint using a paint sponge. While the paint is still wet, apply your decoupage paper in the layout of your choosing, and then cover with a layer of Mod Podge with a paintbrush. The Instagrammer also applies a line of Mod Podge around her window sticker and embellishes with glitter. When the surface is dry, remove the sticker, and place your candle inside the jar. 

The best part about this DIY is that there are so many ways to customize it. To make cute festive candleholders for Halloween, Christmas, or Easter, find a decoupage paper themed around your holiday of choice. You can also mix up your paint color to complement the season and paper you have chosen, and of course incorporate a scented candle — something to go with your favorite pumpkin spice syrup recipe for fall, fresh pine for winter, or perhaps florals for spring? Groundbreaking! 

If you want to create a more evergreen look for your candleholder that will look nice year-round, use a neutral color like an eggshell white or sandy beige, and decorate with a softer design. Try this elegant Toile de Jouy Design Paper for a French country look, or these William Morris Sticker Sheets for something a little more vintage. Finish your look with your favorite tealight or softly scented pillar candle, and try tying a ribbon or piece of twine around the neck of the jar for a bit of polish. If you have long dinner candles rather than tealights, then this wavy candleholder might be the better DIY for you.