PROJECTS~ A Tutorial

From The Project File~ 

Olive Oil Mason Jar Candles.

You know that I resist writing tutorials. It's not that I don't like to share my ideas with you, but I'm just not that good at outlining the step-by-step. I think that's because I am not a sequential thinker. My natural inclination is to go in a variety of directions at all times.

Have I told you that for this reason it's hard for Larry to cook with me? Because of what he considers my unwillingness to do things in an understandable order, I create a huge mess; which I never clean up until the end. He's more of a tidy-as-you-go-kind of guy. And I while I cook, I use every pot and pan in the cupboard, and that seems to really bother him.  Anyway, I'm digressing.

Thanksgiving is over and most of us are readying our homes for Christmas, Hanukkah, or another festive celebration, so today I want to share my version of jar candles. There are numerous Pinterest twists on this idea, but the basic candle is so easy to make, embellish and share. Jar candles are not only a festive and safe way to illuminate your home, but they are also great for gifts. In fact, we celebrated Thanksgiving with another family just today, and I took a candle to the hostess. My impression was that she was delighted with it.

So here's all you will need, which is not much really~

1. A Mason or similar glass jar with a lid
2. Wicks ↠ Purchased Here
3. Olive Oil (A large can)
4. Fresh Greenery

The Process~

I began by wandering around the yard and collecting some pine and holly. If you don't have the luxury of cutting greens from your own property, just snip some from a swag or garland you've purchased.

I picked a nice little bundle and then trimmed various pieces to a length that would fit about 1.5" below the rim of the jar.

I packed the jar with the greens. But here you can tell that I left them too long and had to trim them.

Because a I am creating a rustic Christmas feel in our home and at the Anacortes Art Walk this Friday, I have been stockpiling Burlap ribbon using 50% coupons from Michael's. I embellished the jars, but very simply.

Here's a completed candle. Fill the jar with oil as close to the top as you possibly can. The reason for this is that you want your wick to be floating up high so you can enjoy the glow! I decided to do a test and see how long it would burn, and it burned for 10 hours before I extinguished it. It would have continued to safely burn. Nothing was hot~ not the oil nor the glass. But I will say this. In one jar I put holly berries and in the other, fresh cranberries. At one point the wick floated near the holly and the berries darkened. They didn't look burned but they looked discolored. So I threw them away and will only use cranberries from now on. Olive oil is very safe because it is stable even at high temperatures and doesn't smoke. You may find after many hours burning that the olive oil level is reduced by maybe 1/2". If that's the case, simply fill the jar to the top again.

I bought an olive oil that was on closeout at Cash and Carry; a local store. I think in California the store is Smart & Final. Wherever you are, you probably have a food service equivalent.

Here are my wicks. They are 2 part: a wax wick and the cork float.

At Target I found this pretty jar embossed with a snowflake. This is the jar I used to create a hostess gift.

Using my Cricut, I cut a snowflake out of lightweight chipboard. I then used spray adhesive and authentic German glass glitter to make it sparkle. I love to shop here for glitter. The quality and color choices are amazing!

I was unsure about how to package the wick, but I remembered I had purchased these very sweet wax paper envelopes for my business cards. So I tucked 2 wicks inside and clipped the envelope to the jar. As I mentioned, our hostess seemed to really like the gift and we lighted the candle so we could all enjoy the flickering warmth.

One last note~ The reason I am specific about a jar with a lid is that you need a lid to transport the candle after you fill it. Obviously you don't put the lid on the candle while it's burning. I know I didn't have to tell you this, but I thought it prudent to clarify.

And by the way, I am not endorsing any shopping site or any brand for personal monetary gain. Just so you know.

So goodbye fall decor. It's time to move on to mistletoe and holly. This Friday is the art show I'm participating in and I must be of singular purpose all week. I look forward to giving you a full report. Until we meet again, prayers and positive thoughts appreciated!

If you have any questions about how to assemble the candles, please let me know.

~Dana

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