How to: Citronella 4th of July Candles. Jun24 by Brenda Ponnay It turns out citronella candles are pretty easy to make!
They are a bit fussy and require a lot of microwaving and some pouring of hot wax but the end result is fun and pretty. This craft is not especially toddler-friendly but I think it would be great for older kids who can be trusted in the kitchen, or for younger kids who have a lot of help from an adult. Here is what you’ll need to to make patriotic tea lights like you see above: • six 1/2-pint regular canning jars (found in grocery stores)• 1 lb. microwaveable soy wax (found in craft stores)• a glass measuring cup for melting and pouring• a spoon for stirring• several old crayons in red and blue• a cutting board and knife• citronella oil (found in health food stores)• braided candle wick (found in craft stores)• scissors• six pencils or dowels• a hot glue gun• a microwave There are a lot of variations you can do with these candles.
Now lets get started! First you’ll need to prepare your jars. How to: tainted mason jars NOT SAFE TO CONSUME OUT OF! I love using mason jars for decorating and a seemingly endless supply of craft projects. But rainbow tinted mason jars, just like the vintage ones you can never find anymore?
This one might be my favorite project with mason jars yet! Mason Jars Mod Podge in Gloss (buy it here) Food coloring Ramekins to mix colors Newspaper or paper bag Mix food coloring with a T or so of water into individual ramekins. You can do any color combination you like. Add a couple T of mod podge into your mason jar Add one ramekin of color into the jar and stir to incorporate it all together With a bowl underneath, carefully twist the jar around coating the whole inside with the mod podge/food coloring mixture. Let dry upside down on the paper Do the same with the other colors. Place the jars face down on top of wax paper and a cookie sheet into an oven, set on warm. When they're ready, they'll look clear and the mixture should lose most of its streaks.
How to: Mason Jar Soap Dispenser. I made this Mason Jar Soap Dispenser to use on my potting bench.
I'm always needing to wash my hands after working in the garden and this sturdy jar should last me a lifetime of hand scrubbing. I think it would look just as great in a bath or kitchen and I thought some of you might want to make one too. Here's how to do it: Gather your supplies...old plastic soap bottle, mason jar, 2 part epoxy, drill, scissors and marker. A box cutter also came in handy in removing the top of the soap bottle. Cut off the top of the soap bottle leaving the screw threading intact. Mix the epoxy according to the package directions and apply to lower rim of bottle top. Lastly, insert the pump through the hole and screw tightly to secure. How to: Fall leaf candle holder. Ok!
This may look a bit familiar. While I sat brushing Mod Podge on dozens of leaves to use on my Fall wreath, I decided to light a little jar candle covered with fall leaves that I made last year to keep me company. I enjoyed the warm glow of the candlelight dancing through the leaves so much that I just had to make a bigger one! But this time I made it with the intention that it could be used the rest of the year for crafty storage! Or for storing dried peppers or dried mushrooms!
I used a large, one quart jar with a two piece canning lid. This has worked so well, I am planning to make a full set of four - one for each season to use to store tea bags, Splenda packets etc. on my kitchen shelf - keeping them in rotation as candles as the seasons go by. And since it is so easy to do, I am making some with my two little gingerbread house buddies for their Thanksgiving table!
How to: 3 uses for mason jars. I think I speak for many women when I say, I love Mason Jars!
I swear, I find new cool ways to use them every single day. They’re perfect for rustic wedding decor, shabby chic home decor, storage, baking, the list goes on. Sometimes I wonder what you can’t use them for! So for today’s {Fab Friday Finds}, I wanted to share a few of my very favorite Mason Jar crafts… 1. ). 2. ) to mount Mason Jars on wood and then onto a wall in your kitchen, bathroom, office, wherever you need an awesome little storage caddy like this one seen on About.com. 3. What other ways are you using Mason Jars? About Nicole Denton With a love of planning just about anything — from her own wedding, to bridal and baby showers, to dinner parties, and more – Nicole is the Plunge Project’s founder and editor-in-chief.