Hello again, friends, and happy spring! Erica here from Dwell Beautiful for the Third Thursday craft tutorial. I hope you had a wonderful Easter. I realized I didn’t have much spring decor, so I decided to change that. With plenty of empty Bath & Body Works and Glade candle jars on hand, I upcycled a few into colorful tea light holders. This quick, simple project takes only minutes and is a great way to refresh your space for the season.
While hunting for spring inspiration I didn’t need to look far—this blog’s bright, polka-dot header was the perfect spark. The cheerful colors and playful pattern inspired the palette and overall look of these candle holders.
Decorated Candle Holder Materials
- Old, cleaned candle jar (you can find many tutorials on removing leftover wax).
- Hot glue gun
- Beads, cabochons, or other small decorative items
- Tea light
Step 1
Choose a color palette. Following the bright inspiration I chose yellow, orange, and teal for a fresh spring look. Mix sizes and shapes of beads or cabochons for depth and visual interest.
Step 2
Use your hot glue gun to attach the decorative pieces to the jar. Work in layers—start with one color, then add others. If you’re not covering the entire jar, vary placement for a natural, random look, or arrange pieces symmetrically in neat lines for a more structured design. Both approaches look great.
Step 3
Keep adding beads until you’re happy with the design. Allow the glue to fully set, then place a tea light inside and enjoy the soft glow. These holders make lovely accents on a desk, shelf, or table.
This cheerful little holder brightens my desk while I work. With the glue gun still handy, I decorated an old Trader Joe’s pesto jar, turning it into another stylish holder that also works as a small vase.
It’s a little addictive to experiment with new patterns and color combinations. Upcycling jars that might otherwise be recycled gives them new life as charming decor—literally pennies to create and full of personality.
Thanks so much to Susan for the invitation. Enjoy crafting, and I’ll see you next month!