Repurpose candle jars into stylish containers for dog treats or anything else!
Easy DIY upcycle project with complete step-by-step instructions.

Oh my goodness friends, I’m so excited to share my latest DIY project with you!

You know how we all have that drawer or shelf of empty candle jars because they’re “too pretty to throw away”? (Please tell me I’m not the only one!)

Well, I finally put one of mine to perfect use, and honestly, my pup thinks I’m a genius now!

Picture this: I’m curled up on my couch, looking at this beautiful empty Roots candle jar, when my dog gives me those irresistible puppy eyes, begging for treats.

Meanwhile, that crinkly plastic treat bag is sitting there, completely ruining my living room vibe.

That’s when it hit me – why not transform this jar into something both pretty AND functional?

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

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(Quick Note: Need more detailed guidance? Keep scrolling!
I’ve got every step, tip, and “learn from my mistakes” moment spelled out for you below!)

Repurpose an Old Candle Jar With Style

Yield: One Jar

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Active Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 40 minutes

Let's add style and function to our old candle jars. With paper sleeves or traditionial decoupage, these old jars become stylish containers with a fanciful top knot for ease of function.

Print

Materials

• Empty candle jar with lid
• Beautiful paper of your choice
• Scrap paper, one sheet
• Mod Podge
• Optional Sealer
• Decorative knob
• Paint for lid (optional)

Tools

• Scissors and straight edge
• Binder clips
• Foam brush
• Drill and bits

Instructions

1) Clean and prep jar
2) Create paper template
3) Using template, cut out decorative paper
4) Apply paper sleeve
5) Optionally seal
6) Embellish lid
7) Fill with treats!

Notes

• Check for straight sides or slight flares and avoid geometric repetitive patterned papers
• Ensure lid has enough clearance so that it does not damage the paper around the lip.
• Consider pattern placement at seams. Strong straight lines emphasize when jars are not 100% vertical sides
• For thin papers or traditional decoupage with 1 ply napkins or tissue paper, paint jar white first.

Okay, story time! I thought my Roots jar was perfectly straight-sided.

Narrator: “It was not.”

After maybe-possibly-definitely muttering some choice words on my fourth attempt at getting the paper just right, I learned some valuable lessons to share:

• Jars with any embossing or any unique shaping, is not a good choice for a paper sleeve, but they may work great for a traditional decoupage treatment layering torn pieces of napkins or tissue paper
• Even jars that LOOK straight might have a sneaky slope
• Check your lid situation – you want either an inset lid or enough gap that it won’t tear your pretty paper
• When in doubt, do the scrap paper test! Can you easily slide a scrap of paper under the lid’s lip?

Watch out for strong, repeating geometric patterns – they can highlight any jar slope.

Consider seam placement – I hid mine in a floral section.

For thin (more transparent) papers like napkins or tissue paper, paint jar white first.

Friends, let’s skip the traditional “melt and pray” method! After a few adventures in wax removal, here’s what I’ve learned:

The Easy Way: Pop that jar in the freezer for a few hours. I know it sounds weird, but the wax actually shrinks and often just pops right out! How cool is that?

If you’re impatient like me and want to heat it:

• Step AWAY from the microwave! Those little metal wick anchors will put on a light show you don’t want to see
• Go with a double boiler setup instead – pop your jar in room temp water and heat slowly (we’re not trying to create glass confetti here!)
• Final step: Give it a good wash with warm sudsy water

After what we’ll call “multiple learning opportunities” (ahem, four tries), I finally figured out the perfect method.

Grab your binder clips, friends – they’re about to become your new best crafting buddies!

Here’s what worked:

1. Grab some lightweight scrapbook paper or even printer paper
2. Start with one straight edge (because we need all the help we can get)
3. Cut other sides a bit bigger than you need – trust me, you’ll thank me later
4. Place the center of that straight edge and clip it in place (binder clips are your friends!)
5. Keep smoothing and clipping around the jar until you’ve got it just right
6. Mark where the paper rises above the lip and where the ends meet
7. Trim, test, and celebrate when it actually fits!

Now that we’ve got our template perfected (high fives all around!), let’s make this jar gorgeous:

1. Cut your beautiful paper using your hard-won template

2. PRO TIP (because I care about your success): Wipe that jar with isopropyl alcohol first. Our fingerprints are great for CSI, not so much for decoupage!

3. Work in sections with your Mod Podge:

• Brush a thin even coat but complete coverage on the first few inches (don’t go wild – we want adhesion, not soup!) Our goal is complete coverage.
• Line up your paper and clip in place (gotta love those binder clips!)
• Smooth out any bubbles – try tapping and smoothing with a little wad of plastic wrap if your paper’s being stubborn
• Keep going until you’ve made it all the way around
• Use your alcohol towel to wipe off any Mod Podge on the glass lip before it dries.

This is where we really make it look custom, friends! Here’s what I learned (sometimes the hard way):

1. If you’re adding a knob (which, hello, of course we are):
   • Turn the lid UPSIDE DOWN to drill your hole (trust me on this – my first try left me with a very sad, dented lid)
   • Rest it on a block of wood while drilling
   • Pro tip: Cover that rubber gasket with painter’s tape first!
2. Making it pretty:
   • Give it a light sanding if it’s glossy
   • Spray paint is your friend here – I went with a lovely blue-grey
   • Optionally spray your knob pieces too!

PRO TIP: Not loving the finish? You can always add a clear coat – matte for sophisticated, glossy for glam!

Save This Pin for all the tips you’ll want some day:

And there you have it, friends! A project that transforms those pretty-but-empty candle jars into something both stylish AND functional.

My pup now thinks treat time is fancy time, and my end table looks so much better without that crinkly bag!

Have you tried upcycling candle jars before?

I’d love to hear your creative ideas in the comments below! And if you make this project, please share a photo – you know how much I love seeing your crafty creations!

Until next time, happy crafting! 💕