The Creative Guide: What to Do with Old Candle Jars
Homesick puts lots of time and effort into making scented candles that recall the memories and places of our lives. They are poured with love and offer hints of notes of nostalgia and sweet, sentimental moments. And our personalized candles make such a wonderful gift and thoughtful touch that it begs to be cherished forever.
So, when the wax is gone, don’t simply recycle the old candle jar. Instead, repurpose it into something meaningful. Here are some clever creative ideas on what to do with old candle jars so they can stay on a shelf for many years.
#1 Display Meaningful Ticket Stubs
Wondering what to do with old candle jars from our city collection? Use it to store meaningful ticket stubs that you collected over the years. If you have an old New York candle jar, clean it out and keep ticket stubs from all the concerts, performances and broadway shows you saw during your time there. Preserve your performance tickets from the New York City Ballet or that unforgettable, intimate concert at the Bowery Ballroom. You could even place your Metrocard as a memento.
Still have some friends back in the city? Slip that Polaroid or photo strip from the Coney Island photo booth in front of all the ticket stubs. It will remind you of the people you miss too.
No NYC Native Can Throw Away the New York Candle Jar#2 Create a Miniature Diorama
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Cherish your old candle jars by creating a miniature diorama of a memory or place to represent the candle’s significance.
Seek out Z scale figurines (the kind they use on miniature model trains) and stage tiny scenery that captures one of your favorite moments. Stage the moment you exchanged vows inside an old jar from the wedding candle collection, adding a miniature couple inside with moss for grass. Or add skiers heading down little slopes of cotton batting inside the ski trip candle. Feeling ambitious enough to add a lake to your Summer Camp or hiking candle? Make a pond out of casting resin.
There are countless scenes and worlds you can build inside an old candle jar. Even magical, fictional scenes of fairy gardens and more. Looking for inspiration? Check out the whimsical and charming miniature worlds of Kendal Murray.
#3 Treat a Friend
Another way to use old candle jars is to repurpose them as a treat container. Of course, you can always place your own favorite treats inside, but it also makes a thoughtful gift for a friend.
Chocolates, gummy bears, sour candies, pretzels and even some homemade, bite-size goodies can really cheer them up. Then they can get creative and learn how to reuse candle jars for their home.
While homesick candles lack a lid to keep treats preserved, it’s easy to add one. Simply cut a 5x5-inch square out of a beeswax wrapper and, placing it over the top of the candle jar, tie it securely with a ribbon.
#4 Store Your Coin Collection
Are you a world traveler who brings back foreign money and coins as small souvenirs? Store your coin collections in our country candles. Whether they are Loonies and Toonies from Canada, francs from your honeymoon in Paris or a few rupees from your solo backpacking journey across India, hang on to a small token of your trip.
Like the ticket stub idea, you can also collect ticket stubs, plane tickets and other mementos from your journey, keeping it all together in one of our country candle jars.
Don't Throw Away Your Personalized Candles – Use the Old Jar for Something Creative!#5 A Stationery Setup
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While most of us use emails and social media to keep in touch, letters and cards offer a sentimental message too. Whether you write the old-fashioned way to your screen-free grandmother or just need a place to stash stamps and pens as you sign and seal the holiday cards, old candle jars can act as a stationery setup.
Inside you can store colorful pens, home address labels and a roll of stamps. This creative idea is perfect for The love letter candle or one of our holiday candles. Keep the label to help organize your holiday stationery, whether it’s for Christmas or Hanukkah or just to send cards to loved ones to ring in the New Year.
What Creative Project Will You Make?
Now that you have a few creative ideas on what to do with old candle jars, what will you make? Share your creations with us! Tag @homesick and #homesickcandles to show us how you have repurposed our hand-poured candles.