Recycled Candle Top Ring…Scarf Holder and Other Ideas Too

Hi everyone! I'm back with another idea for recycling the tops to your candle jars. This time it's not the actual top, it's the plastic rings on the top. I love burning candles to make our home smell wonderful. The jar candles are my favorite, because they last so much longer than votives. I stopped buying the super expensive version of the jar candles, because you can find really inexpensive candles in most stores and they smell just as good. I love it even more when they are on sale.

Since we go through a lot of jars, I always save all the different parts for future projects. I'll share some of the ideas later on in the post, but for today, here's what I thought of for the plastic rings.

From this…

To this!

So start saving your candle tops now…

Tool Time Tuesday...Cutting Board Luminaria

I love Tool Time, but I also love a thrifty Tool Time. This little project is so easy and starts with a cheap, cheap cutting board from the Dollar Tree Store...

Cutting Board Luminaria

Tool Time Tuesday...Mini Christmas Wreath

Happy Tuesday! I know...Christmas? It's not even Halloween yet. However, this is a quick and easy project and you're recycling too!

Today's project is this mini wreath.

Tool Time Tuesday...Recycling Candle Jar Tops

It's Tuesday and that means Tool Time, but today's post is also a recycling project. Jar candles are pretty pricey, so why not use every part of the candle and the jar. See the end of the post for links to other posts I've done on recycling candle jars.

Here is a large jar with the top on and some extra tops I've started to save.

Colleen's Corner...Candle Recycling

I received an email from my sister Colleen and in the subject line it said...Tool Time idea??? Attached were these first 2 pictures. Colleen is my one and only sister (I have 3 brothers, but they would never send me a Tool Time idea). She's extra special to me in so many ways...oh wait sew many ways!! We're 9 years apart, but those years faded away when we both took care of our mom the years before she passed away. Now we are sounding boards for each other taking care of our dad.

She wanted this to be a Tool Time post, but she is so talented I wanted to give her a special place here on my blog. I'll be sharing more of her ideas and creations in the future too.

So welcome to Colleen's Corner...

Cute jar for storing craft sticks right?

Well, here's the before. We all have candles in jars and they don't have to be Yankee Candles either.

Remember the post I did a long time ago about recycling the wax at the bottom of the jar that the wick doesn't burn? Click here to see that post. Well, once you freeze and take out that extra wax, chip away what ever is left and then use hot water to melt the rest of the wax away. The label of the Yankee Candle is a clear sticker that peels off. You can also use Goo Off for any gumminess that's left on the outside.

and here you have it...the best, cutest, FREE storage jar for your craft room.

I also have a post coming up about how my sister made a kitchen island in my dad's kitchen in about 5 minutes...not including hauling all the furniture up from my basement. Poor thing was trapped with my dad at our house for a week during the blizzard while we were away in Disney World! She doesn't drink, but I'm pretty sure she had her fair share of wine that week. LOL

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See you soon,

~Karen~

Candle Sticks and Lamps...

Here are a couple quick ideas with candle sticks and candle stick lamps...

Take an ordinary candle stick with a candle in it and add...




a mini chandelier lamp shade.




Just place the wire that was for the light bulb over the candle.

Quick and easy dress up for a plain old candle.

Here is a real candle stick lamp...the kind that uses a light bulb.

I don't use this for a lamp any more.

What I do use it for is a wreath. Just wire the wreath to the top of the lamp and...

Tah Dah! A very inexpensive wreath holder. The stands you buy in the store are way too expensive for me!!

Hope you liked these 2 quick ideas for decorating.

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Have a great day,

~Karen~

Recycling Candles...

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I have completely pulled the whole basement apart and the garage (our basement walks out to the garage) My sewing room is in half of the basement and there is stuff everywhere. The garage is finished and there is a light at the end of the tunnel (although faint) for my sewing room.
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So since there is no sewing going on right now, I thought I would share with you something I put together earlier.
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I love candles and Yankee candles are wonderful. I usually receive the big jars as gifts from my sister. They are $25.00 and I hate spending that much money on a candle. I normally buy the votives or the little tarts.
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My family and I love all scents of fall: cinnamon, pumpkins, apples and all the scents of Christmas too.


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However, I hate when this happens...look at all that wasted wax. The picture doesn't show it well, but it is thick on all sides and on the bottom.
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and this...

and this...the wick burns out and won't relight before the whole candle is used up.

So here's what I do. Place jar in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Then take a pointy knife and break up all the wax in the jar. Be careful not to hurt yourself or press too hard that you'll break the jar. If frozen or chilled it should pop right out.

Chopped up the pieces so they will fit out of the top of the jar.

Now, you will need a tart burner, which is the kind where you place a votive inside and melt the tarts on top.

Place your broken pieces on the top of your votive burner. Not too much at first until you see how it melts. You don't want it to over flow. Maybe put it on a tray at first.

Now, you are good to go again with the heavenly scents of fall.

Just take the extra pieces, store in a sealed bag and label the scent.

Have a great Sunday everyone and I'll be back with an update for all my I Spy swappers. I'm starting to get packages in..woo hoo!!!. I also have a final list of swappers as of yesterday.

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Talk to you soon,

~Karen~