11 Simply Amazing DIY Candles You Can Make For Less Than $1!

Don’t spend tons on candles… make them instead!

If you’re looking for fun and easy fall activities, consider making these amazing DIY candles and votive holders for less than $1.

They require some creativity and patience, but the end result is totally worth it. Who needs pricey store-bought candles and votive holders when you can decorate (and cozy up) your home with ones you made yourself?

The best part? Most of these DIY projects can be made from stuff you already have lying around the house.

1. Cake-Scented Funfetti Candle

  • 2 pint-sized (16oz) mason jars
  • Pre-waxed wicks
  • Hot glue gunv
  • Pencils, pens, or something similar to hold the wicks in place
  • Tape
  • 2-3 tablespoons water
  • 1-2 tablespoons corn syrup
  • A small paintbrush or cloth
  • 1/2 cup rainbow jimmies (or similar colorful sprinkles)
  • 1 pound soy wax cubes (or old candles if using smaller jars)
  • Cupcake scented wax cubes
  • Measuring cup with a spout
  1. Use a hot glue gun to attach a wick to the bottom of the jar.
  2. Mix together your corn syrup and water in a separate bowl, and coat the inside of the Mason jar with the mixture. A small paintbrush can help you reach the lower parts.
  3. While holding the jar horizontally, add a spoonful of sprinkles, and slowly roll the jar around to mix them up inside. Add another spoonful and repeat until the jar is covered completely.
  4. Lay a pen or pencil across the tops of the jars and tape the wicks to them to keep the wicks centered.
  5. Using a double boiler, or a makeshift one with a pot and heat-proof bowl (you can fill a pot half-full with water, bring to a simmer, and set a metal bowl on top), melt the wax flakes and 3 or 4 of the scent cubes.
  6. Pour two cups of melted wax into a measuring cup with a spout. Leave the rest of the melted wax in the bowl over simmering water. Then slowly pour the wax into the jar. Try to pour it directly into the center and away from the sides.
  7. Freeze for 3-4 hours until the wax has firmed up, and then your funfetti candle is ready to use!

2. Pretty Painted Votives

To achieve this artsy effect, simply scribble watery paint on the inside of a glass votive candle holder and let it dry.

Don’t mess with the paint too much, though, or they will end up brown!

3. Mercury Glass Votive

You’ll need mirror-like paint spray and a glass of your choice to make this votive holder.

Spray equal parts vinegar and water in between two to three light coats of the paint spray (depending on the size of your glass), then blot gently with a paper towel to create a weathered look.

4. Naturally Whimsical Tote-Candles

For this project, you’ll need a glass mason jar, a leather belt, some twine (or a wire), heather flower, and a candle.

1. Cut the belt and make some holes for the twine/wire.

2. Tie your makeshift handle around the top of the candle, and then put the heather flower underneath it.

5. Stained Glass

You’ll need:

  • Tissue paper in your desired colors
  • Mod Podge (matte finish), in a pinch you can also use school glue
  • Paintbrush
  • Scissors
  • Glass containers to fit your candle(s)
  • Paper punches in various shapes
  • Q-tips, optional
  1. Make your tissue paper shapes with your paper punches and set them aside.
  2. Scoop out some Mod Podge (or glue) with your paintbrush and water it down for a thinner texture.
  3. Place your tissue paper shapes on the candle and affix them with your paintbrush. Brush gently, and take your time!
  4. After your candle is dry, you’ll notice that any surface of the votive brushed with Mod Podge and not affixed with a tissue paper shape will have a frosted look. If this bothers you, dip a Q-tip in hot water and gently scrub.

6. Cathrineholm

Most votive candle holders are around 2.5” tall, so measure, sketch and cut out a design on a sheep of colored paper accordingly.

First, tape a white strip of paper around the candle, then secure your design over it with clear tape.

7. Rope

You’ll need:

  • Painter’s tape cardboard core, or any tape core
  • Jute rope, or any thick rope of preference
  • Twine
  • Paper tape, or anything you want to use to cover the inner part of the tube
  • Hot glue
  • Scissors

1. First, cover up the inside of the tube with paper tape or anything you wanna use to cover it up. Cut the excess.

2. Now start wrapping rope around it, hot gluing every few inches.

3. When you get to the end, just cut the rope at an angle parallel to the wrapped tube.

4. Now take your twine, and braid it. After that, hot glue it on the edges of the tube like so. This is just purely for a cleaner finish, so it’s up to you if you want to skip this step or not.

5. Finished! And ready to use!

8. Photography Film Negative

Need something to do with all of those unexposed negatives? Even if you’ve fully switched to digital, you can make this candle using a black-and-white printout of your favorite photo on vellum or transparencies!

You’ll need:

  • *Photo negatives (black-and-white or color) or black-and-white printouts of your favorite pictures on vellum or transparencies
  • *Glass candle holders
  • *Glue dots (double-stick tape works, too!)

1. Use your negatives to measure around your glass candle holder to see how many frames in your negative are needed to wrap around it.

2. Put some glue dots or double-stick tape to both ends of your photo negative pieces.

3. Stick your negative pieces on your candle holder. Put a candle in and light it to admire your quick and crafty creation!

9. French Vanilla Candles

You’ll need:

  • Pretty mismatched or singular bowls or cups. (Raid your kitchen or a local yard sale!)
  • Candle wax
  • Candle wick
  • Coffee beans
  • Vanilla beans, chopped
  1. Using a double boiler or a microwave-safe bowl, melt the wax.
  2. Glue the wick in place at the bottom of the cup or just hold it in place with your hand (at the top, of course).
  3. Pour in a small layer of wax and add a layer of coffee beans and vanilla beans. Then fill the rest of the cup with wax. You can stir the wax with a disposable chopstick to distribute the beans if needed.
  4. Let the wax harden and trim the wick.

10. Multicolored

You’ll need:

  • Dixie cups
  • Wax chips
  • Tongue depressors
  • Exacto knife
  • Box of crayons
  • Votive candle holders
  • Wicks

11. Glitter & Glow

Simply spray the inside of a votive holder with adhesive spray, then sprinkle and shake your choice of glitter (larger flakes are recommended) around until the surface of the vase is covered completely.