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Was Galentine’s Day really a whole month ago?! Surely it’s time for the girls to get together again for brunch [we’ll take all the heart-shaped pancakes, please!] and a craft project. Yogurt is a tasty addition to the brunch spread, and the single-serve containers serve a dual purpose when you create tealight yogurt jars.
The first yogurt jar I repurposed a few years ago as a tealight votive [see below] was a very simple design using gold paint, clear glass stones, and hot glue. I have since experimented with a variety of materials. My most recent project is my favorite to date, and I’m excited to share it with you!
You will need…
Essentials:
Glass jar. Oui, Petit Pot, and Phia Yogurt [used for this project] all make tasty snacks in small, glass jars. Oui French-style yogurt, a division of Yoplait, has a section of their website devoted to crafts that can be made with their jars. Petit Pot makes French custard, not yogurt. They also offer vegan products made with coconut milk. These jars are the smallest of the three, hence the name petit. Phia Yogurt is a new Greek yogurt product made in Philly. I love supporting local, small businesses, especially when they taste as good as Phia does!
Tealight. Use wax/soy or battery-powered candles, whichever you prefer. I used a batter-powered candle for this project. If you prefer a candle that produces a real flame, make sure the paints, adhesives, and other materials you use to decorate the jar are heat-safe.
Small pebbles, beads, or sand. Many jars have rounded bottoms, and these hold the candle in place. Again, make sure the material you choose is heat-resistant if using a real flame.
Non-essentials:
Four of my favorite materials to use for this project include paint, glitter, buttons, and glass stones. Choose one or a combination! Depending on your selection, don’t forget your paint brushes, mod-podge, glue dots, or glue gun.
Let’s do it!
First, enjoy the tasty yogurt snack and clean out the jar while you’re deciding how to decorate it.
Next is the fun part. I will walk you through my latest tealight candle yogurt jar creation, inspired by a collection of buttons and pebbles I found in my “odds and ends” craft drawer. As I am beginning to see spring colors during my nature walks, I feel particularly drawn to this “Springtime in the Woods” theme.
As a creative, I tend to save a ton of odds and ends that inspire me, even when I don’t have a plan for them. Then one day–sometimes years later–as I rummage through the collection, the pieces seem to go together. It definitely helps that most of these items are small. However, I also have an entire [large] storage bin filled with containers of various sizes and shapes, such as cookie tins, poster shipping tubes, and miscellaneous product boxes.If you have the storage space, keep your inspiration and materials close! Creativity sparks unexpectedly at times, and it’s nice to have everything you need on hand when that happens.
General advice: If using mod-podge with glitter or other materials, follow the instructions on the container. To adhere glass stones using hot glue, remember to work in small sections because the glue hardens quickly as it cools.
Alright, back to the project! Before you begin, let’s make a quick plan.
Always work in layers. The best strategy is to take some time to imagine the end result and work backward from there. Create a mood board or a rough sketch of the project if it helps. This process will prevent you from feeling frustrated by the limitations of painting around buttons that have already been adhered to the jar, for example.
I prefer to paint last, when possible, because paint usually takes longer to dry than glue. If my design prevents me from working in layers, I may decide to coat the inside of the jar instead of the outside. That way I don’t have to wait for the paint to completely dry before moving onto the next layer.
Since I painted on the opposite side of the buttons on this jar, I adhered the buttons first. Glue dots are easier to work with than hot glue because they don’t dry as quickly and can be repositioned more easily and safely than hot glue can.
Then, I used glue dots to adhere the wood slice to the bottom and the glass stone to the lid. This painted glass Easter egg stone is part of a 24-piece set from the Jazzy Glass Gems Etsy shop.
Next, I painted a stripe on the jar opposite the buttons. I will probably hand-letter a quote about springtime on the stripe using an ultra-fine point Sharpie later. If you have ideas to share, leave them in the comments!
This lovely coral acrylic paint is an accent color in my dining area, where the jar will find its new home.
Finally, once everything is dried and in place, insert the tealight candle and pebbles. Notice how the jar refracts the light. Springtime in the woods is beautiful!
Insider tip: See the completed project on display at Make It • Take It • Try It in Philadelphia this spring. Browse upcoming events here.
Which materials will you use to decorate your tealight candle yogurt jar: paint, glitter, buttons, or glass stones? Share your ideas and feedback in the comments!
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