Scrubby Jar Votives

We have crafting materials all around us if we turn our heads a little cock-eyed and look at our environments in a slightly different way.  I love using jars, and jar lids, eggshells, walnuts, toilet roll centers, old woolen sweaters, and anything else that might be considered trash for crafting and transforming into something wonderful to improve the loveliness of my home.  It’s my sanctuary after all!

Who would think an artichoke jar and a scrubby would result in these charming votives.  I made a silver one and plan on make a bunch more to run across my living room mantle.

Here’s what the copper one looks like.

Scrubbies come in all sorts of colors (remember I did a Valentine Scrubby Votive, too?)  It’s here:  http://www.mrspollyrogers.com/2013/01/scrubbie-valentine-votives/

So go to the Dollar Store (or a Dollar Tree), and get three silver or copper scrubbies for $1.  They look like this out of the wrapper.

Next unravel them, by pulling the center (looks like it’s gathered) wide, then unrolling the scrubby like this.

Now find a smallish jar or two.  Mine had bruschetta in them.  And I’ll confess that sometimes I try new things at the grocery store because them come in interesting jars which I know I can use in crafting!

The empty jar looks like this.

Then take the jar lid outside and spray paint it with the same color as the scrubby.  I sprayed one copper with Design Master copper, and the other one silver with Design Master Super Silver.

Stretch the scrubby around the jar and let the top roll a bit.  And glue that roll to the outside of the jar with a glue gun.  Try to do a neat job because the glue will show a bit through the inside of the glass.

Next gather the scrubby at the bottom of the jar and secure it together with some wire.  Make a tight hold.

Now cut the excess pretty close to the wire.  Crafting scissors work just fine for this.

Then further secure all those cut ends by engulfing them in hot glue from your glue gun.  And cut the excess wire.

Now you’re ready to seat the votive in it’s painted jar lid.  You’ll do this by covering the inside of the lid with a lot of hot glue, then set the votive in it and hold it firmly until the glue has cooled for a good connection.

Certainly you COULD stop here.  But the jar lid looks too much like a jar lid!  I like to disguise the fact that I’m using humble pieces so that guests can’t immediately guess what they’re made from.

So you have options:  You could glue on ribbon (metallic would be nice) to the jar lid, you could wire on metal or glass beads to cover it, or you could simply use two long tinsel pipe cleaners and twist them to hide it, which I did.

I painted two of them copper like this.  Did you know you can spray paint tinsel pipe cleaners?  YUP.

Wire them on one at a time.  One was not enough for my taste.  It really needed to be two.  Add a little Epsom salts to the bottom and light a votive candle!

The great thing is that these are such a great bang for your buck (literally!) that you can make a bunch of them for an event, or wedding or simply to enjoy around your house or back garden.  And as always, don’t forget to make one for your best friend!

I can do that!  And you can, too!