FREE PRINTABLE INCLUDED BELOW IN THIS POST! DON’T MISS IT!
I have to admit, 100% of the time, if you were to place two identical items in front of me, one having spectacular packaging and the other with horrible type and all the crazy colors of a fruit bowl, I’d pick the pretty packaging hands down. Even if it was more money, I’d buy the pretty packaging. Materialistic, maybe? Vain, maybe? I’d like to think hope chalk it up to good taste. But one this is for sure, it’s the graphic designer in me. I crush on good typography. I live for it. I’m constantly judging magazines and billboards for their kerning. I just can’t help it.
The other day I was leafing through my latest HGTV magazine and saw this cool article about covering candles that had sad packaging with pretty wrapping paper. Well that’s kinda fun! The photos sparked memories of a conversation I had with my former hairdresser Charles Lord. (A phenomenal hairdresser with a lot of quirk and sass BTDubs, anyhoo.) He took product he used in the salon and plastered it with his logo. That’s fun too!
Kyla, why are you telling me all of this. Well, I gave myself a challenge. Find inexpensive candles that smell yummy, and give them a makeover. The rule was to stay under $10 total. Don’t look at the packaging. Only pay attention to the scent. Challenge accepted. I bought one from Fresh Market for under $2 and two from Target, one on clearance under $6 and the other for $2. Success.
Don’t crinkle your nose at me! I know they aren’t pretty. That’s the point. This is going to be awesome. I put my graphic design skills to the test and created a packaging design of my own. A look I loved with all my heart. Something I’d buy just for the label that would look super pretty on a coffee table resting on a tray in a sweet little cottage. And most importantly, something I can share with you guys! Boom! What do ya think? Are you freaking out?
OMG, I love how they turned out! So, you may be asking yourself, well, ya, those are cool, but how I can pretty up my own candles lady? Ask and you shall receive!
WHAT YOU NEED:
One 8-1/2″ X 11″ Avery sheet (no die-cuts, you want the full sheet) (I needed to purchase mine from Amazon as neither my Office Depot, Target or Michaels had them. Click here to find them.)
T-Square
Ruler
X-Acto knife (or use a Fiskars SureCut Paper Trimmer)
Grab a couple inexpensive candles at the drugstore. Chances are you may even have a few at your house if you’re lucky.
Cutting mat
Pencil
Goo Gone (maybe)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Remove the tacky labels from your candles. You may need to soak them a bit or use Goo Gone
2. Click on the “download” button above for a PDF or click here for THIS PDF <<< Yep, that is right, click right here. Or, if you prefer a JPG, CLICK RIGHT HERE. (Each link is going to give you the same designs.)
3. Right click to download and save to your desktop or downloads folder.
4. Open the file and print out the PDF on your Avery paper. There are purposefully no guides so you can decide what looks best on your candle, big or small, more white space, less white space, square, diamond or triangle. Be sure to adjust your print settings for label printing.
5. Use the T-square and pencil to lightly mark where you want to cut.
6. Grab your X-Acto and ruler to cut along the markings.
7. Give it a test to make sure you like the size and placement.
8. Peal the backer off the Avery paper and secure the label to the candle glass
9. Now find a pretty place for this new lovely and go light that sucka!
If you like these designs, be sure to check out my other printables HERE and HERE!
ummm…i know what i’m giving people for the holidays now!
hahahahaha, oh ashley! you’re one of my favorites =P
I love how you transform them! They now look like they were bought at a high end store!
Thanks Christina! And thanks for stopping by! I love all the projects on your blog. Such cool stuff! I’ve seen your projects on a few link ups now =) I seem to gravitate towards them.
This one is so so clever. Makes it look all classy and expensive 😉
Thanks Zakkiya! And thanks for stopping by.
I love these! Molly from Almost Makes Perfect did something quite a while back that was similar and I fell in love with the idea… I’ve been dying to make my own version- you did such a good job!
Thanks so much and thanks for visiting!
Super cute! Very chic 🙂 I would love for you to share this post at my Create & Share Link Party! Hope to see you there 🙂 http://goo.gl/42sHPx
You got it done and done! And there’s some really cute posts on your link up! Thanks for letting me know!
Clever. Clever. Clever. Love this!
Thanks for stopping by Carmondy!
What a great idea! I love both designs, feathers and arrows make everything look cool. 🙂 Thanks for sharing at Fridays Unfolded.
Thanks for stopping by Ange!
I love how you took them for blah to brilliand! Thanks for sharing!
akamatras.blogspot.com
Ooh! So smart!
Thanks for stopping by Yasmina!
I’ve done this before with smaller votive size candles as party favors and a small gift to a hostess. I’m a fellow graphic designer/blogger and love recreating candles to make them pretty! I love the way you did yours. Happy Sunday!
Thanks Andrea! Happy Sunday and thank you for stopping by!
Thanks so much for great replacement labels to put on candle jars. Love this look and very swanky. I’ve never bought any of those expensive candles (used to buy candles from Pier 1 on good sales years ago) as I’m too cheap to spend that kind of money even if I had it which I sure don’t, lol. I’ll enjoy these thanks to you. Appreciate your generosity of your time and talents. Happy Fall
Happy Fall right back at ya JaneEllen! Glad you stopped by and I’m so happy to hear you like the printables! If you make them, you’ll have to upload a picture of them to my Facebook. I’d love to see how they turned out!
I made these and here’s the skinny- I found the labels at Hobby Lobby. A worker had to walk me to them (and by walk me to them I mean I followed her while she circled the store befuddled for 5 minutes – but she found them! Yay!) I used the jpeg and printed to the ol’ Epson (you know, the one you recommended…love it!) I found my candles at Target (not on clearance, frowny face) for $10 and $5 and made sure they had perfectly straight cylindrical containers so the labels wouldn’t pucker. I used a straight line cutter to cut the labels out. They look *amazing*…so high end and classy. I absolutely love them. Thank you for doing this and I can’t wait for more…totally requesting soap labels and sugar scrub labels next. You rock!
So glad to hear it was easy to find the labels. I went to Target, Michaels and Office Max. No one had the full sheets. AAAHHHHHHHHH Hobby Lobby! I so wish there was one closer to my home! So happy you like the finished product as well! I was pretty please and have them sitting about the house. I think we can do a soap label…and for sure we can do a scrub. Maybe we can do that one for the holidays! Presents for everyone!
This is such a cute idea! I love it! I sometimes hate the appearance of candle labels, but these are great. I will be doing this!
Awesome! Post a picture of your final product to my Facebook page! I’d love to see how they turn out!
Thanks for linking up with Merry Mondays 🙂
xx
Mila
milaslittlethings.com
milawayable@gmail.com
Hello cute lady! This looks so cool. Pinned. We couldn’t think of anyone better to party with. We hope to see you tomorrow at 7 pm.
Happy Sunday! Lou Lou Girls
Thanks for linking up this week to Totally Terrific Tuesday Link Party!! Remember party starts again monday at 10pm to see who was picked for features and link up new content!
If you follow me on Google+ I send out a reminder, and I try to follow everyone back that adds me 🙂
There were so many inspiring links this week, hope you found a few that inspired you as well!
Thanks again
Jessica
Wow! what a fabulous transformation… I did not see that coming!! 🙂
xox, Crystelle
CrystelleBoutique
That is a fun idea!
Clever, easy – my kind of project. Wouldn’t these be great personalised as a house warming gift, or wedding favour> Ooo lovely, pinning so I don’t forget!
Thanks for stopping by Julie!
Love it! The new labels totally transform the candles. I usually get my candles wherever is the cheapest (but still smell good lol) and those little clearance stickers drive me nuts! I’m seriously going to be relabeling every candle in the house soon! Thanks so much for sharing, your post will be featured in tonight’s What’d You Do This Weekend! Pinned 🙂
Oh awesome! If you create one, post a picture to my Facebook page! I’d love to see how it turned out! And thank you so much for the feature!
The candles are looking amazing in the glass and it can be used safely if you lighten the candle and would be forgotten in that case candles in the glass is the best idea. Here is a packaging company http://thecustompackagingboxes.com/custom-boxes/candle-boxes/, is offering the custom packaging and printing with free shipment offer all over he world.
These look so nice. I’m definitely doing this, thank you
Hi, I was wondering if you’d be willing to share what program you used to create the designs? I would love to try making my own designs. Thanks!
Great idea! What font is used in your labels?
Love these boxes and the idea
Thanks for sharing diy candle packaging solution with us. Keep it up!
such an amazing idea. I love your project.