If there’s one thing we know about gin lovers, it’s that falling in love with a bottle can be just as important as the delicious craft gin it’s housing! And with that, comes the hard decision of what to do with your finished bottle! Vase? Lamp? Reed diffuser? The upcycling possibilities are endless.

Whatever you choose, it doesn’t have to be the end of the road for these beautiful bottles! And who wouldn’t appreciate the delights of a homemade upcycled gin bottle candle as a gin fit? Simple, affordable and scent-sitive - we think we’ve just found our next crafting project! Now get ready to make them…

How to make your own upcycled ginny candle

What you’ll need

Empty gin bottle (ideally, must be a round bottle)
Soy Wax
Candle Wicks
Juniper Berry Oil (or an essential oil scent of your choosing)
Glass Bottle Cutter
Wet Sandpaper
Hot Glue Gun
Slow Cooker

Method

Start with your chosen Craft Gin Club Gin of the Month bottle of choice - and bear in mind that if you’re using a square bottle that you might need a different type of glass cutter.
Follow these top tips on the best way to cut your bottle. Quick note: if you are cutting glass, please put your safety first! We recommend investing in a good quality glass cutter (you can get them online from around £10) and some safety goggles, where necessary! Play safe and have fun, crafty Craft Gin Clubbers.
You can use soy wax for this - to work out how much to melt, fill up the bottle and double that amount for the amount of wax you might need.
To melt the wax pellets lots of people use different methods but a top tip would be to try a slow cooker as it’s much easier - just remember not to cook a chilli in it afterwards!
It takes around 10 mins for the wax to melt down.
Add about 15-18 drops of your chosen essential oil to the wax - Juniper Berry, if you want to go full on gin themed - to add to the scent of the candle.
Use a hot glue gun to stick your pre-made wicks to the bottom of the bottle. Once the wax has all melted, be sure to stir it to ensure all the oil has also been mixed in thoroughly.
Carefully transfer the hot wax from the slow cooker into a jug to make it easier to then pour into your upcycled bottle - fill up to a couple of centimetres from the top of the glass to allow for the wick to have enough length to be lit.
Leave to cool and allow the wax to set.
And there you have it! If you’re gifting your candle, all that's left to do is wrap in some tissue paper and pop in a gift bag!

Candle Holder

This nifty decorating hack doesn’t even require you to be a whiz at crafting! Just clean out your gin bottle of choice and pop and add a candle to it - as if by magic, an instant beautiful scene setter! (Just make sure the candle is really secure before you light it!)