Aroma Jars - Tina Tobias

Transforming glass jars into unique gifts or creative displays

I like the idea of contained aromas because you don't have to worry about lighting a candle for the effect or monitoring it. Placing the jars near sunlight or a lamp, or sometimes giving them a little shake, can bring out a stronger or new scent.

I used half-gallon mason jars — easier to work with and provide a nice view of the items inside. It's important to purchase floral grid cap replacements. The grid will keep the items inside while allowing the fragrance to escape.
I wanted a fall fragrance for my first jar, using a mix of cinnamon, citrus, and anise. For a splash of color and texture, I purchased some artificial fall leaves, dried orange slices, pine cones, and nuts.
I laid out all the items I wanted to use, from the scented to the visually interesting. Pine cones and nuts work well as a starter base for the bottom. Even some interesting spheres and shapes help fill the jar.
It takes a bit of time and patience to fill a jar, especially when there are some things you'll want to keep visible and near the glass, while others serve better as central supports or fillers — they can't all just be dumped in ;)
My next jar leaned more toward Christmas... the aroma of evergreens, woods, and hints of cinnamon and anise.
I used seed pods and nuts primarily to fill the bottom base. Then I started building up along the glass.
Christmas visuals included red berries, frosted pine cones, and some gold-painted balls. I added small pine cones, evergreen sprigs, nuts, and anise to fill in around the bigger, main pieces, all the while alternating layers.
More views and variations.

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Half-gallon mason jar with a grid cap, essential for aroma jar projects.

- 1a -

Half-gallon mason jars and lids.

- 1b -

Be careful to find the right size floral grids to fit your jar lid. On my first try, they were too small.

Assorted decorative items for aroma jars, including artificial fall leaves, dried orange slices, pine cones, and nuts.

- 2 -

Think about the mood or vibe you want to evoke as you start collecting your ingredients.

Arranged decorative items inside a mason jar, creating a visually appealing aroma jar.

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In addition to the scent, we also want to create arrangements that are visually appealing.

Completed aroma jar adorned with a colorful bow; grid cap visible.

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Finished jar with a colorful bow. The grid cap can be seen in this view.

Alternative view of the finished aroma jar with decorative bow.

- 4b -

This view displays berries, nuts and cinnamon sticks.

Aroma jar showcasing vibrant colors from a different angle.

- 4c -

On this side I added a bright splash of orange with a dried flower.

Selected items for the Christmas-themed aroma jar, organized for assembly.

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Organizing which items I wanted to feature in the Christmas jar. Included some live sprigs of evergreen and fragrant pieces of wood.

Pods and nuts forming the base layer in the aroma jar.

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With the base in place, pine cones and excess are used to fill the center and hold the decorative pieces against the glass.

Final touch to the aroma jar: a bright red ribbon tied around the jar's neck.

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Lots of visual interest going on and the fragrance is amazing. The final flourish is the red bow.

Various completed aroma jars displaying different designs and themes.

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Views from some different angles.

- 7c -

See the sprigs, gold balls and berries?

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Angling from the top you can see the gridded lid.

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Fill your jar fairly close to the top so your arrangement doesn't move around too much. And save that solid cap! Use it to seal up the jar on off season.