DIY Tall Apothecary Jars | Acrylic Glass Upcycle

Basic dollar store acrylic glasses can turn into a stunning set of tiered apothecary jars with custom mirrored lids.

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I’ve often noticed how a simple set of clear containers can instantly elevate a bathroom or kitchen counter, provided they have that perfectly polished, high-end look. While designer storage sets can be quite an investment, I want to show you how I rescued three plain acrylic glasses and turned them into the most beautiful set of tall apothecary jars. By creating custom mirrored lids and tiered bases, we can achieve a sophisticated, gallery-worthy look for just a few dollars.

📺 WATCH: See how I transform ordinary acrylic glasses into a beautiful apothecary set here.

Materials

Browse my curated list of Favorite Craft Supplies, Tools & Embellishments.

Three clear acrylic vases/glasses (two square, one round)
Foam board
4×4 mirror tiles and mini mirror tiles
5-inch circular mirror
Crystal doorknobs (three different sizes)
Silver rhinestone ribbon
Self-adhesive silver pearl beads
Two glass tea light holders and one glass candle holder
Glass cup (for extra height)

Tools

Box cutter or scissors
Tacky glue or white glue
Fix-all adhesive and hot glue
Clamps (optional)

💡 Sandy’s Favorite Crafting Tips & Hacks

The Adjustment Window: When adhering mirrors to your lids, I recommend using tacky glue or white glue instead of hot glue. This gives you a bit of time to perfectly center the mirror before the glue starts to cure, which is essential for a professional finish.
The Clean Finish: To keep your clear jars looking pristine, I love using self-adhesive ribbons. These eliminate the need for messy glues that might show through the clear acrylic, ensuring your pieces look high-end from every angle.
Strategic Hybrid Bonding: For the structural bases, I use a “double-up” method. The Fix-all provides a long-lasting, permanent hold, while the hot glue offers an immediate “tack” so you don’t have to wait to finish your assembly.
Seamless Edges: When cutting your foam board lids, use a pair of scissors to gently round out the corners. This small detail ensures the lid perfectly matches the silhouette of the rounded acrylic glasses for a custom-fit look.

Instructions

Create the Custom Lids: Trace the opening of your acrylic glasses onto foam board and cut the shapes out. For the square jars, use tacky glue to center 4×4 mirrors or mini mirror tiles onto the foam board cutouts. For the round jar, use a pre-sized circular mirror.
Bling the Lids: Frame the mirrors by applying silver rhinestone ribbon to the exposed foam board edges. Finish the look by lining the gap between the ribbon and the mirror with a row of self-adhesive silver pearl beads.
Attach the Finials: Use a combination of Fix-all and hot glue to affix a crystal doorknob to the center of each lid. Choose different sizes to match the scale of each jar.
Embellish the Jars: Apply a strip of self-adhesive rhinestone ribbon to the top edge of each acrylic glass. Keep the embellishments simple on the jars themselves so the beautiful lids remain the focal point.
Construct the Tiered Bases:
- For the medium jar: Bond the glass to an inverted tea light holder.
- For the tall jar: Bond an inverted tea light holder to a glass cup, then mount the jar on top for maximum height.
- For the round jar: Bond the glass to a standard candle holder.
Final Details: Line the seams of your bases with silver pearl beads or matching rhinestone ribbon to hide the joints and complete the set.