Some years ago, an article in a "Martha Stewart Magazine" caught my attention.  It was
titled, "new jobs for old fashioned jelly jars".  I saved the article, and filed it away,
thinking that maybe someday I would come across some similar jars. By now, you
know how much I like old mason jars, but along with that, I have always liked old
glass jelly jars. 

Recently, I visited a local "Reuzit Store" in a nearby town.  As I was scouring the
kitchen section of the organized, and interesting store, searching for one
particular item,  I saw a well worn cardboard box nestled underneath the shelf of
used cake and pie pans.  I recognized immediately, that it contained the old jelly
jars like the magazine article.  The very old, worn looking lids were included,
and the price was unbelievable!  I brought them home, cleaned in hot soapy,
vinegar water, and used them to serve fresh fruit in at a dinner. 

A few evenings ago, I took three of the jars, with their pretty designs and placed
them on my kitchen island.  I added tea light to them and was impressed as the
light radiated from them, creating perfect designs on my island.

 In the article it states, "Paneling magnifies the play of light from flickering votives."  I
also like seeing the bubbles in the thick glass of some of them.

Here is the first page of the article, featuring the various years and designs of the
old jars.

Personally, I would like to find one like the square one and the swirled one above.
I will keep looking for them:)

And as always, Martha's magazines continually present beautiful ways to display
everything that she features.  The above display, is no exception.

This is also a lovely summer vignette, offering a simple, yet elegant table centerpiece,
if needed.

I turned some of my jars upside down and took this picture, revealing the unique
designs of each small jar.  I learned from the article that the bottoms of the jars show
the time period that each was made.

Since I was simply experimenting with the jars, and having a good time trying
uses for them, I put together this vignette, by my kitchen sink, using a mirror,
a glass pedestal plate, the jelly jars, an old ice cream dish holding what was left
from my Valentine flowers, and tea lights.  I thought it was a good way to
occupy my winter evening.  How do you all pass the time during the bitter cold,
windy nights?

The article also states, "that the housewife would buy jelly to get her glasses",
says Margaret Shaw, a collector in Boggstown, Indiana, who publishes "Jelly
Jammers Journal.  This marketing scheme coincided with the Depression, when
recycling was especially relevant.  The mass produced jelly jars of the 1930s have
thinner, clearer glass than earlier containers."

The vignette sparkled when lit.  It offered such an elegant light display by my sink, that
it almost made me want to wash more dishes.

By the way, this is a well designed centerpiece, that I won at a banquet on Saturday
evening.  I was happy to bring it along home, and saved the idea in my mind, for the
summer when I have my own flowers to arrange.

Hopefully, you will now look at old jelly jars, in a new way.  You too, will be able to
use these sparkling vintage pieces, to dress up your kitchen or dining room tables.

Thank you for stopping by, and allowing me the privilege of sharing yet another one of
my glass jar collections.