Repurposed Ball Jars

http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/guest-column-collecting-antique-ball-jars/



Ball jars have been around for more than 125 years. You’ve probably seen them used for canning or perhaps as a place to hold nails or tacks. Collectors try to snag up unique and colorful ball jars. They trade pictures and stories and try to guess the age of their collection on online forums and websites.



But now crafty home decorators are getting into the Ball jar fun. These antique mason jars are emerging as an innovative and “green” way to decorate. I first got interested in Ball jars after reading my friend’s blog: Dishing up Design. (Check out Jenny’s blog—for great recipes and design tips).

Look at this cool way of using the jars:

http://rodelleemarie.blogspot.com/2009_02_01_archive.html

Blue Ball jars make stylish vases, candle holders and accessories. Here is how I used them in my kitchen:

Apple Picking & Recipes

Apple picking at Carter Mountain Orchard, Charlottesville, VA

I love to pick apples and we’re lucky here in Charlottesville to have Carter Mountain Orchard so close! Just one mountain over from Monticello is the beautiful Carter’s Mountain Orchard where you can enjoy amazing views, delicious apple cider slushies and apple cider donuts—oh and you can pick apples too!

Carter Mountain Orchard

 

We picked Golden Delicous and Jonagold apples.

 

And now what to do with your apples!

 

Apple Pie with Butterscotch Crumble

Butterscotch Crumble Apple Pie

 

• 4 cups of sliced and peeled apples 
• 1 tsp of cinnamon 
• ½ tsp nutmeg 
• ½ tsp all spice 
• ¼ cup flour 
• ½ cup of sugar 
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix it all up and put into uncooked pie crust.

Bake covered with aluminum foil at 375 for 20 minutes

 

Melt over hot water 1 cup of butterscotch morsels with a ¼ cup of butter, continue stirring until melted and then mix in ¾ a cup flour and a dash of salt until crumbled.

Butterscotch crumble

 

Crumble over pie and bake at 375 for 25 minutes.

 

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Baked Apple

 

Core an apple
Place in pan with 1/8 an inch of water.
Pour 1 tsp of cinnamon into middle of apple and then stuff with apples
Cover and bake at 375 for 40 minutes.

 

Guest Bathroom Redo!

before

After

Our guest bathroom as white and plain—and needed a little jazzing up!

Before

After

I painted the walls a dark chocolate color, added a new shower curtain (with the curved rod), new towels, and some decorations.

Before

After

Decoration idea for bathroom: Vase with wine corks (I stole this idea from my friend Amanda… and no we didn’t drink all of these—I asked one of the local wineries for their leftover corks.)

Before

After

Vase with corks

Painting: Find a flower or painting you like and do a similar painting (acrylic on a cheap canvas frame).


Painting