every city girl is just a little bit country

ball jars remind me of home. my mom used to make her own pickles and relish so we always had bazillions of ball jars of all shapes and sizes floating around the house. my mother in law uses them for glassware and i love how you get so much more liquid in one fill-up. as an homage to the two moms in my life, here are just a few ways you too can be a baller...

below: this ball jar lamp by midwest finds - $14 from their etsy shop - can be filled with whatever you like (i think i'd leave it empty) and topped with a shade of your choosing. so cute!

below: another great idea from midwest finds, this ball jar soap dispenser is so anthropologie-esque and is only $10 from their etsy shop.

below: use them as candleholders for your next party. i've been told only to use tealights that already have glass around them (yes, glass in glass) because the older jars have been known to shatter from direct heat.


below: these lanterns aren't available until later this fall due to all of the press artist alyssa ettinger received for her super cool "glow" collection. i have her bookmarked in my etsy favorites so i can hopefully snag one of these translucent porcelian beauties when she finishes her next batch.

below: throw 'em in your cabinet to use for drinks. you'll be so psyched when you've realized the number of refills (read: times you have to get up from the couch) have been cut in half. my mother in law makes koozies out of lonely socks whose partners have disappeared to the great beyond. genius.


below: fill a jar with those fresh flowers you just bought from the farmer's market.


below: try your hand at canning. this website has all sorts of tips, how-to's and recipes. maybe i'll follow in my mom's footsteps and attempt some relish on a rainy day...

interested in buying some plain ol' ball jars? they're all over amazon and i've seen them on craigslist, at flea markets and garage sales. or just ask mom to pull some out of the basement for you.