Friday, September 07, 2007

Show & Tell Friday ~ 7th September

Show & Tell Friday is always a lot of fun and thanks to our host Kelli we gather here again today to show a treasure and tell a little about it.

This week I want to share with you my.........

Generations of jars.


While I was filling them up this morning I was thinking now what would be a nice show & tell this week and then popping the dry biscuits in a jar that belonged to my grandmother I decided this was it......................... :)


My jars are from four generations I love them and use them all filled with ingredients for cooking or little sweets if the grandchildren arrive.


The oldest jar I have is from my great grandmothers kitchen it is a Mason jar and inscribed on the front it says....

"MASON'S MJ PATENT NOV 30TH 1858"

This beautiful jar was 94 years old when I was born and is now 149 years old and still as its humble beginning it holds preserves in my pantry.


the jars in my pantry all still very much loved and used every day re-filled each month so I can bake and cook like those before me.


Some have tin lids and some Bakelite others are both metal and glass lids but all have a use and all remind me of the woman in my family and how they went about their daily lives.


The old Bushell's coffee jars are from my grandmothers home and I think she must have kept every jar she ever bought coffee in. they now proudly hold the coffee in my home and while you cannot buy coffee packaged like this it looks so much better in a glass jar.

Many old jars I find have been "dressed up" with a stencil or two and I love to find them at second hand shops and put them to use in my home.


These three jars are little treasures I bought them in a tiny town's second hand shop when we were passing through, they still held their original spices "white ginger" and others. they have very old transfers of Little girls in the kitchen on them and I wonder to this day what the kitchen was like were they once were.......the other treasures I have but are not often used are primitive cookie cutters they are all hand made and some are ever double sided a duck on one side and a dog on the back but that is for another show and tell :)

I also want to share this photo of the dear lady my great grandmother who passed away when I was 3 my sister was one, great gran was 101 many of these jars are hers and I treasure them like I do this image of a hard working gentle lady.

Blessings to all on this show & tell Friday.


49 comments:

smilnsigh said...

A precious Show & Tell Friday! I love the old jars. And those little jars, still with very old transfers of Little girls in the kitchen on them, are soooo precious!

This picture of your Great Gran really caught my eye. Not only because I so love old photos. But because she reminds me so much of my Great Aunt Josie! I was too young to remember both my Grandmothers, who died when I was tiny. But Great Aunt Josie was around for some years.

Hugs,
Mari-Nanci

Patty said...

I love the old jars. I have a few myself, but not as pretty as yours. The photo fits right in. Thank you for sharing

Anonymous said...

I love the old Jars .Thanks for sharing I will have my show and tell up tomorrow on my site.
thanks for sharing.

Annie Jeffries said...

I was really enjoying this post Lee-Ann and admiring the jars. Then to read that many belonged to your great-gran, well, I could see a silver thread shimmering between her and you. What treasures.

Janet said...

Oh, what a wonderful show and tell and it ended perfectly with the photo of your great grandmother. Your home must be filled with treasures. Those old jars are so pretty all lined up on the table. Thank you for sharing them with us.

Lori said...

I too love all of those old jars.
They are so pretty. I don't have the collection that yu do. I only have 2.

ellen b. said...

Your jars are great. I am drawn to old jars and all their shapes and colors. I also like the black and white photo of your great gran!

Anita said...

Oh, I love old jars, too and I am so proud to have some "family jars" that belonged to my grandmother who passed away in 2000. But your collection is far more prettier!

Thank you so much for your VERY NICE comment on my today's S&T. I really feel honoured about what you said!

Oh yes, the birds already found the big new feeder! I put it in the border on Wednesday and guess what, yesterday morning, it was already almost empty!!!!

Have a wonderful Friday and best wishes from Germany,
Anita

Susan said...

I love old jars too. I, like you, also use mine to hold items in the kitchen. It's unbelievable you have one sooooo old!!!! WOW!!
Susan

Anonymous said...

Old jars are so wonderful. You wonder how many tables they have visited throughout the years. You have some very pretty details.

Take care,
Connie

Alice said...

It's not just the beauty of those very old jars, it's also thinking back over the events of all those years, and the items that they have stored so safely during all that time.

Makes one feel quite humble or young, or both!

Thanks, Lee-ann, we had a lovely few days at the coast.

Hootin Anni said...

boy, do ALL these items for your show n tell this week bring back memories of my childhood!! Fabulous collection and true treasures.

Suzy said...

What a great idea...collecting jars! Looks like you have quite an assortment and I love that you have a personal history to go with them.

Marci said...

Your jar collection is wonderful. I have a jar collection, but few of them are from family. I loved the little spice jars with the girls on the front.

Alice said...

Isn't it amazing that a glass jar, so easily broken but used in a very practical way, could have survived so many years. I'm happy to know that you continue to use your jars--just as they were meant to be.

charish said...

What wonderful jar and memories to go with them. I enjoyed your stories with them.
Sarah

LadySnow said...

Thank you for sharing. :)

Carole Burant said...

Good morning Lee-Ann:-) What a treasure those jars are and just knowing many of them belonged to your great gran makes them that much more special!! I have a couple of the old mason jars with the glass lids, I should get them out! When I do all my canning, I use mason jars but they're all ones I bought new in the last 20 years:-) I so love that picture of your great gran...beautiful! xox

Merle said...

Hi Lee-Ann ~~ What a lovely collection of jars you have. I like them as you can see what is in them.
Thanks for your comments, glad you enjoy the jokes. I bought a joke book and geeet a lot from that. Take care,
Love, Merle.

Jenn said...

What a lovely show and tell. Your jars are so neat, I love vintage stuff, but I especially LOVED the story and woman/en behind them. Great piece of history~

JEnn

Tracy said...

These are lovely. My husband and I were at a yard sale last weekend, and the large blue ball jars were selling for $50 a piece!

Barbara H. said...

Those are so nice, and how neat that they came down through the family!

Barbara H. @ Stray Thoughts

JunieRose2005 said...

Lee-Ann,

I love the old jars you use .

I have a few that I have had for many years too.

And the picture of your great0gran is a treasure.

Junie

someone else said...

What an interesting collection! You're right -- the coffee does look wonderful in that jar.

Unknown said...

I love your jars! My mom has several just like them, with the old fashioned lids like that. She uses them just like canisters.

How fun that I am sending notes to Australia. This blogging makes the world such a small place.

Paula said...

What a fabulous collection, and how neat that many of the jars hold special memories.
Blessings,
Mrs. C

Tammy said...

What a wonderful Show & Tell!!

I enjoyed seeing all of your jars and also the picture of your grandmother!!
:)

Ms. Kathleen said...

I just love these old jars and such... Wonderful. Love the photo as well. Nice visit! Thanks!

Unknown said...

I love those old jars, my favorites are the vignette ones you have. very lovely pieces !!

Mica

Helen said...

Hi Leanne,
Next time you are at Gina's place, get her to bring you round.
I have some embroidered cloths, but even the museum doesn't have as many as Gina! But I do love sharing her new acquisitions. She loaned me a cloth embroidered with Australian flowers to use at a talk on native plants that I had organised. It was as big a hit as the speaker.
Those old jars are wonderful. I must admid that I disposed of an old Bushell's coffee jar when my Mum in law passed away. She had some fabulour old stuff, but it was all sooo scruffy! Silly me, I obviously wasn't thinking straight!
We will be in Kyneton, I hope, over the next week, just to catchup with my cousin, and to take some photos of the river that nearly ate me - several times!
Cheers amd happy collecting - whatever

stitching aussie style said...

Loved the old jars. Your kitchen is a never ending source of delightful surprise.

Lindy

Kelli said...

What a wonderful show and tell!! Your jars are just beautiful and I love how you fill them with special things.

Kelli

Martha said...

I love your jars. Old things are so neat to have around. I love to look at these old things and wonder what their history is.

Thanks for sharing.
Jane

Cathy said...

I love your generation of jars and the family history. How very special! A great Show & Tell!

Cathy :)

Puss-in-Boots said...

Ah, Lee-Ann, they don't make jars nowadays like they did then. That is a lovely nostalgic post and you must have the most wonderful treasures in your place.

Hugs

Betty said...

These jars have stood the test of time and they still are useful and serve their purpose...if only God' children were as diligent....including me.....

I'm so happy to share mother's birth date.....thank you for visiting and commenting on my wooden necklace..I'll try to think to make a close up picture of it later.......
Betty

Myrna said...

that is wonderful! The jars are beautiful. The fact that you use them every day in your home makes them even more precious treasures. Thank you for showing them to us.

Rosa said...

Visiting from Peggy's. What a delightful collection and so special too. I love things that were my family's. How wonderful.

Shop girl said...

I haven't found a jar that I didn't
want to bring home and put something in it. And your collection is wonderful...so jealous!
I love the picture of your Great Grandmother...reminds me of some of my family pictures...
I will be back....Mary

... said...

what cool jars. i love them. i used to collect old item made of glass. mostly bottles, but had a few jars. thanks for sharing.

Jeanette said...

Hi Lee-Ann,
Love all your jars with there little labels on them. reminds me of Mums pantry but I have got no idea what happened to all those jars with lovely little cut outs pasted on them....

Susie said...

Dear LeeAnn,
I've been reading through and catching up on all your news. I feel so behind! Your father's day post was a lovely tribute to all the special men in your life. How wonderful that your Grandpa lived to 102!!
Happy belated birthday to your Mom. I love her bright cheery smile. I know you cherish her...Makes me miss mine so very much!!
I'll be around to visit on a more regular basis now!!
xoxo

Linda said...

I really enjoyed those wonderful pictures. I love old jars too. I have so many I had to store some up in the attic!!
I love knowing that a family member once held those things and used and treasured them too. They have very special memories.
Thanks for sharing your beautiful collection.

Rose of Sharon said...

I love your jars! I am a jar freak as well, but I don't think I have quite the collection you do! I really think your brown ones are neat with the silhouettes on them.

Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving a nice comment. I am new to blogging and meeting nice people like you has been so much fun!

Sharon

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

I'm a bit late getting to the Friday comments, but wanted to say what a wonderful collection of old jars, and you are still putting them to good use!
Thanks also for your comments on my site...I love hearing from people on the other side of the world!
That's an interesting photo of your great grandmother standing among the prickly pear cactus...maybe you call them something else? Is that in Australia too?

Pear tree cottage! said...

O! I am so pleased to have touched the hearts of so many about my vintage old jars they are something that was in each of our grandparents home and no fuss would have ever been made of them then but they are so special as they connect us to our past in a slow guiet way don't they.

All your comments have been so lovely and this is the most I have ever had on one post on my blog so thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Your friend Lee-ann

Val said...

Who would have thought that jars could be so interesting and have such meaning? Thanks for this post!

I also enjoyed the photo of your great grandmother, and was interested to see the prickly pear cactus near her. I guess that's not a pest in Canada like it is here.

Michelle said...

I love your jars, especially the fact that they've been in your family for so long. My few old ones are estate sale finds.

Mandi said...

lovely photo of your grandmother and how winderful that you have her jars that what is so special using somrthing from someone close....too much is thrown out today which really annoys me...

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