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queenofmycastle0221

Apothecary Jar Challenge

I went to my sisters in SC this weekend and finally found me a set of apothecary jars at the Marshalls Home Outlet store. I am thrilled! I love the Christmas d�cor pictures on Pinterest (like this one) however my sister insisted that I didn't need to just use them for Christmas so..... I thought maybe we could pick some different events and add ideas to decorate them throughout the year.. You all have such great ideas!

Thanks!

Comments (17)

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    Cam, where are you located? Location has a lot to do with it!

  • queenofmycastle0221
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I live in the mountains of Southwest Virginia! I honestly didn't think of that. LOL

  • ingeorgia
    9 years ago

    I'm wondering why location has a lot to do with it? Please tell me about location I think I'm missing something ! To me it's the shape/size of them that matter.
    You can always "just add a bird" a birds nest in the rounder one, eggs in the triangular one, a branch or stem in the tall one.. at Easter
    Easter grass and peeps, a bunny etc. a picture in each one or post card, for Mother's Day a Mothers Day card with photos or keepsakes in the others,
    4th of July, small flag, stars, rolled up copy of Declaration of Independence with title showing in long one. What you can put in them is limited only by your imagination. I like to put shred in the bottom to lift up whatever item I have in them and/or to add color, so many different colors and combinations.

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    Ah, the mountains! So, for instance, shells might not be a good idea since they might be better in a beach environment.

    You could put pretty little soaps in on in a bath. Fill one with candy for little visitors. In the tall one, you could put colorful straws for kids' summer drinks. Take the lid off and make a vase for flowers out of one/them. Pretty, colorful rocks. Potpourrie. dried flowers. Get some "Craftwater", i.e.: clear gel, fill the jar, then push fake goldfish in the gel, or something else (little scuba divers! lol), i.e.: make a fake aquarium...

    This post was edited by Tibbrix on Mon, Apr 21, 14 at 8:37

  • Sueb20
    9 years ago

    Well, I might still put shells and/or rocks in one for summer even if I don't live near the beach!

    I would think general seasons rather than specific holidays just so you're not switching them too often!

    You could turn one into a terrarium -- I'm sure you could find instructions online.

    Faux lemons and limes? Colorful marbles? Tiny pine cones for winter?

    I have 3 big candleholders with empty glass bottoms (under the candle "tray") so I have been through this before. I put beach pebbles in mine last summer and never bothered to change them since, but I have also used marbles, and tiny Christmas ornaments (colorful balls that come by the boxful at stores like Target).

    Look up "vase fillers" online at stores like Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel, or at craft stores, for lots of inspiration.

  • Boopadaboo
    9 years ago

    There is a holiday forum here. I think they switch up displays like this for holidays, seasons, B days, etc. Some great ideas there.

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    No! No shells!

    Lol.

    Was just using them as and example, but shells are pretty anywhere. No hard and fast rule here. I was just thinking that, knowing her environs might help with some zeroing in on ideas.

    The marbles idea is great. You can also get the clear stones and put one jewel toned stone here and there and let light make the whole thing dance.

  • crl_
    9 years ago

    Acorns and pinecones in the fall. I bought some real ones from Oriental Trading last year. Candy anytime, just in the colors of your room instead of Christmas. If you sew especially, buttons, thimbles, spools of thread.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    9 years ago

    I love the idea of clustering three together and filling them with like, but not identical items.

    I'm very familiar with SW Virginia (Va. Tech graduate) ; it's wonderfully beautiful! I still have an old glass jar filled with the pretty cones I collected from some beautiful hemlocks on campus over 30 years ago!

    My leanings are towards the natural world so my three jars would indicate that : little cones, acorns, sweet gum balls, smooth river stones, star anise pods, garden seeds (some of the southern pea and other legumes have gorgeous seeds), shells, etc.

    I agree about visiting a craft store. You won't believe the 'smalls' you can find.

  • patricianat
    9 years ago

    When I get a new garment, I remove the "extra" buttons and place them in one of these, I have small soaps in one and bath salts (colored) in one, cotton balls in one. Gosh. I have several. I can't remember what all I have in them but my largest one holds a bevy of sunglasses. I have 3 on a sideboard with jelly beans, M&Ms and pastel mints. Another one holds miscellaneous broken jewelry (pearls that will get restrung, a Pandora's bracelet with a broken clasp, reminders to get things done).

  • teacats
    9 years ago

    Let's see:

    Pinecones
    smooth rocks or stones
    sea salt
    faux moss
    wine and/or champagne corks
    marbles
    small toys or dominoes
    old game parts from games like Monopoly or Scrabble
    beans of all sorts and colors
    candy -- licorise all sorts
    bath salts
    dried pod heads (check craft stores for dried plant items)

  • luckygal
    9 years ago

    Some things I've used in my apothecary jars:

    ~At Christmas - balls/decorations/silver painted pinecones/twinkle lights
    ~Natural pinecones
    ~Wine corks
    ~A few of the smallest of my hand blown art glass balls
    ~Bird nest
    ~Shells - even tho I now live inland I was born near the ocean and totally reserve the right to decorate with these! LOL
    ~Pastel M&M's at Easter
    ~Vintage buttons
    ~Clothespins
    ~Balls of string and jute twine
    ~Large pot pourri
    ~Dried delphinium flowers
    ~Scrabble pieces
    ~Coffee beans
    ~Old metal cookie cutters
    ~Colored old style Christmas lightbulbs

    Have fun with this. I change mine whenever I whim, not only seasonally.

    ETA - How could I forget my vintage glass drawer pulls!

    This post was edited by luckygal on Mon, Apr 21, 14 at 11:27

  • Oakley
    9 years ago

    I'm another lover of apothecary jars! Great link below.

    If you need fillers at good prices, go to save-on-crafts.com.

    Jars look pretty on a kitchen island if you have one.

    My family is from SW VA, and my dad graduated from VA. Tech! Hey, maybe we're related? lol

    Here is a link that might be useful: Decorated apothecary jars

  • ingeorgia
    9 years ago

    Ahhh I see where location could count for using natural items, thank you ! but in this age you can find almost anything on line. I wouldn't discount shells, lots of people inland have beach houses or just love the beach and like to have a reminder around.
    Also, there are still folks who decorate with Americana, so flag etc. is not just for the holiday... and I have my mother and fathers wedding photo in one with sentimental items in another that I keep on my bedroom mantle all the time.
    Have also used small teacups and teabags (some come in pretty foil packets) ... honestly you can put almost anything in there, most stuff comes in miniature too.

  • pamghatten
    9 years ago

    I bought mine specifically to hold antique buttons from my grandmother, and her old spools of thread from when she quilted.

    I also quilt, but I was told her threads were too old and I shouldn't use them because the thread would break. But the colors were amazing, so now I display them.

  • kswl2
    9 years ago

    Love the spools of thread, that's a colorful objet d'art and a nice memory all at once, nicely done!

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    Take the lids off, turn them upside down, and sit small potted plants that have vines that hang down around the sides. Just don't overwater them!

    I think "vine" is the wrong word, since vines climb, but a flowering plant that drapes.

    This post was edited by Tibbrix on Tue, Apr 22, 14 at 8:44