The mason jar...one of the staples of vintage inspiration...ubiquitous and versatile...I thought that I had seen every possible configuration from storage to light fixture to soap dispenser but on my recent trip, I saw yet one more idea that I had to try myself. Start with one mason jar...did you know that Classico Pasta Sauce is bottled in Atlas Mason jars...no, the jars aren't vintage...but they are a classic design...which makes them timeless...
Add in one screw top canning band and a piece of hardware cloth. Even though I had some old canning bands that were rusty and gold colored, I purposely bought new bands because I liked the burnished silver color and thought it worked better for this project...it was only $3.50 for a box of 12 bands & lids...I had plenty of hardware cloth around...available usually in the garden section of Lowe's...its fairly rigid which is ideal for this project.
I cut a section of the hardware cloth with a pair of wire cutters...conforming it to fit inside the canning band. This pair of wire cutters worked like a charm...that's the beauty of old tools - sturdy and reliable...and one of the best finds at an estate sale...whenever there's a garage or basement at a sale, that's where I head first. Not only are there interesting treasures for use in my artwork, but I always pick up whatever hand tool I might need - cutters, pliers, rasps, awls, etc. They usually have wood handles, are better made than current models and have the added bonus of great patina!
I pushed the cut section of hardware cloth inside the band, slightly bowing the wire outward...it fit snug without any adhesive...and will be kept firmly in place once the band is screwed onto the jar.
My mason jar/flower frog vase is complete..I added a stalk of parsley and a few blooms from the garden...
With the hardware cloth acting as a flower frog, three stems are easily arranged and stay in place to make this simple display...
Such a simple idea...ideal for summer entertaining...add a few posies to the patio/deck/porch without a lot of fuss...linking up to Mission Possible: The Great Outdoors...plenty of inspiration with plenty of summer time ahead...
