Mason jars: they’re available, affordable, reusable, reliable and even loveable.

For some historical insight, the beloved  mason jar was invented and patented by John Landis Mason back in 1858, and became popular because of the handy wide opening. Most used this wide opening for preserving food, but today’s DIYer has repurposed the jar into a myriad of clever uses.

Here are twenty of them.

Mason jars can be used for drinking, decorating, organizing, hanging, planting, baking, lighting, storing and feeding. Yes, even pie is a possibility.

Lighting

There are scads of ideas on how to set the mood with mason jar lighting. i.e.:

A chandelier made from a simple rustic board, rope and tea lights lit within mason jars.

Eco Solar Party lighting

Wintery Epsom Salt candles

Artisanal Photo Candles.

An efficient Oil Lamp.

Food

Mason jars are also the new way to party. They bring a casual feel to any event.

Especially when it comes to bubbly drinks.

Pies!

Rainbow Cupcakes!

Ice Cream!

Storage

Because you can see what’s in a mason jar, they’re fabulous places to put things…all kinds of things.

Cotton balls, Q-tips and other grooming products typically found in bathroom storage.

Bulk spice storage with chalk labels.

Fabric Wrapped for storage for things like…scissors.

Decorating

Stick a bunch of flowers in a jar for an unfussy decor touch.

As seen here in this Mason Jar Shelf.

A mid-summer clothesline strung with vases.

Pretty Painted Lady jars.

Utilitarian

Here are some ideas for the mason jar that are just plain useful.

The mason jar soap dispenser.

The Bee Feeding mason jar.

The Alfalfa sprouting mason jar.

Mason Jar Clip Art for…you know, clip art.

The Mason Jar Blender.

Ingenious. 

The post 20 Ways to Use a Mason Jar That Have Nothing to Do With Canning appeared first on EcoSalon.