Spring Mantel with Vintage Ball Jars and Baskets
I am loving that it’s finally spring with warmer temperatures and longer days. After a long and wet winter, spring is much appreciated this year. In celebration of spring, today I’m sharing my Spring Mantel with Vintage Ball Jars and Baskets.
I’m sharing my spring mantel as part of a week-long spring Ideas Tour hosted by Angie from Postcards from the Ridge. I adore Angie’s decorating style and if you’ve never visited her blog, I promise that you’ll enjoy it. Today on the tour we are sharing spring mantels. You’ll find links to all of the mantels shared today and for the other projects that will be shared the rest of the week at the end of this post.
Spring Mantel with Vintage Ball Jars and Baskets
This year’s spring mantel started with making a new wreath for the antique mirror over our mantel. The DIY Floral Embroidery Hoop Wreath that I made adds a pop of spring color with pink, green, and white.
After I made the wreath, I decorated the mantel with vintage Ball jars and insulators. The jars are from both of my grandmothers and the insulators were passed down from my mom.
The larger jars hold faux plum branches. Things are bursting into bloom in my neck of the woods and there are plenty of fresh blooming branches available for cutting and enjoying indoors but I used faux to avoid the mess of dropping petals as the blooms fade.
I matched the Ball script on my jars to a guide found in this article and learned that my jars date between 1923-33.
Sprays of the same eucalyptus that I used in the wreath line the center of the mantel.
I’ve decorated my mantel countless ways over the years and I’ll have to say that this is my favorite of all the spring mantels that I’ve shared.
On the hearth I used an old toolbox and two vintage baskets from Middletown, Maryland. The smaller basket was my dad’s Easter basket and then mine.
I’ve always been curious about the maker of these baskets and thanks to a tag that I found on a laundry basket made by the same person, I discovered that they were all made by Charles M. Phleeger (1896-1972). His obituary calls him a local basket maker, but according to the 1930 census he was a salesman for a bakery, and the 1940 census a carpenter. Perhaps basketmaking was a trade he did on the side and then full-time in later years.
My grandmother most likely purchased these baskets in the 1940’s. My dad was born in 1940 and if the smaller was his Easter basket, then a purchase date of 1940’s makes sense.
Spring Ideas Tour
Now it’s time to enjoy all the spring ideas from these talented home bloggers. Below is the tour lineup for the week. Be sure to visit everyone for wonderful spring ideas for the whole house. The links for each topic are below the images.
Monday ~ Mantels
Postcards from the Ridge // Anderson + Grant // Virginia Sweet Pea // Daily Dose of Style
Tuesday ~ Tablescapes
Wednesday ~ Spring DIY
Thursday ~ Spring Recipes
Friday ~ Porches & Decks
Paula, every time I see a piece of vintage blue glass I want to buy it. Your selection looks so great on your mantel. The peony wreath (my favorite flower) and the flowering branches are perfect for spring and I can’t wait to get out into the garden and see what’s going on. Maybe this week.
Thank you, Patti! I’ve been hard at work getting both my landscape and flower beds cleared off. It’s so rewarding to get them looking nice and to be outdoors enjoying warm weather.
Paula
I just got this post in my email. What can I say? I love the Jars from your grandmother, and the way you link your posts together. More than anything, I love the way your family passes things down, along with the stories belonging to each item! I can’t believe you have your dad’s Easter basket! Things like an old family Easter basket seem small, but in reality they give us a sense of family history and belonging. Love it!
Thank you, Kristie! I am so lucky to have so many family items. It gives me great pleasure to display them and I’m sure that my relatives are looking down, very happy that I am still enjoying their things.
Paula
Always like to see your spring mantle with all your vintage items Hope you have a great week
Thank you, Laura! I hope you have a good week as well.
Paula
Paula, your spring mantel is so fresh and pretty. I love the hoop wreath with the pink flowers. And the blue jars are such a gorgeous color. The baskets add just the right amount of vintage texture and patina. Thanks so much for joining the tour and sharing your beautiful home!
Thank you, Angie, for your kind compliment and for organizing the tour.
Paula
Wow…my heart is happy hearing the stories behind your lovely decor. Like you I am blessed with any number of knick knacks passed down through the ages and they are invaluable! Thanks for the morning smile!
I really treasure the things that were passed along to me. There are so many that I wish my grandparents or my dad were still alive so that I could learn more about where they came from or who they originally belonged to.
Paula
I like your mantle too because it is so light and airy. It looks like a spring breeze feels. And thanks for the history of the basket. I gave my daughters their old Easter baskets thinking they would use them for their kids but nope. I’m glad your parents had the good sense to pass along your dad’s basket for your use. I bet it held a lot of goodies.
I’m surprised that you girls didn’t want their kids to use their Easter baskets. I need to look through my mom’s pictures to find a few of us on Easter morning with the baskets filled with goodies. The Easter bunny has forgotten all about me in the past few years even though he still visits my husband and Sherman. 🙂
Paula
Spring colors are so pretty and you have some on your mantle that make me smile. I think i can smell those flowers too!!
I wish the flowers were real but they are faux so there’s no nice smell. There are plenty outside blooming now and I need to bring some inside to enjoy. I really love this mantel and plan to enjoy it all spring!
Paula
Your spring mantel is so pretty! Of course, I love anything with Ball jars and insulators but the way you put it all together is just gorgeous!
Thank you, Leen! I had fun putting this mantel together and I plan to enjoy it all spring.
Paula
Your spring mantel is my favorite, too! I have plum trees blooming, but I’m with you about using faux! I adore the fact that you have your dad’s Easter basket! What a treasure!
Thank you, Jane! It is neat that my grandmother made sure that I had my dad’s Easter basket to use. I remember keeping my hair dryer in it as a teen and now I mostly use it for a decoration.
Paula
Love the pretty aqua blue of the ball jars with the pink flowers on your wreath, Paula. I just love to see how you switch up this room for the seasons!
Thank you, Lora! It is my favorite room in our house. Our dog, Sherman, spends the most time in there and I’m sure he appreciates my decorations. 🙂
Paula
Your mantel looks so beautiful bright and cheery – perfect for Spring. I love your baskets and can’t believe how old they are – they have been very well looked after xx
Thank you, Maria! My grandmother took really good care of all of her things and she saved everything. I’m lucky to have so many of her treasures to enjoy.
Paula
So lovely! I cherish my blue canning jars.
I like to think about how much food those jars held over the years and the work that went into filling them each summer. Glad my family saved their jars so that I can now enjoy them.
Paula
Your turquoise Ball jars and insulators are divine!
Thank you, Michelle! I’m so glad that I have these treasures to enjoy.
Paula
That is so pretty; I love the colors of the jars and all the varying sizes.
Thank you, Joanne! I’m enjoying this mantel so much.
Paula
This is lovely, Paula…love that aqua color…and your wreath is very pretty, too!
Thank you, Linda! I’m enjoying this mantel so much!
Paula
I think spring is the ideal time for Aqua Ball jars. They are so cute. Your mantel is darling. I love the box.
Thank you, Katie! The box was left behind in a house that my mom’s friend owns that he rents out to UVA grad students. I was more than happy to take it off of his hands.
Paula
I always love to see how you’ve decorated your mantel. Love the aqua jars with the flowering plum branches! So pretty!
Thank you, Kristi! This mantel is definitely my favorite spring mantel ever.
Paula
the mantle came out beautiful and I love the blue colors of it. Thanks for sharing with us at #OMGHWW.
Thank you, Alice! This mantel is really bringing me joy this spring.
Paula
Those ball jars are my favorite! They look gorgeous on your fireplace!
Thank you, Lindsay! I’m enjoying this mantel so much!
Paula
I am a sucker for vintage jars, and those branches are just the perfect touch. I may have to borrow that idea!
Thank you, Denise! I’m really enjoying this mantel.
Paula
Those vintage jars and all those gorgeous shades of blue are just so pretty!
LOVE those Ball jars… they look perfect with the pink florals! Thanks for sharing at Homestyle Gathering, Paula!
Thank you, Julie!
So pretty Paula…I do love blue Ball jars!
Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY!
Blessings,
Cindy
Thank you, Cindy! I love this mantel and plan to leave it up at least through early summer.
Paula
I love that your mantel is simple yet elegant! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm–pinned!
Thank you, Cecilia! I love how the light looks when it shines through the jars.
Paula
Oh, I love everything about this! The colors are gorgeous! I love that spring wreath, and I adore the blue ball jars. I have quite a few of those myself that I like decorating with. 🙂 I’m also swooning over that old toolbox. Where did it come from? Thanks so much for sharing at Sweet Inspiration!
My mother’s boyfriend owns rental property and the toolbox was left behind in one of his houses. I was happy to take that toolbox off of his hands!
Paula
Wow! What a great idea! I love the colour scheme – so pretty.
I just love decorating with vintage items and this looks so beautiful all together, especially paired with the pink of the peonies in the wreath!
I love those blue jars. And your wreath is lovely. You have inspired me to attempt one. Thank you for sharing!