Jugs – a serendipitous and rather beautiful collection for our home

“I just picked up these pretty jugs at the charity shop, do you like them?” I asked everyone, when I returned from a recent trip to the local shops. Each of the M’s smiled over at me. “They’re very pretty Mum” said Little Miss. “Great Mum” answered Master M. “Lovely darling” sighed Mr M pecking me on the cheek and smiling to himself as he went off into the garden. I know what they all think. 37 at the last count. A variety of little and large, vintage and new, all beautiful and pretty. I didn’t set out to collect them, it just sort of happened. Many are gifts from dear friends all with ‘me’ in mind. Others are ‘no brainers’ from flea markets, charity shops and brocantes. I think my preference for a growing jug collection (and these days cups and saucers too, though we’ll save that for another day) is the ability to use them in various ways in the home. Yes they are pretty; usually they are functional too, if not always for the purpose they were created. I thought today I would show you my collection. No, not all of them, we’d never get any of our jobs done. Just a few in and around my home whilst you drink your coffee… And maybe brew up some summer craft ideas.

In the past I associated collecting stuff with battiness, a pass time for the more eccentrics amongst us. Mmm.. enough said. And although Master M shows a great indifference to most of my tat, he’s definitely inherited the collection gene from me. When he was little he wandered around with toy dinosaurs, cars, badges and coins in each of his tiny hands. He would proudly add them all to his collections. I remember when decorating his ‘big boys’ bedroom, introducing painted baskets and boxes, all manner of storage and display for his growing collections. And the Lego, don’t even get me started on the Lego. These days he has progressed to fashion footwear. Whatever floats your boat.

I do have vases I use from time to time although I definitely favour a jug for flowers these days. Take these two displays for instance. On the left blousy springtime cow parsley is teamed up with the unmistakable simple stripes of cornishware. No competition exists, both sit harmoniously together. This £2 charity shop find, bares wonderfully cracked glazing on the inside and as such I probably wouldn’t put the custard in it. Perfect though for a floral centrepiece on a rustic pine table. And on the right a joyful jug of springtime pretties add to the folksy appearance of my favourite blue and white spongewear jug. For me a vase just wouldn’t work the same magic.

And often when flowers are tiny or sparse, one of the smaller pretty jugs in the collection lends itself to the occasion.

Many of the group have made it over to Belle’s these days. Some left empty for the purpose of simply pleasing the eye, others with a few seasonal and rustic delights. All great summer craft ideas.

Regular readers will know I tend to favour more of a muted colour palette in decor myself. Yet now and then a quirky piece comes into my life and brightens up my home in other ways. Take this chicken jug gifted to me by a dear friend back in the day when hens ruled my garden. This happy jug has settled in my rustic mudroom for now and I have simply added to the shelf other decoration in similar colours to brighten up an otherwise plain and uninteresting shelf. In particular the reds, oranges and blues of the birds beautiful feathers drew together other tonal oddments gathering together around the room.

Sticking with the unusual for me is this orange gerbera like flower jug, part of a tea set. I was lucky enough to inherit this set from my grandmother, rather like the one you first read about here. This jug made it to my Instagram account this week and I chuckle to myself when I think what my dear old Nan would have thought, seeing an old milk jug of hers making itself the star of my social media, more than twenty years after it came into my life.

Many of my smaller jugs spend their time unfilled and on my painted kitchen dresser. En masse they need little added decoration, although occasionally they house other treasures.

And in our bedroom unusually I have gone matchy matchy with three distinctly cottagey jugs and faux flowers. If you are new to the blog or missed this post you may enjoy a little read about the ubiquitous signs in my life.

Whilst writing this weeks post it occurred to me, it matters not what season we are in, nor in which room we find ourselves, the humble jug appears to have a special place in the M’s home. From thoughtful gifts from friends who know me well, to a strangers discarded treasures, each has a place out on show and is not lost in a dusty cupboard forever. And whilst writing this post I have come to this conclusion; I am rather happy with my serendipitous collection and I hope you have enjoyed it too…until next week x

Check out the other corners of my blog for some more summer craft ideas…