Old & New: Ball Jars in Blue!

I have these old Ball jars that my dad gave me. Well, really they came from my Aunt Evelin, who passed away a few years ago, but my dad had to clean out her attic and when he did, he found the jars and had me pick them up. There were a ton of jars in the boxes he gave me....over a hundred!

As I started going through them I found these amazing vintage jars in blue. I was fascinated with them, and I keep them on display in my kitchen because they are just too cool. And because I am canning freak. But you all knew that already, right?!

So.... then this year Ball released special addition blue vintage style jars. Which I bought the day that they came out, and paid way too much for shipping on. Way. Too. Much. All I can tell you, it was worth every penny. I love these blue jars. I used them to make refrigerator pickles.

The pickles look beautiful in the blue jars....and now EVERYTHING looks pretty in them (as we learned when we made salsa, which, incidentally, against the blue jar sort of looks gray. Yuck.) 

Then I got to thinking that I should share these jars with you guys--side by side! Because it's awesome to see old jars next to new ones.

Can you spot the new one? The lid is a dead giveaway. You can tell that the color is a little more brilliant, being that's all new and stuff....and I am sure that the dyes are different than they were 100 years ago, right? 

They did a great job replicating the old jar for the 100th anniversary. 

And I did a great job purchasing them. Haha. 

I love my blue jars. 

So tell me, do you can? What is your favorite way to enjoy Ball jars? Do you display them, do you have a secret recipe that everyone loves? Leave it for me in the comments section below!