When I first started making soy candles I wanted try and re-use old Jars to reduce the carbon footprint of Lemon Canary. But where would I find old jars? Jars that people would embrace. By the biggest stroke of luck or fate, whatever you may call it, I came across a gorgeous old preserve jar in my local St.Vinnies. "Do you have any more of these" I yelled out in delight, startling the poor lady sorting through a bag of donations. She went on to tell me that the jars were something of an Australian icon.
In 1915, Joseph Fowler had begun selling home-bottling equipment from the back of a cart, door to door in Melbourne. His bottles became an essential item during the depression. The company's ads featured an illustration of a dainty housewife named Mrs. B Thrifty. Over the last century Australia has seen many sizes of these gorgeous jars, green glass, grey glass, tall, short, bottles.. I am still amazed when I have a find of jars at some of the sizes that are around that I had no idea existed. Some fetch quite a high price and are now very rare. Therefore I must stress to all you candle lovers, if you do buy and enjoy these beautiful candles please take advantage of the Lemon Canary Rebate Scheme. You will receive a $5 credit for all returned jars towards your next purchase, that way we can be sure that these iconic jars stay in circulation. If you live interstate or cannot get them back to Lemon Canary, pop them on ebay, or donate them to your local church or op shop so that they may be found and loved all over again.
Everytime I pour a soy candle I think about where it has been before this moment, what it has seen, and the fact that it is probably older than me. Has it housed a sticky strawberry jam? or perhaps a spicy tomato relish? which church groups or fetes has it raised money for? and which dear people before me have put love and energy into turning a seemingly ordinary jar into something wonderful?
Meeting and speaking to some of these gorgeous
people has truly been the most rewarding part of the whole experience, I had no idea that a small idea like re-using jars would bloom into something so touching and sentimental.
Apart from all these delightful things the jar, (which has now found a new owner, at least for a time), it is also filled with gorgeous pure soy wax and looks beautiful and unique in your home, I am yet to have a friend come over who doesn't comment on the jars. These candles are also brilliant for outdoors as the flame doesn't get blown out.
Every time you light your candle, all that history comes with the flame.. x
The Lemon Canary x
