This year, I’ve decided, is all about sharing the good stuff. There is great delight in finding the perfect solution for something that has been nagging, so I’m going to share some of the kitchen tricks I’ve come up with. Feel free to chime in with solutions you’ve found or—even better—your own niggling problems. I have a feeling that together, we might be able to solve them.
If you’re a canner, as I am, you’re faced with the eternal problem of what to do about labels for canning jars. It’s lovely to end up with a row or two of shiny jars, but if you want to remember what’s inside them, you need to mark them in some way. Blueberry jam starts looking a lot like blackberry once it’s in the jar.
In the grand spectrum of our world, this may seem trivial, but every year I’m stuck with the same dilemma. The canning jars I buy new come with labels, but they are quickly used up while the jars get reused year after year—and the jars I find at thrift stores don’t come with any labels at all. You can buy replacement labels, but they often look a little too “country kitchen” for my liking. The labels at my local hardware store might have been designed by Holly Hobbie. Even the oval ones that come with the new jars aren’t really my style.
I know people who design their own labels, which they tell me is easy. My friend Knox, who out-Marthas me at every turn, does a lovely job with ingredients on the back and different colors selected for each item. I wish I were the sort who would do this. Unfortunately my best intentions come up against a lack of time and design know-how (or perhaps just lack of a design program, ahem).
I thought I’d hit the goldmine when I discovered custom made labels on Etsy. There are numerous sellers with all sorts of designs from country to chic. My Etsy file is filled with different options, and I like the idea of supporting these independent crafters. Yet I never did get around to ordering any.
The thing is, there are drawbacks to these types of stickers. Some canning jars are quilted, with a small area that is clear for the label, so you need one that fits the space. There are rounded jars, and jars with raised design on the glass, the physics of which do not make for smooth labeling. And even when you find the perfect label, it has to be soaked and scrubbed when you reuse the jar and that can be a hassle (yes, yes, cue the tiny violins).
The other labeling option is a hanging tag, which can be tied on with ribbon or string. This looks charming, but I once was given jam packaged this way as a gift and the string came loose and the label was lost and I had no idea what was inside that jar or when it should be used by.
This winter, however, I came up with a solution that makes me inordinately happy. My friend Leslie showed me a jar from a friend labeled with brown kraft paper. I loved the look of it, and as soon as I got home I started searching the internet for brown kraft paper labels. I hit the jackpot. There were loads of brown kraft paper labels out there, mine for the asking.
I ordered round labels in two sizes (2 inch, and 2.5 inch). These can be stuck on the top of my canning jar lids, which are only supposed to be used once anyway (for canning purposes, at least). They are large enough to write the contents, date, my name, and even a little note if I am going to give them as a gift. If I am feeling frugal, I can scribble on the lid with a sharpie for storage, then add the labels if they are being gifted. Another frugal bonus: these labels are pennies a sheet, as opposed to custom made labels. When you do quite a bit of canning, as I do, that’s nice.
And if I want to up my game, these labels can be run through a printer. If I ever manage to find the time and figure out a program to make a fancy design of my own, that is.
I even ordered some rectangular labels, to use on other dry goods jars. I like the clean but utilitarian look of the brown kraft paper. No country kitchen here.
I did a brief cost comparisons, and the website Brown Kraft Labels came out ahead. I like that they do not require any sort of minimum order—you can order just a few sheets. They ship the same day, and there are three different shades of brown to choose from (is my OCD showing?). There’s also a wide selection of shapes and sizes, enough to keep the most compulsive organizer quite happy.
Don’t they look nice all written out? This is the standard brown color.
It’s the small things that are making me happy these days (last year it was a compulsively organized spice rack, apparently January is the month for such things). Have you come up with some kitchen solution that is making you happy? And what are your niggling problems? Perhaps they need a team effort. See you in the comments.
Brown Kraft Labels, by Creative Label Concepts
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These are so good. They have the same ‘no fuss’ look of a basic brown tag, but without the loss.
I have to admit, my labelling depends what the canned thing is for. For Christmas, I used paper doilies to cover the lids, which I wrote on, but my items we quite evidently what they were even without. I also don’t buy actual preserving jars unless I am doing a huge batch, as we go through enough stuff from shops/markets that I can save and re-use those jars.
I’m loving all this organization. Very inspiring and clever. It makes me want to take a look at my own pantry and make some changes.
Very excited about your new resolution to share the good stuff! I joined you on spice organization last year after reading your post and damn if my life if not better every single day (it coincided with remodeling our cabinets and discovering that we had to get the smallest spice cabinet-size drawers in one place and voila – now organized spices and tons more cabinet room). I wouldn’t have done it without your recommendation of where to buy jars (it’s intimidating buying off random sites). I’m sure I’ll be ordering these kraft labels for some project (my canning label method is graph paper squares adhered with washi tape – a bit fussy but pretty).
And as long as we are talking life-changing… your kale salad. The magic of this salad overwhelms me. Everyone loves it, especially those who think they hate kale. Count me and the 6 people I’ve introduced it to among the dozens (hundreds?) who have sworn allegiance.
You are such a woman after my own heart. I hate those oval labels that come with ball jars; why must they be so…grandma? No offense to hip grandmas. Or grandmas in general. Anyway, you catch my drift
Love these!
I am bad about labeling my jars. I haven’t gotten to the point where I forget what is in them and if they look too similar I will write on the lid. I love the look of brown kraft paper and I am glad to know where to find these lovely labels if I need them.
LOVE this, Tea!!!! It makes me want to go can, NOW.
I love these! Thanks for sharing a great resource and idea.
I know just what you mean! I found a box of a dozen of those squat round jars with pears and strawberries on the sides at a garage sale last summer (for $3!!!) and not a single label looks good on the side of those! A while ago I’d discovered sticker paper, basically an 8.5×11″ sticker, which paired with a round craft punch thingy makes all the labels I can ever want. It’s nice because I can print out whatever I want on it and cut it into any shape I want. Oh! Also, if you want inspiration for label design, check out this incredibly talented lady: http://justsomethingimade.com/2011/01/world-label-2-5-round-label-giveaway-and-free-jsim-label-designs/. The link is specifically to the labels I think would work for you, but I love her site and have used lots of her projects as inspiration. Hope that helps…and I love the caption on your Blackberry jam jar. I definitely have one or two “surprise flavor” jars in my pantry
These are perfect! We gave baskets of home-canned stuff for Christmas this year, and I was definitely not thrilled with the hokey country-style labels that we found at the hardware store. These are much more our style, and so much cheaper than I could have guessed. Thanks!
OH Man! This just made me smile very loudly! One of the items on my Life List is to learn how to can and these labels would add to the fun! They are just my style!
Thanks Tea, for sharing with us!
xo
Jill
That’s it….I am linking to this for today’s tutorial on TerraSavvy.
Thanks again!
After scoffing at my husband for his love of his label-maker, I succumbed to its beauty. I make labels for my dry goods which I store in glass containers. I love the clean simplicity of them. I think my canned goods need these labels. Thank you so much for the link.
I gave up on those ill-fitting labels long ago. I am beyond lazy and just write the date and contents on the top of the jar with a sharpie. If I want to give them away, I might fancy them up, wrap some ribbon or raffia around them and attach a pretty tag. Maybe even find a circle to cover my sharpie scribbling. One label I love for so many, many things is the red border freezer label as seen here: http://www.amazon.com/Labeleze-Freezer-Labels-Red-Border/dp/B000MF8VPO
Your jars look pretty–don’t you feel so competent and productive? I know I do when I look at mine all lined up!
I am so looking for a solution to my spice storage problem. In my new kitchen I don’t have any above-the-counter cabinets, and the racks I got to hold spice jars in my drawers don’t fit! I was thinking about using a magnetic board with metal jars on it, but I’m afraid it would get too much direct sunlight.
I might try the ELFA solution at The Container Store, which would put a rack down the middle of my pantry door to which I can attach spice shelves. If anyone has had experience with this, I’d like to know what it is.
But, Tea, your labeling suggestion is great. I usually use blue painter’s tape since it can be clearly written on, it comes off easily, and I LOVE the color blue. My big concession is to trim each side neatly with scissors rather than just tearing it off.
Very clever! I agree about the oval stickers being too country kitchen…so I just go with the traditional “scribble on the lid with a sharpie” approach to labelling. This method is definitely an improvement.
I usually just write in sharpie on the lids, since those aren’t supposed to be re-used for canning, but I do love the look of those brown paper labels.
Some ideas for water and frozen resistant labels? Thanks
Hi!
I completely agree with your Holly Hobby assessment… Another issue I have with labels on the jars themselves is that if you have cases and cases of canned goods, as I often do, you have to lift each jar out to read the label and find what you are after – way too time consuming! I do like the look of these better than trying to fit my sharpie title and date around whatever trademark and swirlies are on the lids.
Thanks!
I love those labels (and that quilty jar!)
And I love that my spices are now all beautifully organised – thank you for the inspiration
I’m off to check out Etsy’s labels.
PS Joy for Beginners arrived yesterday and I am already half-way through. I LOVE it – so inspiring [and Erica has beautiful hair
)
Thanks for sharing these labels. I like the clean, streamlined look of them. They would be great on containers of dry goods too.
Gorgeous and simple – but I think I like your writing better than mine! I anticipate many neater, better organized kitchens as a result of your good work!
Thanks for including your sources, too by the way. I’ve got the jar site bookmarked – have to add this one too!
I am so glad for this link! At Christmas I hand punched circles from Trader Joe’s bags (because I liked the white patterning on kraft paper backing) and then double sticky taped them to the jars. They were a little peely so this is a much better solution!
Love those! I usually just write on the lid with a sharpie, but I feel bad giving them as a gift to anyone but family and close friends. These are awesome! Thanks Tea!
I love the labels- thank you for the great tip. I have one, small suggestion for you. You showed an image of vanilla sugar that appears to have the vanilla bean ground into the sugar. I have seen many recipes for making the sugar this way- however- I think you may want to try just splitting a vanilla bean down the middle and adding that to the sugar. When the sugar is halfway used, add more sugar and shake the jar- your vanilla sugar will be refreshed in no time at a fraction of the cost of regrinding a vanilla bean in there. I am pretty sure you will be satisfied with the intensity of the vanilla flavor- I was skeptical it could be strong enough myself.
Thanks, Abby, for the vanilla suggestion. For years I did as you explain here. This time I tried using an old vanilla bean pod (center had been scraped out) and grinding it up to see if I liked the stronger vanilla flavor. The funny thing is that I don’t often use vanilla sugar, so I’m not sure I’ve had enough opportunity to compare the two! Jury is still out.
Thanks for chiming in. You’re right, that is an awfully good way to go about it.
Like many others, I’ve also been using the write on the lid with a sharpie as the labels I found were too Holly Hobbie. What a genius solution for all my bumpy (quilty – what a lovely word) jars. And what lovely handwriting on your labels.
I’m so in love with your tags and I can’t tell you how much it pleases my virgo self to see a whole boxful of your perfectly labelled jars! ~it’s the little things
I usually just buy a roll of plain white sticker labels (they look like your rectangle brown ones, but white) but I do prefer the natural look of your brown ones, I’m going to have a look and see if I can find something similar here in Australia, or see if they post here.
Thank you xx
Those jars look really good. I am dreaming of all the yummy things you have been canning all winter.
this has TOTALLY MADE MY DAY!!! I am in serious organizing mode, and have always intensely disliked the labels that come with canning jars. This makes my heart sing! Thank you very much! (and happy new year)
This is a great post! And I have read all the comments, a rare thing! For gifts I use labels for the top of the jars with my logo/avatar and may add ribbon and a tag or tiny ornamentation. But my poor pantry! I have been using the oval stickers as they are so easy to wash off. I am going to rethink my labeling moving forward! Exceptional post!
I’ve been dealing with the same problem of how to label gift jars. I too dislike the cutesy country labels, and usually opt to just write on plain white label stickers I liberate from my office desk. This year, I opted for brown kraft paper, but rather than stickers (because I didn’t know they existed) I cut a large square piece, wrote on one side, place it on top of the jar, and then screwed the band over top of it. The edges stuck out a bit, but I like how it looked. The only problem was that as I wrote the ingredients, recipe, or instructions underneath the paper, if you wanted to know what was in the jar, you had to unscrew the band.
I love your idea and will be ordering asap! Thx!
Food in Jars sent me here and I have to say THANK YOU to both of y’all. I have a special order I’m working on and instead of the regular labels on the lids, I wanted to actually label the jars. Being able to buy them in brown craft paper AND buy only a few sheets at a time is a huge deal to me. Thanks!
I’ve just started writing directly on the canning jar lids with a sharpie. I hate scrubbing stickers off! And this way, there is no way to mix up if a lid has already been used or not. However, your brown kraft paper idea does add a touch of creativity to the whole idea… nice!
Love this!! I have the same problem! Although now I have a great solution! I tried the ‘dissolvable’ labels this year and was very disappointed!! They fell off before I got the jars put away!
I am in the process of tackling my spice jar situation. I like my spice jar lazy susan but the metal tops are rusting and that is unacceptable. I found glass jars with wooden tops that will hopefully fit with the rack but will also need to address the label situation for them…considering glass etching. Since you mention that you have tackeled this I am going to search your blog in hopes that you wrote about it.
Thanks again for the label solution for the jars…will work perfectly for me!!
~Jenifer
I have been using the Avery labels (about $.53 per sheet) to label my lids. I use the 1-2/3″ (24 labels per sheet) for regular size lids and the 2-1/2″ (12 labels per sheet) for wide mouth lids. Then I use The Printshop which has a built in template for the layout. I can add clip art, photos, descriptions, whatever I want and make a very personalized label. Since lids are not resealable – no scrubbing it off! The brown kraft paper labels are nice too!
Pammy, what is the code for the Avery labels you use? Brilliant idea!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Sometimes my lovely marmalades have gone to my friends with sticky notes reinforced with scotch tape. 8( (It’s the thought that counts, right? And no one eats the label…) And I hate those quilted jars, because I can never find the itty-bitty flat surface if I do have the appropriate label that will fit on it. And those itty-bitty labels — I write BIG! I just ordered some of these Kraft labels and can’t wait to run them through the printer.
FWIW, I was looking up labels on Amazon, and notice that someone has dissolvable labels. Sounds interesting.
Germain–another reader mentioned she tried the dissolving labels and was disappointed: apparently they fell off before she put the jars away. Just so you know…
I also use wide mouth jars for freezing tomato sauces, soups and such. In storage, it’s not always convenient to see the top to read a label or sharpie, so I use different colored sharpies or sharpie/paint pens and write on the side of the glass jar. I also do this to label my gallon jars which contain different flours. Sharpie cleans off glass very easily with rubbing alcohol when you want to put something new in the jar.
I love this idea! I’ve done something similar when I give canned goods away at Christmas time. I just buy scrapbook paper and cut circles out to fit the tips of my jars. No tape or anything they’re just held on by the rings. I love the brown craft paper for my own personal use though! Thanks for sharing!
I normally just write on the lids with a black Sharpie, but these would work great for the items I give to family and friends.
Thank you for sharing this!
Tara, I just wanted to say a big thank you. My copy of Traveller’s Tales – Tuscany arrived the other day and what a pleasure it was to receive after a not-so great day.
What a great idea! This year I gave up and just wrote on lids with a sharpie. When it came time to give gifts my husband objected so I cut circles out of lovely scrapbooking paper (because I’m unorganized and couldn’t find my circle punch). These brown labels are perfect, not cutesy, they seem more organic. Thank you for the head’s up!
Love this! The link to this came by the most bizarre path…coolness…serendipity!
I also found you via Food in Jars and am a huge fan of kraft paper labels for my canned item, which I serve and sell at my BnB. I take your OCD a step further and run the labels through my printer.
Looking forward to exploring your blog.
http://larkenspringsfarm.com/?attachment_id=487
Your labels are lovely—it looks like your B&B is as well! Thanks for sharing.
Brilliant! I have had the same issue for years and never could come up with a solution….
After fighting with the gummy little stickers for years, I have finally settled on just writing with a Sharpie on top of my jar lids. Simple, utilitarian, and, in a minimalist way, kind of pretty.
Like y’all, I do not care for the labels that come with the jars. Last year I found the website http://sweetpreservation.com/labels-crafts – they have a wide variety of designed labels in PDF files, that you can download for free and print. Depending on the shape and design, they give you a label size recommendation. Tara, I’m sure your brown labels would work too, though I love the simple look of them on their own!
I design my own using a template I found a few years ago. Avery label 5294 is a round 2″ label, that template would work fine. I use Microsoft Word to add clip art and lettering as well as background color. I don’t actually use the Avery label, just plain white paper, a scissors, and a glue stick. The clip art helps to identify what’s in the jar. I’ve received many compliments on my labels.
This makes me so happy! I struggled with the same moral dilemma at Christmas when I gave away jars of quince jam. No one knows what quince is and the little tags I used (which invariably fell off) were too small to describe this wonderful fruit. I will be ordering some labels shortly!
i had a similar predicament yesterday when i was making apricot jam..half of the jars had amaretto and half had brandy..so..the perplexing question was how will i be able to tell them apart to label them once they had been processed..ah..light bulb moment..the lids had writing on them so i scratched under a letter ‘a’ for those with amaretto..
i’m a lazy labeller..my intentions are good because i have visions of making lovely hand drawn/designed labels but mostly i don’t get around to it and i just slap on a little sticker..
Oh, I love these labels, and I have to say, don’t ever “up your game”- I love your handwriting on these too, it’s beautiful, and I think there’s something in your handwriting that makes it so we can hear your voice reading off each kind of jam. I love that. And I have to tell, you (chalkboard paint obsessed) husband peeked over my shoulder and saw your jars, and then brought up a new idea. “What if we paint your jar lids with chalkboard paint?” More on that later, I’m guessing. Thanks for this, and happy new year.
Thanks, Alana–I’ve seen people do chalkboard paint on spice containers and other dry goods:
http://acozykitchen.com/how-to-organize-your-spices/
Happy organizing!
I am SOOOOO relieved to read that I am not alone in my January reorganizing/sorting/cleaning/nesting mania. And that I am not the only one who obsesses over little things like labels, handwriting (oh yeah), Holly Hobby cuteness, and the like. I wrap all my Christmas gifts in kraft paper and love the look. I just spent way too much money on stamps that I plan to use next year to embellish the paper with patterns. And among the stamp purchases was also a 2 1/2″ hold punch for making labels for canned goods! Now, kraft paper labels already punched!?!? Oh well…Thank you for this. Mania loves company!!!
These are lovely! Totally my style. Thanks for sharing!
Just the solution I’ve been looking for! Thanks for sharing. Love your blog!
Aren’t labels so frustrating? It’s just as bad trying to get the darn things off. All the super-glue that’s left after wash after wash.
I like to be organized and heard my husband’s continuous complaints for months of how my baking gear was taking over the kitchen. One day I found a beautiful antique buffet that had been well loved (aka banged and dinged) that was perfect. It now has a place in my kitchen and houses ALL my baking gear and ingredients neatly. It also has a nice flat top that allows for more workspace. It’s a beautiful solid piece that cost much less than some big-box cupboard or cabinet.
The office is next and will probably take me weeks.
What a great solution, I love that.
Good luck with the office. My waterloo is the garage (sigh).
Genius! And with handwriting as charming as yours, you don’t need to waste the time running them through a printer. Your labels have a total rustic beauty, and I don’t mean that in a condescending way in the slightest.
If I canned, I’d be ordering me some of those adorable labels post-haste!
Aw, thanks. Yes, rustic is my middle name, for better or worse!
I tinkered with some of these ideas for years! Now I make my own labels with plain copier paper and downloadable images I find for free online, and affix them with a strip of clear packing tape!
When you wish to remove the label, TA DA! It easily peels off, no scrubbing!
Oh for heavens sake, you’ve got my heart going pitter-patter. I’m going to get me some labels!
I love the craft paper idea. I’ll simply cut them out from grocery bags and glue them on. Maybe rubber stamp them with something. Thanks for sparking the idea!