Monday, September 27, 2010

Thrifty Gifting: Jars of Fun

Question: What do you see when you look at this picture?

Answer: Potential! Imagine the possibilities! This jar is just itching to be filled with treats, whether they are for you or to give away. You know what else it's itching for? To be beautifully presented, and that's where I come in.

I have recently discovered the versatility of mason jars and am so excited! They are a fabulous, cost-effective way to create beautiful gifts for the holidays, favors, or just because. Of course, if you can your own jams, sauces or soups, those also can be beautified with a homemade label by you.

After filling my jar, I started with this:

Full sheet sticker paper. They are camouflaged as "shipping labels" but don't let that fool you. They travel through my printer perfectly and I can squeeze at least four jars worth of labels per page if I puzzle them together.

My treat of choice is homemade tomato sauce. Mmmmm. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water and fills me with a happy warm feeling of home comfort. I carefully cut out the printed labels.

Then I peel the paper off the back of the sticker and carefully place them on my jars. Most of my stickers had a handy diagonal cut through the paper on the back of the stickers so it was pretty easy to get the stickers off. Some stickers needed a little coercion, but they came with a little help.

Here is my final shiny happy jar of tomato sauce. Isn't it lovely?

I created the label using LD Petticoat Black for the title, LD Antique for the script at the top and bottom of the label, and DB Cookout and DB Fleuries for the little tomato decoration. For the gold frame shape I actually used the letter L from DB Chill Out and erased the words in the middle.

Here is my final army of tomato sauce jars. They look pretty impressive all together like that!

But don't think you have to make your own tomato sauce to make cute labels! Here is a jar of "medicine" to make someone feel better on a blue day. Just add candy! Easy, huh? But totally cute.

This label uses DB Floral Infusion for the white flower, LD Remington Portable for the main text on the label (I thought it gave it a nice old prescription bottle look) and SNF Uptown for some little details (i.e. itta britta apothecary).

Have you ever seen those cookie recipes in a jar? They are so much fun to give and receive.

I got the recipe for these cookies here. I made this label using mostly DB Karma Borders - I L.O.V.E. this DoodleBat - and for the words I used SNF Duluth Block, SNF Party Script and Party Script Bold. I used the same fonts on the back where I included the directions to finish off the recipe.

Are you totally psyched to make a mason jar project now?

Yes?

Want some help starting out?

Good. I can offer help... it's a free download! Hurray! There are four labels on this pdf, including round labels for the lid. Pick your own fonts from scrapNfonts to complete the details. (You can click on the image to download the pdf.)
Happy canning! and labeling! and gift giving!

****UPDATE****

Since many of you requested some direction on how to add fonts to the labels I will add a few pointers here. First of all, if you are familiar with a graphic program that uses layers, such as Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Fireworks, etc, that would be best. You can type on a different layer from the labels and move the type around, change the font, etc, until you get what you want.

If you do not have Photoshop, fear not! This is still a project you can do, you just have to be more patient. If you have Windows chances are you have "Paint." Open up the pdf in Paint and select the type tool (It looks like the letter A in a box). Once you start typing you must do all the editing you will want (font color, size, location, etc) on that particular type box before you do anything else. You can move the type box around while it's selected if you hover the cursor over the edges/corners. When you get an arrow with four heads, click and drag to move the box. The arrow with two heads will resize the type box. Once that type box isn't selected anymore, you can't change it. If you happen to de-select the type box and you don't like how it looks, just hit Ctrl+Z and it will undo whatever you most recently did. You can save and print from Paint, too. Good Luck!

Shop ScrapNfonts.com for the widest variety of craft and scrapbooking fonts, DoodleBats, WordArt and Brushes.

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

These are so cute! I love the anti-boohoo-tic in particular! Gotta love those Vitamin "M"s. too.

Nancy M said...

Both jars are very cute. I love the boohoo jar the best. We are always eating M & M's around here. So feel free to ship me one for Christmas.. (j/k) But they are cute and I will try making my own and see if I can get it as cute as yours. Thanks for posting. :)

Unknown said...

Cuuute! Thanks for the download!

Fiorella said...

Thank you so much!!

Hester said...

Thanks for the labels i really like these colours!

Keri said...

Awesome way to cuten up my canning! Thanks for the inspiration & download

Jena said...

Supe cute idea! Thanks for the free download to help get started :)

Anonymous said...

I love the jar labels. Thank you so much!

Denise said...

Thank you so much for the label download. They are so cute!

Elaine Wilson said...

Thank you for sharing this. I just got a gift giving book from Gooseberry Patch, and these will work so nice with some of the gift giving ideas in there. Your jars are very cute!
Elaine
http://elainemwilson@blopspot.com

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the really cute labels. I downloaded the PDF but how do you add the type? Sorry, I know this is probably a dumb question. I just canned my first batch of yummy salsa and would love to use the labels.

Beverly said...

I teach high school seniors in Sunday School and we will be sending last year's class (now college freshmen) exam survival packages....labels will be perfect!!! Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing the cute labels. They will come in handy for gift giving. Smiles Carolyn

Justine said...

What a spectacular treat!!! I LOVE glass containers of all sorts especially antique. Thank you so much

At Home in English Valley said...

I'm always impressed by the generosity of bloggers! Thank you for sharing. Penny

Anonymous said...

Wonderful Tut and FABULOUS site. I'm so glad I found you! Thank you for all you share.

Lisa Chin said...

WOW these are so beautiful. Thanks for sharing your talents!

Bobbie said...

Too cute, love these, thanks so much for the great ideas and fun labels.

Grandma S. said...

Thank you so much for the clear instructions, and the very cute labels!

krafting kelly said...

Thank you for the cute labels. I just found this blog and love it already! Such great ideas!

annieb said...

I agree with anon, how do you get the typing and fonts onto them.
We could really use the help.
Thanks

Nancy said...

I too love the Mason jar and they come in such a variety of sizes.
Thanks for your cute approach for gift giving, love the labels.
Thanks for sharing too.

Atticelf said...

Cool! thanks!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the adorable labels!!

Priscilla said...

Wow! this is fabulous! I love jars so this is perfect for me!! And of course, just in time for the holidays. :)

Anonymous said...

love these! new to this- so how do I add the text?

Hi! My name is erica. Would you be my friend? said...

Thanks! I've been meaning to do something like this for years. It's a great way to use some of those unusual fonts I've purchased. :)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for updating the blog to show us newbies how to do this!!

Leah said...

What am I doing wrong? I can't save the labels to my computer. My 'save' button doesn't light up.

Thanks for any help you may be able to give me.

Angela said...

Leah, I chose to "open" mine instead of saving. This brings up the document in Adobe Reader. Once it opens then you can go to "file" and "save".
Hope that helps you.

Unknown said...

oh thanks! i just used the circle with the scalloped border to make pumpkin ice cream labels. :)

i opened it as a pdf, then saved it as pdf. i used word and inserted the pdf as an "insert picture." i cropped until just the shape i wanted was showing. then i used the insert text boxes and played with font size, color and placement. perfect.

happy sunday!
coley

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Leah said...

Something is still not working. I click on the picture of the labels. It comes up and I can hit the print button and they will print, but I just can't save them to my hard drive. Any other suggestions on how to save these? If someone wants to send a copy to me off list in PDF form, here is my email: scrapbooker1158@aol.com.

Thank you very much in advance.

Leah

itta Britta said...

I'll send them to you, Leah.

pamala said...

Darling idea! I am not able to save teh file either. I can enlarge it and it shows save as, but nothing happens. Could someone please send me the pdf also? I would greatly appreciate it!!! pmooie@hotmail.com

Jennifer said...

I can not get them to download to my computer either. I click on the picture or link, it opens in my web page as a pdf and then I click save and nothing happens. my email is gwennie27@yahoo.com if you can send them to me. These labels are awesome, thank you so much.