DIY Canning Jar Labels

Finished Jars

The first time I tried an image transfer, it was magic. Some projects are utter perfection in how they work so simply and beautifully. Image transfers fall smack into that category, the way the paper falls away and leaves an clear image reminiscent of black and white film strips.

There is also something magical for me about the process of canning – of transforming a glut of fruit into something packed into glass canning jars that gleam out from your cupboard. So when I came across Christine Schmidt’s image transfer project for canning jar labels, it was a perfect marriage.

Labels

I took cues from both Courtney’s class and Christine’s project and made homemade labels for my lemon curd, which holds a special place in my canning heart.

There is a lemon tree in my neighborhood that I pass every day when I walk our dog, and one day I left a note asking if I could help myself to any lemons they might not use. They said yes, and now I regularly pluck those gorgeous yellow orbs from their tree and leave a jar of lemon curd as a token of my appreciation. My go-to recipe is from Pam Corbin’s River Cottage Preserves book.

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It’s a lovely little, lo-fi transaction that makes my urban life feel a little smaller and sweeter.