labelling glass jars

[eeky]

Have any of you suggestions for 2 labelling problems - I make lots of jam and chutney and would like to label with something that looks vaguely stylish and doesn't smudge if gets wet. Methods I currently use are forgetting to label and having jam lucky dip to guess the flavour , or biro on an ordinary blank label. Would like a better method for giving as presents or selling at pta sale etc. I really am not keen on the flowery labels they sell for preserves, which have the smudgy handwriting problem.

Also have lots of glass coffee jars which would be great for decanting flour, sugar pasta etc into - need something similar to identify these. Someone suggested chalk-style or ordinary glass markers for side and lid of jar, but not sure how long these last if they get wet.

Thanks - hoping to improve my organisation along with spring cluttering...

Blackboard tape and chalk pen; lasts well and can be wiped off and re-written so you only need one lot of tape.

Or, I have a roll of sticky brown paper in a narrowish tape size which can be written on with normal marker and sticks directly onto the jar.

Dymo Letratag label maker machine thing, reduced at Amazon.

not that I've spent all Easter hols labelling everything oh no not me

Paint blackboard paint onto the glass jar, then write on contents with chalk.

Yoni, is this the label maker you have? Is it good?

I use a sharpie...
but it really really doesn't look stylish.

Artemisa I've just googled blackboard tape but can't find a UK stockist; where did you get yours from?

Sinking yep

I use Cath Kidston labels from amazon.

I got mine as a gift in a pack of washi tapes, had no idea it was scarce in the UK, or I would have hesitated before suggesting it! I suppose you could paint masking tape with blackboard paint but that seems like a lot of hassle...

I use the kind of labels that come on an A4 sheet, and print them out using Word. I do a plain black text box with a fairly thick line, with whatever font I fancy at the time, and cut out the labels leaving a thin line of white on the outside of the black box. Looks nice and clear and quite eye-catching.

If you have some scrap A4 you can fiddle about with the text box until it fits nicely on the labels, then copy and paste the whole text box as many times as you have labels. Then save the document and just change the text when you want to make more labels.

Sounds a bit long-winded, and maybe it isn't the most efficient way, but I like the effect. Plus you only really have to spend time on it once, after that it's really quick.

Craft shops sell special paint for writing/drawing on glass. It comes in a tube with a long thin nozzle so you can use it to write directly onto the glass. It is really hard wearing. I use it for just the purpose you describe - I have glass kilner and coffee jars that I store things like rice, pasta, flour, sugar etc in and I have used this paint to label the jars.

This is the stuff I use.

Jamjarshop sell spotty labels. I have Lakeland fruity ones which are good for jams, not so for chutneys. I use a ballpoint pen on them before I stick them on and they don't smudge. You could always place some sello over the writing if you prefer using a fountain or gel pen.

for a durable but not-smart method, buy a roll of white vinyl tape from the electrical counter or hardware store (preferably a very big professional one), they might incorrectly call it insulating tape; and use a permanent marker.

I brought a few pages of small rectangular blackboard labels for a couple of quid on eBay...

Thanks for so many replies, and oh! so many new things I didn't know existed.I love the sound of the blackboard labels and chalk markers, and also of the glass markers. I have just been distracted by the mention of Washie tape which is new to me, and had to google it. The coloured ones would be nice for labelling too, but dd has just spotted solar system encyclopaedia washi tape and is angling for it. Guessing I will now waste lots of time having fun labelling when should be chucking stuff away! Hey ho

Found some blackboard labels! Hooray, like eeky I can now go and buy not entirely essential things and still feel like I'm organising myself...