tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347024209749983628.post4724841666989716658..comments2024-01-27T02:01:24.039-05:00Comments on Happy Hour at the Top Bar: BottlesJulie Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09965401314478095790noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347024209749983628.post-75953273158124457222016-03-30T14:42:38.631-04:002016-03-30T14:42:38.631-04:00You just described my concern about the Avery labe...You just described my concern about the Avery labels perfectly. <br /><br />I've been playing in Photoshop, but you're probably right about Illustrator being a better design program. My understanding is that it creates vectors, so they would look good scaled to any size. <br /><br />Looking at the website, and those labels could be very promising! Thank you for sharing that with me!Julie Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09965401314478095790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347024209749983628.post-48475009486777915832016-03-30T12:20:42.752-04:002016-03-30T12:20:42.752-04:00Throwing in my 2 cents. I've been meaning to c...Throwing in my 2 cents. I've been meaning to check this website out but just haven't had the time: http://www.stickeryou.com/2/products/honey-labels/581/ <br /><br />Meanwhile… Easily found at office supply stores, Avery labels come in sheets of round, oval, square and a plethora of other shapes. Avery provides templates (Word docs) which is helpful. If you want more than just type, you can insert an image. I create mine in Adobe Illustrator (or sometimes PhotoShop) and save as EPS. Word can be persnickety but this method is a lot less expensive than hiring a graphic designer. My best year, I harvested 30lbs so label design and production is definitely an in-house job for me. My only warning about Avery labels is they don't stick well on EVERY surface. I used the oval ones on a coated box, and they just kept popping off, unfortunately after I'd delivered them to the client. The squares have an edge where it's designed to be easy-peel off of the sheet, but essentially it's an adhesive-free strip so the edge of the sticker sticks up if you're applying it to a curved surface. HBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00457255992295971802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347024209749983628.post-91680398305482375012015-09-21T20:43:52.418-04:002015-09-21T20:43:52.418-04:00Good point about using new jars! I imagine that ap...Good point about using new jars! I imagine that apple-lemon marmalade honey might be very nice. Chutney honey could be interesting. But dill pickle honey... blech! Sounds like a disaster! <br /><br />The fact that you add a label to your free honey at all is nice. I doubt I'll get around to labels at all this year. People who get free honey from me will just have to settle for jars that are mostly not sticky. ;-)Julie Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09965401314478095790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347024209749983628.post-36409460847655559622015-09-21T11:23:24.541-04:002015-09-21T11:23:24.541-04:00One of the experienced beekeepers here said you sh...One of the experienced beekeepers here said you should always use new glass for bottling honey, so I always buy more each year just for that. I think the idea is that you don't want to put honey in a jar that had grandma's pickles in there last time. ;-) And they come with new lids! But that's great to know about the plastic lids - thanks for the pointers!<br /><br />As for labels, I've been handwriting my labels for the mason jars and use the dissolvable labels from Ball. Not very pretty, but practical for free honey. But I really need to get someone to design a label for me. I made one for the lip balm I make, but it's not very artistic. It's much like my hive painting skills - boring. But I'm sure you can create a wonderful label given your talents! But I agree sticking to one or two sizes is good for labeling as well.Donhttp://www.buddhaandthebees.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347024209749983628.post-67568299041409139302015-09-21T10:34:57.015-04:002015-09-21T10:34:57.015-04:00Those are good points about sizing. I think we'...Those are good points about sizing. I think we're thinking along the same lines for bottling. I've also been thinking about restricting bottles to 2 or 3 sizes, too, for labeling purposes. Also, I'd like to restrict containers to 1 or 2 styles so that I can just resize the label design rather than having to come up with a new label shape. I don't want to have to print up labels in a zillion shapes & sizes.<br /><br />This year, I'll use mason jars to give honey away, too, since I have a whole pantry full of them for canning. I like using the plastic lids, though, when I give things away in jars. They come in wide-mouth and regular sizes, and I pick them up at my local Walmart or Ace Hardware. Much easier to deal with than the lid/band, and I think people are more likely to reuse them (though I usually ask them to give the jars back if they're just going to toss/recycle them.) http://www.amazon.com/Set-Ball-Storage-Caps-Regular/dp/B00OAKGLC2/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1442844904&sr=1-2&keywords=ball+jar+plastic+lidsJulie Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09965401314478095790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1347024209749983628.post-32679036035068033402015-09-21T09:28:42.277-04:002015-09-21T09:28:42.277-04:00Very cool bottles and crocks. I've always use...Very cool bottles and crocks. I've always used mason jars (since I just give my honey away at this point), but have been thinking about which bottles will work best for sales. Single lid jars (as opposed to the lid/band of a mason jar) are the way to go. I also think an 8 or 12 oz (fluid) bottle is best for small crops. Pints are too big and the 4oz jars are great for novelties/gifts/samplers, but not practical for actually having any honey to use for a while. Donhttp://www.buddhaandthebees.netnoreply@blogger.com