My love of mason jars expands beyond the simplistic prettiness of using them for decor – I love to can homemade jams and pickles as well! My grandmother, Hazel Page (Mimi), was the greatest canner who ever lived – yes, I said it – and she taught me how to can my first jar of jam and first batch of pickles. Some of my most treasured moments were those afternoons spent with Mimi, chatting over her famous grilled cheese and fresh pickles, and a game of Uno if we had time. Whenever we left Mimi’s house, she would always send us home with a jar of her latest batch of jam or pickles, and that has always been such a special memory for me.

One of my favorite things to do on the weekend is get up early and visit the Farmers Market here in San Francisco to purchase fresh strawberries or cucumbers for canning, and of course a bunch of dahlias, peonies or ranunculus to put in one of my treasured blue jars from Mimi. My friends have known me through the years to always have a jar of jam or pickles on hand, and now whenever they come to our house, I send them home with a jar, just like Mimi used to do. After giving so many jars away through the years, I wanted to change things up a bit so people could still enjoy the fruits of my labor but help others at the same time.

Enter Jars of Love, my little side project that makes me happy.

My goal for Jars of Love is to carry on Mimi’s legacy by selling my canned goods to raise money for others in need. Put simply, spreading joy, one jar at a time. If you’d like to purchase some jars of love, please visit my etsy shop or contact me to learn more.