Make Your Own CD Labels with CD Stomper Labeling System

When my husband and I decided to transfer all of our old vinyl records onto CDs, I didn't realize what a time-consuming project it would be. We had ordered a small Anders Nicholson turntable that came with a computer program guaranteed to do the job. It did, but I was able to put so many of the records onto each 80-minute disc that I couldn't possibly list them all by hand on the front of each disc. There just wasn't enough room. Besides, my handwriting isn't anything to be proud of, and I was constantly making mistakes and having to cross out and rewrite titles. Not a professional looking job at all. And I had hoped to use some of my new discs as Christmas gifts for family members next year.

After a few botched efforts, I headed for Staples. Not necessarily because I think Staples is the best office supply store in town, but because it was the closest, and I was in a hurry to get my project underway.

After looking at 4 or 5 kits they had for designing your own labels, I finally selected one called CD Stomper Labeling System. I'll admit that I was slightly influenced by the size of the box. I thought that a box that big would surely have enough labels to last me for the rest of my life. Wrong. There was a lot more space in the box than product, but it did have enough material to give me a good start.

The Stomper Labeling System has an excellent program that lets you choose from some basic designs that you can add your own titles to and you are well on your way to some professional looking labels.

I designed my labels, listed the 24 songs I had burned to my first disc, and in my rush to see the finished product, I grabbed one of the pages with CD labels on it, stuck it in my printer, told it to print, and could hardly wait for my beautiful label to roll out.

It rolled out all right, but it was printed in the center of the page. Unfortunately, the label was against the left side of the page so very little of my design actually ended up on the label. How frustrating. I decided it was probably time to study the instructions a little closer.

To my amazement, I found out that they had a test page you were supposed to use to make sure your design was aligned correctly, before printing on the actual label. If it didn't fit properly, they had instructions for aligning your design. Again you were supposed to print a practice sheet and see if it was aligned with the test page. Mine wasn't and it took several tries, before I managed to figure out how to come up with the right position to make my label work.

But it was worth it. When I finally sent a new label through the printer, my design came out even better than I expected.

A plastic Applicator comes in the kit. This is to help you get the label onto your CD disc without skewing it to one side or the other. The label has little tabs on each side to hold it by as you lay the label, face down on the applicator spindle, and then add your CD with the playing side facing up. A small spool fits over the center portion of your disc and you press down until the label has adhered to your disc. While still holding it down, tear off the tabs and your disc is ready to use.

The CD Stomper Labeling System comes with several types of labels, some that I won't be using, but labels other people might find handy. There are DVD labels, CD labels, jewel case spine labels, and jewel case inserts.

The kit was just over $20 and well worth it just to get the plastic applicator. Now, when I run out of labels, I won't need the whole kit, and will probably just purchase a package of CD labels. When I finish updating our music collections, I may go back and make labels for the many photo CDs I have of family birthday parties, vacation trips, and even the flowers in my garden. I can just see a gorgeous yellow rose gracing the front of my garden CD.

The thing I like the best about my Stomper Labeling System is the professional look they give to my CDs. Now I know exactly what most of the members of my family are getting for Christmas. Talk about getting one's Christmas shopping done early. I've really broken all my previous Christmas shopping records. (No pun intended.)