Jam

When making jam, it's nice to have the right equipment.
-A big pot with a basket helps, however you can use a big pot and a dish towel at the bottom in place of the rack (the rack keeps the jars off the bottom of the hot pan; the towel will do the same thing). A flat lid a little smaller than your pot could work too (that's what I did with my pickles the other day).
-A jar funnel is a mess and time saver.
-Jar tongs help lift hot jars into and out of the boiling water (especially helpful if you do not have a basket).
-A lid grabber, with a magnet at the end, quickly gets hot lids out of the pan and on to the jars. -A cooling rack is nice too ... lets the air circulate more freely around the hot jars.
A dishwasher helps keep the jars HOT and clean. You can also use a large pot: put the clean jars into the pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, then simmer till ready to use.
A clippy magnet holds the instructions above the stove top quite well ... keeps them from getting lost or ruined.
Finally you are ready! Make sure you have the right amount of mashed fruit and lemon (see instructions) BEFORE you begin. I use Pomona's Universal Pectin - this allows me to use a much smaller amount of sweetener than regular pectins (I get mine from the bulk food order [Azure] but can also get it at the local health food stores). Make sure you have your desired sweetener(s) ready. I use 1/2c honey and 1t stevita per batch (you'll find Stevita at the same places as Pomona's).
Follow the instructions listed in your pectin box. Soon you will be ready to fill the [HOT] jars:

Wipe the rims with a clean damp cloth, top with lids and bands. Put the jars into the basket; put the basket into the boiling pot (or use the tongs to lower them down into the pot one by one). Bring water back to a boil and boil for the stated amount of time. When done, allow to cool on a wire rack. I let mine sit where they are for about 24 hours. Check the seals, take off the bands, and store in a cool place.
Wait a few days before you open one ... if you can wait that long! If I am out of jam, I will often open up a jar after it cools (like I did today - YUM!).

FYI, today I made strawberry/blueberry/peach jam (was going to be just strawberries but didn't have enough to make 2 batches, so I added the other fruit). I also made spiced peach - the 'spiced' part is cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger. More cinnamon than anything else, however no more than 1t total spices in 1 1/2 batches. The spice adds a hint of flavor but does not take away from the peach taste. Yum!