Make It Monday: Etched Glass Gifts

Welcome to the last Make It Monday of the Christmas 2010 season! Over the past couple of weeks, I've talked about some homemade gifts like flaxseed heating wraps, dancing ribbons & felt crowns for kids and flavored liqueurs. Today I'm going to talk about etched glass gifts.

I got this idea from another M.O.P.S. craft that we did a few years ago. Personally, I have only etched a small glass, lidded container (seen above) and a small oval mirror. But, basically you can use etching cream on all types of glass products -- drinking glasses, vases, candle holders, storage containers. You could even etch something on a glass bottle like the ones I used for my Vanilla Liqueur. One project that I would love to do with etching cream is to make a set of numbered wine glasses - no need for wine charms and no mixing up your glass with someone else's. Simple and cute. It's on my "to do" list one day.

Here's a basic explanation of how I've done this project in the past. We made our own templates with contact paper and an exacto knife However, keep in mind that the cream actually etches into glass, so it is caustic. Use it carefully and be sure to follow the instructions that come with your etching cream.

Here's what you need

• glass item to etch
• glass cleaner & towel
• print out / template of your design
• contact paper
• exacto knife
• plastic gloves to protect your hands
• etching cream (such as Armour Etch Cream)
• paintbrush

Here's what you do:

1. Clean the area where you plan to etch your design with a glass cleaner.
2. Transfer your design onto contact paper. When I made the container above, I used a computer print-out of the letter P, cut it out (including the loop of the P) and traced it onto the contact paper. Then use the exacto knife to remove your shape from your piece of contact paper. In my example, I ended up with a square of contact paper that was missing the shape of a P. I also cut out the inside of the P and used it as part of the template.
3. Adhere your template to the glass and press firmly so that all edges are stuck completely to the glass. You don't want etching cream to get under the edges or it will blur your design.
4. Wearing gloves and using a paint brush, apply a thick layer of etching cream to your design. Wait several minutes or as instructed by the cream's directions.
5. Rinse the cream off thoroughly and remove your contact paper template. 

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For other "Make It Monday" ideas, visit last year's posts -- the Playdough Kit, Family Calendars, Morning Out Kit, Romance Kit, Pizza Night Kit, and Personalized T-Shirts.