A new craft: Glass etching!

I've been thinking about trying this for a while and finally found the time and inspiration to give it a go!

Glass etching is AMAZINGLY simple, only I would add that this is not a craft to do around hyperactive children/pets nor in an area that is not well ventilated. The etching cream that I used is not something that you want to accidentally spill or just leave lying around. Etching is relatively fast paced from start to finish and you do need to have easy access from craft table to kitchen sink.

I did a set of wine glasses for a gal who wanted a unisex pattern that was elegant. I found a set of reusable stencils at the craft store in the same section as the glass etching cream. I did look long and hard for a glasses that were not overly bulbous. The more level the area to be etched, the easier it is to apply the flat stencil. Bumps that don't lay down could mess up your design as the cream gets in all of the nooks and crannies.

(I'm not really sure how to get a good picture of these glasses. If you have a suggestion, please let me know!) 

 

Next, I tried cutting my own stencils using Martha Stewart's reusable laminate. I used MS Publisher to play around with my image and then, printed that out. I laid my laminate over the print out, traced with a Sharpie, and then cut it out with an exacto knife. 

This mug was for a different swapper who had a gamer husband. She has already given it to him and he loves it! :D

And now for some of my crafty comments about glass etching:

• I suggest wearing protective gloves during this process. This stuff is corosive and FAST!
• Make sure the sink is clear of used day-to-day glass ware before you rinse off the cream off of your project to be on the safe side.
• Do one glass at a time. There really isn't enough time to assembly line more than one at a time.
• I used a paper plate (always on hand in this house!) to set my open cream container and the stirring stick just to avoid spills/drippage on my craft space. 
• You may need to experiment the first time you do this to figure out how to work out the bubbles in the cream. I used a craft paint brush to spread the cream (didn't hurt it in any way) and I layered the cream on thick.

 Here's an example of what happens when the cream is not thick enough or has bubbles:

This was supposed to be a Texas Longhorn but we nicknamed it Zombie Bull instead. ;)