2014-12 12 Days of Giving
12 Days of Giving –  craft tutorials, and designer interviews during December 2014

Glass etching is such a fast, easy, and affordable way to make custom holiday gifts! Today, on day 10 of the 12 Days of Giving, I'm sharing 10 glass etching projects you can make RIGHT NOW to give as gifts during Christmas next week or any time of year. Here are the basic supplies you need to get started with glass etching:

Etchall Etching Creme:

This etching creme is the gold standard. Way back in the beginning when I was doing glass etching and did not work with any glass etching creme company, I started using Etchall when I got it from our local scrapbook store. It gives a nice, even etch and is reuseable so you can make hundreds of projects with one bottle! The scrapbook store closed and we used up all of the Etchall bottles we had. I searched and searched online and all I could find was this other product called Armour Etch so Xaver and I ordered Armour Etch. This was in the heat of the holiday season, when we were etching TONS of custom beer mugs for our etsy shop and craft fairs. Well, Armour Etch gave a horrible, uneven etch and we had to discard $100s worth of messed up etched glasses. It was awful!!! I've seen people using Silhouette and Martha Stewart etching cremes and the results are so bad that I can see the streaks and uneven etch even in pictures on the internet. No thanks! I'll stick with Etchall – it has always worked and given me excellent results. On top of that, the company is family owned, they invented the product, and it is all made in the USA. It's pretty much perfect! Now, it might seem like Etchall is expensive but consider that you can use it over and over and over again – it really isn't that expensive over the life of the bottle. I say start with the small bottle and work your way up to a bigger one if you find you really love etching projects. Some of the links to these products are affiliate links – I make a few pennies when you buy and it helps us keep the lights on here ;)

You can find Etchall here:

Etchall on Amazon – this is the 4 oz. bottle which I recommend when you are starting out

Etchall from Etchall.com (they always have specials on their Facebook Page – tell Barbee I sent you when you order!)

Other supplies you'll need:

1. Etched Glass Mason Jars

2014-12 Etched Monogram Mason Jar Mugs with Sizzix eclips2 by Jennifer Priest - 6 - 5x5-150

Pick up these mason jar mugs with lids and straws at the 99 Cents Only Stores for 99 cents! A little etching makes them look like $10 glasses. Check out this glass etching tutorial on the Sizzix blog to see how to make these with a Sizzix eClips2 machine. If you don't have an eClips2, you can use any electronic die cutting system to make your vinyl stencil or hand cut the letters out with a craft knife and stencil.

2. Etch a Tabletop

Doily-table-etched-glass-etchall-hydrangea-hippo-jennifer-priest2

If you have a thrifted or beat up glass table with scratches, etching is a great way to give it new life. I took an old beat up scratched all to heck glass top table and transformed it with vinyl doilies and Etchall's etching creme: Doily Etched Glass Table Top

3. Etched Beer Mugs

Beer Mug Assortment - Set 4

We used to offer these in our etsy shop. You can find the mugs at most dollar stores and then you'll use a vinyl stencil to make the image. Use the same tutorial as for the mason jars to etch beer mugs for your family and friends!

4. Etched Vase

 Silhouette Glass Etching Jennifer Priest-8

Apply a stencil or stickers all over a glass vase, like this one from Dollar Tree. Then dip the vase into Etchall's Dip N Etch! It's pretty rad. Here is a pdf showing how to do this: 

Silhouette Glass Etching Jennifer Priest

5. Etched Cookie Plate for Santa

Silhouette Glass Etching Jennifer Priest-2

I made one with a mustache on it and the tutorial for that is in the pdf above (from #4). But you can also make one for Santa, like this one by My Chihuahua Bites!

Cookies for Santa Plate 

6. Jewel Jar Lanterns

Jewel-Jars-2

Create gorgeous frosted, colored lanterns with mason jars and a few basic jewelry items. This project was made by Julie McGuffee of Life In The Craft Lane.

7. Etched Glass Coasters

etched glass coaster

These are super easy to make — all you need is a piece of glass or mirror with a vinyl stencil. FaveCrafts did a great tutorial on how to make etched glass coasters.

8. Upcycle a Jar

etched glass vitorian jhar

Turn any jar into a piece of pretty, shabby chic decor by adding an etched design with bits and baubles around the top.

9.  Mask A Design on Glass

Rose Vase

You don't have to have a fancy stencil to glass etch – Julie McGuffee shares how to use scotch tape to make a design on a vase with etching creme!

10. Chalkboard Glass

chalk candles

Etching glass gives the surface tooth so paint and other things can stick to it. Etch glass candle holders and then paint with chalkboard paint to make knockoffs of these (which are $30 on Amazon! Chalkboard scented candle lemongrass)

11. Etched Wine Glasses and Candle Holders

Etched Wine Glass and Candle Holder Make N Take Seaside Soiree Charity Wings with Etchall

Wine Glasses and hurricane style candle holders are a little more challenging to etch because the surface is curved in two directions and the stencils are hard to stick on straight. But we did it at Seaside Soiree with Charity Wings last month!! This project is a great make n take at parties – etch the glass in 15 minutes, wash, and use for the rest of the night! Tip: Use post-it notes to write the name of the person whose glass it is and the time they need to return so you can track them down when their glass is ready to rinse. Here are some pics from the event: 

Etched Wine Glass and Candle Holder Make N Take Seaside Soiree Charity Wings with Etchall 3 Etched Wine Glass and Candle Holder Make N Take Seaside Soiree Charity Wings with Etchall 2

I hope this gives you lots of ideas of ways you can use Etchall to create cool etched glass projects and gifts! It's one of my all-time favorite products because I can count on it for consistent results all the time.

etcahing book etchall

 

 

Author: Jennifer Priest

It started with jewelry, beading, sewing, home decor, painting, basket weaving, pottery, and cross-stitch. Marry that to an entrepreneurial spirit & at 9 years old a girl is selling her wares at craft fairs as far as her parents and grandparents would drive her. These days, Jennifer enjoys crafts of all genres from sewing to scrapbooking to jewelry with a little dabbling in the mixed media world. Her style is approachable and she wants everyone who sees her work to feel that they too can embrace creativity and make their home and life beautiful.

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