Glass Half Full

Christmas is in 8 days. Here's a project you can do in 2 hours--1 if you're quick.

Find a picture or words that you like. If you're doing words, be sure to leave some space between the letters and choose a really blocky font. Trace the image on contact paper.

Cut out using scissors or a box cutter. I find the box cutter to be easier. Tip: Don't lift the blade. Rotate the contact paper to change directions instead of picking up the knife. Be sure to cut this on a couple layers of cardboard so you don't scratch your table.

Buy a glass. Target had these for $1. It has to be glass, not plastic.

Wash the glass, then rub the area you're going to use with isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. Stick the contact paper to the glass. Do not freak out if it's not perfectly level. This is handmade, people.

 

Using a small foam brush, cover the cut-out area with a fairly heavy layer of Armour Etch. Tip: Watch the glass to make sure the Armour Etch isn't being thwarted by gravity and running off the contact paper. If it is, lay the glass down and prop it with something so it doesn't roll.

 

This isn't Half Full. It's a glass a friend did of Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster.

Let the Armour Etch sit for 10 minutes, then rinse off under running water, blotting gently with a paper towel.

Be excited that you just etched glass. Do not be concerned that it is imperfect. That's part of the charm. Like all projects, it's important to focus on glass half full.* (I made this myself since the etsy seller didn't have it in stock when I wanted to buy it. I refuse to be thwarted.)

Spend the next half hour daydreaming about other things you can etch, looking at everything glass in your house and wondering if it can be improved. This will freak out your partner a bit, but it cannot be helped. Think about that aunt who's difficult to shop for. Wouldn't she love a casserole dish with her name etched on it to take to church dinners? Sure, she would. (My mom did, anyway.) The friend with the perfect Christmas decorations would love a glass ornament with her initial on it. Your beer-drinking buddy might like an etched beer glass. The possibilities are mind-boggling, and you've got a lot more Armour Etch to use. Etch on, my friends.

The tutorial I used is here.

*See what I did there?