Posts Tagged ‘glass etching’

You are Special Today Silhouette Promo

6 Comments

You know I love me some glass etching. It’s so fun to have an image etched permanently onto such a slippery surface!

istillloveyou-silhouette-etchingglass-2

When I got my kit, I knew exactly what I wanted. A “You are Special Today” plate for birthdays.

Several months ago, Gabrielle had me letter a few versions of the phrase for a story about celebrating birthdays. I love how she approaches each holiday with such simple, yet impactful flair. You can download the plate artwork here (and use the tutorial for a drawn or etched plate!).

istillloveyou-silhouette-etchingglass-1

From now on (I’m sure I’ll forget, but I’m going to try) I am going to pull out this plate for the birthday girl or boy for each meal.

The craft was incredibly easy since I didn’t have to sketch or cut out the design. Since using my cutter, the project went from an idea to done in a matter of minutes.

Since the etched plate would serve food (likely sticky breakfast foods), I opted to etch the underside of the plate. In reverse. Sometimes you won’t need to reverse it. It just depends upon where you need to put it. You’ll want to reverse the graphic if you’re going to etch pans (because you want to etch the outside of the pan and see the design from the inside). No need to reverse it if you’re putting the graphic on the outside of a jar and viewing the design from the outside of the jar.

istillloveyou-silhouette-etchingglass-3

It’s so hard to take crisp, high-contrast photos of etched glass. These lines are a lot more crisp than they photograph. The masking material’s impressive adhesion got me really excited about doing some more intricate abstract patterns on plates. Ideas are coming in droves!

The Silhouette promotion for this month includes a starter kit with all the materials needed for creating an etched craft. Use code MELISSA at checkout for the discount.

glass-etching-promo

I am a Silhouette affiliate. I wouldn’t blog about their products unless I really loved them. And I do. I receive a portion of sales made with the promotional code MELISSA, so thank you for your support!!

 

Download: Glass Etched Design

6 Comments

I etched this platter several years ago, when I published how to etch glass with contact paper. I’ve had a few people ask for the design template that I used, so over three years later here it is. I just winged it as I went along, but I’ve vectorized what I did for you to use in your holiday crafting.

I would also like to include a few additional tips for glass etching. See template and tips below.

  • Use a LOT of etching acid, like 1/4 of an inch thick and spread evenly.
  • When you’re done etching DO NOT WASH ACID DOWN THE DRAIN. Scoop up remaining acid and put it back in the bottle. You can use it again and again!
  • Glass etching acid never goes bad, it just crystalizes. Pick out the crystals and you’re ready to rock and roll.
  • If you’re etching a round surface like a pitcher or wine glass, use nice painter’s tape as your mask. It’ll hug those curves better than contact paper.
Happy crafting!

This tutorial or freebie is free for personal use and should not be distributed/republished without the express consent of Melissa Esplin. I love getting shout outs from around the web, but please, link with love. You may publish 1 photo along with credit back to the original post. Never link directly to the download. If you would like to use this tutorial or freebie for commercial purposes, please email me. Thanks!

mobile site