Etched Glass

Have you ever etched glass?  No!  Have you ever wanted to learn how?! Oh, yes!!!!!!

 

It is so easy.  You will be wondering why you didn't join the etched glass bandwagon sooner!

 

Start with a piece of glass.

Any form will do.

 

Except for one with sharp edges.  That could get dangerous.

 

And probably you should make sure it is clean.

 

Pick a design...or some words...maybe a pretty little picture...and create a stencil.

I used my Silhouette and some contact paper.

 

The shape of my little vase made it a little tricky with the curve of the glass and all, but I managed.

 

Stick your stencil to the glass (this is where it helps to have an actually sticky stencil and not something you would have to hold in place).  Make sure it is good and stuck and that the edges are smooth with no bubbles or possible points of etching cream leakage.

 

Once it is etched, it is etched for good! 

 

Place the cream.  I used an old paintbrush to dab it on and I tried to be pretty generous.

 

It's pretty cool to watch actually.  The little glass munchers in that cream will seem to pull themselves away from the stencil and onto the glass.

 

munch, munch, munch

 

You really don't have to wait for long.  Everything I read said it only takes a couple minutes.  I waited about 20...just to be safe.

 

And because I was playing.

 

 

Then take your glass over to the sink and run it under the water.

 

Simple as that!

You can even rub it off with your fingers.  In fact, you kind of have to.

 

Try not to freak out (like I did) because it might kind of look like the glass hasn't been etched...

 

But it has!

Woohoo!

 

Have fun!

 

P.S. Be aware, however, that if your glass is Pyrex, it probably won't work.  That stuff is tough!