Etching a Glass Pitcher

pitcher

When I saw this glass pitcher at Aldi’s I thought it would look lovely with a band of different etched leaves around the bottom. So I bought it and proceeded to etch the pitcher.

leaves

I cut out a variety of different leaf silhouettes and weeded away the leaves. If you would like this SVG file, it is available for free in my store here: [leaves]

transfer tape

The next step was to prepare the leaf silhouettes with transfer tape.

vinyl on glass

I removed the labels from the pitcher and cleaned the surface with rubbing alcohol before placing the leaves around the bottom of the pitcher.

etchall creme

etchall creme was applied to the vinyl leaf design and I waited 15 minutes for the glass to etch.

pitcher no etch

After cleaning off the etching creme and removing the vinyl, the glass wasn’t etched. I have never had this happen before so I looked into it further.

glass that doesn't etch

Different kinds of glass don’t etch or don’t etch well. This can happen with cremes and sandblasting.

Borosilicate
Cremes will not work on all types of borosilicate glass. Borosilicate glass is a highly durable glass material made from silica sands and boron trioxide used to withstand incredibly high temperatures.

Tempered Glass
The only type of glass that should not be etched is tempered glass. Tempered glass has been heat-treated in a way that creates great tension within.

Pyrex
I’ve heard that older Pyrex casserole dishes, like those made before 1998 are harder to etch or don’t etch. But most of the Pyrex casserole dishes sold in the U.S. since then etch just as well as any other sort of glass. 

Vintage Glass
I have also heard that vintage glassware doesn’t etch with creme.

So what do you do?
Do the “toothpick ” test on items. This would have saved me a lot of time and process. From now on, before moving forward, I will always test my glass pieces by applying a small dab of etching creme onto the bottom of the glass piece to see if it will etch. My lesson was learned, and I hope this post saves you some time as well.

How to Etch a Candy Dish

You can etch glass at home with etchall creme. See how easy it can be with simple materials and tools. @etchallcreme

with etchall creme

candy dish

Etch a colorful candy dish with etchall creme is quick and easy. No need for a cutting machine, just a paper punch in your desired shape. I am using a circle punch with vinyl scraps and finishing it off with buffing wax.

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alcohol cleaning

Before starting any etching project, you will want to clean the glass surface you will be etching. I am using 91% Isopropyl Alcohol.

vinyl

This is a great project to use up your smaller pieces of vinyl. I used a paper punch to create the circle templates that I intend to etch onto the glass dish. Don’t forget to save those punched circles for another craft project!

etchall creme

Apply the vinyl to the glass dish just like you would a sticker, no transfer tape is needed. Fill in any gaps that might get etching creme on them with additional vinyl. Apply the etching creme to the circles and set a time for 15 minutes.

  • I like to set my timer for 7 minutes and then move the etching creme around to make sure all the surfaces are covered and then set the timer for an additional 7 minutes
remove creme

To wrap up, remove the excess creme from your project and return it to the container. etchall etching creme is reusable.

Wash the glass in running water, and remove the vinyl.

• I use a baby wipe and then rubbing alcohol instead of running water.

Video Tutorial:

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Oracal Vinyl
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Rub On Metallic Colors
Rub On Metallic Colors
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Etching a Butter Dish

How to update vintage glassware with etchall etching creme. @etchallcreme #affiliate

with etchall creme

butter dish

I found this vintage butter dish at our local thrift store. We keep our butter out on our kitchen counter, which keeps the butter always soft and ready to use. I chose to update the butter dish by etching the word “butter” on the side of the cover. It was really easy to do with etchall etching creme.

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clear dish

I measured the side of the dish so that my design would fit well in the space. The top was rounded and too small to carry the wording. I marked the center of the dish with a permanent marker after I cleaned the glass with rubbing alcohol.

cricut joy

Designing the text and graphic first in Adobe Illustrator, I then sent the SVG file to Cricut Design Space and cut the vinyl on a Cricut Joy.

weeded vinyl

Here you can see the vinyl on a transfer sheet with the letters and design weeded away. I folded the design down the middle so that it could be aligned easily with the marks I made on the glass dish.

creme on glass

After placing the vinyl on the glass butter dish and making sure it was rubbed down well, I applied the etchall creme. Setting a timer for 7 minutes, I then moved the creme around and set the timer again for 7 minutes. This allows me to make sure I have covered all the areas. The total etching time is 15 minutes.

cleaning

The final step is to clean the piece under running water and remove the vinyl. Doing this process a bit differently, I remove the creme and place it back into the container because the etching creme is reusable. Then I clean off the piece with a baby wipe. After removing the vinyl I clean the glass with rubbing alcohol, and then I buff the design with a clean cloth.

Etching a Jewelry Dish

Make a lovely jewelry dish gift for Mother’s Day by up-cycling a glass dish and etching it with etchall. #etchallcreme #upcycle #tutorial

with etchall

jewelry dish

I found this glass piece at my local Goodwill store. It might have been a coaster but there was only one. I thought it would make for a nice jewelry dish after I enhanced it with etchall etching creme.

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They cost nothing for you to use.
Thank you in advance for supporting this site with its use.

alcohol

The first step is to remove the price label and clean the glass with rubbing alcohol.

cricut

After measuring the piece and adjusting the size of my design, I cut vinyl on a Cricut Maker.

weeded design

I weeded the design and centered it on the back of the dish. It would work on the inside as well.

etching creme

After I made sure the design was well attached, I covered the design with etchall etching creme. It only takes 15 minutes to etch the glass and the creme is reusable.

dish at an angle

After removing the used etching creme, wash the glass and discard the vinyl.

Video Tutorial:

closeup

In the close-up image, check out the clarity of the smallest lines in the design.

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Glass Etch a Popcorn Seasoning Bottle

Etch a popcorn seasoning bottle with Etchall Creme and grab the free svg and recipe. #affiliate @etchallcreme

with Etchall

etched bottle

I can’t believe how well etchall etches the smallest details. I am making a shaker jar for popcorn seasoning and I etched the wording onto the glass. The word popcorn has the first “o” replaced with a piece of popcorn that has the smallest outline and it etched perfectly!

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cricut joy

When cutting smaller pieces of vinyl, I like to use my Cricut Joy. It can sit right on my craft table. While the vinyl is cutting, clean the glass jar with rubbing alcohol to remove any dirt or grease.

If you would like to use the SVG I created, it is available for free in the store [popcorn seasoning]

transfer tape

After weeding away the type, I applied transfer tape and burnished it down well with my thumb. Be extra careful of all the small pieces. The full size of the image is only 2″ across so those letter centers and the dot on the i are very small.

ready to etch

The jar is ready to etch. I like using inexpensive paint brushes to apply the etchall creme. I apply the creme and set a timer for 15 minutes. That’s all it takes to etch the glass.

remove vinyl

After the 15 minutes pass, I remove the etchall creme and return it to its container because it is reusable. For small projects like this, I just clean off any remaining creme with a baby wipe. In the image above I am removing the vinyl. After all the vinyl is removed and discarded, I once again clean the etching with a baby wipe and then follow up with rubbing alcohol. I find burnishing the etched image with a dry cloth really enhances the image.

The popcorn seasoning is a homemade mixture, it’s sweet n salty. The ingredient measurements below are perfect for filling this bottle.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp of sugar
  • 2 Tbsp of brown sugar
  • 1/2 Tbsp salt

Mix it well and place it into the bottle.

with popcorn

After making microwave air-popped popcorn, I pour a bit of melted butter and finish off with the popcorn seasoning.

This would make such a cute and easy gift. Combine the seasoning jar with some Amish popcorn kernels and a cute bowl. I bet anyone would appreciate this delicious gift.

How to Etch a Candle

Learn how to turn a dollar tree candle into a beautiful gift with Etchall Creme.

with Etchall Creme

finished candle

Grab a candle and some ribbon from the Dollar Tree and make a beautiful etched candle using Etchall Creme. Such a simple idea makes for an elegant finished product and an affordable gift any time of the year.

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They cost nothing for you to use.
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Process:

rubbing alcohol

Remove all the labels from the glass and clean it with rubbing alcohol. The higher the content of alcohol the better. In a pinch, you can use hand sanitizer to clean with.

Cricut Joy

For the size of this project, I was able to cut the vinyl on a Cricut Joy. I used a free design and font in the design program for the Vinyl Sticker design. (Leaf Embellishment #M3A9A159F) If you don’t have a cutting machine you can cut vinyl by hand or use a paper punch design.

cut vinyl

After the cut is finished, weed away the design.

apply vinyl

When I apply vinyl, I fold the vinyl in half to mark the middle. Then I apply it to the candle, middle first, and smooth it out from there. Wrinkles in the vinyl are OK as long as the design is smooth and sealed against the glass.

applied creme

Apply the etching creme generously to the design. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Then remove the creme and replace it in the jar to use again. Wash the design and remove the vinyl. I use a baby wipe when the design is small enough and then clean the glass with rubbing alcohol.

finished etching

Here is the result of the etching.

ribbon and wax

To finish off the look of the candle, I applied rubbing wax to the design in silver to enhance the design and wrapped a coordinating ribbon around the neck of the glass container.

finished

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Non-Stick Scissors
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Rub On Metallic Colors
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Etching a Fall Votive

How to etch a votive with dip n’ etch for a nice upcycle project.

with etchall

votive

Today I am making a votive for fall using Etchall Dip. The glass is a recycled Oui yogurt container. Instead of applying a cream to the glass you actually submerge the glass into the etching liquid. The etching results are the same, just the process is different.

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cricut maker

To begin, you’ll want to clean your glass with rubbing alcohol. Using hand sanitizer with a high alcohol content will also work well. I cut a small acorn shape on my Cricut Maker.

vinyl applied

Then I applied the vinyl to the glass like you would stickers in a random pattern. The acorn SVG is free and can be found in the store at the following link [acorn SVG]

dipping

Use a plastic container for the dip n’ etch liquid. Measure how much liquid is needed by testing with water first. Details for this technique can be found in the video tutorial below. You will also want something to weigh down the project so the glass doesn’t float.

dip n etch

The time to etch is the same as the etchall cream, 15 minutes. The liquid is reusable so make sure to put it back into the etchall container when finished.

Video Tutorial:

with light

I chose to finish off the votive with a wrap of raffia tied in a knot. The votive can be used in a variety of different ways. The image above uses an electric tea light. It also makes for a cute pencil cup. What a nice way to upcycle!

Fall-themed Glass Dish

Take a Dollar Tree bowl and elevated it to something elegant with Etchall etching creme.

with Etchall

glass bowl

I had an idea to etch these detailed leaves onto a glass bowl from Dollar Tree using Etchall etching creme. After cutting the vinyl and attempting to weed away the leaf, I decided that plan wasn’t going to work, the centers of the leaves were too small and hard to keep in place. So I chose to etch the reverse of my idea. The result is stunning, actually even better than my original idea.

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They cost nothing for you to use.
Thank you in advance for supporting this site with its use.

cricut maker

I used a Cricut Maker to cut the leaf design. The leaves were set to a small size – about 1.25″ long. I also cut a rectangle that would work with my original idea. I ended up using it for the seam around the bowl. You can grab the free leaf SVG from my store. [leaf SVG]

vinyl on bowl

I placed the leaves around the top of the bowl. They are placed tip to tip and tail to tail. I measured and drew lines on the inside of the bowl to guide where to place the straight line of vinyl on the outside. The rest of the bowl was covered with packing tape as a precaution.

etchall and bowl

See the video tutorial below for details on using Etchall on the bowl. This was also an exercise in testing how detailed the etching creme could handle. It really worked well.

Video Tutorial:

close-up

Here is a close-up image of the finished piece backed in black so you can see the detail of the leaves and the etching. The result took a Dollar Tree bowl and really elevated it to something elegant, better than I expected!

How to Etch and Color Glass

Learn how easy it is to etch and color glass with etchall etching creme.

with etchall

final colored jar

This is such a cute and playfully colored jar that is very practical to use. I placed tissues inside so you can see the different colors applied to the etched flowers. This project is very easy to do with minimal tools needed. I used a paper punch to create the flower shapes and etchall etching creme for etching.

The links provided are for your use and may contain affiliate links.
They cost nothing for you to use.
Thank you in advance for supporting this site with its use.

materials

I started with the glass jar and decided on a design. Then, I used hand sanitizer to clean the surface of the jar because my bottle of rubbing alcohol was empty. So, in a pinch, hand sanitizer works to clean your glass. A paper punch easily creates flower shapes from the vinyl and gets applied around the entire jar. After the etching process was finished, the flowers were colored.

jar with vinyl

This photo shows the jar covered in vinyl flowers and etchall creme. It only takes 15 minutes for the etching process to work.

etched jar

The jar pictured above is shown after being etched and cleaned. The design is really sweet and I could be satisfied with the project right now but my original idea was to add color.

The video tutorial below will walk you through the entire process. If you have never tried etching glass, I think the video would be a great way for you to better understand the entire process.

Video Tutorial:

jar with blue

Here is the finished jar in metallic blue. I used metallic wax paste in the color Bora Bora by Zuri. The flowers remind me of clouds in this version.

close up

I actually removed the variety of colors and switched to a buffing wax. In the close-up image, you can see the metallic quality of the wax. While the color in the photos shows up well, in person I was a bit frustrated by what appeared to me to be light and not as dramatic as I wanted.

I was probably just too close to the project and should have left well enough alone. The multi-colored version seems more whimsical to me while the metallic cloud version seems more sophisticated. Let me know which version you like best in the comments below.

How to Etch Glass

It is easy to etch glass with the right tools. Learn how in this tutorial.

with Etchall

finished salt and pepper

Etching glass is a very simple process given the right tools. I enjoy working with Etchall Etching Creme. One reason is that Etchall is reusable so a small jar lasts a long time. Making these Salt and Pepper shakers was simple and fast but the result is fantastic. I wanted to make these for myself but they would make a great housewarming gift or hostess gift too.

etchall bottle

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They cost nothing for you to use.
Thank you in advance for supporting this site with its use.

Materials:

with alcohol spray

Before you begin any glass etching project, you need to make sure the glass surface is clean and clear. It is best to use rubbing alcohol to clean your surface.

cricut maker

Cutting the vinyl, I used a Cricut Maker. In Design Space I used the Cricut font and typed the two letters I needed with space between them. Before cutting them out, I made sure the height and width fit the front of the shakers.

vinyl in place

I centered each letter on the front of the shakers. For this application, I didn’t need to use transfer paper but if your design is more detailed, you will find it helpful. See the video tutorial below for application tips and centering the vinyl.

with etchall creme

I applied a generous amount of etching creme to each shaker. There is no need to worry about using too much since it is reusable. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for use. Etchall works in 15 minutes of application.

Video Tutorial:

finished shakers

With a bit of ribbon added these are ready to fill or give as a gift.