Monday, July 25, 2011

a snarky glass etching tutorial

here's a little background on this to paint the picture for you.  
setting:  a meeting in a conference room at work
characters:  

  • chris (getting married that weekend)
  • tim (an *ever-so-slightly* bitter recent divorcee)
  • the rest of us  

tim, unaware of chris' upcoming nuptials, was venting a bit about the division of things in his divorce.  all the pots and pans stayed with his ex-wife, among many other items of basic living.  when it was pointed out to tim that chris was getting married on saturday, he gave the following marriage, er...divorce, advice to the groom-to-be:  "put your name on everything".  it was all in good fun, though.


and because we think we are funny, this is what we gifted later that week at chris' at-work wedding shower:






here's how we did it. 


supplies:
pyrex glass pan (size of your choice)
glass etching cream (available at craft stores)
contact paper or vinyl
silhouette or other craft cutter (or an exacto knife)


step one:
create your design either with software or freehand and then cut it.  *you have to mirror image this*.  remove the vinyl from the design that you want to show as etched glass (see mine in black vinyl in upper left corner).  also prep your glass by washing with soap and water. dry thoroughly. 



apply mirror imaged design to the bottom of the pan (not inside)

  
step two:
apply the vinyl to the bottom of your glass pan using transfer paper. be sure it is straight! 


haven't peeled away the transfer paper yet.

with transfer paper removed.  ready for etching cream.  
step three:
add etching cream following the directions on the bottle.  i was lucky enough to have a friend at work who had some at home already so i didn't have to buy any.



here he is...carefully applying the etching cream. 
tip:  do not get cream on your hands or anywhere on the glass that you do not want etched.  this stuff is fast-acting!  wear gloves, if you have them.  apply scraps of vinyl or contact paper around your design to prevent disasters.

yes, the 1's in 2011 are little forks.  :)

completely covered in a 'thick layer'.

step four: 
wait.  (follow directions on your etching cream - ours took 5 minutes). 

step five:
wash!

tip:  glass etching cream can be reused...so carefully scrape off what you can (without smearing any on the glass outside of your design) and put it back in the bottle for next time.  

put on your gloves and rinse the pan clean under running water.  dry it and check to see if your glass is etched to your liking.  if not, reapply etching cream and repeat steps 3, 4, and 5.  we were happy with our results; no reapplication needed!

step six: 
the reveal!  remove the vinyl or contact paper. 




there you have it: a personalized, albeit, slightly inappropriate wedding shower gift!


  
(btw, chris is a great sport and he absolutely appreciated the humor in our gift!)
  
Todays Creative Blog

Saturday, July 16, 2011

prepping for vacation...activities for the kids!

each summer, my husband's side of the family spends a week vacation at a lake cabin.  the kids are there the entire week, but we can only get away for a few days so we take the kids up early then come back to finish out the week with the fam'.  


this year, my mother-in-law and my awesome sisters-in-law kept the kids an extra week!  the cousins have the *best* time together.  they love each other so much.  


cabin week means lots of activities for the kids.  grandma always plans lots of fun!  where could i look for some great ideas?  of course, my new favorite pastime, Pinterest!  


how about a little slime made from school glue (white and clear for variation)?  



they will love these glow jars!
found on Pinterest, but i cannot trace it back to the original owner to give proper credit.


and i have a few other things i'm working on (while the house is quiet and kid-free) that i'll share soon!


btw, it *is* possible for a house to be too quiet...i miss my kids.  :(

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

more loot!

More loot! 

ameroonie designs became part of my collection!  amy's blog is among the first of the regulars when i started reading blogs.  i was excited to see that she was a part of the VRW giveaway.  and i love this bag!  it has a bazillion pockets on the inside and came with this enormous felt flower.  thank you, amy!


3 little birds boutique hand-crafted this beautiful necklace just for me!  it is the "amanda", if you love it so much you want your own!  i opted for both of my kids' names and birthstones in Swarovski crystals!  i am in love with this. serious.
and it came in this packaging (i love packaging!)

  


 smitten by a promise makes bracelets specially designed for all you bloggers and blog readers out there!  the mix of casual (leather) and classic (pearls) makes this a very flexible piece.  i don't wear many bracelets b/c they are not comfortable for me...until now.  so comfy, i wear it all day long!  







   pink bow bath boutique specializes in handmade bath, skin, and hair products that you can customize with scents of your choice in categories like bakery, citrus, designer, and more.  there are so many options, i almost couldn't choose...almost!

winning the VRW giveaway has been awesome! 
thank you, thank you, thank you!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

What's Your Virtue...VRW giveaway prize

Vintage Rose Wraps giveaway prizes that have arrived so far:
  1. Rock A Bow Baby hat (still looking for your opinions)
  2. Flipped Bird bag and jar of hair ties

What's Your Virtue? sent me three 'lip bliss' glosses 
(i even got to choose the colors)!

photo credit


 i chose devotion, simplicity, and kindness.  literally, that's what i'm choosing.  


What's Your Virtue is a company who reminds women not to get caught up in what advertisers define as beautiful, rather to focus on what is inside us.    





the lip bliss trio arrived in a clear tube (seen in my photos).  it was a clever way to present the "trio", but also added protection during shipping.  love the look and the practicality of it.  


the blisses were just that...bliss for my lips.  so shiny, long-lasting, and has a refreshing light minty scent!  i have tried two so far and will try the third tomorrow!


thank you, What's Your Virtue?

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