Make Etched Glass and Painted Glass for Personalized Christmas Gifts

Nothing is more appreciated than a gift that is personalized. You don't have to spend a fortune to give a one-of-a-kind gift. I have a loose change jar that was made for me, and is used all the time. I usually try to find Mike's loose change to put in it, but that is another story. Isn't found money always the finder's?

Being very superstitious I keep another jar hidden away that was also made for me. It is my casino cash jar that I received from Mike's daughter one Christmas. This one is only for real found money. It is for those coins you find in parking lots after the snow melts and underneath the Burger King drive-through window. If you are a walker, you know what I mean. These are real "magic money" finds and they go in the hidden jar. Found money is lucky money, so when I get enough together, I buy a scratch off with it. I usually win a buck or two, put that in the casino cash jar and wait until more builds.

Both money jars are adorable and both are different. The first cash jar is a round glass jar; I would suspect it held mayonnaise at one time that has been etched with my name and the words, "Cash Stash". The second one is a square ceramic decorator jar with a lid of cork that has been painted with my name and "Casino Cash" printed on it. I cherish both and asked for directions from the gifter. They are simple and inexpensive to make but really pack a whollop as a gift.

Make Etched Glasses and Jars

The process is relatively simple but requires a lot of patience. There are special supplies that are required. One of them is etching cream. They sell a "squeegee" to apply it, but a simple piece of plastic to pull the cream across your masterpiece will work. You really need a good craft knife for this, so if you don't have one, buy one. They are relatively inexpensive.

First you need to decide what type of design you are going to use. Since my glass jar was just my name and cash stash, the decision was easy. Wash the glass and rinse it with white vinegar. You want it free of dust and fingerprints.

Use carbon paper to trace the letters onto the heavier bond paper or heavy contact paper that will fit around the container that is to be etched. Make certain that there is enough for an overlap, particularly with the contact paper. You will be leaving about an inch of the backing on. This way, when you are done, you can grip the tab you made and easily remove it. Place the paper on top of a flat piece of scrap wood and cut the letters out with the craft knife.

Carefully wrap the glass with the contact paper or heavy paper and attach it. Use the back of a plastic knife or a craft squeegee to remove any air bubbles. Put the etching cream on the paper above, to the side, or below the open area and with a smooth stroke, glide it evenly across the open space. This should be thick. Don't worry about using too much because you can put it back into the bottle after it etches.

Wait 15 minutes and scrape the extra cream back into the jar. Rinse the remainder of the cream off the glass with water and remove the stencil. You have just completed your first etching.

Since I like to double check everything and get prices, before I write about it, I sometimes come across additional information. There is a gel that you can write on your glass with, and then apply the etching cream. Once the etching is done, you remove the lettering or shapes and you have a design etched all around it.

Painting on Ceramic:

This is the simplest of all. You simply follow the directions above to create a stencil, and use craft glass paint. Viola, your masterpiece is complete. Try painting Fido's name or Kit-kat's name on a food bowl with little paw prints around it. Pet lovers love a gift to their animals as much as they love getting a gift themselves.

There are so many items that you can personalize with either technique. Make a family glass collection by buying some inexpensive glasses and etching or painting everyone's name. Create designs on vases, mirrors, glass in picture frames (A little flower or butterfly in the corner of the glass in a picture frame is adorable.), and even create a beautiful etched picture. Your imagination is the only thing to limit you. If you are doing the etching and are on a budget, etch everyone's gift. It makes the purchase of the etching cream very reasonable per gift.