Glass Etching for a Wedding Gift

Last week I had an incredible excuse to learn a new skill.  A friend from church is getting married soon, and I wanted to glass etch some dishes for her bridal shower.  I had seen this art in the craft blog world a couple of times, but had yet to try it.  It's very similar to the freezer paper stenciling I did about a year ago, but with etching cream instead of paint.

I borrowed a Cricut from a friend at work and boy, was that a lifesaver!  I used the Cricut to cut on contact paper and then stuck the contact paper to the dishes.

Once the paper was stuck to the dishes, I filled in the lettering with Armour Etching Cream.  I was a little paranoid while using this cream as I know it is very toxic and dangerous.  I etched most of these dishes after I got home from work at midnight, when I am most awake and alert.  (I manage a pediatric urgent care center that keeps me running and on my feet all night.  I'm exhausted when I get home, but full of adrenaline so it's the perfect time to work on projects like this!)

I wore gloves, made sure to keep the dishes near the stainless steel sink, and just be very, very attentive to this small yet powerful bottle at all times.

The steps to follow are really simple:

1.  Cut your design out of contact paper.  Use a Cricut, Silhouette, or Exacto Knife to do this.
2.  Stick it on the glass.
3.  Fill with Etching Cream, using necessary precautions so you don't end up in ICU!
4.  Wait 10 minutes.
5.  Scrape off cream (you can reuse it, so put it back in the bottle!).
6.  Repeat steps 3, 4 and 5.
7.  Rinse with cold water.
8.  Remove contact paper.
9.  Admire and enjoy!

The hardest part for me was waiting the ten minutes..... no surprise for Mrs. Impatient!

But, good things come to those who wait, right?

Mr & Mrs coffee mugs

A collection of two nesting pyrex dishes with the bride's new last name

This is a great way to take a basic wedding gift and add a touch of personal and handmade.

My brain is already thinking of other ways to use this skill:
:: Pick up glass dishes at thrift stores and etch a family name or word of encouragement.  Use this dish to deliver meals to a new mom, grieving family, or an ill friend.  Allow them to keep the dish as a gift.
::  Etch vases for a wedding, birthday, tea or shower.
::  Add a border to a mirror for a different look.

Anyone else ever used etching cream?  What other ideas do you have for this fantastic stuff?  Any suggestions on how to convince my husband to get my a Cricut?  :)