Winter Wonderland - Etched Float Frame

I love creating with glass. Often overlooked as a surface, it's unbelievably versatile. A few months ago I created some dimensional projects using paper shapes and glass and thought I'd try etching the same designs on both the front and back of 2 pieces of glass, separated by a thin wood rectangle and, this is the result

 

This is what you'll need to get started:

     etchall® etching crème and

     etchall® etchmask and transfer paper

   

  

  Pik Tool and Squeegee

  8 x 10" Float glass Frame for a 5" x 7" photo.  

This is a dimensional frame with two pieces of glass and a rectangle of wood at the back to hold the glass in place.

 

You will also need designs. I used four of my designs for this project.

  

  

                               Glass 1 - Design A                                                  Glass 1 - Design B

    

                                  Glass 2 - Design C                    Glass 2 - Design D

I uploaded each design into Cricut Design Space and cut from etchmask.

NOTE:  Designs placed on the back of the glass must be reversed, so check "Mirror Image" before cutting Designs B & D.

Cut each design on a separate piece of etchmask.  Use the pik tool to remove the areas to be etched (weed).

Cover the weeded design with the transfer paper. I usually weed the design while it is still on the mat, then cover with transfer paper.  Use the squeegee to press firmly in place.  It was helpful to have 4 mats (one for each design), but not necessary.

After burnishing the transfer paper onto the etchmask stencil, I also use my finger to rub firmly around the edge of the design.  Remove the stencil from the mat, then slowly peel the backing from the etchmask. Do not discard the backing, you can use this to protect uncovered areas of the glass while etching the design.

With the bottom edge of the etchmask aligned with the bottom edge of the glass, place the etchmask on the glass.  Use the squeegee to burnish the stencil firmly on the glass, then carefully remove the transfer paper.  Pour a liberal amount of etching creme onto the stencil, then spread over all the open areas with the squeegee.  Protect the areas around the edges of the glass to prevent any accidental etching on the opposite side.

  

Leave for 15 minutes, then use the squeegee to scrape the etching creme back into its container.  Don't forget etchall etching products are re-usable!

Rinse off any remaining residue then remove the stencil.  Buff dry with a soft cloth to reveal the etched design.  NOTE: Do not rinse in a porcelain sink!  The etching creme will etch the glazed surface. Use a plastic bucket, or other large plastic container.

Set the first piece of glass aside then etch the front of the second piece of glass. When the front of each piece of glass has been etched, etch the reverse side.  Always clean your work surface to avoid transferring etching creme onto unwanted areas.  I place a clean sheet of wax paper on my work surface each time before starting to etch a new area.

When both sides of each piece of glass have been etched, assemble the frame using the thin frame to separate the pieces of glass.

  
OPTION (not shown):  Combine designs A&B on the front of one piece of glass and C&D on the front of the other for a different effect.

Etchall etching crème is a permanent etch; not fake. Please read directions carefully. You can find more information and "how to" videos on the etchall website.

Hope everyone had a happy Christmas. Now it's time to celebrate the New Year and Winter days!

Enjoy!  Y'all come back now..........

Yours truly,
Julie :)

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!

Mini Pallet Tree

'Tis the season to bring Joy, Love and Peace into your home...

You'll need the following to make this mini pallet tree:

 

• Joy iron-on letter sheet 
• Joy iron-on star
• 7 Paint sticks, or 1" x 9" wood slats
• Acrylic paint - Green and white
• Small hand saw, or utility knife
• 1" Sponge brush
• Round sponge pouncer
• Glitter glue
• Tacky glue
• String for hanger

1. Lay the paint sticks together as shown. Use a ruler to mark the center of the stick.  (Do not include the part of the stick with the cut outs.)  Make a mark 1/2" either side of the center mark.

2. Draw a line from each outside corner to the mark on either side of the center.  Cut each stick along the lines.

3. Paint the sticks with green paint thinned with water. Let dry then swipe across with the pouncer dipped in white. Let dry then re-paint with glitter glue.

   

4. Add the letters, overlapping two sticks, while the glitter glue is still wet, then glue each pair across the center stick.  Let dry then glue a loop of twine to the back of the center stick and the star to the front.

Happy Holidays everyone!  Y'all come back now........

Yours truly,

Julie :)

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!

Etched Mirror Vase

When the flowers have wilted in your floral arrangement it's okay to throw them away, but not the container! My mother-in-law often receives flowers and always saves the containers for me.  Look what I did with this one!

 

This a square glass vase, mirrored on the inside - perfect for etching!  Here's what I used and how I did it:

• etchall® etching crème                              
• etchall® etchmask and transfer paper
• Squeegee
• Pik tool

1. Cut 4, 2"  snowflake designs from etchmask.  I used an electronic die cutting machine.

2.  Trim the etchmask to 1" wider than the snowflake design. Use the pik tool to carefully weed the design while it is still on the mat. Always pull from the center of an area to be removed, not the edge. It is easier to remove one section at a time.  Pull up one part of the snowflake then cut away with scissors.

3.  Once the designs have been exposed thru weeding, cover the etchmask with a strip of transfer paper.  Use the squeegee to press the transfer paper firmly in place. (Don't forget to peel the backing sheet from the transfer paper first.)

 

4.  Remove the stencil from the mat then cut apart.  Working with one piece at a time, gently peel the backing away from the back of the etchmask then press firmly onto one side of the glass vase.  Gently remove the transfer paper.

5.  Cover any exposed area around the etchmask with pieces of the transfer paper, or masking tape.

6.  Pour a liberal amount of etching creme onto the stencil.  Without touching the glass surface, spread the creme until there is a thick layer over the snowflake design.  Use the squeegee, or the back of a plastic spoon.  Let sit for 15 minutes then scrape the creme back into the bottle.  Don't forget etchall creme and dip are reusable!  Rinse away any residue then remove the stencil.  Buff dry with a soft cloth.  NOTE: Do not rinse over a porcelain sink!  etching products will also etch the sink - this is a permanent etch!  If you haven't used etching products before, please read the directions on the container. You can also find more information at www.etchall.com

    

7.  Repeat this process to etch the design on each side of the vase.

  

I love the look of etched mirrored glass.  The mirror reflects the etched design, giving it a 3-D effect and also reflects any color that's around it.  Fill with potpourri, nuts, candy, fresh or silk flowers then give as a gift, or use to decorate your own home for the holidays!  

 

Enjoy!  Y'all come back now......

Yours truly,

Julie :)

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!

Fall Floral

Creating a floral arrangement is easy with just a few things you probably have around the house. I had a square vase that I wanted to use, but it's hard to arrange flowers in it, unless you have floral foam; not something I had on hand, so - empty pickle jar to the rescue! 

I placed the jar inside the square vase to hold the flowers.  

Insteading of taking time to remove the label, I filled the area between the jar and vase with corn kernels. You could also layer with different colored dried beans.  Small pieces of candy look great too!  M&M's for example, and they come in all sorts of seasonal colors!

Pretty cool, right...  now all I had to do was fill the jar with water and flowers. Quick'n EZ.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Y'all come back now.......

Yours truly,
Julie :)

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!

Last Minute Thanksgiving Decorations

Need some last minute decorations for Thanksgiving?  These are quick'n EZ....

You'll need:

• Floral accent
• Medium size glass candle holder
• Small LED candle
• Popcorn kernels
• Wire cutters

1. Divide the floral accent into 2 pieces. It isn't necessary to unwind; just count the loops and cut the wire.
2. Fill the glass with popcorn kernels - about 2" deep, then place at the center of the loops.
3. Place the candle in the glass. Push to the bottom.  I used these on a sofa table, but they are an ideal height for the dinner table.

These floral accents are available each season and make Quick'n EZ candle rings.  They are easy to replace, so after Thanksgiving replace this one with a Christmas floral.  I usually buy three; one for the small glass candle holders, one for a larger glass candle holder on the coffee table and one to place at the center of my twig wreath - I told you it was Quick'n EZ! 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  Y'all come back now................

Yours truly,
Julie :)

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!

Paper Foil Blog Hop

A couple of months ago I received an email from a designer who had decided to import paper foil from Germany. She loved the product and wanted to make it available for US crafters.  She asked if I could take at look at it and perhaps make some projects.....  Are you kidding me!!! Look at what I've been keeping in my stash since 1967!!!

You may, or may not remember, but I lived in Germany from 1967 - 1976 and since I've always been a crafter, this was a product I was totally familiar with.  Needless to say I was all in and Diane sent me samples of Rinea® to play with.

   

I received two types of foil papers - double sided metallic and slightly thinner embossed foil. Both types are double sided in a variety of colors.  The colored metallic foil is either silver on the back, or gold. There is also a metallic with gold on both sides, or silver. The embossed foil is the same color on both sides.  They are so easy to work with. I used dies, embossing folders, a paper crimper, punches, and stencils for embossing.  It cut easily and scored with a paper trimmer and was easy to cut with decorative edge scissors. Here are a few of the projects I came up with.

 

 

 

The foil adhered easily with an extra strength glue stick, even to glass. It was so much fun! So much so, that I added an extra project for the hop, my "Accordion Star". 

You will need:

• 10 Pieces of 8.5" x 4" metallic foil
• 1/4" double stick tape
• Extra strength glue stick
• Tacky glue
• Small piece of thin poster board
• Embossing tool (for scoring)
• Paper trimmer
• 1" Circle punch
• 1/8" hole punch
• Optional: 1" round acrylic crystal jewel for center

1. Starting 1/4" from the short edge of the foil, use the embossing tool to score a line. Measuring from this line, score 3 additional lines 1" apart.  Turn the piece of foil around and repeat from the opposite edge.

2.  The 1/4" line is to show where the ends will overlap. Fold the strip back on the next line, then up then back. Repeat at the opposite side. Overlap the ends then glue in place. Fold and glue each strip in the same manner.

 

3.  Flatten the folded pieces then adhere a 4" strip of double stick tape down the center of each one and a 2" piece across the bottom.

 

4.  Remove the backing from the pieces of tape. Working with 3 or 4 pieces at a time stack together, then starting about 1 1/2" from the bottom, cut diagonally across to the center point at the top.

5.  Stack more pieces together, then stack the cut pieces on top. Using the cut stack as a guide, cut the next stack. Repeat until all the pieces have been stacked together and cut.  Press the stack gently along the center and across the bottom to make sure they are firmly stuck together.

 6.  Carefully pull the point of the top piece and the stack will start to unfold. Gently pull the top piece around to form a circle and adhere to the bottom piece.

 

7.  Punch 2, 1" circles from poster board,  cover the back liberally with thick, tacky glue, then place over the center.  While the glue is still wet you can separate the star points evenly around the center.  Let dry then repeat on the other side.  You can cover the circle with a different color of paper foil, or add a large acrylic crystal sticker as shown on my sample.

8.  Use a hand punch to punch a small hole at the tip of one of the star points for a hanger.

    

I loved working with paper foil again, it brought back many happy memories of the years I spent in Germany.  

Don't forget to check the other designers projects then comment here, or on their blogs and on the Designer Crafts Connection blog for a chance to win your own packages of paper foil. Use the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of the DCC post.  Good luck!

You can find more information about Rinea® Paper Foil and a gallery of ideas on their website. Enjoy! Y'all come back now............

Yours truly,

Julie :)  

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!