Housewarming Jar

The idea behind this craft was to find a way to give a housewarming gift that was a little different than usual. I liked all the stuff I found on pinterest for gifts in a jar, so I took that idea and I put my own spin on it. I started with a jug that is about 10-12 inches tall and 8ish inches in diameter (those are my very precise estimations...). I got the jug at Marshalls for $6. I would definitely recommend buying larger glassware at Marshalls, they always have an amazing selection for great prices. The reason I went with a jug (is that what you'd call it?), instead of a jar was twofold: 1) It's bigger than a jar, 2) It has more practical reuse opportunities. The gift is for my brother and his girlfriend who live in a 1 bedroom apartment, so space is of the essence, if you will.

I then spent some time collecting items to put inside the jug. Here's what I came up with: an artisinal soy candle in a stemless wine glass that smells like sauvignon blanc, 2 Himalayan salt shot glasses, a gray Norwex kitchen towel, and an orange scrub daddy.

 My next idea was to add a personal touch to this project by etching "Home Sweet Home" on the glass jug! For step-by-step instructions on etching, see my post here. I used all the same materials. This project provided a new challenge since the glass surface was curved. It made it more challenging to hand carve out the letters., but I made do.

Gifts to go in the jug.

I taped the print out inside the jug for easy tracing.

Cutting out each letter out of the contact paper with an Xacto knife.

The result was a little less perfect, but if you aren't looking at the letters close up, I think it looks pretty good!

I might go back and touch up a few of the letters, because it looks like there are a few spots where the etching cream didn't fully set in before I washed it off.

The finished product! I can't wait to give it to the gift recipients!

Happy Housewarming :)

In Case of Emergency, Break Glass

I found this idea on pinterest, and I thought it was super funny & cute, so I decided to make it for my best friend for Christmas.

Materials needed: shadowbox frame made with glass (I bought this one), clear contact paper, Armour Etch cream, sponge brush, an X-ACTO knife, print out in font of your choice that reads "IN CASE OF EMERGENCY BREAK GLASS", & lots of M&Ms (I bought one of those large re-sealable bags and used about half).

I used an 8x8 frame which turned out to be a perfect size. Make sure when you print out the template you print it so it fits well on the frame size you choose. I would also recommend using a very simple font. The more swoopy-ness there is, the harder this project will be!

Step 1: Tape the template on one side of the glass so you can read the saying on the opposite side of the glass.

Step 2: Put contact paper on the side of the glass without the template. It is VERY important that in the step you make sure there are little to no air bubbles in the contact paper. If there are a few air bubbles around the outside (not near the lettering) it should be okay, but try to avoid at all costs.

Step 3: Once the contact paper is smoothed down, you can begin carving the letters out of it. Using an XACTO knife, trace the letters and remove the contact paper where the letter should be. On letters like "A" or "R" be careful to keep contact paper where the hole in the letter should be. Letters with cut outs are definitely the hardest!

Step 4: Once all the letters are cut out, set up a station where you will apply the etching cream. Etching cream is highly acidic and can cause serious skin irritation, so take necessary precautions during application. I used plastic gloves, but was careful enough to not need them. 

Step 5: Once your station is set up, use the sponge brush to dab on the etching cream. Do not smooth it, just blot it on. I applied just enough etching cream so that it was opaque. 

Step 6: Review the directions on the etching cream bottle to be sure about the time you should leave the etching cream on. I left mine on for about 15 minutes to be safe. I do not think you need to leave it on for that long, but it doesn't hurt to do so. After washing off the etching cream with warm water, you can peel off all the remaining contact paper. The last thing you need to do is reassemble the frame and fill it with M&Ms!

Voila! It's somewhat difficult to read the etched message in certain lighting, but I think overall this project was a success! The gift recipient loved it.

Happy Shadowbox Etching!