Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Sorry for the Absence

A BIG hello to my fellow crafters out there!  I was working on a good routine, getting a project loaded a week and then I just f.i.z..z...l...e....d.  Since I am currently a college student, living in an apartment with three other women, there is not a lot of room for extra crafty materials.  It's not too bad however, because now if I want to craft I get to go home and create with my mama (not too shabby of a deal.)  Anyways, my weekends have been so busy lately with wedding preparation that I haven't had time to craft with my mom.

So... I wanted to apologize for being so absent on this blog.  I am dreaming of the day when I live in my own house, with my own craft room (my fiance has already started setting one up in our future home) and am able to craft in my down time instead of rushing to create on the weekends.  I do have a variety of CUTE creations that I have made recently, but they are all for the wedding, so pictures are on lock down until the big day!

Until then, be patient with me.  I promise that soon there will be new posts with actual crafts, not just my lame excuses!  To keep you hanging on, here's a sweet gift that my mama made for me a while back & sent to me at school:


You can find the flower image in the Silhouette Store.  Notice the sweet heart brads in the middle of the "love you"?  I love brads, I love these flowers and I love sweet surprises from my mom!

What craft would you like to see next?


Friday, March 2, 2012

Etching on a Glass Tile


Hello again fellow crafters!  Today I tried etching crème for the first time.  I have been seeing all sorts of crafts with etched designs and finally gave in.  My initial plan was to make a set of coasters, but after I had trouble finding clear glass squares (who knew they would be so hard to find?) I settled on the idea to make a glass piece of décor for the kitchen.  I was skeptical at first, but I have to admit:  it turned out really neat!

You Will Need:
-Glass Coaster (I found mine in the tile section at Lowes)
-Vinyl
-Etching Crème
-Transfer Paper
-Silhouette














STEP ONE:
Choose a design from the Silhouette Store or create your own.  Cut out the image in the vinyl.

Since my initial plan was to make coasters, I decided to make the decorative square “kitchen” related.  I bought a 4x4 glass square that was tinted green.  My kitchen is red so I LOVE the green accents!  It’s perfect for that apple/strawberry kitchen look!

I also picked a design from the Silhouette Store that had an image of silverware on it with the word “Bistro”.  That way, even when I feel like mixing a box of macaroni & cheese, I can still tell myself that I’m cooking in a cute little bistro… after all, that’s what the tile says!














Peel away the vinyl in the area where you want the etched image to be.


STEP TWO:
Cover the top of the vinyl with the transfer tape (I used GLAD Press & Seal).  Use a credit card to smooth out any bubbles in the vinyl.  If the vinyl does not have tight edges, the etching crème will leak, creating an image that is not crisp.














Next, remove the paper backing and position the vinyl onto the tile.  Take the transfer paper off.


STEP THREE:
Apply a generous amount of etching crème to your image.  Let it sit for 15 minutes or so.  The longer it sets the better the etching will appear.














 When ready, wipe off the excess and wash it with water, remove the vinyl and…

Finished Product:
Ta-Da! How neat is this?




















Now it’s your turn!  Make your own and share it with me.  The possibilities are endless!