Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Etched Glass Pumpkin Jar

The Winter BazaarThanks to all who have participated so far this month in the Winter Bazaar, next month the theme is Thanksgiving but don't let that box you in, you can post ideas for fall activities, crafts and games; ideas for family gatherings; teaching gratitude to kids; dinner party ideas--anything that might be applicable to the month of November. Variety is good so get busy and get your ideas ready!

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Etched Glass Pumpkin JarGlass etching is a simple way to decorate, and if you're not into Halloween you could--instead of etching pumpkins--decorate the glass with leaves, acorns, or whatever motif strikes your fancy.

I bought a glass globe at Walmart for under $2, then using some masking tape I taped little triangles for eyes and a nose, and outlined a simple jack o' lantern smile in tape. Using a small amount of etching paste (which can be expensive--$30 for a small jar--but it goes a long way) I painted the exposed areas that I wanted frosted.

Notes: Be careful not to get the paste on your skin or clothing as it is acid and will make a nasty mess of things--like eyeballs and mouths. Also, make sure the tape is securely in place, rub it along the edges to make sure the edges are sealed and won't leak acid underneath. You can use contact paper instead of masking tape but with the rounded surface, the contact paper tends to wrinkle too much, the smaller pieces of tape are easier to work with for this design.

Etched Glass Pumpkin JarAfter waiting five minutes for the acid to work its magic I rinsed off the paste (you can also scrape it off and put it back in the jar if you're trying to conserve) and dried the bowl. Instant frosted jack o' lantern suitable for a candy dish, floating candle, tiny fishbowl or even a bowl of Jello. They're inexpensive enough to make a fun grouping of them down the middle of a table for an easy centerpiece and look especially fun with colored water or votive candles.



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18 comments:

An Ordinary Mom said...

Next month's theme is throwing me for a loop. I will have to think about how to participate in this one :) !!

Amber M. said...

LOVE the whole etching idea...can't wait to give it a try on a bowl.

M said...

I've always wanted to do glass etching. This would be fun for X-mas too.

Anonymous said...

Great idea. But how'd you get it to look orange?

Anonymous said...

That is a neat project. I have never done glass etching. Thanks for the tips!

Pieces said...

The winter bazaar is such a great idea. It has taken me all month to participate--hopefully next month I'll be more on top of it!

Montserrat said...

I love etching glass. Several years ago I made a nativity scene on a mirror. It's one of our prize Christmas decorations.

The pumpkin idea is really cute!

Scribbit said...

It's orange because of the orange water I have in it, it made the etched features easier to photograph.

If I'd had floating candles it would have looked pretty cool I think. Oh well.

Kerith Collins said...

that etching thing is ssssooo cool...i did it for glassware once but as a pumpkin...wish i would have seen this yesterday so i could make 'em for tonite!

Lisa said...

WHat a cool idea. Ohhhh. I need to make a trip to the craft store. Pronto!

Theresa said...

Oh, I love your winter bazaar. I'm not crafty, but I still like to window shop. I did carve a couple of pumpkins this year. A big step for me. Happy Halloween!

Magpie said...

That is clever. I've never heard of that etching paste.

Mary@notbefore7 said...

What a great idea...I am going to have to think about this one and come up with something.

Qtpies7 said...

What a great idea! I wonder how I could make that work for Thanksgiving or Christmas? We do a fancy table for our Old Fashioned Christmas, and we like to give the guests something. That would be neat, but I don't know how to make something more intricate with tape.

Anonymous said...

That is so cool!!!!

Lara said...

Very fun idea! I would love to participate but I don't do anything crafty for the holiday. I'm a boring holiday Mom! If I don't have to do a craft then maybe I can think of something for November.

Joanna said...

Your glass etching is so pretty! I could see it looking really cool as a winter scene, too... with the "frosted" glass look & such.

I'm entering a day late... Shh, don't tell!

luckyzmom said...

Great idea!