BrittanyMakes

Today's fall crafty project is dedicated to all the boys.  Cheers!

My original plan was to etch Oktoberfest inspired beer flutes.  I asked my BF to bring home some Oktoberfest beer, something with a festive looking label, and what did he bring home? Samuel Adams Octoberfest beer.  Really babe?  I'm a little embarrassed to associate this American beer with the 200+ year old legendary German beer festival.

Instead, here are my etched autumn inspired beer flutes!

Please tell me you can see the leaf and the acorn? I need to learn how to photograph glass. 

I hunted all over Michael's and JoAnne's for adhesive etching stencils, and the options were nil.  I couldn't find what I wanted.  I hunted online and  found some neat stencils but I didn't want to pay $40 plus shipping.  Seriously! I can't possibly be the only person looking for this type of craft, at a reasonable price.

So, I decided to make my own stencils by using full-page printer labels. 

I cut out a square piece of label and drew the shapes I wanted to etch. Since my flutes are autumn inspired, I decided to draw an oak leaf and an acorn. I cut the shapes out with scissors and a box cutter, I think an X-Acto knife would also work well.  Remember to cut out the inside of the shape and leave the outer border intact, otherwise it's a sticker and not a stencil :P

Once I cut out the inside of the acorn, I removed the back and placed on the glass flute.

Then I applied a thick coat of Armour Etch cream to the flute, inside the stencil with a sponge brush

The directions on the cream say to leave it on for 60 seconds, then wash it off.  I followed the directions the first round and the glass had hardly changed form.  So I applied a second layer and let it sit longer.

I recommend leaving it on for about 5 minutes, and rub the cream around with your brush, every minute or so.  Then, wash it off with water, and you have etched glass my friend!

I repeated the steps for the leaf stencil:

    1. Draw the shape (leaf, acorn, etc)

    2. Cut out the inside of the shape

    3. Peel off the back and place on the glass

4. Apply a thick coat of Armour Etch

5. Wait about 5 minutes

6. Wash the cream off with water

7. Remove the label from the glass

8. Dry the glass off with a towel

9. Pop open a beer and enjoy!

They look great!

I still need to learn how to photograph glass. 

 My BF enjoyed this crafty project mostly because he got to drink the beer after the photo shoot.  Lucky guy!

Check out all the inspirational fall crafts at the third installment of the It's Fall Y'all link party:

And, my best friend Allison just shared a link party with me at 320 Sycamore, she made an adorable monogram burlap display .