As music teachers, we often seek unique ways to appreciate and inspire our students. DIY glass etching offers an elegant, personalized gift option that's both meaningful and creative. This guide will walk you through the process of using Armour Etch and vinyl decals to create stunning, music-themed glassware.
To make your DIY project even smoother, I've included a Canva template to assist in designing your vinyl decals. This template is tailored for the Night LED Light Lamp Base, ensuring your design aligns perfectly with the glass coasters to create a gift like the one below.
Additionally, for your convenience, I've provided Amazon links for all the materials required at the end, including the Armour Etch cream, vinyl sheets, Night LED Light Lamp Base, and coasters. This way, you can easily find and purchase the materials for the above project.
Materials You'll Need:
Armour Etch Cream
Vinyl Decals/Cricut: Choose decals with musical symbols or notes. Custom designs can add a personal touch. If you’ll be creating your own decals with a Cricut, I’ve included my editable Canva template that you can upload to your Cricut software.
Transfer Tape
Glass Coaster or Other Glass Items
Protective Gloves
A Small Brush or Sponge
Running Water
Night LED Light Lamp Base
Hot Glue
Scissors
Weeder Tool
Tweezers
Precision Blade
Designing your decal with canva and cricut:
Create Your Design in Canva: Create and finalize your design in Canva. Keep in mind the dimensions suitable for your project. If you’re creating a design like the one above with the LED Lamp Bases and 3.5 x 3.5 in. glass coasters, I’ve created a Canva template that you can bulk edit with all of the names of your students. To use the template, click the image below and create a copy under “File.”
Download the Design: Once your design is ready, download it from Canva. Choose a format compatible with Cricut, like PNG or SVG.
Open Cricut Design Space: Log in to your Cricut Design Space account.
Upload the Design: In Cricut Design Space, go to the 'Upload' option and select your downloaded design file from Canva.
Prepare for Cutting: Once uploaded, insert the design into your project. Adjust the size and orientation as needed to fit your vinyl sheet and project requirements.
Cut the Design: Follow the standard process in Cricut Design Space to send your design to the Cricut machine for cutting.
Weeding: Carefully remove the excess vinyl from around your design, leaving only the decal on the backing paper. Use the weeder tool and tweezers.
Transferring the Decal: Apply the transfer tape over the decal. Press firmly and then peel back, ensuring the decal sticks to the tape.
Step-by-Step Etching Guide:
Clean the Glass Surface: Use rubbing alcohol and a microfiber towel. Dry it completely to ensure a clear etching.
Applying to Glass: Position the decal (now on the transfer tape) onto your glass item. Use a scraper or a credit card to smooth it down, then carefully remove the transfer tape, leaving the vinyl decal on the glass. My template design will be applied to the coasters diagonally.
Apply Armour Etch: Put on your gloves and apply a generous layer of Armour Etch cream over the area you want to etch. Use the brush or sponge for an even coat. Be sure to follow the safety instructions on the bottle.
Let the Cream Sit: The recommended time is a few minutes, but I’ve found that letting it sit longer up to 45-60 minutes works better.
Rinse Thoroughly: After the wait, rinse the glass item under running water until all cream is washed off. Peel off the decal to reveal the etched design.
Dry and Admire: Wipe the item dry and inspect your artwork.
Assembling the glass coaster and led base:
Once the etching is completed, the coaster and base can be put together. Use hot glue in the center of the base and insert the coaster diagonally like the example above. Be mindful about the tip of the hot glue gun coming in contact with the base as the tip can melt the plastic. Once it has dried, clean up any excess glue with a precision blade and tweezers.
Materials Links:
Night LED Lamp Bases (30 Sets) - Note: I didn’t use the acrylic sheets provided, the etching cream will not work on acrylic.