DIY [more advanced glass etching]

This is NOT for beginners. Just kidding. It's still super easy, but I'm trying to lend some gravitas to the simplest DIY ever. I feel like I write those words too often. 

This may be my last glass etching project for awhile. 2012 = liquid gold leaf, 2013 = glass etching, what will the next season bring?!

Let's get down to business: it all starts with some tracing. Find a font or design you like, and copy it over to contact paper. No need to be perfect.

Next we take our handy dandy exacto knife and cut out your letters. Make sure you keep your thoughts straight regarding negative space- any area that is cut out will eventually be filled with the etching cream and will end up frosted. For example, I had to remember to keep the middle of the "R" (called the "counter" in typography).

Peel off your design and stick it on the bottle. Contact paper is strong, so you only get one shot to get it right. Press down all the edges carefully, as you don't want any bleeding, especially when your project calls for clean, straight lines, like a graphic print or lettering.

I waited about 20 minutes- as I've said before, Martha Stewart's etching cream is weaker than armor etch for sure.

Ta-da! A few more shots so you get the full feel of the bottle:

J and I worked on these while watching a movie, it really is that low-impact. Anyone else taken the plunge into glass etching? Here is my dream level of expertise:

Helllooooo New York.

Maybe next Christmas. For now, my new gift idea: when someone new moves to town, you make them a nice casserole or something in a rectangular pyrex, and you etch into the side of the glass the skyline of your city! Then you wait a few weeks and if they're good neighbors you obvi let them keep it, but if they're weirdos who hang art at 3am and blast music and let their dog bark in the morning, you can just say oh I need my dish back, the gift was the food. Thanks.