Etched Glass Ornaments: Personalized Keepsakes and Gifts

Instructions

STEP 1: GET MY FREE ETCHED GLASS ORNAMENTS DESIGN FILES

First, download my etched ornament designs from this page — or search the library for design number 412. There are several options, but I'll show you how to customize the snowflake design. Upload the SVG file to Cricut Design Space and add it to your Canvas.

TIP: If you are not sure how to upload an SVG cut file to Cricut Design Space, watch this helpful video training series I made. If you are on an iPad or iPhone, here is how to download and upload SVG files to the Cricut Design Space app.

This is what my Etched Glass Ornaments snowflakes SVG file looks like on my Canvas.

STEP 2: CUSTOMIZE THE STENCIL DESIGN

The snowflakes design is sized for either the 2.75" or 3.125" glass ball ornament from the materials list. It will make an etched design that is about 2" square on the front and several smaller 1" snowflakes on the back.

If you are etching the design on a larger ornament, enlarge it accordingly. I don't recommend putting these designs on smaller ornaments, as they have some small details that may get lost when etching. To enlarge the design, you can click and drag a corner of the bounding box, or type a new dimension into the width ("W") or height ("H") box at the top menu under Size.

NOTE: Remember to keep the Lock icon locked to maintain the design proportions! And if you make your design larger, use larger pieces of vinyl and transfer tape.

If you need help resizing a SVG in Cricut Design Space, you can check out my resizing guide where I explain exactly what you need to do to resize any design to fit your needs.

I'll show you some customization steps for this design, but the others are ready to cut.

You'll notice that the large snowflake has a blank space in the middle of the design. This is where we'll put our text! Start by clicking UnGroup at the top of the Layers panel. Next, click the Text icon on the left hand side of the screen. A box with "Text" highlighted in it will appear on the Canvas. Without clicking anything else, type in the text you want. I'll use "The Makers."

Click the box that says "Cricut Sans" under Font in the top menu to see your font options. I'm going to use the font Timberly, which you can download from FontBundles.net. Remember to click the System section to find fonts you've downloaded.

Zoom in so you can see the details.

Move your text into the blank area and resize it to fit. Make sure your words don't get too close to the other elements or the stencil may tear.

If you need a little more space, click the top snowflake piece and use your up arrow key to move it just a tiny bit. Once you're happy with the layout, hold Shift and click the snowflake pieces and name, then use the Align menu to select "Center Horizontally." Then, click "Weld" below the Layers Panel to bring them all on to the same layer.

To make it easier to weed and apply to the curved surface of the ornament, I enclosed my design in a circle. Here's how!

Use the Shape icon to add a circle and resize it to 2.75". Then, use the Arrange menu to Send it to the Back. Hold Shift and select both the circle and the snowflake in the Layers Panel. Center Align the layers, then click "Slice" below the Layers Panel.

You'll see three layers named Slice Results appear in the Layers Panel. Click and delete the two layers without circles, leaving the circle with the snowflake shape cut out of it. Your Canvas should look similar to mine when you're done.

NOTE: My Cardinal stencil uses reverse etching, meaning that the birds will be clear and the rest of the ornament will be etched. If you want to change the design to a normal stencil, use this circle method to reverse it!

Select the correct machine in the top menu and click "Make It" to move to the Prepare screen. A pop-up window might appear asking how you want to load your materials. Select "On Mat" and click "Continue" unless you're using Smart Vinyl.

On the Prepare screen, make sure your design is laid out correctly on one mat. Do not Mirror your design, since we need it to face the right way on the ornament. Click "Continue" to move to the Make screen.

Under Set Base Material, I am choosing "Premium Vinyl - Permanent Glossy", which means permanent vinyl. Make sure your Cricut Fine-Point Blade is clean and in Clamp B as indicated on the screen. I always change my Pressure to "More" for a cleaner cut.

NOTE: If you're cutting this project on the Cricut Joy, I highly recommend using Smart Vinyl as opposed to Premium Vinyl for the best results.

Put your vinyl shiny side up on your machine mat, making sure it covers the correct design areas visible on your screen. Use a brayer to get the vinyl as smooth as possible on your mat.

Then, load the mat into your Cricut and press the flashing button to begin cutting. When the cut is complete, unload the mat. Flip it over on your workspace, and gently roll a corner back to release the vinyl.

TIP: If you have any trouble cutting the vinyl, check out my Cricut Tips & Tricks for Cleaner Cuts.

STEP 3: PREPARE THE STENCILS AND ORNAMENT

Stencils require the opposite weeding approach from traditional vinyl projects. Since we want the etching cream to create the design, we need the vinyl to protect the area between and around our snowflakes.

NOTE: Weed the Cardinal design as you normally would since we're using it to reverse etch that ornament.

Instead of removing the vinyl around the snowflakes and words, you’ll be removing the snowflakes and words themselves. Be sure to leave the centers of any letters and the center pieces of the small snowflakes in place. If they accidentally come off while weeding, just put them back in place carefully. Also remove the vinyl around the circles.

Then cut around each design with scissors so you have five separate pieces, or fewer if you don't use all the small snowflakes.

Next, prepare to move the vinyl stencils from their carrier sheets to the ornament using my Taco Method. Cut pieces of transfer tape slightly larger than your stencils. Remove the backing from the large piece of transfer tape. Apply it to your customized snowflake stencil by holding the transfer tape in the shape of a taco, or a "U" shape. Then put the bottom of your “taco” onto the middle of your design. Smooth the tape over the decal from the center outward to minimize wrinkles and bubbles. Repeat for the smaller snowflakes.

With the transfer tape in place, run a scraper tool or other hard and flat-edged item (like a store loyalty card) all over the project’s front and back with medium pressure.

Starting with the large stencil, flip your design over and remove the paper backing from the vinyl. If your stencil is still sticking to the backing paper, replace the transfer tape and burnish again.

Your first stencil is now ready to use! Prepare the smaller snowflakes the same way but leave the backing in place since we'll use them in the second round of etching.

Let's make our ornament easier to etch. Remove the metal hanging hardware and set it aside. Next, clean the ornament's outside with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth or a coffee filter to remove any dust or oils that will make the vinyl stick less. Place an extra roll of painter’s tape on its side to hold your ornament still. Avoid handling the glass with bare hands and let it dry in the tape holder.

STEP 4: ETCH THE ORNAMENT

Before you apply the vinyl to the ornament, cut small slits around the outside edge of the transfer tape. This allows the transfer tape and vinyl to bend around the ornament and curve to the surface, preventing bubbles and creasing. This is super important for an etching project because you don’t want any of the cream to get under the vinyl.

TIP: Wear gloves while applying the vinyl. This will prevent fingerprints from getting onto the clean glass and will protect your hands from the glass just in case it breaks.

Now bend your design up in a taco shape over the ornament and lay the middle down on your glass, gently smoothing it from the middle outward.

NOTE: Be very careful when pressing the vinyl onto your ornament. Glass ornaments are fragile and will break if too much pressure is applied. Press lightly and go slowly.

Don't worry if some wrinkles form at the outer edges of the stencil. They're hard to prevent on such a small curved surface! Just make sure you don't have any wrinkles or bubbles right next to your snowflake designs or words.

When smoothing your design, start with the center words, as that's the area with the most detail and requires the most precision. Once you get to the edges of your snowflake, you can lift up the vinyl and reapply it if it gets too wrinkly.

Once your stencil is smoothly adhered to the ornament remove the transfer tape. If some of the vinyl comes up with the transfer tape, just push it back down and try again.

Check your vinyl to be certain all areas around the design are adhered well to the glass. This step is important as it will stop your etching cream from bleeding into areas you don't want it to etch. Just go around all parts of the design with your fingers and gently push the vinyl down well, removing any bubbles or creases as best as you can.

Before applying the etching cream, cover the rest of the ornament area around your stencil with painter's tape to avoid getting the etching cream where you don't want it. Add a piece over the top so none of the cream gets inside while you rinse it off.

NOTE: If you're using the snowman design, it's separated into two pieces (one for the top and one for the bottom) for easier application. Make sure to overlap the vinyl in the center just a bit to prevent etching cream from getting on to the glass in that area. You can also apply a thin strip of vinyl or painter's tape to the glass in that area for extra protection.

IMPORTANT: Read the etching cream's instructions and guidance on accidental exposure before proceeding. Etching cream is caustic and you don't want to inhale it or get it on your skin or in your eyes. Before opening the etching cream, be sure to put on a pair of safety goggles, rubber gloves, an apron, and a fitted respirator. If you do come in contact with the cream, follow the bottle's directions immediately.

Be sure you're in a well-ventilated area or outside with a flat surface on which to work. It's also a good idea to cover your work surface with butcher paper before you begin, as you don't want to get any etching cream on it. Shake your etching cream really well before you open it. And set your timer for three minutes!

Apply the cream to the glass with a regular paint brush (avoid foam brushes), using your brush to move the cream on top of your stencil. Brush on enough etching cream that you can no longer see the outline of your design underneath. Once it is on your design, brush the etching cream around for about three minutes. Move it up and down, side to side, and diagonally. Keep the cream moving around your design, getting it into every nook and cranny.

After the three minutes are up, apply more cream in areas where it looks thinned out and then let it sit for another 5-10 minutes. Letting the etching cream sit on the glass for longer gives a more uniform and deeper etch.

NOTE: Since the Cardinal ornament is reverse etched, you won't have the taped areas to hold it while you apply the cream and let it sit. Instead, hold it by its neck and do your best to avoid touching the cream.

When the timer chimes, you can remove the cream. Keep your protective equipment on. If you used a lot of cream, scrape it back into the container to be reused. Rinse the remaining cream off of the glass under running water into a plastic or metal sink. Be sure to get all the etching cream off the glass before you remove the vinyl stencils. You do not want to accidentally touch it or get it on your work surface.

Dry the glass well and remove the painter's tape and stencils. Give the glass a final rinse after all the stencil pieces have been removed, and dry it off.

Now you can apply the small snowflakes to the back and sides of your ornament for the second etching round. Apply each one using the same technique as before, making sure to space them evenly around the ornament's surface. Again, you may have wrinkles around the stencils' outside edges, but that's OK as long as you smooth out the areas right next to your designs.

When applying the painter's tape, be sure to press it down well around the outside of each stencil so the etching cream doesn't seep underneath onto the glass.

If you placed your stencils far enough apart that some of them will be covered by your roll of tape when you lay the ornament back down, you may want to hold the ornament in your hand at the top as you apply the etching cream. Use the same method as above to apply the cream, moving it around all the stencils for three minutes and letting it sit for another 5-10 minutes. Once the time is up, rinse off the cream under running water, remove the tape and vinyl, and dry the ornament. This is what the back of my ornament looks like after etching the small snowflakes around it.

Make sure to clean off any etching cream from your brush before you put everything away. Now you can remove your safety equipment.

STEP 5: CUSTOMIZE YOUR ETCHED DESIGN WITH COLOR AND/OR ACCESSORIES

The etching is nice already, but you can use Rub n Buff wax metallic finish to make the designs stand out more. You’ll also need clean gloves, a dry paper towel, and rubbing alcohol for this technique.

Squeeze a tiny amount of Rub n Buff onto your gloved finger and pat it over the etched design. Buff it into the etched areas with the dry paper towel. 

You can wipe the excess off of the plain glass, but the wax dries quickly, so you may need to dampen the paper towel to get it all off. If it’s really stubborn, try a bit of rubbing alcohol. Here's what my ornament looks like after applying the Rub n Buff.

You can also add crystals to your design to make it sparkle. Apply a tiny amount of glue to the back of each crystal and place it on the ornament. I used a thick tacky glue, which helped the crystals stay in place on the curved surface while it set. You may need to use tweezers to apply them. Allow the glue to dry before moving or using the ornament.

Once you're done, insert the metal hanging hardware back into the top of the ornament so it's ready to hang.

STEP 6: SHOW IT OFF!

You're done! This is what my finished ornaments look like.