Getting #Cre8time Girly... Last Minute Gift Idea Bloghop

Hello friends! Are you still crossing off all the names on your holiday gift list... you are in luck today. Welcome to the LAST MINUTE GIFT IDEAS Bloghop hosted by Einat Kessler. Hop along and get Cre8time ready to finish off your list with some ideas for fabulous handmade gifts. At the bottom of the post there is info on how you can link enter a grand prize of a $100 gift card - YAY!!!

I have many girls in my family, two sisters, four nieces, and I'm always on the hunt for fun handmade gifts I can give. I've recently been introduced to Etchall® Etching Créme!... and I am totally hooked! 

Today I'm sharing a quick and easy GIRLY project with you - one that holds a special place in my little GREENcrafting heart, too!

Supplies needed:

• Etchall® Glass Etching BEE-Ginner Kit
• removable stencil letters {or traditional letter stencils}
• permanent marker
• adhesive vinyl {I used Cricut vinyl}
• contact paper
• glass compact
• xacto knife or swivel knife
• rubbing alcohol
• soft towel
• scissors
• plastic fork or craft stick
• timer

If you are like me, you probably are picking up little gifties as you find them throughout the year. I happened upon these fabulous mirrored compacts at Michael's and bought about a dozen of them for a couple bucks a piece. What I really love about them is that they have a beautiful jeweled bezel top on them. A great base to add a custom handmade touch... enter Etchall® Etching Créme!!!

If you aren't familiar with this product - Etchall® is a REUSABLE, easy to use etching créme that creates permanent etched designs on large or small areas of glass, mirror, ceramic, porcelain, marble and slate. No curing, drying required... it just takes 15 minutes! CLICK HERE to read more about this fantastic product. I don't know how I've went on this long never having etched. I have a whole box of glass items I've collected from around the house that I want to etch designs into for home decor and gift-giving throughout the year.

The preparation is the most time consuming part, but since I'm doing a several at once - the process goes quick and easy... and it's FUN! 

This is a fun and easy project that can be done in under an hour. After opening compact from packaging and removing protective film, I cleaned off the bezel surface with rubbing alcohol and dried completely with a soft cloth. Then I cut a small square of Cricut Vinyl to fit over center of compact.

Using pick tool from Etchall® Glass Etching BEE-ginner Kit, I peeled backing from vinyl square and centered onto compact, and burnished down with squeegee tool {also included in kit}- pressing out any air bubbles from center outward. I selected a letter for a monogram and pressed onto the vinyl. I traced the letter onto vinyl with permanent marker, removed stencil and connected lines to fill in gaps. 

Now I'm ready for the hardest part... the cutting! I can cut fine freehand with an Xacto knife, but if you have one of these swivel knives in your studio stash - this is the kind of project that the swivel tool is made for. The swivel blade makes cutting curves so easy. 

I placed my compact on a paper towel to steady it, then as I started to cut, I rotate the compact - NOT THE KNIFE - as I follow the blade along the outline. I find it easier to cut towards myself as apposed to away. 

**A TIP** I recommend doing a test run with contact paper to get a feel for how you are most comfortable cutting vinyl before your finished project. Also to make sure you applied enough pressure to cut through material {it doesn't take much - but it's definitely different than cutting paper}.

After all lines are cut, I used the pick tool to gently pick up the letter and remove to expose the letter shape for etching. I go back and re-burnish to make sure all cut edges are sealed down.

**ANOTHER TIP** I did a dry run of this using contact paper in place of vinyl first. Though it did work, the edge of the edging was not as crisp and sharp as when done using the vinyl. I think it's because the tackiness of the contact paper allowed a bit of etching créme bleed under the edge. The result was fine - but I wanted to see for myself if there really was a difference in vinyl -vs- contact paper... the answer is YES. It's worth it to invest in the vinyl for crisp, sharp edges. 

Before adding etching creme, I add sections of contact paper around vinyl square to fully cover - adding plenty of overlap - to protect from any etching creme drips. It's pretty thick like pudding, but one can never be too careful when making a special gift.

Using the back end of a plastic fork, I placed an even layer of Etchall® Etching Creme to the exposed letter and set my timer for 15 minutes. The leftover creme on applicator goes back in the bottle. This little bottle of créme can be used over and over for loads of projects!!

With the etching créme evenly applied, I set the timer for 15 minutes and wait for the magic to happen.

TIMES UP!!!

With the back of my applicator, I gently scrape away the etching créme and it goes back into the bottle for reuse later. Now the IMPORTANT PART... LEAVE the VINYL and protective contact paper in place and completely wash away any remaining etching créme with water. You don't want to accidentally get any etching smears or fingerprints on the rest of the piece. Rinse under water and rub surface with your finger to ensure all is removed, then dry with paper towel. 

Now it's time for the REVEAL!! Gently peel back the contact paper and the vinyl letter stencil so you can reuse again {I place mine on a sheet of salvaged sticker backing sheet}. I love how the monogrammed letter has added dimension since this bezel is not only glass... it's also mirrored. 

This gift is done and ready for giving paired with a couple other girly gifts - a lip gloss and some bling! The compact was pretty enough by itself... but with the addition of a custom monogram - it's now so much more special and looks so expensive. I can't believe I did it myself. Even my husband was impressed!

Ready for some more last minute gift ideas??! Please hop along at each of the links below and be sure to take a moment to leave each artist a comment and some blog-love.

Einat Kessler {our Hostess} -- Perpetual Calendar 

Ola Khomenok -- Mini Album - Wallet  

Patti Hodder -- Old Fashioned Ornaments 

Kathy Clement -- Pop-Up Gift Card Holders

Alexandra Morein -- Interactive Flip Book 

Sandy Trefger  -- Mini Album Gift Card Holder 

Gloria Stengel -- Altered Notepads/Giftcard

Pam Bray -- Flower Packet Gift Card

Einat Alagem -- Shabby Chic Frame 

Keren Tamir -- DIY Christmas Ornaments  

Terry Ricioli -- Leather Leaf Earrings 

Katelyn Grosart -- Chocolate Gift Box  

Susan M. Brown {sbartist} -- Etched Monogram Compacts

Steph Ackerman -- Ornaments

Eileen Hull -- Sizzix Twist and Style Gift Tag

Rita Barakat -- Mixed Media Altered Items

Mahe Zehra -- Vintage Dictionary Art

You can enter to win some amazing holiday blog candy... a $100 Visa Gift Card! Please enter following the Rafflecopter instructions below. *The winner of the $100 Visa gift card will be announced on einatkessler.com on Sunday, Dec 25th. Good LUCK!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thanks for dropping by and I'd love to hear what your favorite last minute gift ideas are. Wishing you all a Happy Holidays and I'm off to Chicago for hopefully a white Christmas! xo Sb

** This is a sponsored post. Etchall® has provided products for use in this project in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions. My ideas and opinions are my own.