Armour Etch and Stampendous Designers Blog Hop

It's the final day of a week long collaboration and the Stampendous Team is hopping with an array of designs using Stampendous Stamps, embossing powder/Enamels and Armour Etch Cream. It's been a lot of fun and something that I think is going to be a regular in my studio. :)

Okay there are a lot of details that you might want to know if you haven't been hopping with us this week, but what you need to know up front is there are LOTS of prize opportunities if you comment on each days blogs and along the hop today. Start off at the Stampendous Blog for details and the master hop list.

So if you've been hopping with us you've just come from Jamie's blog, Isn't her gift jar the sweetest!

Today I am showing another easy project. I was on the hunt for some crazy fun ideas because there is a wedding coming up real soon with a family friends daughter and the reception is going to be outside. It's time to think inexpensive, but elegant. I've been eyeing the Bottle and Jar Cutter (Prize alert!) from Armour Products because I long to be the winner of that prize and can't, I made due MacGyver style. I found an idea from this image, and I think my heart stopped a beat or two when I saw the price tags starting at $100.

Really? That much for such an easy project? You cut off the bottom of a few bottles with the Bottle and Jar Cutter then mix around the parts to get a tray from the bottom half and a hurricane from the top. They will all be different heights and be beautiful decor for any table or garden pathway. But I can go get ***FREE*** bottles at my local recycle place and then my MacGuyver (you don't really need to know and so much more dangerous than just buying or winning a Cutter) maneuvering can do this for pennies.

CAUTION! Cutting glass is a very serious matter. Take precaution and read whatever instructions you have... MacGyver style was lacking in a few important ones. Cover all surfaces before cutting as glass dust will get everywhere. Have patience! MacGyver was always creating under pressure and well I'm not him so my finishes aren't quite as clean.

So here's the quick steps I took to do this project:

Clean labels off jar and dray thoroughly. Cut bottom off of bottle with your new [because you'll win that cutter machine after this hop is over] cutter. Repeat for however many bottles you have to do. Set the bottoms aside for use later.

Clean bottle sides with rubbing alcohol. Lay it down and use something to stop it from rolling.
Tape around the bottom of the bottle to preferred height keeping the last edge of tape straight and smooth. 

Stamp border around bottle 1/4-inch away from the tape edge. It helps to only do a couple stamps at a time for two reasons. One, you will smear your powder when it's rotated too much and also heating the embossing powder means you're also heating the glass. It's becomes fragile and you'll want to give it a chance to cool down.

Heat embossing powder carefully and when bottle is cooled add more tape above the embossing 1/4 -inch and all the way around. Keep it smooth or the etching cream will find it's way into those cracks.

Add etching cream and wait 5 minutes before rinsing off with hot water. TIP: I found that the embossing powder really wanted to stick this time so I made the tap water as hot as it would go and then rubbed the embossing with my hand that still had the glove on it. The glove worked like a miracle garlic peeler grabbing the embossing and rolling it off the glass. :)

Another tip: Use large wine bottles. I tested this out on a Henry Weinhard rootbeer bottle and it created a vacumn extinguishing the flame.

With so many instructions, I'm sure you've forgotten what it looks like so here's one more shot before you hop on over to Krissy's blog.

Details:
Armour Products: Etch Cream, Bottle and Jar Cutter
Stamps: Jumbo Cling Amaryllis ( +Stampendous )
Ink: Versamark Watermark Ink Pad
Accessories: Detail Clear Embossing Powder (Stampendous), empty and clean wine bottle, masking tape