Etched Feather Drinking Glasses

Hi guys!  I have been super excited about today's project for a while now.  I was given the opportunity to try out the new Dremel Micro 8050 and share my opinion with y'all!  I can't even tell you how long I have wanted to own a Dremel rotary tool.  I look at them every single time we go to the home improvement store, which you might think would be a strong enough hint for my dearly beloved to get me one for Christmas or Mother's Day.  But you'd be wrong.  Good thing I waited!  The Micro 8050 is the most “brilliantly powerful” and precise cordless rotary tool that Dremel has ever produced and is fully compatible with all Dremel rotary tool accessories.  As soon as my new Dremel showed up on my doorstep, I began using it on every different type of surface you can think of.  The Micro 8050 can cut, carve, engrave, sand, grind, sharpen, clean and polish.  Believe me, you will be seeing quite a few Dremel projects on my blog now!  Far and away my favorite thing I made were these Etched Feather Drinking Glasses.

Etching a feather design onto plain dollar-store drinking glasses is a quick and easy project that provides a lot of bang for your buck.  I invested about $6 and 30 minutes of my time to get a super-stylish, custom set of drinking glasses that my family will use and enjoy over and over again.

You will need:

• a set of drinking glasses
• a printed design template
• tape
• Dremel Micro 8050 tool with Grinding Stone attachment

Begin by finding a pattern to copy.  Working with the Micro 8050 is similar to drawing with a pencil on glass, so your pattern can be as simple or detailed as you choose.  I chose a pretty simple line drawing of a feather.  Because the lines of the feather are wavy to begin with, it seemed like the perfect project for a beginner to help me develop the steady hand I will need to do more complex designs in the future.

Tape your pattern to the inside of your glass.  I used washi tape so it would be easy to remove and use again on all my cups. 

Use the Dremel tool to etch the design onto your glass, following the lines of your pattern.  I found it difficult to follow the pattern exactly, but it was really helpful as a guideline.  Once you are finished, remove the pattern from inside the glass and touch up the design.  Add in a few extra lines here and there if you have bare spaces or thicken up any lines you want to stand out more.  I made the center line of the feather thicker than it was in the drawing because it made the feather look more substantial on the glass. 

To finish up, wash the glasses to remove any dust and fingerprints.  I love the way they look when the glasses are filled.  It's a super-subtle design that makes the glasses look waaay more expensive than the $1 I paid for them!  Bonus:  I don't even have to worry about one of the glasses getting broken.  Should that happen, I'll just whip out my Dremel tool and make a new one.  Love that!!

Dremel wants to celebrate its fans’ brilliant projects, work and ideas! Now through October 12, share, tweet or post photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram that depict your brilliant ideas using the hashtag #MyBrilliantIdeaSweeps for the chance to win weekly prizes, including free tools and handmade gifts, or the grand prize: a custom-engraved Honda scooter and a Micro 8050. Visit www.facebook.com/dremel for rules and to learn more.

Thanks for stopping by, friends!

Amy

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.