Etched Seashell Bowl

I have a large seashell collection. Most come from beachcombing various beaches around the world and some my husband finds for me while scuba diving.



To make a centerpiece for our dinner table, I acid-etched three different seashell designs into a glass bowl. The designs are subtle and hard to see, but I hope you get the idea. One thing I learned from this project is to leave the acid on the glass for longer than the instructions on the bottle indicated. This glass bowl is quite thick and could have handled a longer “etching” period. All told, I’m still pleased with the outcome.



My supplies consisted of a purchased large glass bowl, rubber gloves, white Contact paper, masking tape, wood popsicle stick, and a jar of Armor Etch cream.



I drew three different types of shells and made a stencil using the Contact paper, taped each piece to a side of the bowl, layered on the acid with the stick, and let it do its work.



We put a few sea treasures in the bowl and now have a lovely display just right for summer. My husband took the photos.

Resources

• Frosted Glass Tutorial
• Glass Etching Tutorial (You Tube)
• How to Etch Glass with Your Own Designs (You Tube)
• Tutorial for Etching Glass