Snowflake Etched Cocoa Jar with Happy Hour Projects

Happy Independence Day to my American friends!  I’m Adrianne, and I blog over at Happy Hour Projects.  I’m actually really excited to be sharing here today, July 4th is my favorite day all year.  No work, parades, fireworks, watermelon…  So I get to talk about one great holiday on another. 😉

If you don’t know me yet, let me take a minute to share a little bit about me and my blog.

At Happy Hour Projects, I focus on things you can make in an hour or less.  There are small sewing projects, recipes, jewelry tutorials, and general crafts that you can actually fit into your day.  I’m a full-time mom with a full-time job, and a full-time crafting addiction. 🙂  I know most of you are as busy as I am, and a lot of the time – if it’s not simple… it’s not happening.  Sound familiar?

Now you may not be thinking about Christmas today while you enjoy your fireworks and backyard parties, but I have an idea for you to file away for a little giftable to add to all those cookie trays you’ll be making in just a few months.  If you’re on the lookout now, you can watch the sales and thrift stores for your supplies!

What you will need:

• 3 oz. spice jars
• Contact paper or vinyl
• Snowflake paper punches
• Armor Etch and a paintbrush or sponge
• Rubber gloves
• Cocoa to fill your finished jar (I have a great homemade recipe below!)

If you haven’t etched glass before, don’t be intimidated!  It’s very easy.  I will recommend you use rubber gloves, especially if you have sensitive skin, and of course, work in a well-ventilated area near a sink.

Wash your jars.  You’ll need to wash them again after you etch, so you only need to make sure the outside is clean for now.

The first step is to create your stencil.  The options are endless for those of you lucky enough to own a silhouette machine, but it’s definitely not necessary if you’re still waiting for Santa to bring you one (like me).  For my stencils, I used contact paper from my dollar store (which is why it has airplanes on it – don’t mind that).  You will only be applying it temporarily, so looks aren’t important here – the only thing you need to be sure of is that you buy the kind with the paper backing, and not the kind that peels directly off the roll.  I haven’t tried any of the more expensive vinyls because there’s no need – but if you have some on-hand, I’m sure all kinds of removable vinyl will work!

It works best if you trim your vinyl to individual pieces.  Make sure there’s about 1/2 inch all the way around your design.  I used two different sizes of scrapbook punches and made about 8 little stencils.

Now, peel the backing off each stencil (go gently – the snowflake details can be tricky and you don’t want to stretch your vinyl) and stick it on the outside of your jar in whatever pattern you like.  I made mine random.  It’s okay if the edges of your stencils overlap, but just be sure the snowflake details aren’t covered by any other stencil.  If you need to trim any down to make sure of that, that’s fine.

When you like the looks of it, it’s time to etch!  Make sure all the edges of your stencil are pressed down firmly before you begin.  I would recommend putting on gloves at this point, just in case.  Use a paintbrush or sponge to add a thick layer of Armor Etch (I found mine at Michael’s, but most craft stores should have this).  

The bottle will tell you to let it sit for 60 seconds.  I found my designs looked much better if I let it sit for 5-10 minutes.  Test it out and see what works best for your glass, though!

When you set your jar aside, make sure that the Armor Etch doesn’t drip onto any other area of your jar.  If it does, you can wipe it off with a damp paper towel.

After you’ve let it set, just rinse it off really well in the sink.  If you’re using contact paper like I am, your stencils will probably come off too, so be sure they don’t wash down the sink.  If you’re using a heavier-duty vinyl, you may have to peel them off.

Now, wash your jar inside and out, and let it dry completely.  If we’re going to be putting dry cocoa inside, there can’t be any water left before we start.  Admire your handiwork.

Depending on how many jars you are making up, you will want to multiply this recipe.  But for each jar, use these measurements:

• 1 Tbsp. nonfat dry milk
• 1 Tbsp. non-dairy creamer
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 – 1/2 tsp. cocoa powder

Sift all ingredients together – and that’s it!  This will give you slightly more mix than the jar can hold – you will have about 1-1/2 tsp. mix that won’t fit.  If it bothers you to have leftovers, another option is to buy a slightly larger jar, and pack it full of marshmallows before closing it off.  Mix 1 jar of cocoa mix with 12-16 oz. (you know, a real mug full) of hot water, and enjoy!

If you don’t have most of these ingredients already, you may find it to be more cost-effective to use a commercial brand cocoa instead – there’s no shame in keeping it inexpensive.  If you decide to go that route, you most likely will need to pack it with marshmallows to fill your jar, and attach instructions according to the package directions.

I hope you enjoyed this idea, and a big thank you to Melanie not only for letting me be her guest today, but also for putting together such a fabulous Christmas lineup! It’s Christmas in July at Happy Hour Projects this month too – come visit the week of July 16th for more tutorials and giveaways!