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Anniversary Gift & Frosted Vinyl Round-Up

Shadow Box Anniversary Gift Using Frosted Vinyl...plus FREE Cut File via The Thinking Closet

I had the opportunity to try my hand at a project using Silhouette’s frosted vinyl, which allows you to create the impression of etched glass on mirrors and glass, but without the scary chemicals or the permanence; if you don’t like it, you can just remove it!  That’s my kinda project.

On the roll, the frosted vinyl almost looks silvery…

Frosted Glass Vinyl Anniversary Gift & Round-Up | The Thinking Closet

…but you’ll see when you peel the vinyl from the backing that it’s transparent with a bit of a shimmer to it.  Purdy.

Frosted Glass Vinyl Anniversary Gift & Round-Up | The Thinking Closet

When I saw that Hobby Lobby was having a sale on shadow boxes, an idea sparked in my mind to use a shadow box as the subject for a frosted vinyl creation…more specifically, an anniversary gift for my dear parents who just celebrated their 33rd this April 12th.  Whoo hoo!  Go Mom and Dad!

Frosted Vinyl Anniversary Gift & Round-Up | The Thinking Closet

So, I had a 5″ x 7″ photo printed of my parents dancing together from our wedding in 2009.  Don’t be thrown off by their cuteness in this picture.  You’ll want to steer clear of them on the dance floor.  They own it!

Mom & Dad | The Thinking Closet
Photo by Emily Johnston Anderson

I got to work creating a design for a shadow box embellishment in my Silhouette Studio Designer Edition software.  After much debate, I decided on the text, “to have and to hold…for always.”  Doesn’t it have a nice ring to it?  I felt like it fit the picture (and my parents) perfectly.  I chose the font, Zapfino, and to increase the width of the letters, I used the offset tool at .006.  Since I knew I wanted the vinyl adhered to the inside of the glass (to make for easy Windexing), I flipped the design horizontally in order to have my Cameo cut it backwards.

Free Cut File

But you mustn’t worry your pretty little head about all of that because you can just download my cut file for free to use on anniversary and wedding gifts of your own. You can sign up to download your free cut file using the nifty form below or by clicking HERE. {Fine print: this design is for personal use only and is not to be used for commercial purposes. Thanks!} 

Frosted Vinyl Anniversary Gift & FREE Cut File | The Thinking Closet

After cutting my design and weeding out the negative space, I used contact paper as a substitute for transfer tape, and adhered the vinyl to the inside of the glass…

Frosted Vinyl Anniversary Gift & Round-Up | The Thinking Closet

…and with that, my anniversary gift was complete!  I couldn’t be more pleased with how it turned out and cannot wait to give it to my parents when I see them in person this May!

Anniversary Gift & Frosted Vinyl Round-Up | The Thinking Closet

Anniversary Gift & Frosted Vinyl Round-Up | The Thinking Closet

Anniversary Gift & Frosted Vinyl Round-Up | The Thinking Closet

Happy 33rd, Mom and Dad!  Thanks for being such role models of faithfulness…to God and to each other.

Frosted Vinyl Round-Up

If you’re already feeling inspired by frosted vinyl, just you wait.  Here are 11 other d.i.y. projects that I’ve gathered from the world wide web that all utilize frosted vinyl.  None of these involve glass etching, though they look like it, don’t they?  I’m going to ask you at the end of this which one is your favorite…so study up, my friends.

Frosted Vinyl Round-Up | The Thinking Closet

I love the boldness of a monogrammed mirror in an entryway like this one.

Frosted Vinyl Round-Up | The Thinking Closet
Monogrammed Mirror | House of Hepworths

Do you think if we labeled our fridge drawers that they would magically organize themselves?

Frosted Vinyl Round-Up | The Thinking Closet
Fridge Labeling | Wannabe Crafty

Can you believe that these planters were originally Starbucks Frappuccino bottles?

Frosted Glass Vinyl Round-Up | The Thinking Closet
Recycled Planters | A Step in the Journey

I already have the glass jars for our sugar and flour.  Just need to add some frosted vinyl labels!

Frosted Glass Vinyl Round Up | The Thinking Closet
Kitchen Jar Labels | Make It & Love It

Another shadow box project!  Isn’t that wildflower fabric just darling?

Frosted Glass Vinyl Round-Up | The Thinking Closet
Texas Wildflower Art | Made

Here’s a non-permanent privacy solution for your front sidelight windows:

Frosted Glass Vinyl Round-Up | The Thinking Closet
Quatrefoil Etched Glass Window | Simply Designing

How cute are these “His” & “Hers” bathroom mirror labels?

Frosted Glass Vinyl Round-Up | The Thinking Closet
His & Hers Bathroom Mirror | Eighteen25

Maggie found the perfect use for the semi-transparent frosted vinyl in this poignant wall art:

Frosted Glass Vinyl Round-Up | The Thinking Closet
“Everything Has Beauty” Art | Maggie Muggins Designs

I love how Myra re-created an elegant $50 design for a few bucks!

Frosted Vinyl Round-Up | The Thinking Closet
Knock-Off Silhouette Hurricane Vase | My Blessed Life

The possibilities are endless for adding frosted vinyl to glass ball Christmas ornaments….

Frosted Glass Vinyl Round-Up | The Thinking Closet
Christmas Ornament | The Baeza Blog

The simplicity of this phrase on that gorgeous vintage mirror just makes me swoon.

Frosted Glass Vinyl Round-Up | The Thinking Closet
Thrift Store Mirror Makeover | Crafty Scrappy Happy

So, here we go: dear reader, which one was your favorite?  I’d love to know in the comments section below.  Frankly, I need your help deciding which project to tackle next.

Thanks for reading along, and have a happy day, everyone!

This is Lauren, signing off.

Full Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, but I did receive a free roll of Silhouette vinyl.  This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase after clicking through, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.  Please rest assured that as always, I only recommend products that I use and love.

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78 Comments

  1. I love that I got to see this gift in person in FL! And hopefully when I visit Mamaroneck in a couple weeks, I’ll see it in the new kitchen. What a precious creation for our precious parents. Their comments reflect their sweetness that is so clear in this photo. I love the frosted vinyl look too…so profesh! Looking forward to seeing more frosted vinyl creations from your lovely self!

    1. Oh, you can bet your bottom dollar that there will be more frosted vinyl in this girl’s future. I’ve got almost a whole roll left to play with! 😉 If you have any project ideas, let me know. Christmas will be here before we know it. (Well, maybe not “before we know it” but I’m all about working ahead on gifts these days, which, as you know, is a new thang for me!)

    1. So happy to hear you enjoyed this post, Maria! I actually think I’m going to do some jar and fridge labeling later this week…I just can’t get enough of frosted vinyl! Hope your week is off to a great start.

  2. Awwww This is a lovely and too emotive share Lauren! I love it. It’s a perfect gift for mother’s day as well! Thank you so much for stopping by and linking this up at Bewitch Me & Titi! Hope to have you there tomorrow with a new awesome creation!

    truly hope you have a wonderful weekend!

    Hugs
    Cami @ TitiCrafty by Camila

    1. Speaking of Mother’s Day…gotta get on that! Thanks for the reminder, Camila. And I’m looking forward to joining your linky party again this week. Happy weekend to you, friend.

    1. Thanks for co-hosting this week and for taking the time to stop by! Just visited your blog, Laura, and I especially appreciated your reflections on SNAP. I’d love to attend that conference next year, but even though I couldn’t be there, I definitely feel like I can benefit from your take-aways. You shared so many universal truths! Thank you.

    1. Keep an eye out for Silhouette giveaways! They pop up about once a month or so…and I was honored to be able to host one here a few weeks ago. I’d love for you to get your hands on one.

  3. Lauren, Your shadow box is darling! Your parents will love it. I am fond of the idea of labeling the kitchen. I could see some labels on my flour/sugar containers. But the project that has me absolutely swooning in your round up is the Quatrefoil Etched Glass Window by Simply Designing. Love it!

    1. Thanks, Bethany! And even though we’re renting, I, too, am getting tempted to label our fridge away (and vinyl is removable!). Although we don’t have sidelights, I have a friend who does, and I’m scheming to whip up some quatrefoil frosted vinyl for her! #somanyideas #solittletime

    1. Thank YOU for allowing me to include it, Jaime! Your mirror rocks. And thanks for the kind words about my project. I was really pleased with the outcome…and look forward to tackling a mirror like yours someday.

  4. Hi Lauren, what a sweet and thoughtful gift. I’m sure your parents loved it! I’m a little behind on my Silhouette stuff, I didn’t realize they had frosted vinyl. How exciting! Thanks for rounding up so much inspiration for using it. I’m definitely going to be giving it a try. Have a great day!

    Debbie

    1. Not only do they have frosted vinyl now, but they have chalkboard vinyl, too! (If only it hadn’t been sold old during the last promotion, I would have stocked up on it.) I’m glad to hear that you found some Silhouette inspiration here, Debbie. I’m still in awe of your DIY canvas artwork. Seriously, those were outta-this-world amazing!

    1. I think you hit the nail on the head with the word “elegant.” It really dress up that frame, which was otherwise just plain ole “rustic.” In design, I’ve always been drawn to the marriage of soft and hard, smooth and rough. (Or maybe I’ve just been watching too much Project Runway lately…ha ha. They always talk about that sort of thing!)

      Hope your week is off to a great start, Beth.

  5. This is a beautiful, special and thoughtful gift for your parents Lauren on their 33rd anniversary! I’m sure they will love their gift and they both look adorable in the picture! 🙂 I would love to make something like this for hubby and I These are my two projects for you: the mirror “I love being yours” and the “fridge drawers” 🙂 btw, your mom looks as fun as you! 🙂

    1. Thanks, Ingrid! My Mom is a lot of fun…she is quick to laugh and loves a good spontaneous dance party. She has such a youthful spirit, too…and I hope to emulate those same traits as I grow up. 😉 And clearly you and Dusty are on the same wavelength with your picks. I agree…the cuteness of “I love being yours” and the practically of the fridge drawers make them mighty enticing projects. Thanks for your feedback, friend!

    1. I’m not sure! Well, there was the whole fact that the giveaway was for US residents only (confound it all!), but I had already worked out in my head how you could have the prize mailed to a friend living in the northern US who could then mail it on to you…so, yeah. No excuse then. 😉 (You actually had a great excuse: you were out spending time with your family and living life! I admire you for that, Alex. And I’ve already shared your most recent post with a gagillion other people.)

  6. Wow. This vinyl is so amazing! I haven’t thought of this idea. You’re so creative for having thought of this to personalize. And thanks for sharing your free file. I might use it someday, when the right time comes. I also want to add a sweet touch on the gifts I’ll be giving. 🙂

    1. Mei, thank you for your comment! There is something poetic about your writing style…has anyone ever told you that? I think it’s lovely! Especially your line: “I also want to add a sweet touch on the gifts I’ll be giving.” Simply beautiful. And I’m so glad that this post piqued your curiosity! I love it when a project can do that for my readers. Hope your week is off to a great start!

  7. Laur,
    What a wonderful surprise to open this blog post and see my reflection in the computer screen. Wait a minute. I’m not wearing a suit now! It’s not a reflection. It’s, it’s, it’s a crafty swing dancing move with your mom from your wedding day, yesssss, thanks to the Fred Astaire dance studio. But the hugest of thanks go to you, daughter, for this craftiest, heart-felt, and heart-stopping anniversary gift. Can’t wait to see it and you, not only in Silhouette, but in person.
    Loves.
    Dad

    1. Oh this comment was so full of wordplay and so full of YOU at every turn. Thanks for your thank you, Dad! I’m elated to know how much you like it, and I, too, am looking forward to our in-person reunion soon and very soon. No Silhouettes for us! Ha ha.

      Mark and I went bike riding last night and stopped to watch a little league baseball game for a spell. It brought back so many memories of playing softball in my earlier days, and when I saw the 2 or 3 parents cheering their hearts out for their kids on the away team, I recalled how many times it was just you and Mr. Burke who had made the drive to the boonies to see us play and cheer us on. Now, THAT is a gift I’ll always cherish.

      Love,
      Laur

  8. Personally, my favorite was the mirror (i love being yours) Mostly because it’s stinkin’ ADORABLE! I also really liked the fridge ones. What can I say, I am a sucker for organization!!

    I really liked what you did with the shadow box. Such a simple, elegant and beautiful addition to it! I can only imagine how much you parents must have loved it! Good work!!

    – Dusty.

    1. Stinkin’ adorable indeed! (I’m glad you see things like I do, Dusty.) And the only thing keeping me from labeling my fridge is the whole need to clean it out and organize it first. Another win for laziness! Sigh. Anyway, thanks for your sweet words about my shadow box anniversary gift. I have received really positive reactions from my folks from afar…but I can’t wait to give it them in person in about a month. Eek!

    1. Sure thing! Thanks for allowing me to feature your His & Hers bathroom mirror labels. Even though we’re renting right now, I’m seriously considering doing this anyway! After all, it’s removable.

  9. What a lovely gift for your parents! And clever you to put the lettering on the inside of the glass for easy cleaning…I would have never thought of that!

    1. Ha ha. I’ll accept your “clever” compliment, but I must add that it took me a LONG time to figure out if the lettering needed to be frontwards or backwards…upside-down or right-side up. I definitely don’t have the spatial intelligence that my husband boasts! 🙂

  10. Thanks Lauren for sharing! That’s a great roundup of ideas! You’ve got the same beautiful smile as your mom. That’s so darling.

    1. Dana, it was an honor to include your Texas Wildflower Art in the mix. It’s absolutely stunning! And thanks for your kind words about my Mom and I sharing a smile. You’re not the first to say that! 😉

  11. First of all, Zapfino, my old friend! I went to town with that font on our wedding invites.

    Second, you know how I love the shadow box.

    And third, although initially I liked the Texas wallflower idea because, of shadow box + Texas…I really love the idea of etching on sidelight windows. Our new house has those, and I’d love to find a solution other than the white lacey Grandma curtains currently covering them. So that’s my vote!

    1. 1) I didn’t know that you and Zapfino were besties! Wow, great memory. I have no idea what fonts I used on our wedding invitations. Though I may have blocked that out of my mind after the wedding invitation incident(s) of 2009.

      2) YES! The gorgeous shadow box you made me decorates our guest room wall. But…well…you already know that! 😉

      3) Does this imply that everything went through, and the house is officially yours?! If so, hip hip hooray! I’m so excited for you guys. And I’d love to make you a house-warming gift of some frosted vinyl for your sidelights. That would be so much fun!

  12. THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! I feel a little bit like I’ve opened a package that’s under the Christmas tree before Christmas, but since our anniversary has passed, and you did give us the heads up, I don’t feel guilty at all! Thanks to all of your blog-followers, too, for their kind words and wishes!

    What a unique and special anniversary gift and wonderful tutorial! That Silhouette is a gem, but YOU are priceless!! Merci buttercups! xxooxxoo

    1. Ha ha! Yeah, that’s sort of the thing about blogging. Your friends and family will often get to “open” their gifts early…though as you shared, I was already late, so no harm there! And I figured it’d be fun to receive at least virtually until you can receive it in person this May. I chose a 5 x 7 shadow box instead of 8 x 10 for easier transport in a carry-on bag. And the frame color should match your new kitchen!

      And “Merci buttercups” made me grin from ear to ear. Glad you like it! xoxo

      1. Oh 5 by 7 is perfect…the color will be great in our kitchen! We’ll look forward to seeing it in person soon and bringing it back with us!! It intertwines both our wedding days in a special way. Thanks again, darling daughter!!

        1. You’re right about the intertwining. Remember how you wrote “to have and to hold” on the ceramic platter you decorated for us to use as a guest book? It’s the circle of life!

          1. Haha…the circle of life..and it move us all!! I just re-read this because someone liked my pin of your project on Pinterest…and I saw again what you wrote about watching out for us on the dance floor “because they own it.” You were so generous, but I must say our ownership is more in the form of wild energy…we are not graceful (usually) and just might step on someone accidentally! Lol

    1. Thanks, Katherine! You are such an incredible gift-giver yourself, so that means a lot coming from you.

  13. Oh Lauren, as always, lovely! I love the shadow box idea too. I have a shadow box project I’ve been saving up for–T tickets, that is (the T is what they call the subway here). I want to put a map of Boston in the background and store my ever-growing collection of T tickets in the box (I really need to just get a charlie card, but then I wouldn’t have all these tickets for this project!). I’m trying to explain to Josh that a silhouette portrait or cameo is absolutely critical to my project’s–and my blog’s, and my–success, but the task is proving more difficult than I originally surmised. I will keep you updated on operation get-a-silhouette as events unfold 😉

    <33 gabby

    1. Oh, Gabby, I love your idea of the T ticket shadow box! And it delights me to know that you’re holding off of the Charlie Card just so you can build up supplies for a crafty project. I SO understand that

      And best of luck with operation-get-a-silhouette. But if the timing just isn’t right, don’t despair. I trust there will be more promotions to come…though it would be kinda sweet for you to get your hands on one so we could swap project ideas even more than we already do! Eek!

      🙂 Lauren

    1. Thanks, Katie! I love me a good Google Image search, so I had a lot of fun putting together a round-up. Especially one involving my new bestie, frosted vinyl!

  14. What a sweet gift for your adorable parents! I love it! And I appreciate your round up, too. So many good ideas! I love the frig labeling. I would totally do that. I also want to make a label for a casserole dish, I think it would be a great gift! (Like this: http://www.realcoake.com/2012/12/homemade-christmas-gifts-etched-glass.html?showComment=1357420916916)

    And I love this idea for a mirror: http://dans-le-townhouse.blogspot.ca/2012/04/feminist-diy-mirror-project.html

    1. Oh Jen, that is one glass etching project I’m really excited about (the casserole dish). I have had my eye on that since I got the Silhouette, and you can bet it will be a part of The Silhouette Challenge before the year is out. And I absolutely loved the text on the mirror that you shared. Pinned that buddy for future reference. Thanks, girlfriend.

  15. As always, great ideas and freebies. I am sure your parents will treasure this gift as much as they treasure each other. Here’s to 33 more years! Thank you so much for sharing a little bit of your family’s journey and your thoughtful gift.

    1. Wow, you are such an appreciative person, Christine. It’s just in your nature!

      And I realized I hadn’t shared a photo of my parents yet on the blog, though I had shared quite a bit about them in writing…so, it was high time to give them some “face-time” so to speak. They deserve so much more, but I hope the love behind my humble gift will be felt.

  16. Lauren – The frame is lovely! I’ve had good luck with etching, but the vinyl looks so easy and a great alternative to projects that won’t end up in the oven 😉 Thanks for sharing!

    1. Ha ha! Yes, you’re right. Frosted vinyl in the oven = bad news bears. And I’m really eager to try glass etching with casserole dishes…maybe come the holidays! You’ll have to share some of your tricks and tips with me before then.

    1. It’s so true! I’m feeling that “so little time” bit more than ever it seems. Trying not to get overwhelmed by my ever-growing project list and recognize that I’m not superwoman, so I might as well just enjoy the present, even if it means my gifts are all get created AFTER the birthdays and anniversaries. Ha ha. Keeps the perfectionist in me humble, I suppose!

      Thanks for your encouragement, as always, Kenley.

  17. Impressive! What a beautiful gift to give to your fabulous parents, they will cherish it!
    Wow, the possibilities are endless for this stuff!! I loved the picture “etching” and I also
    really loved the idea of using frappuccino bottles or mason jars or any other, to create
    unique little vases for flowers.

    1. Thanks, Mom! And yes, I’m going to have to start saving up those little frappuccino bottles (Mark usually gets them for us whenever we have a road trip). They’d certainly make great subjects in a frosted vinyl craft project. You always have such beautiful vases of flowers around your home, it’s not wonder you were drawn to that particular project!

    1. I, too, love the moment captured in that photo! And I can just so vividly picture them both with their unique dancing styles. My Mom definitely has influences of the hora from her time living in Israel as a grad student…and my Dad has some funkytown moves from his rockband days in the 70s. They really know how to cut a mean rug! 🙂 And thanks for your congratulatory message, Thalita. I appreciate it!

  18. What a special gift for your parents! I know they will love it! I also loved the quatrefoil window in your roundup! I keep trying to convince myself that I don’t need a Silhouette because I don’t want to spend the money, but posts like this one just make me swoon! Mother’s Day is coming up…hmmmm… 😉 Hope you’re having a wonderful day, Lauren!

    ~Abby =)

    1. I know what you mean, Abby! Ignorance is bliss in a way because before I was a blogger, I had no idea what a Silhouette machine was. Then, I started seeing Silhouette projects pop up all over the place that quickly made me realize that I desperately needed a digital craft-cutter of my own! How had I survived without it? Ha ha.

      And that quatrefoil window is super cute, isn’t it? AND practical. I also love that it’s removable if you change your mind and want to try a different design later on.

      Great to “meet” you, Abby! So glad that Bethany pointed you my way.

  19. OK, I loved this- I hope they enjoy it- I am sure they will….and you may have just really helped me with understanding the making of the letters larger…I played with it but still wonder how to do it…my dilemma is that all of the pretty fonts like cursive have really little spacing and width and I want them BIGGER…I just tried to play with the offset and it kinda helped? but what is the purpose of the big bubble it makes around the letters and how exactly does the entire word get bigger? hope this makes sense…thanks Lauren, this is a cute idea!

    1. I’m still figuring out the offset button, but basically, offset will essentially create an outline outside of your current shape as big or small as you want (the big bubble is when it’s really big, so make it smaller by lowering the offset number to get closer to the actual shape). Internal offset does the opposite where it creates the same shape, but inside the current one…which is great when you want to make BIG shapes smaller. Fiddle with it some more and see if you can get it where you want it. And if you’re still having troubles, send me the file, and I’ll try to work with it!

      And by the way, you have a Silhouette? Did I already know this, and I just had a brain freeze moment?

      1. maybe a small brain freeze…I don’t talk about it a lot because there is a big learning curve which i am still figuring out….I have made some really cute stuff like decals but I want to make lots more but need to figure out the little tweaks here and there!

        1. Kelly, do let me know if you want to join the Silhouette FB group I started a few months ago. I think you’d be a wonderful addition for your sense of humor and of course, your “joy and gladness of heart.” It’s a great place to ask questions when that learning curve is proving extra curvy. If you’re interested, let me know! I’ll send you an invite.

    1. You made me literally lol with that comment. You have no idea how many times I Windexed that glass before sealing it up. We don’t even have a dog, but I started to think we did after seeing how many little hairs were congregated on that inside glass. It nearly drove me crazy! 🙂

  20. Lauren, it’s beautiful! What a special gift for a special couple! (I feel like i know them just a little from knowing you!). Thank you for sharing your creation, your file, and your thoughtful round-up of projects. Now, since I didn’t win the giveaway, I’m kindly requesting that you send me the anniversary lettering (I have a wedding gift coming up) and the fridge labeling (you know…because of my most recent post). No?! Oh, I get it…you’d have to send it to everyone. OK, could you please send a note to my husband with your promo instructing him to purchase one for me?
    Thanks once again for an eyeful of inspiration!

      1. Aw, you know, Jessica, that I would send you some vinyl lettering in a heartbeat, I’m such a fan of you. And come to think of it, you do have a birthday coming up in a few months…hmmmm…. 😉 Oh, and I will happily go back through and edit “an” eyeful for you. I know that pain of an unchangeable spelling or grammar error taunting you. May it taunt you no more! 🙂

          1. Thanks for hosting it week after week and stopping by as many link ups as you do. You amaze me with your dedication, Jessica!

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