Harry Potter Butterbeer Mugs

You only have ONE MORE CHANCE to throw the greatest Harry Potter movie release party ever. I like going all out for these kinds of events, so we will be having a Harry Potter dinner party at my house to celebrate (and mourn the end of my childhood).

After a trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter last year, I got one of their plastic souvenir butterbeer mugs and was dissapointed by its distinctly non-magical and non-quality feel. I wanted to give my muggle guests a more authentic experience, so I made a set of etched butterbeer mugs for serving the legendary beverage. These mugs will also be "party favors" for each guest to take home with them, and I'm sending a few pairs of mugs to my more Potter-obsessed friends.

They are really inexpensive and easy to make, and using these techniques you can create incredibly cheap  and detailed etchings of absolutely anything.

Step 1 Materials

I made a set of six mugs with two different patterns.

Materials:

Glass Mugs (I used these and they are the perfect size. They really feel substantial in your hand), washed and dried
Etching cream
Parchment Paper
Exacto Knife (use a new blade)
Paintbrush
Masking tape
Butterbeer emblems (download below)

You can use the two Butterbeer emblems I made, or easily make your own. For my mugs each image had to be 3" wide. Print out your labels on normal printer paper. I will be switching between patterns in the instructions, but the process is exactly the same for both labels.

Comments

[67spyder]

Just made a custom set of wine glasses and beer mugs for my dad using your technique except after the first one I just traced the letters onto the masking tape, applied to the glass and cut the letters out right on the glass. I would also like to say nice knife work, your results are much nicer than mine.

[friedpope]

Just bought the mugs at the Big Blue and Yellow store- CANNOT wait to try this! I am planning to use my Cricut cutter to make the stencils instead of using a knife. I'll let you know how that goes. Did you have a preference for one label or the other after it was finished?

[emilygracedavis]

WooHoo! Using a Cricut will speed up the process a ton--cutting out each one was definitely tedious (but worth it). When the mugs were finished the second design was more visually striking than the one that is fully enclosed.

I'd love to see photos of your mugs when you are done--I bet the cutter makes the lines so crisp.

[gtoal]

This instructable I wrote last year may help if you're planning to use a Cricut: Easy-glass-engraving-with-the-Cricut

Even if you're not using a Cricut, read the article and the comments re safe use of etchant. Hydrogen Flouride is an extremely dangerous acid that can work its way right down to your bones. It is not a toy. Treat it with respect, safety goggles, and nitrile gloves.

[Janipun]

'Was dissapointed by its distinctly non-magical feel' Lol.

I have two sitting in my cupboard and agree, they couldn't feel less magical (though I thought the Wizarding World itself was amazing). I love this tutorial and will be on the hunt for etching cream now! Thank-you!

[integrator]

Awesome. I didn't even know about etching cream. I'll have to try this, as a gift for a friend who's a Harry Potter fan. Lots of other ideas too! Thanks.

[emilygracedavis]

Thank you! Etching cream is great, cheap, and goes a long way! Good look with your making, I bet it'll turn out awesome.

[kchoo]

Love this! I just tried it out today and my cups turned out awesome! (Didn't have mugs, but I got tall glasses instead) :D Thanks so much for the great instructable!

[emilygracedavis]

Awesome! I'm glad you got good results.

[ericaparson]

I have done a lot of etching with the etching cream and I love it! I just wanted to give a little tip that may or may not be easier for anyone (just another process for making the stencil).I used to do all of my stencils with an exacto knife and got a lot of hand cramps, so I thought this might be useful for someone with arthritis, etc. I am going to try the masking tape way and see if it produces different/better results for me.

I use contact "paper" (that you can buy at WalMart in the homegoods section where they sell shelf liner). I buy a roll of clear plastic that is huge for around $5 and lasts forever (and this is handy if you are doing a bigger design than these)...
First, print out your template, then using same lightbox method, trace with a sharpie (takes all of a minute with this particular design) onto the contact paper (leave the backing paper on the plastic)
Peel off the paper and apply to the glass.
Then trace over the sharpie outline with a woodburner tool. Flies through the plastic like butter and completely severs the edges so you don't have to worry about picking up the little edges when you pick the designs out.
Pick the designs out
Apply etching cream as per usual!

[emilygracedavis]

Wow, great tips! Thanks for sharing your experience, I will definitely have to try that out.

[ericaparson]

*One can also use this method using an xacto knife instead of a woodburner tool, but it's not easy on curved glass. I did several months of work doing etched award mugs that way and it was not fun. Then, right before another big project I noticed the woodburner (also at walmart) and it was a very well spent $10. (Not to mention all the other fun things it can be used for -- Like burning wood....)

[somethingpointcom]

these mugs are freaking awesome!!!!
but is there anything tha could replace ething cream???

PS: love your work

[emilygracedavis]

I am unaware of a safe way to etch glass without using etching cream. The cream is widely available and cheap, so I highly recommend just getting some. I have a small bottle of it for $5, and even after using it to etch 12 of these glasses it is still over 3/4 full.

[ColbyCheese]

Wow these mugs are frickin sweet!! Your pretty cute as well ;) - (I just mean that as a compliment - not trying to actually hit on you). Anyways I can't wait to try this on my own. :)

Colby

[emilygracedavis]

Thanks! Good luck with your mugs, I bet they will turn out great.

[Jupolo]

An excellent instructable - well illustrated and thoroughly thought out. The details like considering the left or right handedness of the recipient really makes this stand out. I don't quite share your enthusiasm for HP, but I will certainly give this a go with something else. Thanks!

[emilygracedavis]

Wow, thank you so much! I can't wait to see how you apply this instructable to your non-wizard projects. I would love to see a photo of your etched glass when you are done. Thanks again for the high complements!

[barry_allen7]

I can't wait for the midnight showing! We are having a Harry Potter dinner party too! Thanks for the Instructable. Great Job!

[emilygracedavis]

Thank you! I bet your party will be a huge success--Instructables makes it so easy to create all the treats and decorations for Harry Potter festivities.