I love to cook.
I’m happy to bring something (or a couple of somethings) to a potluck.
I am not happy when I don’t get my Pyrex back again…
There is no such thing as Dish Karma. If you lose one, another doesn’t show up as a random act of dish replacement. The Land of Lost Pyrex is right down the street from The Land of Single Socks.
I’m sure this is a no brainer for many people out there, but the best and easiest way to get your dish back is to mark your name on it.
Permanently.
Etched into the glass.
Glass etching cream can be purchased in any craft store.
First, you’ll need to make or use a stencil. (** Note, if you don’t have a Cricut or a stencil, I’ll show you how to do this without one at the end of this post.**)
Take your Cricut and set it to FLIP. You are going to want your letters to print backwards.
Take a sheet of contact paper and spell your name backwards. You are basically making a mirror image of your name.
Peel the letters off so that you are left with your stencil.
Take the stencil and center it on the bottom of your pyrex dish. When you flip it over, you should be able to read your name just fine.
Flip it back over and apply a thick layer of the glass etching cream.
Let it sit about 10 minutes or so.
Peel off the stencil and wash off the etching cream.
When it’s done, it should look like this.
Since it is on the bottom of the pan, you never have to worry about food getting stuck in there or anything like that.
Never lose another casserole/baking dish.
**Now, no Cricut or stencil? No worries.**
Hand write your name with a dark marker. Tape the paper into the dish you want to etch.
When you flip the dish upside down, you’ll see the outline of the name, backwards.
Using the backward letters as your guide, just free hand the etching cream onto the bottom of the dish. Let it sit, then wash it off.
You may find that the letters are etched a bit unevenly. No worries.
Dry the dish and brush on a little bit more of the cream in the areas you think you need it.
Viola! Not perfect, but it will help you to keep your dishes.
If you’re realllllly ambitious (which I’m not) you could make a stencil of a favorite recipe and etch it into the bottom of a dish. If you were ambitious. (But then again, that’s why there are recipe cards.)
very nice job.
Now.. how do you keep your casserole dishes so clean 😉
Cherie
Great idea! Hey I am doing a giveaway….check it out!
OMGosh girlfriend!!! I have a Post sitting in “Draft” where I used this Etching cream!!! Im having a LOVE AFFAIR with this stuff…And that is NOT good because that stuff is EXPENSIVE!!! I LOVE your idea here, the use of it…mine is different…I LOVE THIS!!! SO DOING!
I NEED one of those Printer thingys too! I see everyone using them and I LOVE it! Are they SUPER EXPENSIVE???
love it pretty girl!
xoxokara
I just LOVE etching cream. I want to etch everything..lol I have a few pyrex dishes I am definitely going to mark my dishes with my ‘brand’ Nice job!
Love this! thanks for such a practical tip!
This is a great idea!!
How much do you change to print out my name and mail it to me?
Very cool, I didn’t know such stuff existed.
You are too smart to be my friend and you leave me wondering what it is that I bring to the friendship table that makes you want to stick around…it has got to be my stunning beauty!
I love it! I have seen this a lot (here in Mormonville, we are experts at labeling potluck dishes!), but I have never done it. I love your tip on how to do it without a stencil too! I never would have thought of that! I might do it that way, just because I’m too lazy to use a cricut!
This is a great idea. Would be good for dishes that go to work for lunches too.
This is a beyond awesome idea!! All the money saved on buying new Pyrex pans can be channeled into something more useful 😀
I finally noticed you FB page too. I “liked” it from my own Facebook and my Blog’s Facebook pages. I don’t know if they will show up separately though.
You are one smart cookie.
Hi Viv, I have the honor of being your “linky neighbor” over at Coastal Charm, thank you for the awesome tip. I have used address labels in the past, sticking them to the bottom of a bowl etc. This is a marvy idea, have a wonderful week, xoxo tami
That is beautiful! I’d like that just for decoration.
Here’s how I make sure to keep all MY pyrex bakeware – – – I take MY casseroles to the potluck in a DISPOSABLE TINFOIL PAN!!!
🙂
Not very pretty – – – but very effective.
Great idea! Would be fun for gifts too:@)
You. Are. A. Genius.
I’m pretty sure you could fix the worlds’ problems if you were president. I’m voting for you in 12!!!
I’m so excited I’m gonna pee my pants. I’VE DONE THIS!!! woo to the hoo.
But, now I just take food in those disposable foil pans from the grocery store. Then I don’t have to remember, and neither do they.
loves ya.
I had to take a look, the name looked familiar…that’s my maiden name! Great idea!
Faye
WildRoseVintage
This is so great! I will for sure have to try this!
Brilliant!! i cannot tell you how many dishes i have floating out there.
what a smart idea! nice job!
Your a genius! I love this idea:)
Brilliant!
Wow this is a fabulous idea!! I never have heard of this product before, but you can be sure I will be on the look out for it! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much for sharing this neat idea…I so need to try this.
Blessings,
Linda
So because I’m white trash, I usually just take a sharpie and write my name on the dish. But I assure you that my handwriting is very neat.
Will you still be my friend?
ummmmmm, that’s AMAZING!!! so smart! {and cute!}
What a great idea!!
This is such a great idea, I can’t wait to try it!
Such a great idea! I’m always trying to hunt down my dishes…must try!
Kristina J.
This is so smart! I like method #2 and am going to go get me some of that etching cream! This would be great for my mom who takes food to weekly dominoes games…
This is an excellent idea! Etching cream is now on my purchase list. Found you on Anything Related. 🙂
seriously brilliant!
What a great idea! It’s not only a great way to make sure you know which dish is yours, but it looks pretty cool too 🙂
Wow. I really love this! I would like to invite you to post this at my link party Masterpiece Monday, at my blog, Boogieboard Cottage. Have a great week! Mary :O)
Brilliant! That’s a very cool idea. I haven’t tried the etching cream yet…looks like fun!
Vivienne, this is such a great idea! I might have to try this. I’ve been having so much fun browsing around your blog. I’m a new follower.
well this is genius and it looks FAB!!!
my sister and i are forever swapping tupperware containers when we get together. but we trust each other to get them back, or we know we can yell at each other if we don’t!
Brilliant!! This may be something I can do – maybe!
And momma- you are moving into the land of famousdom!! Featured on many blogs ad look at all the comments!
Woo-Whee!
~Becca
Thank you for this! I am soooo bad about getting my Pyrex back, and that just makes me sad 🙁
FABULOUS idea!! I remember using that glass etching stuff in art class…never would have thought of that…that’s why I have you!
Everytime I see your last name it makes me think of my town…Wagoner…just add an “O”.
that is pure genius! thanks so much for sharing this at my party!!
I love this! I’d love if you linked this up to my very fist link party! http://runwithglitter.blogspot.com/2011/03/glitters-first-linky-party_22.html
Very cool! Thanks for showing it with and without a Cricut for those of us who don’t have one. 😀
I love this idea and it would be perfect for wedding gifts with a casserole recipe!!!
it’s official! You are a genius! Every woman should do this, so amazing! Thanks for linking it up!
Love it! We have the opposite problem at our church….no one takes their dishes home!!!
(Saw this on the Eisy Morgan linky!)
BRILLIANT! Miss V, You.Are.BRILLIANT!!
This is simple genius!
What a great idea! I also did this on the glass plates found at the dollar store and labeled a plate for each family member for Thanksgiving. After dinner we loaded up the plates with leftovers and everyone took them home!
BOTH so cute… and a great idea. My Grama always wrote her name in sharpie on the end of her pans, but this is a much prettier and (and permanent!) solution! Thanks for linking up at The Little Birdie! 🙂
Holt cow…look at those comments.
What a great idea!
And, now I see you are setting up an etsy store? You are going to be a busy girl!
I love this idea! I have used the etching cream years ago (for my wedding actually) on some champagne flutes and also Christmas ornaments. Going to give this one a go since my SIL loves to “steal” my containers!
What a smart idea. Thanks so much for sharing at my Swing into Spring party.
I did this at Christmas time. Love how you ‘free hand’ version turned out too!
What a very creative idea. So so smart! Great tutorial, too. Thanks so much for sharing this at WUW.
This is such a great idea! Thanks for including that idea for us non-cricut people! 🙂 Thanks for linking up to Thrifty Thursday….you have such wonderful projects!
LOVE this idea, and I think it is so great that you included an option for readers who don’t own a Cricut or a Silhouette! I have an etched glass pie plate, but I’m not crazy about the design. I think I need to save up for some etching cream—cause it’s expensive. 😉
Thanks so much for joining my Crafty Cutter party. 🙂 Have fun finding some crafty inspiration, and I hope you’ll visit me at Serenity Now again soon. 🙂 I have a new Silhouette project up today! 🙂
What a wonderful idea! And so easy!! I can’t wait to try this.
What a great idea! I have a pie plate that recently disappeared into never never land and this would definitely have helped! Thanks so much for linking this up to Inspiration Friday this week!
Vanessa
you.are.brilliant….why did i never think of this myself? thanks so much for sharing this idea on fridays unfolded…off to buy some etching medium…
blessings,
alison
stuff and nonsense
looks great! i love the way etched glass looks!
I was actually given one of these for a wedding gift and I use it all the time! Thanks for the tutorial!
Smart smart smart! Now if only I could etch onto socks lol! I have everything to do this project! Thanks so much, your newest follower!
Dang girl how do you manage to come up with such great stuff and make it into the first slot at the party each week? LOL. This is awesome! I’m pretty sure I’ll be etching all my glassware now lol. Thanks for linking up Viv, you’re the best!
Great idea!
Blog hopping! I’m your new follower and would love a follow back! http://www.adeliciousobsession.com Thanks!
I was given one of these dishes (already etched with my name) & I LOVE it! It was great to read your clear tutorial on how to do it myself. Thanks for sharing.
Warmly, Michelle
What a super fantastic idea V !! LOVE this!! I love things that are monogrammed… etching your name into your casserole dish is ingenious! Thanks for the tutorial and for sharing at Feathered Nest Friday! 🙂
Brilliant – much fancier than an address label.
Thanks for sharing.
Found you on tater tots…
WOW! This is a fantastic idea! This could be a great gift idea, too! Thanks for sharing!
such a great idea!
Love this idea! I don’t do many potlucks, but it still is pretty cool.
Girl…You KNOW I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE this! Im DOING IT!
Thank you for linking this up to WHASSUP WEDNESDAY!
Hope to see you next Wednesday:)
xoxokara
They look great! Awesome idea! Thanks for linking up to my Catch a Glimpse party!
I really like this! I’m going to be “saving” this and hopefully doing this in the near future! 🙂
What an awesome idea! I just ordered a Sillhouette. This will surely be one of my first projects when it arrives.
These are so fun!! I really need to try and etch something!! 🙂
Thanks so much for linking this up to Think Pink Sundays!!
Fabulous idea!
Great idea!
I’m your newest follower! 🙂
Bec
that is an awesome idea!!!! won’t ever leave a party without my dish again!!!!
Oh, this is great! As if I didn’t need another great reason to buy myself a Cricut! I can’t wait to use this idea, Thanks!
TheFamilyThatPlaysTogether.com
Fantastic idea. I’m afraid I’m in the no-cricut crowd….thanks for the alternative!!
I did this for my daughter jamie a couple of years ago for Christmas, I sort of hinted to her before hand and she asked me to put “jamie” not our last name… I guess she knew she’d be getting married soon and didn’t want her maiden name on it. lol
great job!
gail
What Cricut Cartridge did you use for the first one?
What a fantastic idea! Thanks for the tutorial
Warm Wishes,
Jodie
What a great idea! I’m forever worrying that I’ll forget to get my pyrex back from other people. You could even use this idea just to pretty-up your dishes too! Thanks for the idea!
Such a great idea..much beter than a Sharpie!
thanks,
Bernadette @ agirlandherhome.blogspot.com
Quick question, do you have any problems with the etching after it’s been in the oven?