🪞 From Scrap to Statement Piece: The Story Behind Inked in Glass

Every brand starts somewhere. For Inked in Glass, it didn’t begin with a business plan or a fancy workshop — it started with curiosity, a few scraps of glass, and a spark of creativity that refused to fade.

🔹 The First Cut

About two years ago, I was just cutting random shapes out of leftover glass — circles, stars, semi-circles — anything to pass the time and see what I could make. Then one day, someone asked me if I could etch one of the stars. I didn’t even know what that meant, but I said, “Sure, I’ll give it a shot.”

A Google rabbit hole and a quick run to the local arts and crafts store later, my first etched mirror was born. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to light a fire.

🔹 The Early Experiments

Once I got hooked, it turned into a full-blown obsession. I wanted every design to be more intricate than the last. I was hand-cutting vinyl patterns with an X-Acto knife, etching mirrors by hand, and learning through every mistake. It wasn’t fast, and it definitely wasn’t easy — but it was addicting.

Then came another “what if” moment.
What if I could make the mirrors glow?

🔹 The Glow-Up

Curiosity kicked in again, and another deep dive down the Google rabbit hole led me to engraving. I hit Harbor Freight, picked up a rotary tool and a diamond bit kit for about $18, and went to work.

I’d print my designs on paper, tape them to the back of the mirror, cut out each line by hand, and then trace over them with the diamond-tipped bit to engrave the pattern into the glass. It was tedious work — but when that first light hit the engraved lines, I knew I was onto something special.

🔹 The Turning Point

The laser engraver — the heart of what we use now — wasn’t even part of the original plan. It actually came as a gift. One of my wife’s friends told me I deserved to finally get something for myself since I was always taking care of everyone else. Not long after that, a laser engraver showed up, and Inked in Glass officially took form.

That single act of generosity pushed this from a hobby to something real — something worth building.

🔹 From Hobby to Brand

Today, Inked in Glass is about more than just mirrors. It’s about transformation — taking something ordinary and turning it into a conversation piece. Every design still starts with curiosity, and every engraving carries that same spark that started it all.

From scrap to statement piece — that’s who we are.