DIY Sharpie-Decorated Mugs

Today I have a guest post from my own daughter! {ok, it was kind of a writing assignment but she opted to turn it into a blog post for me ;)} She has already made a half dozen of these DIY Sharpie – decorated mugs and plans on making more!

DIY Sharpie mugs are a fun and easy craft anyone can do, and it makes a perfect gift for any occasion. Here I will show you a simple way to make them.

First you will need to gather these following materials:

• White mugs (I suggest getting your mug(s) from a dollar store as that means less glaze, which is better if you plan on washing your mug.)
• rubbing alcohol
•  Sharpies of your preferred colors
• pen and paper
• oven
• dry rag

Now that you have your supplies, start by pouring some rubbing alcohol on your rag, then rub the mug and dry it. This step is important because it rids the mug of oils on the surface, which helps the Sharpie to stay on the mug. Also this means when you design your mug, try not to touch the decorated area.

Since the mug is now cleaned and dried, it’s time to decide (if you haven’t already) what you are going to put on your mug. Once the choice is made, take a sheet of paper and practice drawing/writing your mug design. Then you can copy that in Sharpie on the mug, and once again, try not to touch the designed area. Then let the mug sit in room temperature for 24 hours.

24 hours later your’e going  to place the mug in a UNHEATED oven, then turn on the oven at 425 degrees F. This allows the mug to warm up with the oven, preventing cracks. Then set the timer for 30 min. Once the timer is up, turn off the oven, but leave the mug in, also to prevent cracking. TIP: light colors tend to fade in the oven.  You can bake more than one mug at a time.

When the mug has cooled off, take a damp rag and wipe over the designed surface. If it smears, then try a new mug, if it stays, try the last phase, put it in the dishwasher. And if it survives that, then awesome! You are now a owner of a DIY Sharpie mug.

I hope you have enjoyed this fun and simple craft, enjoy! 🙂