West Elm Inspired Sharpie Mugs ~ Halloween Party

Hi friends! I had the pleasure of guest posting at Polish & Pipsqueaks a couple weeks ago. I shared my West Elm Inspired Sharpie Mugs! Everyone has been so sweet with their responses. In case you missed my guest post, I'm sharing the tutorial here on my blog, so you can get in on the knock off action. I hope you find some DIY inspiration here!

Today, I am sharing with you my favorite project to date. West Elm Inspired Sharpie Mugs! I've been eyeing these West Elm polka dot mugs forever. I'm a sucker for anything with polka dots! But they are pricey -- especially if you want more than one. I have a super inexpensive and easy DIY project that gets you the polka dot mug of your dreams and lets you keep that cash in your piggy bank. Here at Put A Bird On It, I am all about using stuff you already have at home -- or can get on the cheap -- and turning into a Pinterest worthy item. And sharpie mugs are exactly that!

Here's what you'll need:

The Goods

Ceramic mug

Sharpie

Oven

yep - that's it!

The Fun Part

Clean your mug. I just wash it with soap and water, but I've heard rubbing alcohol works well, too. Time for the fun! Draw your design on your mug. Write a phrase, draw a picture, put your name, draw one of the Hemsworth brothers -- whatever you want! I sketched my words out on a piece of paper first, so I had a battle plan in place before drawing on my mug. The last step is baking your mug. You'll bake it at 350degrees for 30 minutes. Place the mug in the oven during preheat. After the 30 minutes, turn the oven off and let your mug cool completely in the oven. This will help prevent cracking. You're done!

{ Tips}

{The cheaper the mug -- the better! You don't want a thick, shiny glaze on your mug, so head to your local dollar store or Walmart.}

{If you are nervous about your design fading or chipping, use an oil based Sharpie. You can also get oil based paints from a craft store. I wanted cheap -- so I used a 3-pack of metallic Sharpies from Target. They worked just fine!}

This mug was so easy -- I made a second one with my "phrase" for 2014. CHOOSE HAPPY.