Near the end of the summer I tested the sharpie decorated mug pin, and made a mustache mug for my friend Zee. I proved that yes you can decorate a ceramic mug with a sharpie, bake it in the oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, and you will get a personalized piece of usable dishware. The sharpie didn't come off when washed with soap and a sponge by hand (I still don't know how it would hold up in a dishwasher) and it was a super easy project for kids through adults. I probably would have done this pin again eventually but I hadn't thought about it for awhile until I saw a pin for a Sharpie mug that was meant as a gift for someone who lives in another state.
I am originally from Ohio and have lived in Texas six and a half years, but many of my friends including my best friend still call the Buckeye State home. The particular pin I saw had a mug with a hand drawn picture of Ohio on one side and a hand drawn picture of Texas on the other side, with Miss You drawn on the inside near the top. I took this as a sign that I needed to try this Sharpie mug design, because I felt like it would be a great gift for my best friend (who is also a newly converted Keurig user) and most definitely more challenging than the first mug I had decorated.
The instructions from the pin said to draw the outlines first in pencil and then when they were finished to go over them with the Sharpie. This is great advice, as the pencil easily wipes off with a wet paper towel if you make any mistakes (for which I made MANY). Let me tell you that Ohio and Texas are not the easiest states to draw (stupid Ohio and Red Rivers) and I cursed to myself many times why we weren't living in Colorado, Wyoming, or even Utah. I could printed out outlines and traced them but I didn't want to do it the easy way (and I may have been too lazy to cut out all of those intricate curves around the river borders.) If anyone gives this a try by all means tape on the shapes to trace around if you think that is easier for you.
Mug is ready to go
Hard to see pencil outline of Ohio (with a heart in the general area of where my friend lives)
Hard to see outline of Texas (with a heart in the general DFW region)
After Sharpie, 40 minutes at 350 degrees, and plenty of time to cool down
I love the idea of this mug, and obviously it could be adapted for any two states that you and someone you love live in (though I pity anyone trying to draw Alaska). It is a super easy project, can be done fairly quickly, and makes for a great inexpensive just thinking about you kind of gift. This blog entry is the first that my friend has heard of this little project and I will be putting it in the mail (with some extra K-cups) on Monday. Love ya MT!
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