DIY Personalized Mugs

How many times have you visited one of our locations and seen a shelf full of coffee mugs?  Whether or not your’re a coffee drinker, mugs can be excellent, personalized gift for friends and loved ones, or even yourself!  The only limit is your own creativity and dimensions of the coffee mug.

How to create a personalized mug:

1. Clean the mug with soap and water. Once it’s dried, wipe the surface with rubbing alcohol. This will remove any grease or unwanted residue so the paint will adhere to the mug.

2. Find your design. Whether it’s a word, monogram, logo or picture, pick the design that best fits the design of the mug.

3. Paint the design on the mug surface. (Tip: if you are nervous about using a paint brush for lettering, use a Sharpie or paint pen.) Remember to allow layers of paint to dry before using a different color. This will keep you from accidentally mixing colors together.

4. Once you are finished painting, place the mug in a cool oven and turn the temperature up to 300 degrees. (Tip: do not preheat the oven. This will cause the mug to heat up too quickly, which can cause the mug to crack or shatter.

5. Leave the mug in the oven for 30 minutes.

6. After the mug has been in the oven for 30 minutes, turn the oven off and allow it to cool inside the oven. This will prevent cracking as well.

Once it’s cooled, its ready to give to a friend or enjoy for yourself! Need some ideas for fillings? Try one of the following:

Their favorite candy
Their favorite coffee or tea – individual size
Sweet handwritten notes
Lego’s – would be great for a husband or boyfriend
A small plant

The possibilities are endless. Whether you give it away or make yourself your own little Valentine’s gift, it’s a great way to add a little personal touch to anyone’s day!

Have you ever created a gift from a thrift store find? We want to hear it! Post your story on our Facebook page. We may use your idea in an upcoming post!