DIY: Design Your Own Mugs

"I’m really keen to try and make as many Christmas gifts as I can, but of course it is time consuming, and we are all so busy at this time of the year aren’t we? So if you can find an idea that will take minimal time and is simple then you really have no excuse! These mugs are exactly that; and you can customise and personalise them for each individual recipient – or just make a set of mix and match designs like I’ve done here."

Before you start, you might want to sketch out your designs on paper, so you know roughly what you want to achieve before you start. I also practiced on an old mug to get the hang of drawing on a curved surface.

If you are worried about getting your design right, then you can draw it out on your mug lightly with a pencil first. If you do make any mistakes with the sharpies, just wipe off straight away. Even if you’ve let the pen dry for a while, it should still wipe off with a wet tissue.

Get drawing! Be as creative as you like with your designs. For my striped one I used masking tape to make sure my lines were straight.

Once you’ve finished drawing, put your mugs on a baking sheet in a cold oven. Turn the oven on to 220C and leave in for around 30 minutes. Turn the heat off, but leave the mugs in the oven until they have cooled completely.

After baking in the oven, the colours tend to fade a bit, so my examples here are paler and more pastel coloured after being in the oven. But the design should now be permanent, although I would advise hand-washing only.

Hopefully your friends and family will appreciate their handmade, unique gift!

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