Friday, March 25, 2016

Putting DIY Sharpie Mugs to the Test (Does This Pin Even Work?)


Like most people I know, I have found myself wandering down the rabbit hole of Pinterest and the DIY portion of the Internet. And, like most people I know, I have found myself saying “Yeah, they make it LOOK so easy; all you need to do is A B and C” and wondering if it ACTUALLY works.

So I've decided to try a few, and see how it goes, then share my experiences with all of you! I figure I'll potentially make a fool of myself and let the internet laugh with me, and you won't have to!

The first project I decided to take on is something I have seen about a bajillion times all over the internet. The DIY Sharpie mug.




The idea is simple: Buy an inexpensive coffee mug, doodle/write on it with Sharpie markers, and bake it in the oven at 350 for half an hour (twice if you really want to set it).

Considering that I am not a very arty person when it comes to drawing (seriously, my stick figures require labels!), I recruited a friend to help me out.

At Target, we found exactly what we were looking for, plain white mugs on sale! We picked up a traditional coffee mug, a cappuccino mug, and a square bowl for each of us and a pack of Sharpies! We got back to my place and started our art project, drawing all over our mugs and bowls. As I anticipated, her stuff looked way more awesome than mine did.

The next part was the easiest thing, putting the mugs in the oven. I put them on a baking sheet in the cold oven, heated it to 350 and then baked for half an hour, then I turned the oven off and let the mugs cool with it. I did it this way so as to not shock the mugs and maybe have them crack with the temperature changes. Is it necessary? I'm not sure. Did I do it anyway? Yup. I'm over cautious that way.

When we pulled them out, the ink was a little smudgy if you pushed hard on it, so we decided to bake them a second time.

After the second bake, the ink was still smudgy, but only if you really tried to smudge it.

So the next test was to wash it. I took the mug I had made to look like it had blood dripping down, and plunged it into hot, soapy water.

I have a general rule of thumb I live by when it comes to washing things: handmade = handwash. Usually I apply that to my knitting and crocheting, but I figured that it should be extended to dishes as well.

Upon inspection, I found many places where the ink had come off. Some along the lip, but most was around the cup. I used a soft cotton knit cloth to wash with, and I didn't think that much would have come off, but you can see for yourself. Just glad I didn't try it out on one of the pretty pieces!


Turning to the Internet to troubleshoot, I found that if you use an oil based marker, like the Sharpie Paint, you get much better results. I guess you live, you learn.

For the dishes we already made, though, I just put a few layers of Dishwasher Safe Mod Podge that I had around the house on over the art, and let it dry, which fixed our smudging and scratching issue.




Are there any DIYs or hacks you guys have been wanting to try, that you've been worried that it might not work out right? Let me know in the comments!  










19 comments:

  1. I'm not much of a Pinterest browser, but this is so cool. Most projects that I've seen when people try to copy from Pinterest are pretty much, well, ugly failures. Your work looks pretty good! I hope it lasts through a few more washings! Thanks for linking up with the Blogger's Pit Stop!

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  2. What a great idea! Especially for kids to keep them busy on a rainy afternoon. I'm a real sucker for Pinterest DIYS and often will host some of my own on my blog or linking to others. I did one sea urchin DIY using clay as the base to stick the sticks in, it worked except that my kids played with it so much and it dried out badly that it broke. Then I decided to use a wicker ball instead and it worked better.

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  3. I've seen this but never tried it. Thanks for taking time to do the testing and sharing your results. Thanks for linking up at Friday Favorites!

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  4. I love this idea! It's perfect to make homemade gifts!

    If you have time, I would love for you to come and share this post over at the Really Crafty link party that is live right now! http://keepingitrreal.blogspot.com.es/2016/03/welcome-to-really-crafty-link-party-12.html).

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  5. I am not much of a crafts person, but this looks like a fun idea that (maybe!) even I could do. Thanks so much for sharing with the Let's Get Real party.

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  6. I love creating sharpie dishware! I really love the octopus one.

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  7. Yep, seen it, never tried it! Thanks for the detailed breakdown. I love your blue squid...very cute! Mimi xxx

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  8. I have seen so many Sharpie projects and have been meaning to try and I'm loving yours. Featuring when my link party opens up tonight.

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  9. Thanks for sharing your experience here. I really appreciate break downs like this. They're cute.

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  10. Good for you for testing it out!! Thank you so much for sharing this over at #bloggerspotlight link and Pin-it Party. I do appreciate it and hope to see you again! Pinned!

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  11. This is good to know because I've often thought of trying it for an art project with my class and had no idea if it would wash off. I once used sharpies on clay pots, watered the plants and found out the hard way, it all washed away. YIKES! Thanks for the DIY lesson here.

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  12. I drop down that Pinterest rabbit hole way too often :) Thanks for sharing with us on Thursday Favorite Things.
    Cheers,
    Jennifer
    http://awellstyledlife.com

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  13. I've been wanting to try this, but I didn't know about the oil-based markers. Thanks for sharing!

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  14. Your pieces turned out great! I've tried my hand at some Sharpie mug projects in the past and have found that the oil-based Sharpies work well. Thanks for linking up with Merry Monday this week!

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  15. Great discover, that octopus dish you made really caught my eye - love it! What a great gift that would make for a friend. Thanks for sharing at #HappinessIsHomemade this week!

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  16. I have wanted to try this for SO long! I've loved all of the designs that I've seen and this post makes it sound so easy compared to what I thought it would be like. Can't wait to try this on my own! Thank you so much for linking up with us in the Best of the Blogosphere Link-Up this week! Hope you'll join us again tomorrow

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  17. Such a fun project! Featuring you tonight @ Dream. Create. Inspire. Link Have a good week and take care, Tara

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  18. Jessica, I love this! I have a Pinterest Recipe Review column on my site, I love trying things I find on Pinterest and sharing the best on the blog. I have been stock piling mugs to make some with the Sharpie Method, I'm happy that I haven't tried them yet, I will be investing in the Sharpie Paint marker, or a porcelain pen, thanks for the heads up!

    BTW, you and your friend should go into the mug business, that octopus and the robot designs are so cool! I bet lots of people would love them! Great job.

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  19. I've seen this many times as well, and always wondered how it really turned out! Thank you for sharing this post with us at the Hearth and Soul Hop. I found it really helpful!

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