Easy Dotted Sharpie Mugs
Last Updated on June 18, 2020
If you have young kids, you probably know that Teacher Appreciation Week is just around the corner! This year, I want to present my girls' preschool teachers with extra special teacher appreciation gifts because I just adore them and they work so, so hard all year long. I can't wait to tell you all about how I created these easy, adorable dotted Sharpie mugs!
My twin girls attend preschool Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and have two teachers. Not only do Attley and Avery have a great time at preschool, they honestly have learned SO MUCH this year, and it's all because of how hard Ms. J and Ms. K have been working. For example, my girls' class studied penguins in Feburary and one morning, when we had snow, Avery started rattling off everything she had learned about penguins. Among the MANY facts she shared with me, she told excitedly told that penguins live in the snow. She also told me that penguins have babies from eggs, and that they balance the eggs on their feet. I was impressed. When I told Ms. J that I was surprised Avery remembered that penguins balance their eggs on their feet, she explained that they had practiced balancing eggs on their feet for that lesson. WOW! That is why she has an early childhood education degree and I don't :) And it just demonstrates how much our girls' teachers care about teaching our girls, while having fun at the same time. We are very lucky to have them.
Many of you may have seen my easy dotted Easter eggs that I shared over on Reasons to Skip the Housework. The eggs were so fun to make. I used a decoration method on the eggs that I originally saw used on mugs. Once I decided that I wanted to make Ms. J and Ms. K customized gifts this year, these easy, dotted sharpie mugs came to mind right away! So, I asked them what their favorite colors were and got to work! This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
Materials Needed to create easy dotted Sharpie mugs:
- White mugs
- Oil based Sharpie paint pen–these are the exact pens that I use: Sharpie Paint Marker Fine Point Oil-Based Pens
- Craft Stickers
- A working oven :)
- Nail polish remover and q-tips to easily wipe off any mistakes that you make :)
Steps to create easy dotted Sharpie mugs:
1) Place a sticker on your mug. You can place it wherever you like.
2) Using a Sharpie oil-based paint pen in a color of your choice, begin making dots around the edge of your sticker. Heavily concentrate your dots around the edge of the sticker. As you work your way outward, make your dots less concentrated. You can use 1 color or multiple colors.
3) Allow time for your paint to dry.
4) Once the paint is dry, peel your sticker off. If you notice any mistakes after you remove your sticker, just wipe them off with a q-tip that has a bit of nail polish remover on it.
5) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Once your oven is heated, set your mugs inside and let them “bake” for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, turn off the oven and let the mugs and oven cool down.
THAT'S IT! How adorable and fun are these mugs?
UPDATE! I've created a short video to show you how to make these easy mugs! You can watch it here:
If you enjoyed this post, you should also check out my DIY his & hers mugs:
And if you are interested, I also created a fun printable to accompany the dotted mugs for Teacher Appreciation week. I have thought many times that at age 3, it's amazing how much our girls have started to use deductive reasoning, i.e., “connect the dots,” all on their own. So, I thought it would be just perfect to incorporate that idea into the printable, since I know our girls' teachers have a lot to do with just how many dots our girls are connecting these days!
You can save the image to your computer by right-clicking on it and saving it to your computer.
I set my printer to print it on plain, white 8.5 x 11 inch printer paper, 9 to a page so that it was the perfect small, square size to attach to my mug with a ribbon. I cut it out with scissors and glued it to a piece of scrapbook paper for some added interest and rigidity.
I LOVE these mugs and hope Ms. K and Ms. J will, too! I know my girls will love presenting them with these one-of-a-kind gifts.
What do you think? Will you be making these for the special teachers in your children's lives? What color combination will you use? And if you want to save this project for later, why not pin it for easy reference?
[mv_create key=”1″ type=”list” title=”Most Popular Projects” thumbnail=”</span><a href=” target=”_blank”]
Do you use fine or medium point sharpies?
I believe all of the oil-based Sharpie paint pens come with the same size tip. I don’t recall having to choose a size.
I love the idea of these and may give them a whirl .
My question being. Must they be Sharpie Brand oil based paint markers for this to be a success.
I have other oil based paint markers on hand . Will they work ? Or should they be the brand suggested? I’m not wound up on going out and purchasing additional markers if I dont need to .
Hi Toni! I haven’t tried any other brands, but any oil-based paint markers should work similarly. Good luck!
These mugs turned out adorable! I made them with our grandchildren ages 4-13 and they all had a ball! The problem I had was when I went to print out the labels. In order to complete the task I keep getting a note telling me I had to an on demand tool called Pixillion in order to print them out. The format was a WEBP file and I have never seen that format. If my husband ,who is a programmer, hadn’t helped me I would have had to make them myself. A JPEG format would have been easier. I know their teachers are going to love them!
Hey, so I have read a few different ways to cook the mugs, I cooked mine at 420• for 1hr. I followed the rest the same, my black color faded to a silver glitter color and the paint scratches off, even other colors I used scratches off to, did I cook it too long? I just figured it wouldn’t hurt, but maybe it did… have you ever experienced this? Thanks
I did mine at 350 for half the time. That could be the problem? I have never had that happen.
Hey! I just bought a mug for this craft and realized that the rim is gold and will explode in the oven. is there anyway not to use the oven?
Thank you so much!
~Emma
If you want it to stay on, unfortunately it has to go in the oven. Not sure why it would explode?
It’s not being put onto a microwave oven so you should have 0 issues with explosive episodes. In A traditional oven it will be fine.
Going to try this with stemless wine glasses to use as luminaries! (I hope the thinner glass holds up!)
I am interested to see how this works for you! I am worried about the temp for the glass. Definitely do research on what temperature to bake it.
I saw this and made some of these as Christmas gifts for my family! They turned out wonderfully I fell in love with how they turned out too. So happy I found your page for the oven and how long to cook it and to what degree. I used coffee cups for Target cause I didn’t know about the ones from the dollar store.
So glad your had success! Thanks for reading!
What brand were the stickers you used? I really like them.
I really don’t know. They were ones I just picked up at Michaels. Sorry!
I have just received all my items to start making sharpie mugs.
Now I’m too nervous to put my pen to mug!!
I want to write freehand, but I write like a 2 year old.
I have 6 mugs to practice with, so I just have to go for it. Practice is going to be my only way.
I’m reading lots of tips online, which are very helpful.
Good luck to me.
LOL! You can do it. Practice makes perfect and at least you have 6 mugs! Good luck :)
Did you wash them or rub them with rubbing alcohol before you started with the markers?
I cleaned them with rubbing alcohol to remove any residue and grime! Thanks for reading.
Hi can any mug brand be used for this project? Will it survive the oven heat?
Thanks
I used dollar store mugs, so I think probably so? But it’s hard to say! Good luck!
As a PTA president, I’ve been looking for a thank you gift for the amazing vollunteers this year. This is perfect as I can personalize them with each person’s initial!
Thank you for an inspiring idea!!
Awesome! These are fun and super cute. Thanks for reading!
Are these dishwasher safe after they are baked?
Hi Melissa! I have never tried putting them in the dishwasher, but the hold up well to hand-washing.
how do I put them in the oven? just on the rack on a cookie sheet with parchment paper?
I am doing this project with my teens at work.
Sounds fun, Tatiana! I’ve always put them straight on the rack. Hope that helps!
Hi Tasha! Thanks for your inspiration. I am also writing a creative blog and added a link to this page from one of my posts. Come by and visit! http://www.lovethatmouse.com/?p=1
I think the mug is awesome!!!
Question- doesn’t the sharpie come off when washed?
Can it be put in the dish washer?
Hi Karrie! The mug can be hand washed ONLY if you use the exact Sharpie paint pens I use (there is a link to them in the post). They cannot be put in the dishwasher. I hope that helps!
Sorry if you are seeing this again…….I typed a comment, refreshed my screen and then I didn’t see it there anymore.
Does the mug have to be oven safe to 350 degrees? I went to Bed Bath & Beyond to buy a mug. The lady looked it up in the computer and it said that the mug I chose was only good for up to 250 degrees. I really want to make this project but am afraid of what will happen if I don’t use the correct type of mug.
Can you use any kind of mug? I went to Bed Bath & Beyond to get a mug, asked the lady if it was safe for the oven and after looking it up she said it was only good up to 250 degrees. I really want to make these but am afraid of using the right kind of mug.
Hi Danette! I bought my ceramic mugs at the Dollar Store! I have no idea if there is a temperature limit on them, but they did just fine in the oven. I hope that helps!
where did you buy the alphabet stickers? I’m having trouble finding some, thank you.
I found mine at Michael’s Crafts. I hope that helps!
It doesn’t matter how many times I make these, or what kind of markers I use , and I’ve used them all, they always washave off!!!!!!!!
I don’t like that….:(
Hi Wendy! They will wash off with markers, for sure. But in my experience the oil-based paint pens that are then baked in the oven work like a charm!
Can I use the glass “jar” mugs for this project, or does it not work on glass?
Thanks!
Great question! I don’t know it you can do it on glass, but it’s worth a shot!
Thank you for the adorable project! With three kiddos in private school (and a resultant SUPER tight budget), this would be a great Christmas gift for their teachers. I think we’ll do them in school colors! :)
Please advise if the oven temperatures are in Fahrenheit or Celsius. A lot of readers don’t use Fahrenheit in their countries which is a disaster in the making. Thank You ?
Hi Liesel! The oven temperatures are in Fahrenheit :) I need to clarify that in the post–thanks for pointing it out!
This is such a great craft for child to help you with. I saw in your video that at one point you cleaned the porcelain with a Q-tip, was it dry or did you use something like rubbing alcohol or paint thinner ? Thanks for sharing and posting this great craft.
Hi Diena! Thank you! The q-tip had a little bit of nail polish remover on it. It easily removes any little mistakes you make! I hope that helps!
These cups are so cute I would love to make these?
They are so fun and easy to make Kayla! You could make some for holiday gifts :)
If you put the mug in the oven before preheating, is that safe?
Yes!
what are the directions for baking?
Hi Kate! They are in step 5. “5) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Once your oven is heated, set your mugs inside and let them “bake” for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, turn off the oven and let the mugs and oven cool down.” I hope that helps!
Where did you get the stickers?
Hi Pam, I got the stickers at Michael’s Crafts. I hope that helps!
Are the dotted mugs washable?
Hi Lou! Yes, they are HAND washable after they are baked in the oven. I hope that helps!
What I love about this, is its so simple and even if it isn’t as pretty as yours or even a not so creative person tried it, it would still be amazing! And even a child could do it and same thing, the “messiness” of the childs attempts would make it that much more precious! I love this and I don’t give most things a try but I might actually do this one! Thanks for sharing!
P.S. Even if it does wash off, the impact of the gift and the fact that it was made by hand would follow and stay with the receiver for a life time. And if you think it might come off, you could make it a pen etc mug for their desk or whatever, or tell them to hand wash carefully in typed instructions or script on a letter/card.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment, Jamie! I love this mugs, too, for the very reasons that you pointed out!
Does the sharpie wash off??? I made these as a gift and i dont want them to mess up after they wash them.
Hi Ashley! As long as you used oil-based Sharpie paint pens and baked them per the instructions, they should hold up just fine to hand washing!
Did you use extra fine, fine, medium, or bold sharpies?
I use fine point oil-based Sharpie paint pens. I hope that helps, Alita!
I could not find oil based sharpies, will regular sharpies work?????
Hi Melissa! I think water based ones might bleed a little bit, but you can certainly give it a try!
Amazon has them
quick question – where did you purchase the white mugs? Do they have to be a certain kind? I’ve been wanting to try this.
Hi Sarah! I purchased them at The Dollar Store. I think any ceramic mugs will work. Good luck!
Hi there!
I absolutely love this idea!! Where did you get the stencil letters and these mugs? I love the shape of them and all I can find are ones with a circular base. Thanks!!
Hi Dana! Thank you! I purchased the mugs at The Dollar Store and the stickers at Michael’s. I hope that helps!
Hi, I think that this is such a cute tutorial and I plan to make it soon. The only problem is, I can’t seem to find the right sized stickers and I was wondering where you got them from. Sorry!
Hi Olivia! I purchased my stickers at Michael’s. Hope that helps!
Hi Tasha-
I found your mugs online via Pinterest. I decided to make them for my son’s three teachers and my three managers and their families for Christmas. I even found the same stickers you used! 22 mugs in all!
They were a huge hit with everyone and were perfect for my tight budget. Please keep doing what you are doing. Thank you again for the great idea!
I am SO HAPPY to hear that, Alli! Thanks so much for reading my blog!
I cannot seem to get the stickers to come off. They are sticking to the mug. What do I do?? Has anyone else had this problem?
Oh no, Kristen! Did you accidentally bake the mugs before removing the stickers? I have never had problems removing the stickers.
I have done this twice and both times the color has changed. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Robin! I don’t think you are doing anything wrong. I noticed that some colors do change slightly after baking in the oven (red seems to do it). Other colors remain exactly the same. I have no idea why. Hope that helps. Happy new year!
I am just wondering if you can use tiles and make coasters instead of mugs?
That’s a great idea, Christina! It should work just fine!
Hello! I love this idea… Only one problem! When u wash the mugs the sharpie comes off. Am i doing something wrong?
Hi Amanda! Did you use the oil-based Sharpie paint pens and bake them in the oven? If so, I have no idea what the problem could be! Mine have held up well to hand washing. I have never tried putting them in the dishwasher.
This was a great tutorial. I used it to make my own Sharpie mugs as Christmas gifts for my coworkers. Here’s how mine turned out: http://www.destinationdecoration.com/sharpie-mug/ Thanks for the wonderful idea!
They turned out great, Elizabeth! Love the red mugs! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks for the idea! My 10 yr old and i made these for our entire family. They turned out so cute!
Yay, Jennifer! So happy to hear it!
Hi,
Do permanent markers that aren’t sharpies work, too? And what are the problems with not putting the mugs into the oven after doing the dots etc.? I live in Spain, and sharpies aren’t available at usual stores, so I was wondering.
Thanks!
Hi Inga! They have to be oil-based paint pen markers. I don’t think the brand matters as much as the oil-based paint. The oven helps set the paint to make it more durable. I hope that helps!
Hello, I decorated a mug and used an oil based sharpie and it wiped off after I baked it for 30 minutes. Did I possibly do something wrong? Please help, I want them for a Christmas gift. Thank you.
Oh no, Sierra! I have not had that problem. I have no idea what might have gone wrong. You are sure you used an oil-based paint pen? If so, I can’t imagine what happened. Sorry!
CAn you tell me what kind of ‘craft stickers’ to use?
Thanks!
If you have an amazon affiliate link to them, I’d love it. If not, can you tell me size? Thanks!
Hi Michelle! So sorry for the delay. These look like they will work well. Hope that helps! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0082A46QO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0082A46QO&linkCode=as2&tag=destrainalaws-20&linkId=KMFFTUVVWM4QMV3A
No apologies needed, your response was almost immediate!
Unfortunately I saw those and they are out of stock, as are several others like them.
If regular sharpies are used will the result be the same or does it have to be the oil based ones?
Hi Missy! I think regular Sharpies wash right off. It has to be the oil-based Sharpies. I hope that helps!
Finally the oil sharpies are stated in these projects. I found lots on pinterest that complained because they were using regular sharpies. I did myself and washed off in the dish washers. If one put a lot of work into decorating would have been disappointed. Least mine were just reinforcement dots I did. I cover them up and went over it again in my colors.
Thanks for sharing your post,
My pleasure, Diane!
What a fun idea! Do the mugs need to be made of any certain material? What did you use?
Thanks!
Hi Sharon! I use regular ceramic mugs. I usually purchase mine at the Dollar Store. Hope that helps!
I love this idea. I want to do it for coworkers for holidays. The stickers you use, they have to be the large thick kind right? Are you able to reuse them? I have like 16-18 to make. Any suggestions?? Thanks for writing out the steps.
Hi Carolyn! Yes, if you use the large, thick stickers, you should be able to use them SEVERAL times. You might even be able to use them 16-18 times, though I have never try that many. Hope that helps!
Thanks so much for sharing this idea, perfect for christmas presents for my parents !
My pleasure, Lyn!
Hello my name is Giorgia and I write from Italy.I reported your creation in my blog with reference to your blog and your photos. Thank you so much idea is really cute and original. Your blog is great I will follow you with pleasure and curiosity. Have a nice day! Giorgia http://itommasini4u.blogspot.com
Thanks so much, Giorgia! I really appreciate it!
Tasha, I love the dotted letter mug idea! I no longer have preschoolers, but my 12 year old loves crafting, Sharpies, and gift giving. With Christmas just around the corner, this is something she can make for ALL the friends, teachers, and family she likes to give to. Thanks for such a versatile idea. I’m hoping they are dishwasher safe, just in case. Lori
Hi Lori! So glad you like this idea. Yes, this is a very versatile project and I am so glad to hear your daughter will enjoy it! I hope you both have fun making some mugs!
Help! I cannot find a source for the letter stickers. I do not have easy access to craft stores in my area (will even have to order the Sharpies) but could you share where to find the stickers? Thanks.
Hi Shari! Amazon would be a really great source for you. These look like they could work well {though these are not the exact stickers I used–just similar}: goo.gl/POqXMM I hope that helps!!!
Is there a difference between regular sharpies and oil-based sharpies? Thanks!
Hi Kimberly! Yes, there is a difference. The oil-based sharpies are actually filled with oil-based paint. I hope that helps.
I love this idea! Wondering where you found your mugs? I love the shape of the ones you used. Thanks :)
Hi Sarah! Thank you! I got them at the Dollar Store!
What a cute idea. I would love for you to share this at my Friday T.G.I.F. Linky Party. Have a great weekend!!
Thank you, Wendy!
What an awesome idea! It turned out great!
Thanks so much, Leslie!
Oh great call indeed! When I pick up those markers and mugs, I’ll get two extra for my husband and me :) TEE HEE!
CHEERS!
-Sandra
This is SUCH an adorable gift, I really love it! Nothing better than personalization/handmade and it’s definitely cuter than so many things I see in the store:) Great post!
-Sandra
Hi Sandra! Thank you so much! I think the girls’ teachers will love them. And I love them so much I want to make some for myself when I can find the time :)
This is so pretty! I forgot about teacher gifts. Best mom ever. :)
Hi Kelly! LOL! Teacher Appreciation Week usually sneaks up on me, but I am determined to conquer it this year :)
Can you wash it in the dishwasher?
Hi Jenna! I should have mentioned that by using the oil-based pens AND baking them in the oven, they SHOULD be dishwasher safe. But, since I have not made any for myself yet, I have not actually tested it out. I did make some of these for my sister a couple of months ago and told her to run them through the dishwasher, but in an abundance of caution, she continues to hand wash hers.
I was JUST telling my daughter that we needed to get her teacher a gift for the end of the year! Im going to have to help her make this for her teacher!
Oh good, Stephanie! I think you will both have fun making this! Let me know how yours turn out!