Creating a Cozy Home...DIY Sharpie Mugs

I am so excited to join a group of twenty-five very talented bloggers who are sharing their tips on creating that warm feeling in your home on The Scoop’s Cozy Home Tour!
I don’t know about you, but with the temperatures we have been experiencing this winter, I am ready for a little warm and cozy! And for me…nothing says cozy like a mug of something warm by the fire…

…and our co-host seems to agree…at least about the fire! Hmmm…since Baby Kitty is busy, I’ll take over. Some of my favorite times are when my thirteen-year-old grandson comes over to hang out and spend the night…something I am increasingly grateful for as he gets older! I love that he still wants to spend time with his Granny! (You may remember that he and I took a very special trip to Paris when he was ten years old.) Sooo…my plan…create special mugs just for us!

Here’s what you will need:

• Plain white mugs (Mine were Better Homes brand from Walmart. It seems that the cheaper mugs do better.)
• Sharpie fine point oil-based markers (I got mine at Michaels. You will want to use a coupon since they are more expensive than regular Sharpies.) From what I have read, oil-based markers create a longer-lasting result.
• Artist charcoal
• Pencil
• Tape
• Alcohol swabs ( I used them to erase my mistakes, so I used lots of them!)
• Images printed at 3x5 size (I use Photoscape so that I can control the size.)

And here’s what you will do:

1. Wipe off the mugs with alcohol swabs.
2. Cut the print-outs down to size and completely cover the back with artist’s charcoal.
3. Tape the drawing to the mug and trace over it with a pencil, bearing down relatively hard.
4. Remove the print-out.

Then, using the oil-based Sharpie marker, trace over the outline of the drawing. Good news! If you make a boo boo, you can use an alcohol swab to “erase” it and start over! Just be sure to wring it out first so that it doesn’t drip and ruin your hard work! I found that it worked better for me just to free-hand the letters and the snowflakes. Let them dry for 24 hours. Then, using a tissue, wipe off the charcoal.

Final step…place the mugs in a cold oven and heat to 425 degrees. Once the correct temperature is reached, bake for 30 minutes. Do not touch the hot mugs! Allow them to stay in the oven until completely cool! They will now be safe to wash by hand. (I personally would not wash them in the dishwasher.)

 And here they are! We like to build a fire and watch the movie of my grandson’s choice. Last time I made the mistake of mentioning that I have yet get to see any zombies when I have briefly tuned in to The Walking Dead…so we watched a marathon and I saw all the zombies that I ever care to see! lol

My grandson’s beverage of choice is hot chocolate…with lots of mini-marshmallows!

I like a cup of Constant Comment tea with lemon…lower in calories!

And here’s my new favorite treat…low fat whole wheat pretzel sticks dipped in semi-sweet chocolate. Just melt the chips in the microwave, dip the pretzels and let them cool in the fridge. Serve them once the chocolate has had time to set. They are only 30 calories each so I can have three for a nice little snack! (That’s what I am telling myself!) Can you tell I am on a diet?

Sooo…hot drinks in our special mugs, a fire, a snack and zombies…add it all together and you have a fun, warm and cozy evening with my favorite teenager!
And just in case you’d like to add a little more of that cozy feel to your home (minus the zombies)…

...how about a no-sew sweater wreath! It’s fun, inexpensive and easy to make! You will find the tutorial here.

Or upcycle your old sweater into a sweater pillow and top it off with a burlap rose! You can see how to do it here. 

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed seeing my Sharpie mugs! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party , Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday , The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday , Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday , A Stroll thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures, Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays , No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays, French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday , Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays , The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday , Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday
See you next time! À la prochaine!

Also find me at…

 

Enter your email to have Plate Addict's blog posts delivered


Delivered by FeedBurner