DIY Sharpie Mug

I've seen the "Sharpie Mug" project floating around Pinterest for a while, but I never had any interest in making it because I have plenty of coffee mugs in my house.  If I add another, I'm going to have to throw an old one away first!  When I was thinking of ideas for handmade gifts for my mom's birthday, this popped up on Pinterest again and I knew it would be perfect!  She drinks coffee every day and loves (LOVES) being Carson's Grammy.  Seriously, she's the proudest.  I love it!  This project was easy peasy and super cheap.  I gave it to her "from Carson" for her birthday with a coffee shop gift card inside!

What You Need
white mug*
Sharpie marker(s)
rubbing alcohol
stickers [optional]

*I heard that the mugs from the Dollar Tree work best for this project, but my store didn't have any plain white mugs.  I found my mug at Target (duh) for $3.49.

How to Make
1. Prep the surface of your mug with a quick coating of rubbing alcohol.  I just swabbed it on with a cotton ball and let it air dry.

2. If using stickers to spell a word/initial/monogram/quote, place your stickers and press firmly onto the mug.

3. Start decorating with your Sharpie marker(s)!  I chose to do a simple "ombre" dot pattern so that my word would stick out.  Use your creativity!
If you choose to cover stickers, I suggest carefully coloring around your stickers first and make sure that you are diligent so that your letters will look nice when the stickers are removed!  I did dots and it was pretty time consuming, but worth it in the end!

4.  If using stickers, now is the time to carefully remove them to reveal your design.  You can use a fine point sharpie to make any necessary touch ups now, too!

5. Stick your mug in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.  Let your mug cool in the oven to prevent cracks!  Once your mug is somewhat cool, you can move it to the counter to cool completely.

6. Admire your work of art!

**I've read on Pinterest that once baked, these designed mugs are dishwasher safe.  I'm a little skeptical and told my mom to hand wash, or use the dishwasher at her own risk.  :)