Upgrade Your Mug - Fav to Fab
Decorate a plain mug using ceramic markers, acrylic paint, stickers, and simple embellishments to safely create a personalized favorite-to-fab cup.
About this activity
Decorate a plain mug using ceramic markers, acrylic paint, stickers, and simple embellishments to safely create a personalized favorite-to-fab cup.
What you need
Step by step
- 1
Step 1
Wash the mug with soap and water and dry it completely with a paper towel.
- 2
Step 2
Draw your favorite-to-fab design on a scrap of paper so you know what to make.
- 3
Step 3
Use masking tape to mark off any areas you want to stay white or make straight edges.
- 4
Step 4
Lightly sketch your design onto the mug with a pencil.
- 5
Step 5
Trace the sketch with ceramic markers to make bold outlines.
- 6
Step 6
Paint in colors using acrylic paint and a paintbrush for solid fills or fun patterns.
- 7
Step 7
Let the paint and marker work dry completely for at least one hour.
- 8
Step 8
Attach stickers and glue on small embellishments using craft glue and press them gently to secure.
- 9
Step 9
Ask an adult to bake the mug in a cool oven set to 350°F for 30 minutes then let the mug cool completely inside the oven before handling.
- 10
Step 10
Share a photo and a short description of your finished favorite-to-fab mug on DIY.org.
Fun facts
How do you upgrade a plain mug for the 'Fav to Fab' activity?
Start by washing and drying a plain ceramic mug. Sketch your design with a pencil, then color with ceramic markers or acrylic paint for the exterior. Add stickers and small embellishments with strong craft glue, avoiding the drinking rim. Let paints air-dry 24 hours, then cure per product directions (many ceramic markers recommend baking in an oven to set). Finish with a clear sealer suitable for ceramics and let fully cure before use.
What materials do I need to decorate a mug safely?
Youâll need a plain ceramic or porcelain mug, ceramic markers and/or acrylic paints, brushes, pencil, rubbing alcohol for cleaning, stickers, non-toxic craft glue for embellishments, sequins or rhinestones (optional), masking tape, a disposable palette, and a clear ceramic sealer labeled for exterior use. Have oven mitts and a protective workspace cover. Always check product labels for food-safety and curing instructions before use.
What ages is the 'Upgrade Your Mug - Fav to Fab' activity suitable for?
This activity suits kids about 5â7 with close adult help for drawing, gluing, and avoiding small parts. Ages 8â12 can work more independently but still need supervision for oven curing and hot surfaces. Teens enjoy advanced painting and embellishment techniques. Avoid giving small rhinestones or strong adhesives to children under 3 due to choking hazards; adults should handle any baking or high-heat steps.
What safety tips should parents follow when decorating mugs?
Only decorate the mugâs exterior or use food-safe paints on areas that touch lips. Follow manufacturersâ curing instructionsâmany markers need air-dry then oven-bakeâand supervise any oven use. Avoid metallic embellishments if you intend to microwave the mug. Secure decorations firmly with adhesive and recommend hand-washing to protect designs. Discard cracked or damaged mugs and keep small embellishments away from young children to prevent choking.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can I use if I don't have ceramic markers or acrylic paint?
If ceramic markers are unavailable, use oil-based porcelain or enamel paint pens (or enamel craft paint made for ceramics in place of acrylics) and follow the same drying and adult-supervised oven baking step to set the design.
My paint or marker lines keep smudgingâhow do I fix that?
To prevent smudging, follow the instruction to let the paint and marker work dry completely for at least one hour (or longer between thin layers), dry with a cool hair dryer if needed, and only attach stickers or glue embellishments after the paint is fully dry before baking.
How can I adapt this activity for different ages?
For younger kids, skip the oven step and use washable, non-toxic paints and lots of stickers while an adult handles any baking and sharp tools, and for older kids let them use masking tape for straight edges, fine ceramic markers for detail, and supervise the 350°F oven-bake to set their work.
How can we extend or personalize the finished mug beyond the basic steps?
Enhance the mug by using masking-tape stencils for crisp shapes, adding names or dates with metallic ceramic markers, carefully gluing small heat-safe embellishments to the handle, and then photographing the baked finished mug to share on DIY.org with a short description.