EVERYONE has a couple of old ugly mugs lying around. You know the sort – the ‘souvenir’ you borrowed from your office, the anniversary cup you won after your sports team made the final, or the one that came free with your coffee machine.

My cupboard is full of these – most are left over from our previous flatmates and while they get plenty of use, it’s not much fun drinking my morning coffee from a University of Sydney mug – especially as I never went to Uni.

I’ve found a fun and easy way to upcycle them into something fabulous – I love this idea because it transforms something unloved into something really personal and special – making it the perfect gift for Christmas. What’s more, this is something the kids will LOVE to do.

I found a heap of plain white mugs at my local Vinnies, so check out our Op Shops before buying them new (the world does not need more coffee mugs).

The first method is with pens. I’ve had the best results with oil markers such as Sharpies or Artline (just make sure it says ‘permanent marker’ ) but I’ve heard you can do it with the ordinary markers as well.

 

TIPS 

*Be sure to clean your cup well first

*Use oil markers for best results

*If you make any mistakes, remove with nail polish remover and a cotton bud.

*You can use things like stickers as a template. If you do this, just stick them on your skin first to remove most of the stickyness. If you don’t, you’ll end up ruining your design when you try to remove it later!

*Bake in an oven for 30 minutes at 180 degrees. Let cool completely.

*Always remove the sticker BEFORE you put in the oven!

*Finish with clear gloss for extra staying power

*Best hand washed

This second method is fantastic if you want to colour over a logo or lettering. All you need is spraypaint and some tape.

*Stick the tape on your skin before applying to the cup to remove most of the stickyness.

*Give the cup a good couple of coats of paint

*Wait until completely dry before removing the tape.

*Works best with logos and lettering that you don’t want to see

*No need for baking!

*Finish with a clear gloss

*Best hand washed

Have you tried these before? What results did you have? Let me know by commenting below!