My kids and I tried {and failed} with those tutorials on two separate occasions. We tried at Christmas, then again on Valentine's day - to make some cute DIY Sharpie mugs for my husband, from the kids. However, after only a few washes [hand washed with mild dish detergent] the art started to fade/wash off.
Needless to say, our kids were very disappointed that their DIY efforts for dad didn't withstand the test of time.
So... back to the drawing board. We decided to try a different brand of permanent markers. We used "The Write Dudes - Infinity Ultimate Color Pack" on plain white ceramic mugs. After the kids had decorated their mugs we placed them in a preheated oven, on a metal baking sheet, at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour. After the mugs had baked for 1 hour, I removed them from the oven, placed them safely out of the each of the kids. We allowed 1 hour for the mugs to adequately cool.
By changing the brand of permanent markers and adding 30 minutes to the bake time [most of the Sharpie mug tutorials on Pinterest suggest only 30 minutes in the oven at 350 degree Fahrenheit] it seems to have done the trick! We made our mugs about 8 weeks ago - they have been washed several times [hand washed in mild dish detergent] and they still look fabulous - the designs haven't faded or washed off at all.
You can find plain white ceramic mugs, plates and bowls at most dollar stores. This such a fun {cost effective} craft to do with the kids! These would make great handmade gifts for the kids to gift during the holiday season, too!
*Note: Adults should handle the baking and cooling process for this project. An adult should place the mug in the oven, remove it after it has finished baking and place it safely out of the reach of children while it is cooling off.
Happy Crafting!
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