My creative journey is rooted in a promise that I will always be brave enough to try something new. One of the ways I have found to challenge myself on decorative lettering is to design personalized mugs utilizing different available mediums.
Howdy, DIY’ers! This is Didith from KnickKnacks Creative and I’m back to share another easy craft tute. The Pretty Paper Studio, our favorite arts/crafts shop, has named our March theme as “Craft Punches.” Have you checked on my Design Team colleagues’ extraordinary crafts on punches? Aren’t their works so amazing!
Today’s blog tutorial isn’t really very unique. Ask Uncle Google and you’ll find a lot of ways on how to personalize mugs. Howbeit, I hope you will come across new ideas here.
The idea of hand-painting on mugs using craft punches or paper cutters as stencils is like a breath of fresh air, isn’t it?
And just like my previous blog posts, this tute is, once again, for us beginners in creating a new craft. We don’t need to be a virtuoso artist or calligrapher. Certainly, no artistic or drawing skills required at all. All we need is a DIY stencil and a happy heart. Because creativity is for happy people like us.
Soooo, let’s get started!
Step 1. Prepare the following materials.
Plain white mugs
EK Punch Large Confetti Star
EK Paper Shapers® Punch Large Circle 2″
Loew Cornell Sponge Roller-1″
Deco Art Americana Acrylic Paint 2oz (Colors: Warm Beige, Buttermilk Opaque, Terra Cotta Opaque and Colonial Blue)
3M Company Scotch Safe-Release Painter’s Masking Tape
Not in the photo: watercolor papers, paint markers, small paintbrush, tissue, cotton buds, rubbing alcohol, oven
Step 2. Clean, paint and cure.
After washing the two mugs with soap and water, I squirted a small amount of rubbing alcohol on each mug and wiped it off with tissue. I started roller painting each side of the mugs, as shown, using these two soothing colors of Deco Color Americana acrylic paints: colonial blue and warm beige.
Before applying another layer of paint as for the next focal design, it would help to air-dry the mugs for 24 hours to make the paint more permanent. And to cure them even more, I baked the mugs at 350*F for 35 minutes. Set to cool completely.
Step 3. Make DIY stencils.
I prepared two pieces of approximately 3 inches by 4 inches size of watercolor papers. Then I filled the entire area of papers with a painter’s tape, overlapping each laid tape as shown. After which, I started the fun craft punching works and just created two adhesive stencils to help me decorate the mugs.
Step 4. Attach the stencils on mugs.
A crescent moon could be formed by overlapping the two produced pieces from the circle shaper punching. Taking the two cured mugs back, I tried placing the DIY stencils so securely on each.
Step 5. Dab and paint.
Using cotton buds, I applied the paint over the stencils. Please take note that I did not brush side to side or up and down. I tapped and dabbed. This prevented the paint from bleeding too much under the stencil.
After carefully removing the stencil before the paint would dry completely, I needed to clean up the painting and to enhance the design using a small paintbrush and the paints that had been used: colors terra cotta for the stars and buttermilk opaque for the moon.
And yay! It came out perfectly as expected!
Step 6. Letter a message.
Breaking the rules, I decided not to use my conventional calligraphy style but just create a cheery and fun-like font this time. I used here a black paint marker to letter. Lastly, I furnished the design by adding dots that would look like small distant stars using a gold paint marker.
Step 7. Seal And Serve.
Uncle Google says that we can try sealing the design with Mod Podge dishwasher safe. Or we can let them air cured for 21 more days. Or we can bake them again in the oven if we are in a hurry.
With a little tender loving care, the design can last a long time. It is advisable to gently hand wash the mugs using a soft cloth or sponge.
Hubby and I just loved our new set of couple mugs. To many more years of love, happiness and coffee dates! Cheers!
I hope you enjoyed this DIY photo tutorial and I hope you give it a try!
Furthermore, we at Pretty Paper Studio Design Team look forward to seeing your own DIY “Craft Punches” projects and experiences. Please do share your projects with us by posting them on social media using the hashtags
#ppsuae #prettypaperstudio #madewithppsuae.
You may also tag me on Instagram and/or Facebook. I would be happy to see your wonderful creations.
Until our next handmade project.
Create with us. Create with love.
___________________________________________________________________________
Hey! You can join the Pretty Paper Studio Monthly Challenge through the following easy steps:
-
Create a project with this month’s theme in mind.
-
Upload your project photo to “March 2019 Challenge” Photo Album in the Pretty Paper Studio Facebook Group.
