DIY Engagement Gift Idea
I’m not the craftiest person, but I like to attempt a DIY gift every once in a while. Homemade gifts come from the heart, which is why I tackled this DIY engagement gift: to creative something meaningful that lasts.
My friend Deni is a friend you want to have. She’s always there and puts in the extra effort for all of her friends. She travelled over 923 kms (573 miles) and spent Carter’s first Thanksgiving with us and did the trek again for his first birthday. She puts her friend’s kids high on her priority list and it’s always something that I have appreciated and admired about her.
So when she told me that she got engaged, I got a little teary. Excitement doesn’t begin to describe what I feel.
I wanted to get Deni something as a little token of celebration, not just to memorialize the moment but also as a little souvenir of my gratitude so show how thankful I am to have an amazing friend like her.
I opted to take the route of a DIY engagement gift, as it’s budget-friendly and because it comes from the heart.
DIY Engagement Gift – Sharpie Mug
I have to say that this craft was really hard for me! I’m a bit of a perfectionist so it really bothered me that the lettering wasn’t perfect. After restarting it for the 20th time, I decided that Deni will have to appreciate the fact that it’s the gift from the heart and love the imperfections. It’s a good thing that childish writing is very “in” right now.
Supplies: Supplies are minimal for this project. I bought oil-based Sharpies (they must be oil-based) from Michaels and a mug from Dollarama (they had a limited stock, so I bought one that came with a crocheted covered that could be removed). I also recommend you use alcohol wipes (like the ones nurses use to clean your skin before immunizations). I bought some from Shoppers for another project and they worked really well!
If you’d rather get all your supplies from Amazon, here is a list:
Step 1: Make sure the mug is clean. I took an alcohol wipe and wiped it down to get an oil off the mug.
Step 2: Say what you want to say! Write your message. When you mess up (because you will) use the alcohol wipe to wipe of the marker, then take a cloth to dry it and restart. I did this step about twenty times. This five-minute craft took me over an hour.
Step 3: Let it dry. I left mine to dry for the remainder of the evening and all night.
Step 4: Cure it! Place the mug in the oven and heat it to 350F for 30 minutes. Leave the mug in the oven to cool off. I did this step twice, the second time was for an hour. I was a little paranoid, but I wanted to really set it in. I did this with my wedding plate years ago (we used it as a guest book) and thirty minutes was just fine for that.
If you’re like me and you’re not all that crafty and getting frustrated over and over doesn’t appeal to you, you can purchase the mug I was inspired by on Etsy. The shop owner’s mug is beautifully done and I love the “future Mrs.” option on the back.
Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.
Looks like some great ideas, however all of my friends and family are past the engagement phase. Maybe in a few years one of my nieces or nephews will get engaged.
“This 5 minute craft took me over an hour…” LOL that made me laugh hard because…I tried doing this last year as part of a different (but similar) project and I had to keep erasing and starting over. I’m just not that crafty! It’s a great idea though, and I really do love how yours ended up!
I wish I had a crafty hand, and although it’s a fast craft I get annoyed with my shaking hands or not perfect look. It’s a good thing that whole “messy handwriting” is in right now!
This is so stinking cute! I have a love affair with mugs so this is definable a craft I will have to tr. Going to share it with my wedding planner friend!
What a cite idea, you could come up with so many variations of this too. Love homemade heartfelt gifts!
I am the uncraftiest person (that’s a word because I said so) in the world. I stay in the kitchen where I belong 😉 But I think, maybe, possibly, I could do something like this…. Something like this would make cute wedding party gifts too.
From what I understand you have to make sure you buy the right kind of mug because this won’t work on all finishes. I have no idea how to tell but I’m sure someone with more craft skills than I have does.
I had no idea, I just grabbed a mug from Dollarama. I also took a chance and did it on some wine glasses too. I was terrified of them shattering, but they made it.
Crafts generally leave me swearing like a sailor, so I don’t do them often. Maybe once a year 😉
I totally love the mug you made and now I absolutely want Sharpie oil based paint markers. I think I could make a fun project with them for Mother’s Day with my students at school. Thanks for the fab idea!
What a great idea! I wish I had nicer handwriting to do stuff like that lol I bet she loved it!
What a unique and creative gift from the heart! I love this mug! I’d use it everyday.. If it took you an hour it would take me days lol
I LOVE Sharpie mugs! And I love that you made this for your best friend! She’s gonna absolutely adore it. Pinned, tweeted, and shared. Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday, hope to see you again next week!
This is just an adorable idea!!! Love the quote on the mug. Thanks for sharing at the Monday Funday Link Party. Emily @ The Benson Street.
Thanks for stopping by Emily! Have a great weekend.