Sharpie Painted Ceramic Mug

I have seen this sharpie craze all over Pintrest.  I must have pinned at least a dozen ideas that I wanted to try with my Sharpies, and now it's finally here!  One more thing I can check off my gigantic Pintrest to-do list!

What you will need:
Ceramic item
Sharpie (I used black, but you can use any color or colors)
Print out of design to stencil 
Clear packing tape
X-acto Knife
Ruler

First, I printed out my design on my inkjet printer.  You can totally freehand your design, but I wanted to do the NYC skyline and I wanted it to be exact!

Next, I covered my sheet of paper in strips clear packing tape.  Once your entire sheet is covered in plastic, smooth out any air bubble.  This will be the {sticky} stencil!

Submerge your plastic coated paper in water for ten minutes.
When it's ready to be taken out, it will curl up on itself.  Lay out the sheet on a flat surface, like your counter, plastic side down.

Now it's time to remove all the paper.  Rub your finger back and forth over the paper and it will start to lift off.  Keep rubbing until all the white paper is gone and all you are left with is your design. 

Now it's time to cut out that design!  Cut away the entire colored area {that part is not sticky since it took to the color from the paper.}  You can use this using plain old scissors, or I used an X-acto knife and ruler with the sticky side facing up. 
What I realized the hard way only AFTER I finished, was that it would have probably been easier to cut away the design before submerging the sheet in water.  That way you don't have to deal with a sticky stencil in order to cut out the design!

Now you are ready to stick that stencil to your mug.  Trace the outline of the design {or fill in the entire area if you have the patience} with a fine Sharpie.

Place your mug in a cool oven, set the oven to 450.  Once it gets up to temperature, leave the oven on for 20 minutes.  After 20 minutes, turn off the oven.  Leave the mug in the oven for 2-3 hours, or until completely cooled.
This process heats the glaze of the mug allowing the Sharpie ink to incorporate into it so that it will not wash off.
Please note that this mug will probably no longer be dishwasher safe if you want your design to last.

Now you are ready for some coffee drinking {or whatever else is your morning cup}!!