This is a quirky little DIY project I put together three Monday nights ago while watching TV in our old house.
It feels a bit odd publishing this now because we no longer live in that space, so the photos show the old walls and shelves in the background. It also happens to be very close to the holidays, so I thought this could still serve as a quick, last-minute gift idea for someone who likes handmade touches. Rather than deleting the post, I decided it was worth sharing.
The other reason I’m calling this project “weird” is practical: I didn’t use food-safe materials. I decorated plain ceramic mugs with a silver Sharpie I had on hand—the same marker I used for some holiday ornaments a while back—so these mugs are not safe for hot drinks or for the dishwasher. That said, they make perfectly charming non-food items: think small vases for a kitchen windowsill, pencil holders for a desk, or containers for cotton balls and Q-tips in a bathroom.
We originally discovered a few extra unused mugs while packing up our dining room shelves for a move. We’d already sold a bunch at a moving sale, but three got tucked away and forgotten. Before donating them, I had the simple urge to doodle on them. My plan was minimal: have fun sketching, mark “not for food use” on the bottom, then pass them along. But I ended up liking them so much that I packed them up and brought them to our new house. They’re destined for my home office, holding pens, pencils, and paperclips, and I can also use one around the holidays to display individually wrapped candy canes—those wrappers keep the candy safe to eat despite the non-food-safe marker.
As for how I made them, there wasn’t any special technique—just freehand drawing. One mug became a band of simple hearts circling the outside, another got playful, ribbon-like scallops and wavy stripes, and the third got a tiny, whimsical tea bag motif both on the outside and the inside.
The tea bag sketch was a very quick idea inspired by a similar commercial mug I had noticed recently. It only took a few seconds to draw, and the whole project came together in just a couple of relaxed evenings. If you want these to be functional for food or drink, swap the Sharpie for a food-safe ceramic marker or paint pen and follow the product’s instructions for curing. That step will make the designs durable and safe for serving beverages; otherwise, treat these as decorative or utility pieces that aren’t meant to come into contact with food.
Here are a few simple tips if you’d like to try this yourself:
- Choose plain, clean ceramic mugs and dry them thoroughly before drawing.
- If you plan to use the mug for drinks, buy markers labeled food-safe for ceramics and cure according to the instructions—some need baking to set the design.
- Keep designs simple and bold for the best quick results: rows of hearts, dots, stripes, or small icon sketches like tea bags, leaves, or stars work well.
- Label the bottom of the mug clearly if it’s not safe for food so recipients know how to use it.
- Use these as pencil cups, small vases, or holiday candy containers if you’re using non-food-safe markers.
This project was spontaneous and low-stakes, but it turned three overlooked mugs into cheerful little accents for our new home. Whether you’re making a quick gift or personalizing a few items for yourself, a handful of simple doodles can turn ordinary ceramics into something special. Happy drawing—and enjoy whatever small, handmade touches you decide to add to your space this season!