Try This: Dipped Dot Mugs Tutorial

In keeping with my "Twelve in 2012," I'm back with another tutorial.  This and my last tutorial have used some random stuff that I'd been picking up over the years with nebulous projects in mind.  In fact, the mugs used in this tutorial I mentioned on the blog nearly two years ago when I'd picked them up with this very project in mind.  So, um, yeah, a long build-up for what is a super easy project. 

I call them "dipped dot" because (brace yourself for how clever this is) they're the dipped effect that we all know and love on the DIY circuit but...with dots (gasp).  Also, it sort of makes you crave Dippin' Dots, no?

Materials: 2 - white mugs (picked up from the thrift store), porcelain paint, applicator bottle with metal tip, painters tape (and an xacto knife if you're messy)

Directions:  Tape off a "dip line" on the mug, which is where you want your dots to stop, and put a bit of the paint into your applicator bottle.  Be sure to press your tape down.

Now, I know this next step may be a surprise, but using your applicator bottle of paint, you put little dots all in the area below the tape.  It's okay if your dots run into each other a bit.  It's sort of adorable. 

While the paint is still a little tacky (think like 5-10 minutes after you're done), take the tape off.  This will leave little half dots on the border, which helps achieve the dipped look.  If you wait too long, it'll take the dots on the border right off.  The great thing about this paint is that if you mess up (see those completely unadorable blobs there?), you can scrape them right off with an xacto knife.

Now, you let it cure for a day and bake it according to the directions on the paint bottle.  You can legit use these mugs.  Since I bought them, I'd started using them to store some craft supplies, so that's what they'll go right on doing...but they'll be doing it way more fabulously now.  Sort of embarrassingly easy, no?

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