Create \\ mugs

If you follow me on Instagram  you've already seen what I created on one of my days off. I was trying to come up with something creative that I could do and yet useful at the same time. I love mugs I have a collection of them in my cupboard all different patterns and shapes. I decided I would create my own mug. I'm not going to lie I almost caved when I was in Michael's searching for the stencils and paint pens. My thoughts "I could buy a mug for the cost of these dang stencils, and it would be perfect and able to go in the dishwasher." Anyway, I didn't cave I went through with it. No, making a mug yourself is not cheaper than buying one, it's twice the money unless you decide to make five of them, then it's worth it. I doubt that I will make five of them. We'll see.

After hanging out in the stencil isle way too long in Michael's, I decided Martha Stewart's stencils would work the best because they had adhesive on the back side. That way I was able to line up almost all of my letters before I started painting. 

I had some issues and had to remove some letters and re-paint because I was not happy with the spacing. The letters had too much access edging around them, so I ended up having to cut around the letters, which in turn made lining them up harder.

I still think it turned out pretty darn good! 

I do have one small detail left that I am nervous about, and that is sealing the paint onto the mug. I have read on how to do this and there are way too many opinions and none of the examples are with the same paint pen (oil based paint pen) I used. I am not sure if I should 

a) Just bake it in the oven

b) Buy a paint sealer and seal it

c) Do b and then a?

I haven't decided and I don't want to ruin it, at the same time I can't actually use it how it is.

HELP

Have a beautiful day!

Ciao,

Rachel