Hey put that mug down; you can do better than that. I mean, how many mugs can one teacher have!

We haven't had that many teachers to give end of year presents to, and we are already scratching our heads. This year we came up with something that meets the criteria:

1. Less than 20$ (some of you teachers deserve way more, no offense to the rest of you...)
2. Usable in Public (at least in the teacher's lounge)
3. Memorable
4. Kid-involvement (This is optional if your child has particularly bad taste)
5. Dead easy

Not too much to this one, quick trip to the craft store and a a few craft sessions and you have something that hits full marks. Lets get started.

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Step 1: STEP 1: Supplies

All you need for this project is:

Canvas Bag
Permanent Markers (can be specific for fabric)
Fabric Paint in spray bottles
Tape (painters tape shown here but not necessarily)

We picked these up at a local craft store.

Step 2: STEP 2: Apply Pattern

Apply the masking tape to make a pattern of your choice. We made a heart, star, stripes and diamond pattern. The diamond pattern looks super sharp.

Step 3: STEP 3: Spray Paint

The kit we had came with 5 colors and had two spray modes. Half bursts made bigger globs and full bursts made a finer mist of paint. We found that a mix of the two did a nice job.

Here is where a little adult guidance is necessary. You and I both know that your child will spray 6 maybe 7 times and get bored leaving most of the canvas bare. Encourage your burgeoning pointilist to continue and provide an even coverage. Worst comes to worst, fill in the blanks yourself (see Mr. Marla Olmstead).

Step 4: STEP 3: Big Reveal

Peel back and act amazed.

Step 5: STEP 5: Add Some Flare

Provide some markers and a little guidance to add a little personal touch, and maybe show off what was learnt in that year.

That's it. We are likely to put some home-made cookies just to fill it out.

At worst, the teachers can use the bag to carry their collection of mugs home on the last day!