Recently I've had a hankering for some quick and easy crafty projects (ie: ones that don't involve a millions steps, like hand making ceramics that take weeks to be ready, or screen printing with emulsion screens that also take a bit of time to make up). Projects that are a bit different, where you end up with a practical, usable object at the end of it. 

When I discovered ceramic pens (via Beci Orphin's book Find and Keep) my mind was blown. You can use a texta to draw on finished ceramics, put them in the oven and then have your own design/drawing on a cup/plate/bowl/whatever? Amazing!

You can get the pens from craft shops or online. They come in different colours and sizes. I chose to stick with black and got one with a 0.7mm nib and one with a 1.2mm nib. Once you've painted your object you let it dry for 24 hours, then bake in the oven for 35 mins at 150 degrees celsius. So fun! 

I found some plain white porcelain mugs at the supermarket and painted a really simple grid pattern. I also gave a mug to my 5- and 3-year-old niece and nephew to paint, which kept them entertained for at least 3 minutes!