DIY Rae Dunn Inspired Decals with Free Templates

I love that modern farmhouse look of Rae Dunn. It’s super easy to recreate. Here are some ideas for Rae Dunn look alike pottery and more.

It occurred to me unless you are a serious collector, I could just make my own inspired Rae Dunn Mug instead.

They make for great gifts on all occasions, Christmas, Valentine’s day, Mother Day. And the best part is, you can customize your own Rae Dunn Mug to whatever words or saying you want.

There are a few different ways to make Rae Dunn inspired mugs and canisters. I make most of my decals with my Cricut cutting machine but it is possible to do it with just a Sharpie.

Don’t have a cutting machine? That’s ok, I’ll go over how to make these modern farmhouse pieces without one later in this tutorial.

Lets get started.

Materials for DIY Rae Dunn Look Alike Pottery

Permanent Adhesive– Permanent vinyl works great here. I used just a simple black vinyl from an assorted set I had. Here are some great deals on assorted vinyl sheets from Amazon. This is my favorite set of assorted HTV from Amazon.

White Mug – The real Rae Dunn mugs are much more artistic but I’m ok with a basic white coffee mug. If the person you are gifting this to will know the difference, you should probably just buy the real thing. Amazon has great deals on a huge assortment of white mugs so you can make one for Dad too, and Grandma, and your great Uncle far removed…

Transfer Tape – You will need to transfer the letters with them in place. Here’s a bunch of great ones from Amazon.

Sharpie – If you don’t want to make the decal version, try oil based Sharpies. Oil based Sharpies are most resistent to wear and tear and will last longer through washes.

Sealant – If it’s something that will be washed, I highly recommend getting a sealant like Aleene’s Spray sealant.

Cutting Machine – I use a Cricut. Check out my recommendations for Cricut machines and accessories for beginners for more info.

Templates – I’ve created a bunch of Rae Dunn SVG designs (also in printable PDF formats) that are included for free in my resource library.

Here’s a snapshot of all the Rae Dunn sayings:

What size decal for your DIY Rae Dunn coffee mug

Ideally if you want the whole design to be seen from one view, it should be less than 3 inches wide.

The maximum width of the design should not be bigger than the circumference of the mug. Mug sizes vary but 6 inches max probably covers the smallest standard mugs made.

The maximum height of the decal really depends on the height of the mug. I would leave at least 1 inch clearance from the top of the mug to the top of the design so whoever is drinking from the mug doesn’t touch the decal with their lips.

How to make Rae Dunn Canister Decals and More

First cut your text from the template. Don’t forget to mirror your text if you are using HTV.

Weed the negative parts of the design you are not interested in.

Use the transfer tape and cover the letters. Scrap against the covered decal a few times with any type of straight edge.

Then peel the backing off the decal vinyl. Align the transfer tape on the mug and scrape again before peeling back the transfer tape.

How to Make Rae Dunn Mixing Bowls without vinyl decals

Sometimes you might not want to use a vinyl decal for a number of reasons. I find for curved surfaces like mixing bowls and such, it’s easier to draw or paint instead of using decals.

In this case, simple print out your Rae Dunn Saying in the size appropriate for your dish.

Then color in the back with pencil. We are essentially doing a carbon copy of the print.

The tape the saying onto the dish.

Use your pencil or pen and trace over the letters a few times. You should see the letters copied onto the dish or mug. Then trace over the copy with a Sharpie.

If you mess up with the Sharpie, just use a little rubbing alcohol and start over.

Rae Dunn Sugar and Flour Cannisters

I’ve seen people outfit their entire kitchen with Rae Dunn inspired stuff. If you’re going to go that route, it’s probably cheaper to just make it yourself.

Rae Dunn Salt and Pepper Shaker and other House Warming Gift ideas

These also make for great DIY house warming gifts as well. You can customize your ceramics with the family name and other fun sayings.

Rae Dunn Fonts

Rae Dunn is so popular these days there are several Fonts that have a similar look. If you are a Cricut crafter, “Straight and Simple” very much looks like the original Rae Dunn font.

Amatic is another font that you can get that also comes in bold. I like the bold version for smaller decals because it is easier to work with.

Sassafras is also another great one that has that modern farmhouse look.

Check out my overview of where to find free fonts for more on this topic.

That’s it! Congratulations, you’ve Dunn it!! (sorry, couldn’t help myself)

Related Articles:

DIY Sharpie Wine Glass

DIY Vinyl Decals for Cars

How to Make Vinyl Stickers

Vinyl on Cardstock – Gilded Floral Wall Art

diy rae dun mugs
DIY rae dunn lookalike mugs

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