This project is one of my favorites because it combines two things I absolutely love…painting and school supplies! As a former teacher, I couldn’t resist designing a coffee mug filled with Flair pens.

And this back-to-school door hanger is fun, colorful, and makes the perfect gift for a favorite teacher…or a cute addition to your own craft room!

Watch the full tutorial below, then scroll on to see a few extra tips, resources, and ideas to help make your project even better.

Why Your Teacher Will Love This Back-to-School Design

Teachers love gifts that feel personal, and this door hanger checks all the boxes. And this door hanger is: 

• Bright and cheerful
• Perfect for classrooms or office doors
• Easy to customize
• A thoughtful handmade gift

Even if you’re not a teacher, it’s a fun project for anyone who loves colorful office supplies, journaling, or crafting. Or it makes a great addition to your craft room!

My Favorite Part? The Leopard Print!

The leopard print on the mug was by far my favorite part to paint! It instantly adds personality to almost any project.

Intimidated by creating this pattern? The secret is keeping it subtle. Instead of making bold black spots, use a slightly darker shade than your base color. This creates texture without taking attention away from the lettering.

Need a little extra help painting leopard print? Watch this video!

➡️Learn how to paint leopard print⬅️

Choosing Colors That Work Together

One of the easiest ways to improve your painting is to choose your colors before you ever open a bottle of paint. A trick I use all the time is painting my acrylic colors onto craft sticks and labeling them. Once they’re dry, I can lay them side by side to see which colors work well together before I start painting.

This is especially helpful because acrylic paint often dries differently than it looks in the bottle.

Need more help choosing colors? Watch this video to see how I get inspired!

🎨How to choose the right colors for your door hangers🎨

Don’t Skip the Highlights

If there’s one detail that makes this project really come to life, it’s the highlights. Tiny white accents and subtle shading make the Flair pens look more realistic while giving the coffee mug extra dimension.

Remember…less is more. It’s much easier to add another highlight than it is to remove one that’s too bold.

Did You Know You Can Sell What You Paint?

One question we get all the time is: “Can I sell projects I make using Southern Adoornments templates?”

The answer is yes!

When you purchase one of our templates or wood blanks, you’re welcome to paint finished pieces and sell them at craft shows, in your boutique, on Etsy, on your website, or even teach them at your own local paint parties.

We love seeing our community turn creativity into something that blesses others.

Want to Make This Project?

You have a few different options depending on how you like to craft. You can purchase:

• The downloadable template (includes the laser cutting file for Glowforge and other laser users)
• A laser-etched wood blank that’s ready to paint
• Multiple size options, including smaller versions for ornaments and gifts

Whether you’re cutting your own wood or painting one of our prepared blanks, shopdoorhangers.com has you covered!

Keep Creating!

One of my favorite things about our community is seeing everyone’s version of the same design. No two projects ever turn out exactly alike, and that’s what makes handmade art so special.

Looking for even more step-by-step painting tutorials? Come join us inside the Painter’s Clubhouse where you’ll get new projects to paint every month. We provide the templates, the blanks, and the supply lists, so all you have to do is paint!

Learn more about becoming a member here!