For Your Honey

Gold Bumble Bee Bobby Pins

$18 from shopelizabethperry on Etsy

Looking for something sweet for your honey this Valentine's Day? Me too. 

Micky just walked in on me making what was supposed to be a surprise Valentine batch of lime buttermilk sorbet, his *favorite* dessert of all time. 

He's such a ruiner. 

Hopefully you guys will have better luck than I! 

Here are some ideas in that department just in case you need a plan bee.

(Sorry, I HAD to do it.)

Happy V-Day, everyone!

Utah Salt Honey Caramel

1/4 lb box, $8 from beesbrothers on Etsy

Bee by Suren Nersisyan

8 x 10" original watercolor, $25 from ORIGINALONLY on Etsy

Busy Bee Mug

from kinshipgoods on Etsy

- Cathleen

Viking Beer Mug

Viking Mug

I have always wanted to learn more about wood working  It is one of those skills that is acquired by owning the proper tools as well as trial and error.  I have made a few things in the past, but I really want to try more, and this project seems perfect for beginners.  The only tools required are a hatchet and knife (I would use some other power tools to assist me at times).
Here is the link to the full instruction, but I will also post a few images so you can see a summary of the process. http://www.instructables.com/id/Viking-beer-mug-no-power-tools-no-tools-at-all/?ALLSTEPS

Start with a solid, knotless log with a diameter that measures the same as your hand (top of wrist to tips of fingers).

The trick is to "hollow" out the log by means of splitting.  You split into 8 sections and then trim each of those wedges down from the inside, all while keeping the outer shape of the log the same.

Wedges reassembled and tied.

Find branch for handle.

Trace out shape of mug and cut a piece of wood to fit snugly inside for the base.

As you can see in the image, you need to cut notches into the wood so the straps or rope fit tightly and creates a tighter seal.
In the online instructions, he seals the cracks with a resin called propolis, but also points out that you can soak it after assembly which then will expand the wood and seal itself after drying.  That is what I plan to do.
When I make my own, I will post the results on S&A....hopefully it won't be one of those Pinterest fails.

-Brian

Straight Up Muggin'

This might just be the perfect mug. 

Round up top, square on the bottom, and robin's egg blue! This mug made by Paul Eshelman (how does he do it??), certainly makes all the right moves. 

This beauty and more can be found at theclaystudio.org

- Cathleen 

Nice Mug

Inkblot Series I Mug, $33.66

via www.everythingbegins.com

When I was little we had a vast mug collection. There were Ziggy mugs and Get Along Gang mugs and Care Bear mugs and mugs that completed my mother's prized blue and white M. A. Hadley set. They were all proudly displayed on an accordion peg rack in the hallway leading to the kitchen. Then one day we came home and all of the mugs were gone. Every last one! We discovered later that our occasional cleaning lady had accidentally bumped into the assembled mass and knocked them to the floor, smashing all of our hot cocoa hopes and chamomile tea dreams. Or at least that's what we surmised when we found their remains in the dumpster out back. The real rub though was that she threw the entire lot out without acknowledging what happened and even tossed ones that only had minor chips in them. What did she think? We were MADE of mugs?

Micky and I have started to accumulate a few mugs since we joined forces, and while we tend to use the same two cups morning after morning, I have dreams of expanding our brood one day. And I think these are just the right mugs for the job.

Fiess Mug, $35 

via www.liefshop.com

Vintage Moonglow Federal Glass Mug, $8

via DancingMooney on Etsy

Vintage Hobnail Turquoise Glass mug, $9.50

via hensfeathers on Etsy

Game of Thrones Mug Set, $35

via www.uncovet.com

- Cathleen 

Beautiful!

Found this mug while perusing Terrain online the other day and I thought it was just so perfectly beautiful that it begged to be blogged about. 

Priced at $20, this elegant piece can easily be yours!

- Grace

DIY: Bug Mugs

Continuing the theme of painting and tea this week, I bring you a short tutorial on painted bug mugs! I received a lovely pair of black and white flowered mugs for Christmas and thought it might be fun to jazz them up a bit. Naturally I thought, "Put a bug on it!"And so I did. The feisty praying mantis and the destructive Japanese beetle were my inspiration, but you could paint just about anything on just about any ceramic object you've got lying around the house that will fit inside an oven. 


What you'll need: 

• A ceramic mug!  (Or plate! Or bowl! Or cat figurine!)

• Porcelaine 150 Paint by Pebeo!  (I used Peacock Blue & Tourmaline Red!) 
• A paintbrush! (I used a round #2 watercolor brush!) 
• A cup of water!  (For cleaning your brushes between paint applications!)
• A wet paper towel!  (For wiping up any mistakes!)
• An oven!  (For baking your newly painted mug when all is set and done!)

Once you've painted your bug, or bird, or funky geometric shape upon your mug, clean your brushes well with soap and water, and allow the mug to dry for 24 hours before popping it into a 300 degree oven for 35 minutes. After it's out of the oven and cool to the touch, your mug will be ready to hold the hot beverage of your choice! And best of all! It's dishwasher safe! 

I really liked how this little guy turned out. 

Oh! I also added some colorful dots to the inside of the flowers 

by dipping the butt-end of my paintbrush in the paint and dabbing it wherever I fancied. 

Other helpful tips: 
• You can purchase Porcelaine 150 Paint by Pebeo at any craft or art supply store (they also make some great paints for glassware). 
• Before you bake and set your design, the paint can be wiped right off the surface of the ceramic leaving no trace behind. If you make a mistake, no one has to know! 


So fun the ceramics in my house better watch their backs or they might get painted on. Boom!


- Cathleen