I Saw It On Pinterest

Pinterest has been a godsend to many people.  For me, it's a place to laugh, daydream and/or windowshop.  The food section, for example, with all the yummy desserts that I drool over but will most likely never make, is my low calorie way of snacking. I also love to read through the humor section and laugh, and if the number of items I've pinned in the travel section is any indication, I'll be heading around the world to various exotic locales when I win the mega-lottery.

But mostly I just wander about, letting my curiosity take me where it will.  Since I'm into crochet, I pin any crochet projects that apply to my "Crafts I Might Not Suck At" board.  I also pin other craft projects that tickle my fancy, such as decorating those white ceramic mugs with whimsical sayings and cute little pictures. 

That is the one I decided to try.  I read up on the basics of the task, on several different pins of the same craft.  All were in agreement that oil-based paint markers were required.  I ordered mine off of Amazon. Yes, I am lazy.  (I was lazy before I got cancer, so I can't even blame that.)  I did not want to drive all over town looking for paint markers, and I wasn't really sure what the local craft stores would have. 

The next step was to find a white ceramic mug, and I happened to have one handy.   They also sell them at the dollar stores and Big Lots, if those stores are open in your area.  The directions said to write or draw a picture on the mug. 

And...this is where I got stuck.  

Before I decided to actually perform this experiment, I had tons of pithy statements in my head regarding coffee.  Tons.  "There is no good conversation before coffee" for instance.   Or "I have not finished my coffee. Your argument is invalid.", for another.  My creativity was caffeinated and it was wonderful.

Put a paint pen in my hand, however, and all thought fled.  Forty minutes later, I just wrote the only thought I could generate, which was "I love you".  Cursing my sudden writer's block, I drew some lovely little hearts, too. 

After all the fancy pants artwork, the directions are in agreement that the mugs are to be placed in the oven to cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.   This is to ensure that the creative flair used to create such a spectacular and unique coffee mug does not completely disintegrate in the face of the stupendous power of a good dishwasher.   Because ain't nobody got time to hand wash a bunch of coffee mugs, no matter how gorgeous they are. 

And this is where my attempt stands. This particular mug is going into the dishwasher at some point today, and we shall see if my efforts are treated like sand castles on the beach.  I will be okay if I have to start over with a blank canvas, in this instance.  If you're looking to give these mugs as gifts, however, I would suggest that you put them in the dishwasher to test before you wrap them up, just to make sure your artwork is secure.  

What Pinterest activities have YOU tried recently? 


Go check out other bloggers over at Mamakat's Writer's Workshop.   She has been extremely helpful to me over the years, when my brain ran dry of things to write about, plus I've met some great people, and I can't say thank you to that lady enough without appearing stalker-y. This week I used the prompt: 2. You saw it on Pinterest…does it really work?