Thursday, December 4, 2014

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?

9 comments:

  1. I read somewhere once that lazy people are the most efficient because they minimise the number of steps it takes to do anything so they can get it out of the way faster! This SO works for me!! If you try hard enough you can almost make it mean that your laziness is actually saving the world!!! I can't tell you any Pinterest activities I have tried lately (other than pinning) because a) I'm SO rubbish at all/any crafts and b) I'm too lazy!

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    1. And you're too busy travelling all over Oz!

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    2. Hahaha, thanx! I'll add that to my repertoire of excuses!!!

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  2. Pinterest is great for day dreamers like myself..... and most other women. I find myself pinning lots and lots of recipes. I've tried several. Some work, some don't. My thinking... those ladies who claim to be excellent cooks really hire a stage-er to make their recipes look perfect. I have a hard time believing those young stay at home moms with a half dozen kids running under their feet really do turn out as many perfect recipes that they post daily. They are day dreamers, too!

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  3. I always think about doing these for teacher gifts but then I think about how many mugs I own and then wonder if I'm giving them another thing they don't need! Perhaps I am overthinking it and they'd like it regardless.

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  4. I shared a pinterest, too. The mug is a cute idea. I like the sayings you thought you were going to write.

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  5. One Father's Day my kids brought home three of these mugs from Sunday School. Somehow either the leaders missed the baking step or my kids lost a note about the baking step. Either way, these turned into a great prank. When my husband attempted to use one he ended up with marker on his face, hands and clothing. Gotcha! Happy Father's Day! Oh, the memories! ~May@Achieving Clarity

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  6. I did A-Z two years ago entirely of Pinterest projects. Some worked and some didn't. I actually have a board marked "Things I have pinned and actually Done." My favorite is still the 1/2 c dawn dish detergent and 1/2 c white vinegar, paint it on the tub, wait a hour and POOF!! the shower scum is gone with no chemical smell. on the tough corners I sometimes add a bit of baking soda too.

    I did want to try the mugs... let me know how they turn out post dish washer.

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