Live, Laugh, Love Mug

This  #SparklySavings shop has been compensated by #CollectiveBias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

There are certain chores around the house that just always need to be done, am I right?  There is always laundry to wash, dry, and fold, and there are always dirty dishes to be cleaned and put away…know the feeling?  The more people there are in your home, the more you find yourself filling, running, and then emptying your clean dishwasher.  Here in the Artsy Family, I’m pretty particular about the products we use on our dishes because I need something that gets them sparkling clean while being gentle enough to protect the things that are actually works of art in their own right.  You see, in addition to our “normal” dishes, we have a fair amount of cups, glasses, and plates that have been a part of the creative process.  For example, my coffee mug.

LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE MUG

paintmug5

I love to start my day with a nice warm cup of coffee or chai brewed in my new Verisimo system, and part of the fun is enjoying it in a mug that makes me smile.  I bought this one because of the gorgeous teal color hiding inside, but I wanted to spruce up the outside a bit and make it personal.

I used:
– coffee mug {mine is from Walmart}
– multi-surface or glass paint
– stencil brush
– adhesive stencils
– Mod Podge: dishwasher safe formula

Step 1: Clean the outside of your mug with rubbing alcohol.

Step 2: Apply the adhesive stencil where you want it to be.  Of course you can use a traditional stencil too, but I like using adhesive ones on mugs because they won’t move and they work well with the curve of the surface.

paintmug

Step 3: Gently dab paint onto the stencil.  Remove the stencil immediately, don’t wait for the paint to dry.

paintmug2

Step 4: Once the painted area is dry, go over top of it with a coat of Dishwasher Safe Mod Podge formula to seal it.  Follow the instructions on the Mod Podge bottle for curing.

paintmug6

Now I’m ready to start the day with my special mug full of coffee or chai while catching up on emails.

cup

Of course, though, that means I’ll have to clean the mug when I’m done.  I really hate hand washing dishes {that’s what dishwashers are for!} but I want to make sure the artwork is protected.  I need a dish detergent that’s strong enough to leave my dishes sparkling clean, but that’s free of harsh cleaning agents that will damage my mug {not to mention my family}.  That’s where Finish comes in.  Our family has used Finish for several years; we started using it we got a new set of flatware and needed to find something that wasn’t acidic to protect it.

paintmugdishwasher

There are many varieties of Finish to choose from at the local Walmart where I shop.

finish2

One of the options I like is Finish Quantam Power and Free.  It comes as a three-chamber capsule with Hydrogen Peroxide Action to attack tough stains and leave a brilliant shine using less harsh chemicals than those contained in other dish detergents.  Sometimes Little Crafter likes to help me put the capsule in, load and unload the dishwasher, which I absolutely encourage although I do always supervise him!

finish5

It’s so nice to be able to rest easy, knowing that my artwork and my family are being exposed to gentler cleaning agents that still get the job done.  Plus, right now, Walmart has a Rollback for Finish dish detergent that can be combined with a coupon {click the image below to download} for extra savings…who doesn’t love to save money?

honestlyheart2

Similar Posts

9 Comments

  1. Lovely! These will make beautiful and thoughtful gifts. One question, though – I’m a newbie at this, so I’ve no idea where to get an adhesive stencil that has wording/lettering already on it. Can you help me with sourcing that? Ebay? Or is there a specific on-line shop I can get stencils from?

    1. Sure, Jaydee! Some of mine are from Plaid {they have Folk Art brand as well as Martha Stewart brand}, and DecoArt has some as well. The one I used was from a DecoArt kit, I believe. You can find them at Walmart, Michaels, or any hobby and craft store!

  2. What an adorable mug – love the quote! I use Finish products all the time – love how well they work and how clean they get our dishes and glassware! Great info!

  3. Pingback: Premium Blog

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.