simply made saturday: diy souvenir mug

This is one of my favorite DIY projects I've ever done. It warms up my mornings and brings back sweet memories from the best week of my life. I just love it. I was super super super sick with bronchitis for our entire honeymoon (FYI--frozen mango margaritas do not help a sore throat and a cough. But they do taste good. Especially when served in a pineapple) but that first week of marriage and realizing the hugeness of the commitment you just made...it's an indescribable feeling.

Made a twin set even though husband doesn't drink coffee. I like pairs of things. Even numbers=good. Odd numbers=bad.

Obviously we wanted a little something to remember it by. I am a major major coffee drinker. I worked in a coffee shop for three years in high school and ever since I just can't get enough. So everywhere I ever go on a trip I get a coffee mug. However, I don't like ones from typical destination gift shops. I want things to be pretty, and something that says "Port Canavaral Florida" in bright lettering just doesn't do it for me. I go for more elegant design. That said, we didn't exactly use a lot of our time honeymooning for shopping, so instead, we borrowed took  stole adopted two basic ceramic mugs from one of our hotels, and I decided to make them pretty myself.

Just noticed how dusty my coffee table was in this...Drew is our duster cause I have bad allergies and he was asleep still.

This is so easy. You need the following basic items:

• Plain ceramic mugs (if you feel more morally inclined than I did that week you can get them cheap at Target)
• Windex (or a cheap knockoff because you're like me and full price=the devil) and a paper towel
• Ceramic pen--they make these pens specially for these projects. DO NOT use a sharpie.
• An oven.

I will never ever get rid of that sweater. You won't see it pictured because it's super unflattering. But sooo  cozy.

Step one: Wear a comfy giant sweater that you never want to ever take off and get in a cozy mood. Then, thoroughly clean your pretty blank white mug that's about to be much less blank.

Why start a new language on the same line as another?? This mystifies me. No bueno.

Step 2: Read the directions on your pen. Follow directions on your pen. Basically, just draw or write whatever your sweet heart desires on this mug that will bring you your morning cup of joy, leave it completely alone for 8 hours and go clean be productive watch an insane amount of Netflix (I recommend An Idiot Abroad). Then put your mug into the oven on a cookie sheet before turning the oven on, shut the oven door, turn it on to 375, and set your timer for 40 minutes. When the timer goes off, remember why you set a timer and go take your mug out of the oven. Then remember to turn said oven off.

It is impossible to get good lighting in an outdated apartment oven. Sorry.

YES you did read the pen right--this is dishwasher safe!! I washed mine right away to see if this was true. It is. I've since washed these a hundred times. No chips. Still lovely.

You see 2 copies of Wuthering Heights here...guess how many I really have...

Most mornings I take a little time to read or journal before I get ready for work. It's a little way to remember some self-care, which is so easy to de-prioritize, and start the day calmly. The days I can actually wake up when Drew does at 5:45 are the best because I can take like a whole hour to myself. So lovely. And my mug sends me a little positive message every day, reminding me that all bodies are beautiful and I am gorgeous just as I am and taking me back to that week full of love, sea air, and peace.

If you make a mug, show me! I love to see what others create (duh, I'm in the arts and culture industry). Send me a link in the comments!