keeping things creative & crafty

Being home for Thanksgiving break has been so nice, and I was really craving some rest and relaxation time while I was up at school. Along with that, I was really excited to craft in my kitchen back home. So today when boredom struck, I scrolled through my craft board on Pinterest and was inspired to decorate a coffee mug. I had a plain white one here at home I could use, and I found inspiration from this blog to make my own stamp to stamp on feathers onto the mug. So I can't take credit for thinking of how to make the stamp on my own, but I just decided to use it in a different way. Check out my process below.

Materials used: ceramic mug / paint brush / foam paper with an adhesive back ($1 at Michael's) / Martha Stewart Glass Paint in Glass Opaque Shade: Vanilla Bean (approx. $4 at Michael's) / scissors / note: download the Michael's app on your phone for coupons. I got my foam paper and paint for 20% off with the app.

I ended up buying this paint because it supposedly was dishwasher safe on glass once you baked it or let it dry for a certain amount of time. I couldn't find any ceramic safe paint so after consulting my crafty friend Abigail we decided the shiny ceramic surface should hold the paint much like glass would. Results on that to come.

My first step was to practice drawing a feather on paper and then when I got the look I wanted, I drew on the foam with a ball point pen.

It was convenient that the foam paper had an adhesive back because then I just cut the feather out of the foam, cut squares around the feather, and stuck on the squares together to make the base of the stamp. I then stuck the feather on top and the stamp was complete.

Before stamp painting on my actual mug, I did some trial and error stamping and painting on paper.

I found that lightly coating the paint onto the stamp with a paintbrush was the most successful application process for dipping it into the paint caused the paint to be in globs on the stamp, which distorted the feather when stamped.

Making multiple different feather stamps would have created a cool look, but I decided to just flip the feather upside down a different parts to create a different look rather than making a whole new stamp.

I thought about writing a verse or song lyrics on the mug, but I ended up just applying my name to it because sometimes when you live in a sorority house with 75 other girls, it's nice to label your stuff.

After painting on the design, you set the mug in the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees. After its fully heated, you keep it in there for 30 minutes. After that time is up, turn off the oven and let it cool for an hour. (Instructions per the Martha Stewart website).

I'm really happy with how the mug turned out, and after baking it I smudged some of the paint with water and it did not come off! So I'll let you know if after washing it the design is still in tact or not. I'm hoping I can keep it as perfect as possible by hand washing it. The process was not difficult at all to make the stamp, and I'm hoping to try it again over Christmas break perhaps on a shirt or tank top.

Happy belated Thanksgiving! I hope you ate lots and lots and lots of food.