10 Minute Mugs

The following post is a guest post by Elizabeth, the Author, and Creator of the 10-Minute Mugs course.

Raise your hand if you like coffee? How about tea? Hot chocolate? Me, I’m a hot chocolate girl. In contrast, my husband can down a pot of coffee and 9:00 at night and go to bed shortly after. If you took a poll of your city, your state, or even your country, odds are good that a vast majority of the people would report that they drink some kind of beverage from a mug.

Not only am I a hot chocolate fan, I’m also obsessed with crafts. These two interests led me to one of my favorite kinds of projects: mug-making. It started with dotted Sharpie mugs. I made a mug for my sister-in-law and she loved it.

 

It turns out other people like mug crafts, too. Unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be a consensus for how to make Sharpie mugs and thus was born The Ultimate Guide to Sharpie Mugs, a guide for others who wanted to create these mugs but didn’t know how.

 

And then came Marbled Nail Polish Mugs and How to Transfer a Design to Mugs. It was mug madness!

 

Out of this mug madness was born 10-Minute Mugs, an eBook devoted to quick and easy mugs that you can make yourself. I know, you’ve got to be thinking, “Can there even be any more ways to make mugs?”. Why yes, yes there can be. 10-Minute Mugs includes tutorials, tips, tricks, and designs to help you create beautiful mugs in a flash. While some of the mugs have been featured on my blog, there are three mugs that are exclusive to the eBook (and honestly, out of all the mugs I have made, I think these  are my favorites.)

Glitter Mugs

Metallic Spray Painted Mugs

 

 

And if you’re not a designer or don’t have perfect penmanship? Never fear! 10-Minute Mugs has 18 downloadable patterns for your next DIY mug.

 

If you want to become a mug-making master, make sure to check out 10-Minute Mugs.

About The Author:

Elizabeth is the author of Destination Decoration, a crafting blog devoted to providing tutorials that make crafting accessible to all. Destination Decoration is a home to all things crafty, from woodworking to watercolor, from canvas art to Dollar Store crafts. Elizabeth is also a self-taught calligrapher and an eager and willing learner of all things hand-lettering.

Apart from crafting, Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her husband and cats (though admittedly, she’s more of a dog person). She is an avid reader and to be honest, drinks more soda than she probably (definitely) should.

Hey, I Designed You A Mug – Now Fill It With This

So you purchased yourself a designer mug, supporting independent artists with your choice. Good for you. We, the creatives behind these designs thank you. But now what? It is a specialty mug, so just pouring in some darn old coffee from the grocery store would not be fitting. No way. These cups ask for something special.

No worries, I did the work for you and found some really wonderful coffees and teas you should fill that special mug with.

Jacobs Kronung Coffee
This coffee is tradition and perfection in a cup. There is simply not a better roast out there, that does not cost you an arm, a leg and your first born. I grew up on this stuff, and it is the standard by which I hold each other coffee. Sorry, Starbucks, your coffee taste like pee water compared to this.

JO – Organic Fair Trade Coffee, Medium Roast
My favorite of the Fair Trade Coffee’s out there. Stick with the medium roast of this brand for best results. While it is not as fine and sophisticated in flavor as the before mentioned German coffee, it is still the best I could find so far in its category. And while drinking it, you can really feel good about yourself for being a responsible consumer (again).

Teekanne Rosehip and Hibiscus Tea
I simply love this tea, its tart, refreshing taste, even if you drink it as a hot cup of tea (which I prefer.)  It is my go to cup with a few cookies as part of a quick afternoon break. It tastes fruity and light, though I recommend to add your favorite sweetener, on its own it can be surprisingly sour.

Teavana Pineapple Berry Blue Loose-Leaf Tea
No list that includes teas is complete without having a pineapple flavored addition to it. At least that is my opinion. Hey, don’t knock it until you tried it, this tea is hot and cold a wonderful treat. Cheaper than a Hawaiian vacation.

Moonstruck Classic Hot Cocoa
Wintertime is hot chocolate time, and I prefer the classic, no fancy added flavored version of hot chocolates. This creamy, deep flavored, elegant milk chocolate cocoa mix does the trick here. It is a wonderful way to wind down a busy holiday day, and no December evening would be complete without it. I would recommend to get extra. Especially if you are a chocoholic like I am.

Now savor that hot (or cold) stuff!

Have a wonderful day!

Claudia

 Disclaimer: The above post contains affiliate links.

Best of Zazzle – Quote Edition # 2

Being surrounded by quotes can help you stay inspired and motivated. Sometimes the wisdom of those before us, give us an extra boost to reach for our own dreams.  I have collected some mugs that feature such inspiring words. Enjoy!

Attitude

Believe

Sparkle

Growth – Rumi Quote

Henry Ford Quote

As always, thank you for supporting independent artists with your purchase!

Have a wonderful day!

Claudia

5 Quick Tips For New Print On Demand Artists

Getting started on Print on Demand sites, like RedBubble or Zazzle, can be overwhelming. To ensure a smooth start, I have compiled five quick tips that can assist you on your journey of selling your art online via these platforms.

1. Use strategic listing titles
A Day in the sun might sound poetic, but does not describe your art very well – instead go for something like “A Watercolor rendition of a family relaxing in a park”. Does not sound that good, but it gets the point across.

2. Use the hashtags.
Make them relevant, but make them thorough – the more, the better. In Zazzle use your most descriptive to the point tags first – the first ten are considered your power tags.

3. Make sure your designs fit properly.
Zazzle has a great little tool, that allows you to see if your design is big enough to fit properly – this is especially important with items such as pillows. In RedBubble, you can adjust the design in the individual product category. Use it. What might look good on a pillow, might not look that good at the same size a cell phone cover.

4. Write clear, and informative products descriptions that include keywords.
Be precise, to the point, but try to convey the product in a way that someone who can  not see a picture of it, would understand the basic idea of what it is about. Include the customizable options, and size options (if applicable) in your description as well. For example “Customizable to fit a variety of cell phone covers for you newest phone, to include the iPhone 6, Samsung Galaxy S6, and more”

5. Tell your story!
Make sure you have a compelling profile, that includes a little personal information and how you came to be an artist. Talk about your passions. The more you care about your art, and voice that, the more your customers will care about it too. Make it personal.

Wishing you the best success on your journey as a print on demand artist!