Anthropologie Archetype

Admittedly, the title is a bit of a stretch, but oh how I love a good alliterative combination. Anthropologie is by far my most favorite store EVER. Seriously, I would spend every single penny I had there if I had no bills and no financial responsibilities in life, but realistically I can only afford things when they go to the way-too-small Sale room.

One thing I have had my eye on for years is the initial oversized mug. Just like everything else in that store, I drool over it every time I step foot in there. But it costs $6. For.one.coffee.mug. And I'm pretty sure it used to cost about double that. So I decided to make my own, only using things I had laying around my house. So this project was 100 percent F-R-E-E.

Here she goes:

I started with an old holiday mug from Target a few years back that my mom gave me the last time I was home. (Every time I visit my Mom in Florida she tries to pawn off anything she no longer wants onto me. And I, being too weak of an individual to say no, begrudgingly take it and schlep it all the way back to Atlanta until I find something to do with it. Just kidding Mom, I LOVE it when you give me things!!)

I gave the mug a quick wash to remove any dust and applied multiple light coats of white spray paint. My personal favorite brand is Krylon, but Home Depot recently switched up its brand and now only carries Rustoleum, which I just don't like as much. But for this I used Rustoleum Paint and Primer in one in flat white. On second thought, a satin finish would be better for this project, but use what you have. I will likely go back over it with a clear sealant just to make it a bit shiny.

After it was covered and dried, the real fun began. Drawing on it! I just used a fine tip black Sharpie, but the possibilities of color and design are endless. I copied exactly how Anthropologie's looked since I loved it so much. Below you will see Anthropologie's version and mine underneath it. You shouldn't have a hard time telling them apart, because once again I am NOT an artist, but I'm really happy with the way it turned out! My intention with this mug is purely decorative, so it would not be safe to drink out of. If you want to use yours as an actual coffee or tea mug, you would need to buy a plain white ceramic mug. You can still draw on it with permanent marker and it will be dishwasher safe without messing up your design.

This would make an excellent gift for someone. I have been dreaming of doing two mugs for John and I that say "John's Joe" and "Danna's Decaf" for some time now. You could even add twine to the handles to dress them up a little. But that would probably be best for the merely decorative cups.

Has anyone attempted an Anthro hack of the sort? Or any other mug art for that matter? Tell me about it in the comments section!

Happy crafting and happy weekend everyone! I'll be back on Monday with a post about warming up an entry way, so make sure to tune in!