I saw this one a while ago and never got around to trying it until Superstore had huge mugs on sale for $1.50. I need a lot of coffee in my life, so huge mugs are essential. Bonus points if they fit into my Nespresso, which this lovely item did.
Double win
I decided to experiment on it and try the nail polish watercolour decoration method. I figured that if I botched it, no one would notice and it's not like it was an expensive mug.
So, how'd it go?
I used this tutorial here and this one too. Both methods are pretty much the same.
I got all my stuff ready to go. I don't paint my nails much (not allowed at work, blah blah blah) so my colour options were limited.
First thing I learned? Use new(er) nail polish. Or warm it up a bit. First round all the drops just sank to the bottom of the tin. Luckily it's easy to clean up, just swirl a tooth pick around and it'll pick up the polish on the top.
Second thing I learned? Use a bright DEEP colour. The paler aqua colour needed a lot to even show up on the white mug. So expect to use more polish if you want to use a paler/lighter colour.
Third? Keep that water warm. As soon as it started to cool, the nail polish would harden up on the surface before I even had a second to pick up my mug.
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What happens if you don't work fast enough |
And finally? Keep a LARGE bottle of nail polish remover around, unless you're super confident at this kind of thing. It took me a LOT of dips and trials to get a look I liked. The good thing is if you work fast, you can wipe it off with a paper towel and nail polish remover if you make a mistake.
Overall opinion?
I kind of really like it. I ended up doing two colours and it gives the mug a really neat look. The mug MUST be hand washed, and I try to avoid the outside as much as possible. I've been using it for about 2 months now (which is why I took so long in posting this) and it's holding up beautifully.
So whether you'd be making these for yourself or for a friend, it's a definite win. It's a really inexpensive gift or project, especially if you have lots of nail polish sitting around. Just give yourself some time to play with it, and be prepared to make a mess.
**UPDATE**
So I just wanted to update on how this mug has held up. After approximately 10 months of almost daily use it has held up very well. There are only a couple of tiny spots where the polish has come off but the colours have held up. I wash it by hand, focusing on the inside and a light rinse on the outside when needed. This is a definite win of a project!