Personalized Coffee Mug With Oven Baked Clay

I believe that the taste of coffee is directly related to the type of mug you use. Call me crazy, but I’d rather wait for a dishwasher to end a cycle so I can grab my favorite one, than use a mug that’s not suitable. I like to use different cups to send silent messages to the rest of the household- Ron Swanson’s mug is used while DIYing, Troll comes out when I’m cranky and Nosebleed means that I’m mentally exhausted and in need of chocolate.

Polymer clay is a fun and easy to use medium, suitable for kids and adults and non-toxic. As you can see, I focused on noses and moustaches, but this project will work with anything, not just body parts ;)

Few bullet points about polymer clay:

• it stays soft and pliable until baked
• bakes in a regular oven at 110°C (FIMO brand), it's non-toxic, so safe to bake at home
• baking time depends on the thickness- 30 minutes for every 1/4 inch thickness
• can be sanded once baked and cooled
• can be baked again

Those mugs can't be put in a microwave or a dishwasher, hand-wash only.

• New or old mugs (try to match the size of the mug to the size of your clay sculpture)
• Polymer clay (about 50-70g per nose, less for a moustache)
• Sculpting tools (polymer tools or cheaper option- fondant sculpting tools https://www.amazon.co.uk/nuoshen-Modeling-Double-...
• Aluminum foil
• Exacto knife
• Non-permanent marker (crayon or eye pencil could work too, as long as it’s easy to remove from the mug)
• Acetone or rubbing alcohol
• Cotton buds
• Two-part fast acting epoxy
• Acrylic paints
• Sanding paper (optional)
• Varnish (I used both spray-on https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rust-Oleum-AE0040002E8-C... and paint-on https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rust-Oleum-AE0040002E8-C..., either type will work)
• Ceramic paint (optional)
  
  Additionally:
• For Nosebleed: red nail polish for blood
• For Troll: disposable brush and superglue for hairy nostrils
• For Ron Swanson: decal or a sticker for a quote

Determine placement, size and shape by drawing on the mug (use non-permanent marker). Use a mirror to check what the final placement will look like.

• Form a smooth, walnut-size ball and roll it into a thick snake.
• Press onto the mug and make sure it sticks really well. Continue smoothing until the top part of the moustache has a desired thickness.
• If your moustache is too long, use a knife to trim it.
• Use exacto knife to shave the bottom part of the moustache, so it’s tapered.
• Smooth the moustache with tools.
• To imitate the hair, use a toothpick or a needle to carve grooves along the whole moustache.

Since it’s between ¼ and ½ inch thick, I baked it for 1 hour to be on the safe side.

Determine placement, size and shape by drawing on the mug (use non-permanent marker). Use a mirror to check what the final placement will look like.

• Form a smooth, golf-size ball and roll it into a teardrop.
• Slice a thin piece with a knife and attach to the mug. Press it to secure it.
• Add bits and pieces to create nostrils and the tip of the nose. Size and shape depends on the type of nose you want.
• Use smoothing tools and a knife to create the shape of your nose. You can always add more clay or remove it, so you can play around a bit.
• Create nostrils.
• You can use a small brush dipped in water to smooth the surface, but let the water evaporate before baking.
• I added a nose ring by pushing an old piercing through the nostril with pliers.

This is a very thick piece, so it was baked for 2 hours.

Determine placement, size and shape by drawing on the mug (use non-permanent marker). Use a mirror to check what the final placement will look like.

For this one I wanted to use a different technique:

• Knead a small aluminum ball and wrap it in a thin layer of clay (this will reduce the weight and the amount of clay needed, very useful for bigger projects).
• Shape the nose on a flat surface instead of the mug.
• Roll a thin layer of clay and press it onto the surface of the mug, add the finished nose on top, press to ensure it's adhered.
• Cut off the leftover clay and smooth the border between the nose and the mug.
• Sculpt nostrils and carve additional, large holes inside nostrils for hair.
• Add warts, cracks, imperfections

Another very thick piece, bake for 2 hours.

When your mugs are done baking, leave them in the oven to cool down completely. Once baked and cooled, polymer clay will pop off very easily. It will never stay adhered to the mug on its own. If you need to, draw an outline of the clay piece, so you don't forget where to glue the object later.

• Use a sanding paper, if needed.
• Paint directly on the surface, no need for primers.
• Varnish and leave to dry before gluing.

Use a small amount of Blu Tack to temporarily affix clay pieces to an object you can hold without smearing the paint.

Rub the side of the mug with acetone or alcohol to de-grease it and prepare it for gluing.

Wipe the back of the sculpture with acetone or alcohol, use Exacto knife to score the back. Rough surface will aid in gluing it more securely.

Mix a small amount of epoxy, spread a thin layer onto the back, but leave the edges untouched, epoxy will spread once squished. Either hold the piece while it dries or use a masking tape to keep it in place.

Have some cotton buds and acetone on hand. If you used too much and epoxy starts oozing out, you will need to wipe the excess away while it's still wet. Use moistened cotton buds to remove the excess glue. Dip them in acetone if nothing else works.

I couldn't find a green mug anywhere, so I settled on a random mug and decided to paint it at home to match the color of the nose.

I used tape to cover the handle, rim and the part where the nose will be glued,. I painted the mug, removed the tape and baked it in the oven.

Two options for painting a ceramic mug:

1. Special ceramic paint available at craft stores and online (has to be baked in the oven to seal it).
2. Acrylic paint, any good quality, opaque paint will do. Add enough layers to create desired effect. Put the mug in a cold oven, turn the temperature up and bake at 180°C for 30 min. You don't have to varnish it.
   

I used regular nail polish and a toothpick to distribute "blood" all over the bottom of the mug.

Ron Swanson's mug was graced with one of his quotes on a sticker (transparent decal).

I glued (with epoxy) the hair inside the nostrils (pulled and glued together bristles from a disposable brush).