Personalized Coffee Mug

If you need a simple and affordable gift idea for a coworker, friend, or family member, try a personalized coffee mug. Instead of settling for “World’s Best Dad,” or “Class of ’99,” here are some fresh ideas for you to use.

Photo Memory

We’ve all seen the kiosk at the mall that will snap a picture of you and immortalize it on a mug, which is a great idea in theory until your mug shot truly looks like a mugshot. Why not use that picture of you and your friend giggling over margaritas at your last birthday party instead? Give a personalized coffee mug that can also serve as a memory holder. With a little planning, getting an existing picture on a mug is just as easy, and actually more convenient, than trekking down to the kiosk at the mall. You can upload pictures right from your computer, and with a few simple clicks your personalized coffee mug is on its way to you.

Inspiring Words

If a picture isn’t appropriate for the recipient of your personalized coffee mug, try some textual enlightenment instead. Don’t worry about finding the perfect quote, why not just find a really great word instead? Be creative. Use a word to describe your favorite attribute of the recipient, like “fluidity,” or something nice you wish for them, like “ovation.”

Original Artwork

Another option for you personalized coffee mug is original artwork. You don’t have to be Picasso, just have fun. You can find kits at places like craft stores that allow you to draw or paint your own artwork and insert it into a tumbler-style coffee mug. This is a great option if the personalized coffee mug is a gift from a child, as it’s a project they can complete independently with many chances to finalize the artwork before it’s inserted into the personalized coffee mug.

If you prefer a slightly more refined finished product in this category, try going to a pottery studio, where you can still paint a personalized coffee mug, but the finished product will be professionally fired in a kiln. You can choose to paint a stenciled design, or choose a plain mug to have complete design freedom. There are a number of these studios popping up nationwide, the most well known probably being Color Me Mine. Visit their website to find a location near you.