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Mugshot Monday - "CAFFEINATED" 24 oz coffee mug by "New Place New Space" with Morning Glory Cold Brew by Peace Coffee

I've never been a fan of these GIGANTIC coffee mugs that usually say "I've Cut Back to One Cup of Coffee a Day" or "I Like Big Mugs And I Cannot Lie".

I mean, they're super funny, but they're impractical and difficult to drink from. Not to mention your coffee gets cold before you're even half done!

This mug I'm holding is different. It's actually more or less a normal sized mug that has 4 extra inches in height added at the base.

I can even fit this one in my car's travel mug holder. Nice.

What's funny is it'd look like just a regular cup if I cropped the mug in half for my mugshot.

Don't get me wrong, this mug is still ridiculous! It holds 24 ounces of coffee and it did totally get cold before I was done drinking it.

But now I'm confirmed CAFFEINATED! 😂

I took a photo of the mug next to a 12oz bag of Peace Coffee beans for size. Yah, it's a big mug.

Maybe it's perfect for a huge cup of cold brew on ice during those 2 weeks in the summer when Minnesota gets miserably hot and humid? I'm going to test that.

How big is your favorite mug?

See also my 730+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com– Every Mug Has A Story

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Mugshot Monday - "Improving Minneapolis" coffee mug with Morning Glory Cold Brew by Peace Coffee

Last Friday, I attended my first Social Media Breakfast in probably 10 years! It was excellent.

The talk was at the Improving Minneapolis building in Northeast where Tony Tellijohn of Aktion Interactive spoke about social media marketing.

Social Media Breakfast (SMBMSP) is a monthly event where like-minded folks across the Twin Cities get together to share and learn about social media.

As their name suggests, breakfast is provided before each event: there are bagels, cheesecake, coffee and bacon. Sooooo much delicious bacon.

I've been out of the social media marketing world for about 10 years, but recently my wife launched Ying Spring Acupuncture, her new clinic in South Minneapolis, so I'm helping her with marketing.

Of course, a ton has changed in social from 10 years ago! SMBMSP moderator Jen Roventine asked great questions and Tony had great insights on the subject.

I'll be attending more of these breakfasts in the future.

This event was was kind of a reunion of sorts for me--I got to reconnect with some awesome humans IRL, like Greg Swan, Missy Voronyak, and Lindsay Valenty to name a few. I also met a lot of new folks as well.

I've known SMBMSP Director Mykl Roventine for a loooooong time, and it was so great to catch up with him a little before the event.

He found some Improving coffee mugs for a reunion selfie! 📸 ☕️

SMBMSP has been at many venues over the years, but I LOVE this current space at Improving Minneapolis near Northeast Athletic Field Park. It's nice and big, yet cozy and has plenty of parking. It's perfect.

I already picked up tickets to SMBMSP's next event on May 17 featuring Greg Swan & Jenny Swan: "Putting Humans Back in Social Media". See you there?

Thanks for my new coffee mug, Improving Minneapolis! Love it. ☕️ ✌🏻

Btw, check out this Mugshot Monday from 10 years ago on April 14, 2014 of me and Mykl! So awesome: Social Media Breakfast – Minneapolis / Saint Paul” coffee mug with special guest SMBMSP Director Mykl Roventine

See also my 720+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com– Every Mug Has A Story

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Mugshot Monday - "Little Toothpick Guy" coffee cup with Morning Glory Cold Brew by Peace Coffee

I'm in the process of learning how to make decals and put them on my ceramics. This was a recent test.

I made this little 4 ounce stoneware cup way back in 2019 when Jeff Oestreich was teaching me how to make handles in class I took at Northern Clay Center.

I tried making a one-finger handle and it turned out ridiculously HUGE. 😂

But it's a cute little cup and I love how the decal worked out.

I got a lot of help figuring these decals out because I don't really know what I'm doing. I'm testing a black-only decal with the help of Kip O'Krongly, and I'm testing out some full color decals with the help of Isaac Shue.

Each side of this mug has as decal from each artist's decal printer as a test to see if one printer was better for just black artwork. Both turned out awesome.

Kip and Isaac are AMAZING potters and you need to check out their work. They are also amazing people who have been SO helpful as I stumble along and learn how these decals work. Thank you!

I'd also like to give a shout-out to Adam at PX10 Pottery--he showed me how to apply the decals and he fired 'em up. Thanks, Adam! (You need to check out Adam's chicken plates if you have not already.)

If you're curious about the decal artwork for this test, I doodled that "Toothpick guy" stick figure on a syllabus back in the '90s during a Media Ethics lecture at UW Eau Claire.

The little stick figure later became the mascot for a 'zine I did in Eau Claire from 1992 to 1994 called TOOTHPICK. He was on every cover.

I made T-shirts, socks and stickers with Toothpick guy back then. Might as well make a TOOTHPICK coffee mug as well, right?

I hope to do more of these decal tests as I learn what I'm doing, so stay tuned!

See also my 720+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com– Every Mug Has A Story

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Prototype Version 2: "Commemorative April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse Minnesota" coffee mug

I had a few ideas for this prototype right after I posted my Mugshot Monday last week:

Created a version for the "Back" of the mug to highlight our unfortunate overcast weather statewide on 4/8

Spelled out 'Minnesota" with a li'l 70% eclipse treatment on the 'O'

Thoughts? I'll get the decals made and fire up some mugs soon.

I can’t imagine anyone else would want one of these, but let me know if you're weird like me and want one. $10-$15 price range, dishwasher and microwave safe! (PM here, or email: mugshotmonday@bigboxcar.com)

👉🏻 Check out the First Version for this prototype published April 8, 2024:

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Mugshot Monday - "Commemorative April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse Minnesota" *prototype* coffee mug with Morning Glory Signature Blend by Peace Coffee

Did you see the solar eclipse today? I didn't because I live in Minnesota and we had overcast skies across the state.

This cup is a fun prototype I was working on for an official commemorative April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse in Minnesota coffee mug.

The illustration was drawn by my son Milo (@milodrawswut on IG). His full illustration is actually a bigger more awesome drawing--I cropped the sun/moon part into a state of MN.

I like how it turned out!

There's a disclaimer:

"*Technically, MN only had a 70% outage. And, MN was mostly overcast. ☹️"

Minnesota wasn't in the path for a full eclipse, even though the illustration could be interpreted to suggest that's what we saw.

But also, the entire state was covered in clouds on the 8th. 😭 So there wasn't much to see at all, actually.

It was a huge bummer!

This prototype started as kind of a joke to make a commemorative eclipse mug for an area that wouldn't see the full eclipse. 😂 But I've decided I’m going to actually make one for myself.

I can’t imagine anyone else would want one of these, but let me know if you're weird like me and want one. $10-$15 price range, dishwasher and microwave safe!

Hope you had a better solar eclipse experience than we did here in Minnesota. Cheers! 🌒 ⛅️ 😭

PS: I'm wearing regular sunglasses in my mugshot, but don't worry--I couldn't even find the sun in all the thick cloud-cover.

See also my 720+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com– Every Mug Has A Story

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Mugshot Monday - "ELVIS - Teddy Bear" coffee mug by Nostalgia Collectibles with Peace Wave microwavable bean roasting system by Peace Coffee

I've got another Elvis coffee mug for you this morning, and it's a weird one.

First off, is the illustration of Elvis on this mug a joke? It doesn't look like him. Hs teeth and mouth are super awkward and the look on his face just isn't right.

I thought it looked more like a young Robert Smith from The Cure than Elvis! 😂

I asked with my mother-in-law Sandy, who is a huge Elvis fan, to see what she thought of this Elvis mug:

"Nope. It doesn't look like him. It kind of looks like a woman posed for the painting."

What a strange mug. I've got one more Elvis mug from this 4-mug set to post!

Speaking of strange, my friends at Peace Coffee approached me a month ago to home-test their weird but innovative Peace Wave microwavable bean roasting system.

I was 100% skeptical about this coffee at first, but I think they're on to something. It's pretty good. Should be available soon--read more about it.

Btw, Peace Coffee is donating three percent of customer purchases to charity for the month of April! That's very cool, so go buy some delicious beans.

Cheers! 🤩🕺☕️

See last week's Elvis mug from this 4-piece mug collection.

See also my 720+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com– Every Mug Has A Story

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Mugshot Monday - "ELVIS - Hound Dog" coffee mug by Nostalgia Collectibles with Morning Glory Signature Blend by Peace Coffee

Here's a spontaneous Elvis coffee mug for your Monday!

Cheers! 🤩🕺☕️

Thx for this Elvis mug, Burl! ✌🏻 See more of my Elvis mugshots.

See also my 720+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com– Every Mug Has A Story

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Mugshot Monday - "Celtic Knot Stoneware Mug" by Glen Appin of Scotland with Snowshoe Seasonal Blend by Peace Coffee

Happy St. Patrick's Day to those who celebrate!

My friend Chris wanted to give me a mug to use for a St. Patrick's Day themed Mugshot Monday. What a thoughtful gift!

If you're like me, when you go searching the internets for a specific kind of coffee mug, you end up going down some fun little rabbit holes.

Chris said this mug with its Celtic art jumped out at him amongst the standard St. Patrick's Day mugs with the standard leprechaun-theme you see on the holiday.

I actually don't know much about Celtic art other than it's really beautiful and super intricate.

I didn't even know what "Celtic knots" were or what they symbolize.

A google search tells me that Celtic knots stand for interconnection.

"The endless nature of these knots highlight the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. They’re usually seen as a positive symbol, and can symbolize love, happiness, faith and friendship."

I love that! The other interesting thing I was ignorant about was that Celtic is not unique to Ireland.

Merriam Webster's definition of Celtic is: A group of Indo-European languages usually subdivided into Brythonic and Goidelic and now largely confined to Brittany, Wales, Ireland, and the Scottish Highlands

This helps explain why my new "Celtic Knot Stoneware Mug " was made by a Scottish manufacturer, Glen Appin of Scotland!

Btw, Glen Appin of Scotland has other rad mugs and some amazing tweed bags on their Instagram: @glenappinofscotland. So goooood!

I enjoyed going down my own little rabbit hole learning about Celtic art.

Thanks, Chris, for this great mug! I love it. Cheers! ☕️ 🤩 ☘️

PS: I'm enjoying the last of my delicious Snowshoe blend by Peace Coffee just in time for the freezing temps to return to Minnesota! Omg I'm so ready for "real" spring.

See also my 720+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com– Every Mug Has A Story

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Just wanted to let you know, I look forward to your posts every Monday!!

Thanks so much. Cheers! ☕️ 🤩 🙌🏻

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Mugshot Monday - "Whale Tail Coffee Mug" by Doug Wylie with Ethiopia Light Roast by Peace Coffee

This is a coffee mug from my Aunt Louisa's whale mug collection, and it's a whopper!

It holds 24 ounces of coffee and has the most amazing mug handle I've ever experienced.

Artist Doug Wylie (I think) still makes these mugs in Orangevale, CA along with amazing ceramic and bronze sculptures of marine animals: Whales, dolphins, and octopi. It's really incredible work.

But let's talk about this mug handle more. It's surprisingly comfortable and to be honest I thought this mug was going to be cumbersome and heavy. But it's not.

It's incredible workmanship. I'm in awe of how comfy this whale tail handle is.

There's a really cool whale carved into the mug that's a little difficult to see because the dark blue glaze ran a little more than maybe was intended. It's a really amazing piece.

I can imagine my aunt buying this mug while on her way to one of her whale watching expeditions in the 80s. Makes me smile.

I wish I could ask my Aunt Louisa more about the mug's story. She passed away in 2018. 🐋 ☕️ 🙌🏻

See also my 720+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com– Every Mug Has A Story

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Mugshot Monday - "Vintage Gentleman's Mustache Guard Mug" with Morning Glory Signature Blend by Peace Coffee

My friend Adam saw this mug posted to the "Buy Nothing Northrop, Minneapolis, MN" Facebook group and asked if I wanted it.

"Of course!" was my answer. I thought I could post a Mugshot Monday in Movember after I had a month to grow out an epic mustache and beard like the gentlemen on this mug.

This mug has five old-timey woodcut illustrations showing off some pretty spectacular facial hair.

These guys totally need one of these mustache guard mugs, otherwise their facial hair would get soaked when they drank coffee.

As it turned out, I totally forgot about using this mug in November. Oops.

But it's probably for the best because when I talked to my wife Cindy about growing out an epic beard, she just replied, "NOPE."

Since Cindy looks at my face more than I do and I don't have an epic mustache, today I just added one using an Instagram filter.

That's right. That's not my real mustache. 😂

Btw, I had Cindy read this before I posted and she wanted to clarify her stance on facial hair:

"It's not that I don't like epic beards or mustaches. I just don't want one on YOU."

Haha! I actually think she's right about that. Love it. 😜

See also my 720+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com– Every Mug Has A Story

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Mugshot Monday - Maggie's "Cat & Mouse" coffee mug by Crate & Barrel with Morning Glory Signature Blend by Peace Coffee

We bought this Cat & Mouse coffee mug for our dear neighbor Maggie. She had a cat named Rory who looked pretty much exactly like the cat on this mug.

It seemed like Rory was an old cat when we met her in 2002. She seemed to live forever.

I can remember going over to take care of her when Maggie would go away on trips. Every day, she'd come marching down the stairs loudly scolding me with ever footstep for not coming over sooner to feed her.

I'd apologize and she'd lean into my leg, purring. I'd be forgiven and we were all good again.

Rory passed a couple of years before Maggie died and we miss them both so very much. I'm grateful to have Maggie's cat mug--it makes me smile remembering them.

Cheers to Maggie and Rory. RIP. ☕️ 🐈‍⬛

See also my 720+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com– Every Mug Has A Story

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Mugshot Monday - "Presidential Pets" coffee mug by The Unemployed Philosophers Guild with Morning Glory Signature Blend by Peace Coffee

Happy Presidents' Day to those who celebrate!

I have the day off so I'm lounging this afternoon drinking coffee in my Presidential Pets coffee mug.

It's a curated list of presidential pets who lived in the White House for 4 or 8 years depending if their owner survived re-election, or not.

When I think of presidential pets, the first one that comes to mind is "Socks", Bill and Hillary Clinton's cat. The second pet I think of is "Bo", Barack and Michelle Obama's rad dog.

I really don't know my presidential pets and I found some of the pets on the mug very interesting:

Calvin Coolidge had a racoon named Rebecca.

Thomas Jefferson had a mockingbird named Dick.

Theodore Roosevelt had guinea pigs named Admiral Dewey, Dr. Johnson, Bishop Doane, Fighting Bob Evans, and Father O'Grady.

My favorite--JFK had a pony named Macaroni!

Jimmy Carter gets the best name for a Siamese cat: Misty Malarkey Ying Yang.

Only Donald Trump, James K. Polk, and Andrew Johnson did not have a single presidential pet while they were in office. Very vary suspect, don't you think?

Here is every pet on my Presidential Pets coffee mug:

Admiral Dewey, Bishop Doane, Dr. Johnson, Father O'Grady, and Fighting Bob Evans (Theodore Roosevelt)

Barney (George W. Bush)

Bo (Barack Obama)

Dick (Thomas Jefferson)

Emily Spinach (Theodore Roosevelt)

Fala (Franklin D. Roosevelt)

Him and Her (Lyndon B. Johnson)

Jack (Abraham Lincoln)

Laddie Boy (Warren G. Harding)

Macaroni (JFK)

Major and Champ (Joseph R. Biden, Jr.)

Millie (George H. W. Bush)

Misty Malarkey Ying Yang (James Carter)

Mr. Reciprocity and Mr. Protection (Benjamin Harrison)

Old Ike (Woodrow Wilson)

Old Whitey (Zachary Taylor)

Pauline Wayne (William Howard Taft)

Polly (James Madison)

Rebecca (Calvin Coolidge)

Rex (Ronald Reagan)

Siam (Rutherford B. Hayes)

Socks (William J. Clinton)

Sweettips (George Washington)

Washington Post (William McKinley)

The mug impressively displays these 24 presidential pet illustrations and serves as a great introduction to the subject. If you'd like a more comprehensive list, check out the Presidential Pet Museum website.

Cheers to all the presidential pets! 🐕 🐈 🐎 ☕️

See also my 720+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com– Every Mug Has A Story

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Mugshot Monday - Vintage "NWA" coffee mug made exclusively for Northwest Airlines by AMKO International with Kenyan Earl Grey tea by JUSTEA

Who remembers flying NWA?

The Minnesota based international airline known as Northwest Airlines officially merged with Delta Airlines back in 2010.

Marketing executives chose to keep the Delta branding, so the 'NWA' brand was officially retired.

I bet you're thinking I lifted this cute tiny little cup (it's only ~3.5" tall with a 2.5" diameter) from a flight back in the old days. I wish I had a story like that to tell.

I actually bought this cup at a thrift store a few months back when it brought back memories of flying out to California for Pearson family reunions when I was a teenager.

Back then, you'd get a complementary meal that you'd eat on your compact pull-down tray space. And you'd get complementary coffee or complementary soda or complementary snacks.

Those days are long gone! These days, you're lucky if anything complimentary is included with the purchase of your ticket.

Also gone are the ceramic cups. These days, coffee is served in a "modern" paper coffee cup.

Maybe I can get a cup of coffee in a ceramic cup if I fly first class? I don't fly very often, so I could be wrong about that.

When's the last time you had a cup of coffee in a ceramic cup at 35,000 feet in the air?

Btw, I decided to have some delicious Earl Grey by JUSTEA instead of coffee because this cup is so dang tiny. Yum. Cheers! 🤩 ☕️

See also my 720+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com – Every Mug Has A Story

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Mugshot Monday - "Red Peace Coffee MN Mug" by Deneen Pottery with Snowshoe Seasonal Blend by Peace Coffee

I have a thing for red Peace Coffee mugs made by Deneen Pottery, so I knew I'd be drinking coffee from this new mug sooner than later.

Way back 12 years ago, Peace Coffee made a little red smiling mug-on-a-mug that made me smile when I posted my Mugshot Monday.

This new one is awesome, too. I love the detail on the artwork--it's so intricate! Look closely and you'll see a rooster, a squirrels, a bicycle, a butterfly and more. I love it.

This Snowshoe Seasonal Blend is my absolute FAVORITE coffee bean that Peace Coffee makes. I always buy as many bags as I can when it comes out because it'll be gone soon enough.

Speaking of being "gone", where has all the snow gone??!!

And speaking of snowshoes, I haven't been able to go snowshoeing once this year.

These unseasonal temps in Minnesota just don't feel right to me. Will we see snow this season at all??

Get yourself a new Red Peace Coffee MN mug here: https://www.peacecoffee.com/shop/gifts-and-gear/red-peace-coffee-mn-mug/

And as long as you're adding stuff to your cart, get a 12oz bag (or a 5lb bag like I usually buy) of some Snowshoe blend beans. You won't be disappointed: https://www.peacecoffee.com/shop/coffee/snowshoe-seasonal-blend/

Cheers! 🤩 ☕️

See more of the awesome Deneen Pottery mugs from my collection.

See also my 720+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com – Every Mug Has A Story

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Mugshot Monday - "Karl's Mug" by Gordon C. Krause with Snowshoe Seasonal Blend by Peace Coffee

This is an original Gordon C. Krause mug and it has my name on it! 🙌🏻

Gordy Krause is my mother’s cousin and I've been surrounded by his work since I was born. My extended family and I own as many Krause ceramic pieces as we can fit into our cupboards, on our walls, and on our living room end tables.

In our house, we have coffee mugs, a mirror, a chip & dip platter, wind chimes, and a lamp. Even our house numbers were made by Gordy!

He’s a fantastic potter and an awesome human.

Gordy is mostly retired now and (I think) only does commissions. Five months ago, Gordy and his wife Jean gathered all their leftover inventory for one final art fair sale in Sheboygan, WI where they live.

I asked if they had any coffee mugs left and they did not. But Jean suggested Gordy make one for me!

I'm so stoked.

All I can say is this: Get yourself a mug made by your favorite potter. It will make you smile in the morning as you drink your coffee--especially on Mondays.

Cheers! ☕️ 🙌🏻 🤩

See more of Gordy's work featured on my site.

See also my 720+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com – Every Mug Has A Story

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Mugshot Monday - "Blue Stemless Wine Cup" by Paper Moon Pottery with Montepulciano d'Abruzzo by Villa Cerrina

Cheers! I'm having a glass of wine tonight in my new ceramic wine cup I picked up in Wisconsin last weekend.

We spent the afternoon in Mt. Horeb and stopped by Isaac's Antique store on Main Street. I'd never been there before! It's a really great shop with 3 floors to browse.

We found some really fun stuff including an amazing vintage bird pitcher.

I was surprised to find a table full of *new* functional pottery at an antique store. I've been thinking about trying to make wine cups so when I picked up this beautiful blue cup, I was intrigued by the shape. I had to buy it.

The maker is Lori Kuntz of Paper Moon Pottery, but I can't seem to find her website or Instagram or Facebook. There's just a few posts on Isaac's Facebook page with limited info.

I'll update this post if I find out more about her, so you'll just have to head to Isaac's Antiques in Mt. Horeb if you want to see her great pottery. 😀

Cheers! And thanks, Mark, for the fabulous wine recommendation. It's one of my favorites now. 💯

See also also my 720+ photos from the Mugshot Monday project here: www.MugshotMonday.com – Every Mug Has A Story