It’s marbling mania friends. Ever since I discovered this marbling technique and made these Easter Eggs (here), I’ve been dying to marble again.
It’s an addicting craft because it’s so easy. The problem and fun part is, you get what you get. So I wouldn’t try this out on something that is special. Cheap coffee cups and other items from the dollar store are perfect to use for this project.
Cheap nail polish works well too. I bought these colors just for marbling. 
You can find my tutorial for marbling here but here’s the basic idea.
You can see on this side of the coffee cup where I dipped and then redipped the cup. I think it makes it even more interesting. 
Here are views of all sides of the cup. The more nail polish you use, the heavier the the colors will be on your cup. I prefer the lighter marbled side and will use less nail polish next time.
I’m marble obsessed now. 
The only problem with this cup is I can’t use it drink coffee since I dipped the cup up to the top edge. I should have just dipped the bottom portion. Oh well, it’s a pretty décor piece and I can put flowers in it. 
Have any nail polish in your cupboard? Try marbling something. You’ll love the results.
Thanks for visiting my little corner of the creative world.
wow I love it!
ReplyDeleteHow on earth do you come up with this stuff?!! Brilliant, as always Carolyn!
ReplyDeleteOMG! it looks fabulous Carolyn!!!! I must try this!
ReplyDeleteOMG I love this. Can't wait to try it!
ReplyDeleteSuch a Wonnegefühl idea, thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful effect! Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThese turned out so beautifully!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!!
ReplyDeleteOk I am trying it, not working exactly as I expected. My first drops of nail polish spread but the next layer of drops don't. When I go to spread them, everything sticks to the toothpick. So I just stayed with the drops but they are so thick it looks like those will take forever to dry. It looks ok and the end product will have texture. Did you add anything to the water to condition it? Wondering if my water is to hard? Trial and error. I can always erase it all with nail polish remover and start over. maybe the nail polish is crappy quality? Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteHmmm. Most of my nail polish spread out like in my photo above. When you swirl with the toothpick try to barely touch the surface paint and move it gently. I had a few clumps of thick paint but not very many. I have hard water too so I don't know if that affects the result. I didn't add anything to the water and I used cheap nail polish. You don't need very much nail polish. Try using just a few drops of each color. Other than that, I don't know what to recommend. Any readers out there have any suggestions?
DeleteAdd a couple of drops of nail polish remover to the water before you add colors. That will help. Also, work quickly to add nail polish and use the the toothpick. If it dries too much, it sticks like you described above. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the tip! Readers - take note... if you're having problems with the technique try the tip above.
Deletewow! that looks truly beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAre you able to wash these once they are done?
ReplyDeleteHi Kelly, I've hand washed my mug but I don't think it's dishwasher safe because of the heat.
DeleteThanks!
I have been in love with your mug since i saw it! I loved it sooo much that I posted about it today!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!!!! Love this project, and the colors you chose! Happy crafting!
ReplyDeleteKristy @ 3 Peppers Recipes - Cooking, Crafts & Color
How do you make sure the colours stay on the mug?
ReplyDeleteOnce you dip the mug the nail polish dries on the mug. Just hand wash it carefully.
Deletenot sure if anyone reads this since its been a year since the last post BUT if you dont like the design cant you just use polish remover and start again??
ReplyDeleteHello! I do still read all my comments (thank you for visiting and commenting!). Yes, I believe on certain surfaces, you can just use nail polish remover or acetone and remove the paint and start over! I buy inexpensive pieces at the dollar store so I usually just try again. Each piece comes our quite unique and you really can't make a mistake. Have fun!!
Deletedoes it come off after a while?
ReplyDeleteHi Ella,
DeleteI made my cup in 2014 and it's still fine. Although, I don't use mine for coffee. I use it for decorative purposes only. I'm not sure how long it would hold up if I were continually washing the cup. But for a dollar store mug and some nail polish - it's certainly a fun project. Thanks for visiting.
This works wonderfully, the thinner the nail polish the better, and 3 colour mixs are outstanding, great christmas presents too !!
ReplyDelete