Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

Unlike Robert Frost's poem above, this mug will always hold nature's golden hue. Made to hold one Imperial cup (8 ounces) of your favorite hot or cold beverage, this unique, handcrafted mug is the perfect gift for a nature lover. 

**Process**

Many techniques were involved in the making of this mug:

First, it was thrown on the wheel, then, using a circular cutter a large hole was cut through the side. This circular piece was inverted and reattached to the mug to create the indent for the abstract forest scene inside, which was painted with a variety of green underglazes. Then fern leaves were stamped and cut out, and then painted individually with underglaze before being attached to the mug to frame the scene. Next a handle was made by rolling an oak leaf into soft clay, cutting it out, and then attaching it to the mug, before drying out very slowly over the course of a week. When it was completely dry it was then fired the first time in what is called the bisque firing, which is a 24 hour firing process.  

After the bisque firing the piece was removed from the kiln and washed of any dust that accumulated in the kiln. After it dried out from its little bath, it was glazed by layering several coats of different glazes, and then fired a second time in the kiln, this time going up to 2,200 ℉ and then back down to room temperature over 12 hours.

Once the mug came out of the kiln, I mixed 2-part epoxy with gold pearl dust and filled in the recessed area between the painted scene and the fern leaves, thus ensuring no place for water to get trapped with washing or using your mug. And if the epoxy should ever get scratched, the golden color goes all the way through.

The epoxy should not cause any problems, as long as this mug is treated as a functional art piece and is hand washed and not put in the microwave. 

**Keywords**

gifts, kitchen and dining, drinkwarf, mugs, gifts for plant lovers, Christmas gift, Hanukkah gift, green mug, handmade mug, handcrafted mug, unusual mug, gift for tea lovers, Maine made mug, made in Maine

**Materials**

ceramic, glaze, epoxy, pearl dust