Adults and Crafts is a monthly DIY subscription that encourages subscribers to “learn new crafting techniques to help create useful, beautiful products you will be proud to have made."
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About this Monthly DIY Subscription
The Subscription Box: Adults & Crafts
The Cost: $33 + shipping per month, with discounts for 3, 6 and 12-month prepaid subscriptions.
The Products: A kit with printed instructions for an adult-level project to use or display in your home.
Ships to: The US for $6.95 and worldwide for $20
Adults & Crafts "Mug Stand and Mugs Kit" Review August 2019
In this fun Adults & Crafts project, you create your own DIY mug stand and two decorated coffee mugs. The print-out lists all the materials included, materials needed, and step by step instructions with pictures to complete the project.
Here are the materials included in this box. Included are materials to prep and assemble the mug stand, materials to paint the mug stand, and materials to decorate the mugs.
- Precut wood pieces
- Sandpaper
- Hooks and Screws
- Deck Screw
- Screwdriver
- Craft Smart Acrylic Paint in White, 2 oz – Retail Value $0.79 (on sale here for $0.27)
- Foam Brush
- (2) White Coffee Mugs*
- Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Marker in Black, Fine Point – Retail Value $3.99
- CareTouch Alcohol Prep Pad – Estimated Value $0.08 (Buy a 100-count box here for $7.69)
- Q-tip
Additional materials needed include an oven to cure the mugs and nail polish remover to fix any mistakes. I also suggest something to protect your workspace when painting, disposable bowls to hold the paint, and a larger screwdriver if you have one.
*One mug arrived broken but was quickly replaced by Adults and Crafts. Their customer service is fantastic!
Let’s jump into this month’s Adults and Crafts project.
The first step is to lay out the three wood pieces. Use the sandpaper to rub away any rough edges or imperfections on the wood. My wood pieces had very few blemishes, so this step was quick and easy. Once the sandpapering is complete, be sure to remove any excess dust. Otherwise, it will interfere with the next step which is painting the wood.
Paint the wood with the white paint included in the box. Or, any other color paint you may have that better matches your home décor. Apply two to three coats of paint allowing 20 minutes of drying time between each coat until you are satisfied with the look. I applied two coats. I get so impatient when painting but, luckily white is a forgiving color, so my imperfections were not very noticeable.
Once the paint is completely dry, assemble the stand by using the one large deck screw to connect the three pieces of wood. Even with the pre-drilled holes, this step was difficult in two ways. First, it was difficult to keep the pieces of wood aligned while screwing them together. It was also difficult to use the tiny screwdriver included in the box. I enlisted the help of my super strong hubby and a screwdriver from his toolbox and even he had a challenging time with this step! But, at last, it was assembled and quite stable and sturdy.
The next steps were to screw in the hooks in the predrilled holes. This step was easy, and the tiny screwdriver came in handy. With the mug stand complete, it’s time to decorate the mugs.
To get started, I prepped the mugs by making sure they were clean and dust-free. I used the alcohol pad to wipe down and prep the surface for painting. An oil-based black sharpie was included in the box to decorate the mugs.
I like the simplicity of the white mugs with black writing, so I chose funny phrases from Pinterest to represent two important aspects of my life: motherhood and career! The first mug says: "this coffee is probably code #momlife" which is the primary reason why I switched from hot coffee to cold brew. The other mug says "boss lady" on one side and "tears of my employees" on the other. Despite my sarcasm, my employee engagement scores are quite high!
The final step is to cure the mugs in the oven. This step is easy – just heat the mug in the oven on 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the mugs in the oven for an additional 30 minutes to naturally cool down.
Here's the finished product! What do you think?
Verdict: This craft project was fun, easy (except for screwing the wood pieces together) and allowed space for individual taste and creativity. The project has an estimate of 1-3 hours to complete. I suggest allocating at least 3 hours over two days. The painting, if you are particular, can take an hour. The assembly takes about half an hour, the design about half an hour, and the curing time is a little over an hour. Of course, your time would depend on the designs you choose and how intricate they are. The acrylic paint pen is fast drying but it’s easy to use the nail polish remover and a Q-tip to fix any mistakes. Overall, I love how the project came out!
To Wrap Up:
Can I get this box if I sign up today?: No, this was the August box, so your subscription will likely begin with the September box. However, this craft kit is currently on sale for $34.00 in the Adults and Crafts shop here.
Value Breakdown: The cost of this box is $39.95 ($33 + $6.95 shipping) and creates a mug stand and two decorated coffee mugs. Although the materials themselves don't appear to be very expensive, the end project is very nice. To me, it's worth the price for a well-thought-out home décor project with all the materials provided and clear and detailed instructions.
Check out all of our Adults and Crafts reviews and the DIY + Crafting Subscription Box Directory for more crafting options!
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What do you think of August's Adults and Crafts project?
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