My kitchen is not complete without mugs - the lovely cup specifically meant to hold my tasty, hot beverages, such as tea and coffee. Yuliya from Le Gris Lapin creates just that. Her remarkable mugs are adorned with animals, quotes and just all around love.I Whale Always Love You - Whale Mug by Le Gris LapinI asked Yuliya, the creator/owner of Le Gris Lapin, if she could share the story behind her adorable hand painted and hand pressed mugs. She took the time to answer a few of my questions. Enjoy!Tell us a bit about you and your shop.My shop is called le gris lapin, the name, loosely translated, means "the grey rabbit" in French. It was named after my very own pet grey rabbit. I started painting mugs as just a one time project to make gifts for friends and family. I quickly realized the potential that this venture had. I thought and started up my shop shortly after, with just one single mug for sale.What inspires you to create?My inspiration comes a great deal from living far away from my family. My mugs all have a sentimental theme to them and are geared to trigger a giggle or a warm feeling. All of my mugs have a personalized component to them, like adding someones name to them. I love that aspect because it makes each mug extra special for the person receiving it. The most gratifying part is hearing from my customers that when they pick up their mug every day they get to think of their friend or loved one or get a nice laugh. A mug is such an ordinary everyday object, but when you put something on it to memorialize a memory or friend, it becomes a special part of your day.What's your favorite item in your shop? And why?It's hard to pick just one but my favorite item in my shop is the Bunnies Hugging mug because it makes me think of my mom.What else...I really love animals! I'm working on a future project for my shop that will involve proceeds going to the ASPCA. Look for it soon! Visit Le Gris Lapin:Etsy Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/legrislapin
