My American Made Coffee Mug

Another Monday morning rolls around and for some people it is time to get back to work. To start off the daily routine, we head for the kitchen, grab our favorite coffee mug, pour a fresh, hot cup of coffee and head for the door to start the work day. Some people may prefer to stop at their local coffee shop on their way to work. If they happen to go inside and stand in line waiting to place their order, they may glance at the variety of novelty mugs lined on the shelves, some bearing the store logo, others just fancy or unique. But what is it saying under the mug? Being unemployed in a tough economy is helping me to see what kind of changes I need to be making that will be more economical and cost effective, but still consider the long term results. It has become important to me to make smarter purchases that will not only stretch the dollar but make a difference in today's economy such as buying more American made products. At this time I may not be able to buy everything American Made, but I thought I would start with the one item I use every day to start me off in the morning. That is drinking a hot fresh cup of coffee in my favorite American Made coffee mug while I am typing away on my computer searching for a job that will give me the opportunity to meet my daily living expenses. And maybe, along the way I may be in some small way putting one more person back to work.

I have been lifting up coffee mugs and looking at the labels underneath for the last 3 years. I have found it to be harder and harder to find a ceramic coffee mug made in the United States. However, I have found a few companies that put out high quality products at an affordable price. Anchor Hocking makes great glassware which also offer some nice glass mugs for that daily coffee fix. I absolutely love Fiesta Ware. They have very vibrant colors and a variety of designs to fit my preferences whether I want a tall, short, square or round mug. I can pick my color and style that makes the perfect mug for me. They are also microwave safe, oven-proof, dishwasher safe, freezerproof, and lead-free. I like a mug that is not too heavy, has a larger handle and tapers at the bottom slightly so I can fit it into my cup holder in my car. A bright color mug is like a happy mug that lifts my spirits to start my day. It may seem a bit obsessive, but using my special mug becomes a very personalized and meaningful part of my daily routine. What a great way to add a little American pride to the "table".