These 31 Whimsical Ceramic Mugs Have Tiny Animal Sculptures Hidden In The Side

Cups and mugs are some of the best things you can ever get as a gift for someone: it doesn’t require a huge investment, whether financially or emotionally, it’s both beautiful and practical, and, most importantly, it shows that you care.

The only difficulty will be choosing the right one. So, make it special—special like one of these mugs with tiny animal sculptures embedded into the side, making it not only beautiful but also adorable.

Self-taught ceramicist and artist Brooke Knippa of the AP Curiosities Art Studio crafts adorably intricate mugs that include various wildlife etched into the side, not only making people smile, but also inevitably making the drinking experience cosier.

Bored Panda has compiled a list of some of her best works which you can peruse below. Vote on the ones you found most adorable, and why not also leave a comment telling us what animals you’d like on your mugs in the comment section!

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Image credits: AP Curiosities

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Image credits: AP Curiosities

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Image credits: AP Curiosities

AP Curiosities is the brainchild of Brooke Knippa, an avid maker, surfer, and lover of all things living. Brooke is originally from Colorado, but has now set up shop in Bowdoinham, Maine, where she indulges in all things ceramics.

This is the place of her studio where she makes ceramic magic happen, but it’s also the location of a very unique part of her artistic career—the Airstream Gallery. It’s a vintage 1978 Airstream trailer in pretty much original condition that serves as a mini gallery for her mugs, vases, and sculptures.

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Image credits: AP Curiosities

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Image credits: AP Curiosities

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Image credits: AP Curiosities

Among her most recent endeavors are the animal mugs. These are intricately handcrafted and painted ceramics that feature an indentation in the side to house a variety of wild animals.

These range from foxes, badgers, and raccoons to polar bears, whales, and even yetis! Of course, there are more exotic animals like tigers, flamingos, and sea turtles, all finished using a variety of colors.

Now, there’s more than just mugs as Brooke also crafts vases, mini sculptures, spoons, jars, pitchers and the like, many of which also feature cutesy animals and playful colors.

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Image credits: AP Curiosities

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Image credits: AP Curiosities

If you like what you see, Brooke has an entire e-store where you can purchase these lovely ceramics, as well as an Instagram where she posts everything that she makes in her studio, so consider following her!

But before you go, let us know which one of these lovely mugs was your favorite in the comments section below!