Sunday 21 June 2009

Mug Monday!

The Weaver of Grass and Acornmoon are hosting 'Mug Monday', and I thought I would join in. There's nothing I like better than a nice mug of hot tea while I read the Neckelchester News!


As you can see, our mugs in Giraffe World are ergonomically designed to suit our long necks - just like the head-rests in the motoring magazine the giraffe above is reading.
Our surface designs range from classic giraffe-markings, usually in orange, or blue ...
... to the more elaborate, as in Captain Gurgle's mug, above.

Camelopardalian mugs go back in our history. In the picture above, two lady giraffes are daintily sipping from elegant mugs.

We also have some quaint customs dating from ancient times. The above snapshot shows a giraffe practising the old habit of throwing the dregs of one's tea over a companion - believed to condition our fur and add to it's lustre.


Weaver of Grass mentioned that we could include a 'Country Living' style picture in our mug post - so here's one of the dresser in our kitchen at Necky Knoll House!
*
I hope you have enjoyed our Giraffe World mugs - I'm looking forward to seeing the other participants' mugs later today!

74 comments:

Linda S. Socha said...

Wonderful!
I must check on your blogger friends and say hello!
Linda

Cloudia said...

I SO love visiting you wonderful world, Mr. NECKman!
What a joy.....
Aloha-

Comfort Spiral

Frances Tyrrell said...

Hello Ralph, I just found your blog through Mug Monday, which is bringing all sorts of new delights before my eyes. I love your blue-and-white mug and long-necked teapot - brilliant!
When I took my young son to the Buffalo Zoo some years ago we just gazed and gazed at the giraffes with their graceful loping stride.

Frances

Janet said...

Very kewl! Captain Gurgle's is my favourite. Now about those headrests - I could do with one!

Arija said...

Raph, I do love yor crockery and colour combination, blue and orange were my daughter's favourite colours at age of four.

I like your style

Acornmoon said...

I think you may have a design classic on your hands here, a long necked giraffe mug, how very clever with great commercial potential.

Christy said...

Happy mug monday! I'm so delighted by the "camelopardalian mugs."

Great illustrations and storytelling!!!

Heather said...

Beautiful mugs Raph, and beautiful pictures too. I love the custom of throwing tea dregs over one's companions! My grandmother used to clean her carpets with tea dregs but rest assured it was not made from giraffe skins.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Linda!

I hope you enjoy all the other blogger mugs on Mug Monday!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Cloudia - we love having you visit! If you can find a portal to our world, we'll all drink tea - and you get to choose your mug!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Hello Frances, welcome and thank you!

Glad you like our mugs. We have wild four-legged giraffes here too on Camelopardalis, who run with the same graceful stride as planet Earth giraffes!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Janet! Captain Gurgle is very fond of his mugs - I think he has a whole set of them with different coloured fish on.

I'm sure you would like our headrests - they are fully adjustable to accommodate all lengths of neck with comfort.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Arija! Blue and orange do seem to predominate in our Giraffe World colour schemes, along with pink, mauve and green!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Acornmoon! I've heard it said that classic designs arise from combining design with necessity. Drinking tea through a straw is not ideal, so our tall mugs solve the problem for our long necks!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Happy mug Monday to you too Christy! Thank you for the compliment!

I shall be popping over to everyone's blogs later today and look forward to seeing the variety of mugs!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Heather! I am glad you enjoyed reading about our tea throwing custom! I have not heard of cleaning carpets with tea dregs - we'll have to try it over here!

Crafty Green Poet said...

what a lovely post, I like the tradition of throwing the tea dregs over each other.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Crafty Green Poet! Maybe it will become a custom on planet Earth too!

Caroline Gill said...

This is just BRILLIANT, Raph. You have put a big smile on my face, and I plan to re-visit later at leisure once I have run my errands.

Greetings from left-handed Mug Monday in South Wales, UK

Unknown said...

Absolutely wonderful... Your illustrations are delightful. I also posted my favorite mug. I should have created an illustration rather than just a photograph. Next time for sure. Thanks for the inspiration. :)

ceecee said...

Mug Monday has really been fun. Such a surprise over here! Thanks for the humorous start to the day.
Catherine

Brenda said...

I loved this! Very creative!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Raph - I love those "necky" mugs - in fac t I seriously want one.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Coastcard! I'm always happy to put a smile on someone's face!!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Adventurous Art Teacher! I'm honoured by your praise, and glad to be an inspiration!

I will visit to see your favourite mug photo this evening!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

I'm glad to be a humorous start to the day, A Thousand Clapping Hands! (Necky Becky says I always am!!)

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Brenda! I do aspire to be creative!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Glad you like my 'necky' mugs, Weaver! I wonder if we can get one through a portal to planet Earth? (Though a human would have to have a nextra handle nearer the top to make it ergonomically comfortable to drink out of, I think!

Tess Kincaid said...

My favorite would have to be Capt. Gurgle's mug! So masculine and giraffish. And hey, I didn't know you were fluent in Yorkshire! Thank you very muc for your help. :^)

Eli said...

Your Giraffe world journal is amazing! I enjoyed so much to meet it. My favourite is Captain Gurgle's one. See you soon again. Eli from Italy

Unknown said...

Wonderful selection, Raph! I must admit, though, that I love your teapot even more. Not sure about throwing the tea dregs!

Willow said...

Delightful! And brilliant!

Anne said...

I enjoyed visting you today on Mug Monday. I like all the mugs. This blog is such a delight and so very creative.

Cathy said...

Completely delightful and gorgeous. Would love to come to tea...ha ha.

To change the subject, I have been having blog problems recently and had to remove my Feedjit and my Flickr widget. Thought it was IE 8 causing the trouble.

Kat Mortensen said...

I love Captain Gurgle's mug with the fish. I think I found one you can use at The Hyggehus, Raph. Don't leave the custard slices behind when you come through the portal!

Kat

Madame DeFarge said...

I feel that the British china industry could benefit from producing these mugs. Ideal for gallons of warming hot chocolate in winter or refreshing tea in the summer. But maybe not the custom of throwing tea over companions. This may not catch on.

Lyn said...

Whenever I throw dregs at someone, I have to apologize..I like your custom better..
Fun and smart, as usual..thanks!

Emerging Writer said...

wonderful mugshots. You have a new fan.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Captain Gurgle will be proud that his mug is so popular, Willow!

(My Yorkshire is not bad and my Geordie is improving!)

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Eli! Glad you enjoyed my Journal and look forward to your next visit!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Derrick - glad you like my mugs and teapot! With regard to the tea dregs the custom is practised mainly when drinking tea outside at pavement cafes!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Willow! I've just been over to your blog - I thought at first I had two comments from Willow at Willow Manor and now see you are a different Willow! (Your knitted style mug is amazing!)

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Choices - glad you like my blog and all the mugs - thank you for the compliments!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Hi Cathy - Thank you and you are most welcome to come to tea!

Thanks for mentioning the blog problems - I notice visiting your blog just now that you say you can't access Poetikat's blog - I've not been able to frequently either. With regards to seeing my followers, some days they are visible and then they will have all disappeared again!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Oooh good, Poetikat! I look forward to my mug of tea and will find some especially custardy slices to bring through the portal!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Maybe I should suggest to the British china industry that they introduce mugs for giraffes into their product ranges, Madame DeFarge. If you think it unsuitable, I will not mention the tea-throwing custom to them ...

(I can't resist gallons of hot chocolate in the cold winter and in the middle of summer too!)

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Lyn!

(With regard to throwing tea dregs, I have heard a legend that this is how the giraffes on planet Earth got their spots!)

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Emerging Writer, I am honoured!

Elizabeth said...

yes, long necked
wat to go.......!

Barbara Martin said...

It's a treat coming here to visit, Raph. I especially like the Captain Gurgle picture with his mug.

Golden West said...

Your drawings are long on charm!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Elizabeth!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

It's a treat to have you here, Barbara!

Captain Gurgle is pleased with all the attention his mug is getting!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Golden West, I'm glad you have enjoyed them!

Rosemary said...

The graceful shape of the Camelopardalian mugs are my favs....Check my blog on Thurs. to see my human world mug, not nearly as special as Giraffe world ..if I could only find the portal.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Rosemary!

I will check your blog on Thursday - I've just been across and I love the candy graduation caps!

Jeane Myers said...

tea throwing! - very interesting - I have to say that Captain Gurgle's mug is my fav - love his fish decor! :)

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Jeane - (I've just remembered that I have used tea to stain canvases with in my youth ... And my giraffe plimsolls!)

I saw Captain Gurgle earlier today, and he was quite bashfully delighted that his mug has been so popular!

Mad Aunt Bernard said...

Hello Raph! Mine's a tea in Captain Gurgle's mug, and you can throw the dregs over me any day - it would be an honour. Although I can think of a brew strong enough to condition my nest of hair...

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Aunt Bernard!

I think a good strong brew of Knollshire Best, which includes spinach leaves, garlic and giraffe-neck asparagus would be a wonderful conditioner.

bindu said...

Brilliant crockery! Wish I could have a pair of those lovely blue and white tall mugs.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Bindu! You're welcome over at Necky Knoll House any time for a cup of tea with us!

Chris Hale said...

Brilliant, Raph!

In Middenshire they celebrate a festival called Mud Monday. I shall tell you all about it one day soon!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Chris!

I look forward to hearing about Mud Monday - sounds fun!

Lauren said...

I love the tea pots and the blue and white china :)

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Lauren! If you find a portal through to Giraffe World you are welcome to come and drink tea with us!

Rune Eide said...

I would say that this is a Mugs-ibition :-)

Impressive!!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you RuneE - Mugs-ibition it is! :)

A Cuban In London said...

I sure enjoyed this tour through giraffe-mug world! Very muggy indeed :-)!

Greetings from London.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Cuban in London! ('Giraffe-Mug World' sounds fun, like the name of a shop - there's probably one in Raffsburgh somewhere!!)

Arija said...

Raph, there is a little something for you on my blog if you care to have it.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Ooh thank you Arija! I shall pop across and see what it is!

Tom Atkins said...

I've been away from reading the past month or two as I moved, so it was a HUGE delight to get caught up here. I just love your adventures and long necked insights.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Tom - great to hear from you! (It's our busy season here in the summer in Giraffe World, so I've hardly had time for blog visiting - or posting - either!)