Coffee Mug Collections

Many of us have a collection of some sort that we enjoy. One of my favorites is coffee mugs. I find some that I want to keep, and others that I end up using as gifts. I have kept many as souvenirs from places we have visited.
A large portion that I've brought home have been given away with a piece of tissue poked in to help hold small items such as wrapped candy, pencils or pens, a bag of jelly beans or whatever will fit into them. I then take the mug gifts to friends, family, nursing home residents or hospitals. A small African Violet can be planted in a mug, and is very easy for someone to care for that does not have much room. Dorm rooms can be perked up with a coffee mug planter for a student. I have also baked cakes in coffee mugs, put icing on top, and wrapped it in clear wrap for those folks with a sweet tooth.
The best places I've found most of them was in thrift stores and consignment shops. You can get them for as little as a dime. Don't forget to watch for them at yard sales too. If you need a gift in a hurry, and have a few mugs on hand, you can bet there's something in a drawer or your cupboard that will tuck neatly inside.