MadDog Mike's Platterful of Pupule - El Tiki/Ben Wilson Wall Finished

On 2010-12-09 18:40, MadDogMike wrote:

You'll notice I do my carving outside and not in the living room. That's because if I made a mess like that in the living room my wife would HURT me in ways only a man can fully understand! :o :lol:

This is why Buzzy and his long term lady live in two different houses!

Are you gonna put a finish on this one? Maybe gesso?

Nice Moai! But back to your underwater theme:

It's a gingerbread house! Check out the icing bag in the octopi's tentacle!

This is actually an homage to how it feels here in Western Washington right now - like we're all under water!

beadtiki, thanks for sharing the sea house. It's fun waiting to see what MadDog's final scene will look like. Wendy

Wow! Looks great....anxious to see it finished!

Obviously the hallucinogens we've been having pumped into your house for the last 2 years are still working...you never run out of incredible INSANE ideas. I love your experimental spirit...keep breathing deeply...must have more ceramics!!!! URAWSUM :wink:

Thank you all :D

Robb, I will be coating it with an acrylic called "Steve's Coating for Foam" (imaginative name :lol: ) I do a lot of foam work but most of it is for temporary display and does not need anything more than some latex paint. I have been waiting for a permanent display for I can try the acrylic coating and this is the project.

Bead, cool gingerbread house! I'm sure there will be an octopus in the project SOMEWHERE. Have not yet decided if he will be prominent or if he will be a "Where's Waldo" thing.

Vamp, I wondered what that Purple Haze was coming out of the AC ducts!!! Thanks, that's some good stuff! :lol:

MDM-

Nice lookin' Moai I must say...looking forward to see the finished piece.

Keep up the great work! G

Thank you G, I am working on hardcoating the Moai so I can paint him

Even Jacques Cousteau had to come up from the depths of the sea sometimes! I’m working on another mysterious tiki project.

This is the rare and elusive Witco/Orongo Sooty Tern Tentpole Topper and Netted Float Lamp Holder.

I wanted a large quantity of fabric that looked somewhat like thatched roof. After some research I decided to try Arashi Shibori, an ancient Japanese “tie dying” technique. This is usually done with small silk scarves wrapped around a pole or PVC pipe, instead I used a 9x7 foot piece of muslin wrapped around a 15 gallon plastic drum. First I dyed the fabric yellow in the washing machine (shhh, my wife doesn’t know! :o ). Next the fabric is layed out flat and rolled around the drum

The fabric was spiral wrapped with twine

Then “scrunched” down to the bottom of the drum, making room on the drum for more fabric to be wrapped and scrunched. In the end about 250 feet of twine was used to wrap and scrunch all the fabric.

The drum and fabric were taken outside and doused in boiling water to help facilitate wicking the dye into the fabric. Then boiling tan dye solution was painted onto the fabric. I let this set for about an hour then rinsed it with the hose, cut the twine and unwrapped the fabric. I used Rit dye which works best when heat set, so I wadded the whole wet mess up and steamed it for 30 minutes.

Then into the washer and dryer and here is the finished fabric.

The effect is a bit more subtle than I had hoped for, I may end up doing it again with brown dye instead of tan. It has little red and green spots all over it. I assume the tan dye was made of red and green crystals, some of which I didn’t get completely dissolved :lol:

I can only assume you're already staking a claim on first prize in the decorated tent contest at M.O. Impressive creativity, Mike!
That witco orongo looks like a weathervane.

Got 4 months to get ready Bill :D

I re-wrapped and re-dyed it with dark brown. Kinda muddied it up, not sure it looks like thatch but it will work unless I find something better.

Edit - better colors with the good camera

[ Edited by: MadDogMike 2010-12-17 07:06 ]

FYI...I used to do a lot of fabric dying. If you want to set the dye in the fabric after you reach the desired color, soak the dyed fabric in a hot vat (depending on the size of the pot) with 1 to 2 cups of white vinegar and 1/2 or 1 cup of salt. Soak for about an hour then rinse in cold water vats until the water is clear. Rit liquid dye works best, but I highly suggest you do your dying at a laundromat...don't mess up your washer (hint from a concerned woman). :wink:

Thanks Vamp, I'll give the vinegar and salt a try. I did the yellow dye in the washer 'cuz I knew it would wash out. I wouldn't dare try a darker color or I'd be busted for sure!!! :D

ooOOOOooo I know what you're doing . COOL!

Next up doing all the laundry for you wife from now on. You are so capable of great tasks. Hugs, Wendy

Looks like what,s cookin TC? has moved to your thread! :lol:
Mad Scientiki Mike!

[ Edited by: Iokona Ki'i 2010-12-17 12:45 ]

"Mad Scientiki Mike" I like that Jason! :lol:

Wendy, maybe you can help me on the subject of laundry. I do the laundry occasionally but there seems to be some "laundry discrimination" goin' on at my house: all of MY clothes go in the dryer, my son's pants don't go in the dryer, and none of my wife's clothes go in the dryer. If my son's pants are too short or my wife's blouse is too small - it's because I accidentally put them in the dryer once. But if MY pants are too tight it's because I need to lay off the desserts and lose some weight! What's up with that!!!??? :P

I'm TOTALLY intrigued now! I like the thatch effect on the second dye job - really has a 3D look. Is it going to be a deck awning or umbrella cover?

Do you put your desserts in the dryer?

On 2010-12-19 10:50, ZeroTiki wrote:
Do you put your desserts in the dryer?

I had a vision of cotton candy at that remark! One giant cotton candy spinner!

Beak and ZeroTiki, I HAVE poached salmon* in the dishwasher but I have never tried making cotton candy in the dryer! :lol:

*I tried asparagas at the same time but it didn't cook as well and was a bit crudité

(stolen from Chris Rainier's photo :D )

MadDogMike, what can I saw about the laundry dilemma? If you dunk your head in the laundry water with that face paint on all your underwear will be pink.

Side note: You are a stud, terrific photo.

Merry Christmas to you as well, Wendy

[ Edited by: danlovestikis 2010-12-22 08:09 ]

all the best, MDM (and Wendy, too!)
~Zero

MadDogMike,
Perhaps I overlooked it, and you have already answered this question somewhere in this post, but do you ever offer any of your mugs or other pieces, like your plates, for sale? I think they are great!!
Thanks!

Thank you Lilchef - I always find the compliments with cash attached seem the most sincere :D

I mostly make stuff for my own enjoyment but everything I own is for sale (except my family), it's just a matter of setting a price :lol: Seriously, I do sell my stuff (cheap) if I get a request and have done a few commissions. If you see something you like send me a PM, maybe I still have it or can make a new (and better) one.

MDM..I put your Christmas card on my fridge and when my roomie saw it she was like.."WHO THE HELL IS THAT?!?!?"

I was like..Mad Dog Mike OF COURSE!

geez!

:)

Thank you so much for the holiday wishes and I hope you and your family have a fantastic Christmas and fabulous New Years!

On 2010-12-23 12:05, leleliz wrote:
..Mad Dog Mike OF COURSE!

:lol: Of course! :lol:

I don't post in the "What's for Dinner" thread anymore so here's what I made to take to work on Christmas Day

The Cherpumple; a pumpkin pie baked into a spice cake on top of a apple pie baked into a yellow cake on top of a cherry pie baked into a white cake and all slathered with 3 tubs of cream cheese frosting. 15 lbs, each layer took 1 hour and 20 minutes to bake to a total of 4 hours baking time :lol: Mighty tasty!

Hey look, mister. We serve hard drinks in here for men who want to get drunk fast, and we don't need any characters around to give the joint "atmosphere". Is that clear?

[ Edited by: MadDogMike 2011-07-08 10:49 ]

wow yours came out perfect it didnt even fall over! did they like it?
some day I'm going to try this

Oh my gosh, I've never seen such a a a creation like this in food. Again you have amazed me. Merry Christmas from Dan and Wendy

I thought that the spice cake was supposed to go around the apple pie, however, having it around the pumpkin pie makes sense too. Nevertheless, congrats on the successful Cherpumple! The Turducken of desserts!

Did you notice the beautiful 80s vintage Mikasa "Blue Daisies" platter? That was our wedding registry "everyday dishes" in 1982 :lol:

Everyone loved the Cherpumple, it brought a lot of cheer to those trying to heal the sick on Christmas day. And yes, it did fall over before it was done.

Lugi, you CAN add a pecan pie baked into a chocolate cake but 4 layers would be ridiculous!!! :o (maybe next year :lol: )

an insane cake
from an insane friend...
What lucky co-workers!
Hope your Christmas was Merry,Mike!

On 2010-12-26 08:28, MadDogMike wrote:
...Lugi, you CAN add a pecan pie baked into a chocolate cake but 4 layers would be ridiculous!!! :o (maybe next year :lol: )

Cherpumplepec!

Friend nothing!! I was just trying to spite my Registered Dietician daughter who works at the same hospital!!! :lol:

OK, Lugi Chepumplepec it is for next year :D

EDIT - Or is it Cherpumplecan?

Ranked in the top 5 by people who say I'm their favorite artist

[ Edited by: MadDogMike 2010-12-26 10:39 ]

That is the most diabetically incorrect food I have ever witnessed in my life! Totally AWESOME - I had NO idea that could even be done - mostly because I can't cook or bake. Do you have to partially pre-cook the pies before submerging them in cake? How is it done so you don't overcook some aspect? Every day I wish you were my neighbor!

Yes! Cherpumplecan has a better flow.

Beadtiki, the Cherpumple is a recent creation from Charles Phoenix. Some of the answers to your questions are here:
http://www.charlesphoenix.com/2010/10/cherpumple-monster-pie-cake-new-test-kitchen-video/

Dont worry Regan Im going to make one and be the first in Seattle to attept it. I even have a plan for making sure it doesnt collapse

Look what I found at the bottom of the sea - coral in the shape of a fruit bowl!

I wanted to add a couple of fishes and they needed be but long (not round) fish. I choose the Blue Streak Wrasse and named the piece "Coral My Wrasse!" :D

The rainbow, like the rose, holds only temporary beauty - I'm not sure if this bowl will hold up to the rigors of daily use but we'll find out :) One of the many things I still don't have an understanding of in my newfound hobby is the strength of ceramics. I guess someday I need to make up a bunch of different diameter fired clay "sticks" then try to break them.

Ranked in the top 5 by people who say I'm their favorite artist

EDIT - replaced photo lost in the Great Server Crash of '11

[ Edited by: MadDogMike 2011-01-23 19:18 ]

The Cherpumple is quite impressive! Very nice work on the coral bowl!

Mike, that bowl is awesome! More pics of it are called for!

Thank you Robert & Bill. Here's a top view for you Bill

Ranked in the top 5 by people who say I'm their favorite artist

EDIT - replaced photo lost in The Great Server Crash of '11

[ Edited by: MadDogMike 2011-01-23 19:20 ]

Lugi - thanks for the link - that was informative AND funny! I like that you don't have to make the pie, just bake it!

Mike - what a great idea with the fruitbowl - I love the little wrasses you put in there - brightens it up a bit and with the fruit there it's almost like they're playing hide and seek. Nice coral too - glad you didn't lose an arm in the kiln!

Mike that cake concoction looks amazing! BUT...why have you not already created the ceramic version yet?

and a coral bowl? why does it not move realistically as if its at the bottom of the ocean?

please for the love of all things that are crafty..lets put a "tad" more effort into your creations come 2011, ok?

xoxox
=oP

Mike you are an inspiration. I check out your work every day to see what more you have thought up. This is a really cool bowl. Wendy

Regan & Wendy thank you. Liz - I can make you a ceramic cake if you'll promise to eat it :P

Well, I have one more thing I can add to my list of failures - BBQ RAKU! :lol: :lol: :lol:

I'm not any closer to having a raku kiln than I was a year ago so I thought I would try something else. I noticed the vaporizor trays on my gas BBQ glow red, about 1300 degrees and I thought that might be enough for raku - I was wrong. I put the pieces directly on the burners and left them for about 30 minutes. Then pulled them off and put them in a covered metal can full of newpaper and dry grass. But didn't absorb nearly enough carbon and it didn't get hot enought to craze the glaze :lol:

I've got an Oxygen/Acetylene torch, maybe that will get them hot enough :D

EDIT - I fired the glaze in the kiln first to fuse it then tried the BBQ Raku method

Ranked in the top 5 by people who say I'm their favorite artist

[ Edited by: MadDogMike 2011-01-07 12:13 ]

A+ for effort on that one Mike!

Still an interesting affect - have you cooked anything on that grill since your experiment?! Keep trying - you always seem to figure it out!