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

Thank you Robert & Regan :) No food yet on that grill since the experiment but it will be OK as far as you know.

I wanted some sort of box to keep my meager tiki drink supplies together so here's what I came up with. I bought a book shaped box a Michael's for $5*

I printed a picture of Michener's "Return to Paradise" and decoupaged it to the front of the book then divided the inside into compartments and covered the dividers with embossed felt. It holds a 5 ounce measure, recipe cards, straws, swizzles, and of course, paper umbrellas :D

*Never pay full price at Michael's, there is a coupon for 40 or 50% off any single item online or in every Sunday newspaper. Why can't Lowe's do that!? :lol:

Hey Mike, that's terrific. I have one of those books I'll have to do something with it. We built Dan's jungle room on those 40% off Michael's coupons. It took five years but we got it done. Good luck on the raku. I worry that the torch would not heat evenly enough and cause your work to crack. I use to do O2 Acetylene welding back when I was in college. I stopped because the flux is such a strong poison. Wendy

Howzit mike, if your wanting to make a pretty simple raku kiln, there's a few on youtube that look pretty easy and simple and get hot enough.. check out this video and then there's plenty of others too..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmbXl6pSMzg
Aloha

Holy Cow MDM, is there anything you CAN'T do? Such a nice variety of projects I've been watching you create the last few years...Please keep it up.

Paul

Wendy, PWest - Thank you for your kind words.
BeachBumz - I like that Raku kiln design. I think I could build one for about $100, now I just have to decide if I'll make a hunnert bucks worth of Raku :D

Something new from under the sea. Everything I have made so far has been realistic, it's time for something whimsical-

I needed 3 spice shakers for Nutmeg, Cloves, & Cinnamon I decided on "Speak no evil, Hear no evil, See no evil" SEA monkeys :lol:

I created a mold for the sea monkey without the hands and will make the hands individually. I'm sending this one of to an expert mixologist to evaluate hole size then I will make the set.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Mike I do believe you and Tobunga are tied for who comes up with the most diverse creative ideas!

I could see the sea monkeys marketed and sold in stores too!

Great stuff!

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Love the Sea Monkey Mike! Didn't those old ads have one seated on a throne? (hint hint)!

Love the book as well...I may look into painting one of those!

R.

Super cute Mike - are you going to use the same colors on all three? You are so funny!

MadDogMike....SuuuuuuperGeniuuuus.

Too cute. I agree with leleliz that these should be sold to s & p collectors, cheers, Wendy

Your one talented dude Mike!

Those sea monkeys look vintage! I like them!

I also like the book/box...not sure why I need one, but I think I'll make one anyway!

:drink:
Tacky Tiki

SEA MONKEY MUGS?!?! How bitchin' is that! Go Maddoggie Go!

Thank you all so much for your encouragement - it really means a lot to me :) Thanks also to those who voted me to the top of "Cool & Current" :D I have had my 15 minutes of fame, now I can die a happy man (hopefully in about 40 years)

Bead, I plan to make all three Sea Monkeys the same colors because that's what color real Sea Monkeys are! Liz and Wendy - I'll have to see about a Sea Monkey Shaker set. I would have to come up with an idea other than the 3 monkeys - what the heck do you put in the third shaker!!!??? :lol:

On 2011-01-18 19:59, MadDogMike wrote:
Thank you all so much for your encouragement - it really means a lot to me :) Thanks also to those who voted me to the top of "Cool & Current" :D I have had my 15 minutes of fame, now I can die a happy man (hopefully in about 40 years)

Bead, I plan to make all three Sea Monkeys the same colors because that's what color real Sea Monkeys are! Liz and Wendy - I'll have to see about a Sea Monkey Shaker set. I would have to come up with an idea other than the 3 monkeys - what the heck do you put in the third shaker!!!??? :lol:

Powdered Sugar!

Oh my goodness Mike I love the Sea Monkies Idea.
A true genius, from the hardest working artist in tiki business!
Yes, I said ARTIST.

Those sea monkeys always made me laugh as a kid, that mug just puts the same smile on my face.. Good job and thanx for bring back a fond memory :D

I'm all bruised from kicking myself for not thinking of the three wise sea monkey idea-the shaker looks great-that bowl is var var nice too. Gonna spend a bit of time looking at your other stuff.

Thank you Kirby and Art. MP, coming from YOU that means a lot (coming from Kinny, it wouldn't mean as much :lol: )

I need to get jiggy wit it and get the other 2 Sea Monkeys finished - tryin' to work on a hunnert projects at a time :D

I'm late to the party on this one, but I just love that Return to Paradise book/drinking supply caddy. I might have to try that one myself. :)

BBQ Raku... :lol: ... :lol: ...okay, now that's some funny sh*t there. :lol:

Let's build a raku kiln Mike :)

I sure hope we get to see the whole project when it's done. Wendy

Yay! Sea Monkeys...

I had those once as a kid, probably bought them at Sav-On drug store in my neighborhood - pretty cool when they were alive. They all died after a day or so :( so I got to go back and buy a package of "Magic Garden" (?) - the colorful tablets you dropped in water so they could grow like mini stalagmites...those were cool too. I still had the glass fishbowl from the Sea Monkey fiasco so my color tablets were used in that.

I remember the Sea Monkey adverts in comic books and stuff back in the day too. Great concept MDM - I wish I woulda thought of that myself! G

Thank you MauiRose, that was fun and quick project
Wendy, I will definitely show pictures of the completed project. Less than 2 months away, time to get crackin"!
Rick, I looked at some Raku kiln plans and I like the 30 gallon steel drums. I think they cost about $100 to make with the burner and ceramic blanket - I'm just not sure I would ever make 100 bucks worth of Raku :D
TikiG, my deepest sympathy on the passing of your beloved Sea Monkeys :lol: I can't take credit for the Sea Monkey concept, Bowana made some adorable Sea Monkey pendants a while back. I took his idea and I'm driving it like I stole it (oh, maybe I did steal it :lol: )

That's not Tiki! I'm taking a mosaic class, something I wanted to learn how to do. The class makes rainforest animal themed pieces that will be public art - I think my Quetzal will end up on the side of a concrete trash can, seriously!

For this technique, the main pieces are cut from wet clay slabs then fired and glazed. Next I'll cut all the all the background pieces from commercial tiles and grout it all together.

My Hear No Evil and See No Evil Sea Monkeys are ready to go into the kiln, I'll post a picture of the set when they are done.

Mike, Creativity is your middle name. I've been wanting to do mosaics for years. At Christmas I got one as a child that was similar to paint by the numbers. It was so fun. I'm looking forward to those photos, Wendy

On 2011-02-13 14:27, MadDogMike wrote:
Thank you MauiRose, that was fun and quick project
Wendy, I will definitely show pictures of the completed project. Less than 2 months away, time to get crackin"!
Rick, I looked at some Raku kiln plans and I like the 30 gallon steel drums. I think they cost about $100 to make with the burner and ceramic blanket - I'm just not sure I would ever make 100 bucks worth of Raku :D
TikiG, my deepest sympathy on the passing of your beloved Sea Monkeys :lol: I can't take credit for the Sea Monkey concept, Bowana made some adorable Sea Monkey pendants a while back. I took his idea and I'm driving it like I stole it (oh, maybe I did steal it :lol: )

That's not Tiki! I'm taking a mosaic class, something I wanted to learn how to do. The class makes rainforest animal themed pieces that will be public art - I think my Quetzal will end up on the side of a concrete trash can, seriously!

For this technique, the main pieces are cut from wet clay slabs then fired and glazed. Next I'll cut all the all the background pieces from commercial tiles and grout it all together.

My Hear No Evil and See No Evil Sea Monkeys are ready to go into the kiln, I'll post a picture of the set when they are done.

Hey, is that leaf yours too? Nice! The quetzal would have been cool in the bird swap!

Quetzal!Quetzal!Quetzal!
Awesome,mike!
your sense of adventure is admirable!
a true artist in every sense....

especially nonsense! :lol:

Keep on trudging forward Mike!

Looks like I'm making a kiln plug this weekend! THANKS Mike! When get a kiln someday I'm going to build it a clothes dryer enclosure!

MauiTiki

Tiki and flower pattern Stickers http://www.stuckonmaui.com
Maui Tiki Tours & Tiki Mugs http://www.mauitikitours.com
Hippie Stickers http://www.hippiestickers.com

[ Edited by: MauiTiki 2011-02-18 20:06 ]

Maui, have fun with that plug, glad it made it across the Pacific OK. (Remember to dry it slowly as it's thick)

Finally finished my 3 Seamonkey spice shakers

How about a big one for allspice? These are so darling just like you! Wendy

Oh my TIKI! I love'm.
MadDog Mike is to tiki art as James Brown is to show business.

Flipp'n Killer!
Mike does it again!

On 2011-02-19 14:53, little lost tiki wrote:
Flipp'n Killer!
Mike does it again!

Ditto.

really neat. lifelong sea monkey fan. I always got mine in the toy section of the big hippie emporieum in Great Falls MT. The toy section was inbetween the hanging basket chairs and the dashiki's. One floor below the waterbeds. and when I got them home they already smelled like patchouli.
ahh, the early 70's.

It still creeps me out that sea monkeys are just mini-shrimp.....atleast we can dream of those long lost sea monkey empires.

Great work on those Sea Monkeys Mike! So good it makes me feel like painting some!

Bravo!! 3 Sea Monkeys united - KILLER, DUDE!!

Your seamonkey shakers are to die for! I have a friend who told me she was just starting to collect the Hear/See/Speak no Evil characters and when I showed her YOURS she nearly fainted! You may have to get the rights to copy and distribute these guys in the future!

MadDog the seamonkeys are cool man!

[ Edited by: OceaOtica 2011-02-23 19:34 ]

Those monkies are great Mike!

JEEZE - SPICE MONKEYS!!!

If I ever win the lottery, we'll have to talk about a book of your work - I'd produce it so I could buy a copy!!!!

Thank you all for your kind words - I think the people who hang out in the "Other Crafts" section of TC are the BEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD!!!!

Are you familiar with Gyotaku?

The ancient Japanese art of using an inked fish to print on rice paper.

I decided to try CLAY-taku :lol: I picked up a dead Tilapia at the market and rolled a slab of clay over it. Here it is, appropriately laying on old newspaper :lol:

It didn't pick up as much detail from the scales as I had hoped, we'll see what it does.

Cool idea Mike! So....did you eat the fish? :)

Wow - that form of art was SO popular in the '80s and '90s around here - I remember I couldn't go to any professional building or medical office without finding one of those prints! Always thought it was rather creative though - so is your little fish! Nice try though - maybe there's a fish out there with more prominent scales, etc.? Good luck!

On 2011-03-03 20:22, MadDogMike wrote:
I think the people who hang out in the "Other Crafts" section of TC are the BEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD!!!!

:lol:

On 2011-03-04 18:46, hodadhank wrote:

On 2011-03-03 20:22, MadDogMike wrote:
I think the people who hang out in the "Other Crafts" section of TC are the BEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD!!!!

:lol:

It appears these days Other Crafts has the ONLY people ON TC - therefore - the best is not an inacurate comment! LOL