Wendy Cevola - I've finished a Wish List Black Velvet. Time to post the steps.

Splendid looking Fu Bob, Wendy! He's already channeling Boris Karloff from The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932): "And now for a nice, long drink... Ha ha ha ha ha... Oh, I forgot to tell you... it was salted!"

-Tom

WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!
Amazing Wendy!
Simply Amazing!
:)

Thank you all so very much. I have so much to do today and I still want to post photos so I'm doing a collective huge I LOVED YOUR POSTS! In fact I've read them all over and over again. You all really make my days so much fun.

Progress Report:

ZOMBIE TORCH
Well even though we both worked a lot yesterday I didn't get as far as I wanted due to glaze taking its time to dry. Today I'll do the last clear layer on the Bob's and if they dry I'll fire them tonight along with the bowls. I hope I've made them all just a bit better.

The sun came out so we jumped to work on the Zombie Torches. I had Dan fill a mug half way with glaze and then shake it up to cover the inside and then pour the glaze back out into the next mug. Here he is pouring out the last one back into the jug.

I wiped off the glaze with a wet paper towel. So that it was only in the opening.

The five are ready to have the outsides done when these are dry.

Out in the yard we put rocks in a box and tested the sprayer.

I let Dan take my lovely photo so you would know that I am as photogenic as Dan.

The first two tests I sprayed brown over the entire outside.

The last three I did with the woman in brown and the Zombie in blue green like the menu. This is what I hope works out.

After I finished the last one I realized that I should have sprayed the Zombie first and the girl second because of the over-spray. Good thing tests are how you learn.

I won't have space for these when I fire the Bobs tonight. But they are ready for the next load and we beat the rain.

Dan loves doing the clean up!

TIKI BOB'S
Back in the house I roughed up each Bob where I needed to re-glaze.

This PNG mug has been a great learning experience.

I'm trying to get the carving to show up more and the brown on the rest of the mug to match that dark mouth.

This is the layer that by 10 PM hadn't dried enough for layer two. I'll do that today.

CHUNK LAMP SEA LIFE CREATURES
At 7 PM Dan wanted to watch Survivor so I found a project that has needed to be done for a long time. I heated up strips of sculptors clay to make it sticky.

I stacked the strips and pressed my previous sculptures into the clay.

I cut off the excess clay using a tool that I'd never used before. Ahhh works well.

I added clay where needed and mushed the sides to seal the connection.

I have more of these to do plus a sculpt of a shark. Then lots of fine tuning to repair them until they are of the quality before I had to thicken them.

The reason this is done is so that the sculpture can be sunk into the resin not just put on top of it for the chunk lamps that Roge makes. When I finish these the Bumatay Lamp will be ready for orders. Or if you don't care about the sea life extras he's able to make the lamps now with the Bumatay and chunks.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtLampDesignByRoger?page=1

Today Professor G sent us photos of the first day of spring.

Please check out his food blog and this photo of him at work.
http://www.docs-atomic-diner.com/gallery/
http://www.reporternews.com/photos/2012/mar/16/107126/

Thank you so much for thinking of us. Cheers everyone may your days be lovely.
Wendy and Dan

I hope you all enjoyed the Professor's Gallery of Favorite Women with Guns.

Chef G is looking mighty handsome there :D

Wendy, what's the colored foliage in the hedge?

busy busy busy

The Bob's are looking great! I love following along on the whole process.

You guys going to the Tiki Marketplace in a couple weeks? I will be there.

Wendy, The Bob's look GREAT! I can't believe how many projects you achieve at once.. I have two mugs sitting in plastic waiting for some more carving for days but just haven't had the extra hours, hopefully tonight I can get my hands wet.. :wink:
I think my favorite out of all them has to be that Bumatay bowl, that really is a beautiful piece..
Okay, hope they all make it back out of the kiln alright,

AlohA!

Professor G I'm definitely the scariest looking female with a gun.
MadDogMike I agree that newspaper photo of Professor G shows his handsomeness.
The plant is Fotenia.
hang10tiki I feel so lazy now with the kiln full and only a few projects to
work on until the Zombie tests are fired. I do have the sombrero to
paint today.
bavtech Yes see you soon and thank you.
Beachbumz Tomorrow the Bumatay bowl comes out of the kiln. I hope it looks
like I envision it. I'm glad you like it.

Thank you everyone for your continued support of my work. Cheers, Wendy

Progress Report

I finished the last clear glaze layer.

I put them in the kiln with a four hour preheat to dry this layer before the kiln started its ramp up. All the bowls are on the bottom and the Bobs on the top. The kiln opens tomorrow. The Bob faces now have 6 layers of white and four layers of clear glaze.

While Dan made dinner I spread all the little pieces of clay that come from sculpting on a foil lined cookie sheet. I put them in the oven to melt.

Dan distracted by my constant talking popped the lid on tight before putting our dinner in the microwave. OOPS!

While I cleaned the Thai food off the microwave Dan compressed the melted bits of clay into larger pieces.

While watching A Person Of Interest and Missing I made these two pieces thicker.

This is The Dan Show for sure!

Go Dan, Go...
If I worked as fast as you two, my tiki room and newest carving project would be done already...

[ Edited by: hang10tiki 2012-03-23 10:39 ]

KACHOW!!!!! I got my Cannibal Bobs in the mail yesterday - BEEEAAAUUUTIIIFUL!!! I'll post a picture this weekend. THANKS WENDY & DAN!!!

hang10tiki its not really fast its more that we'll do 10 to 12 hour days working on TIKIS!
MadDogMike you know you are the pinup of TC. I want model quality poses, please.

This will be a fast Progress Report because we had a lazy day Friday and there is a kiln we need to open up.

I've been spending time on the Chunk Lamp sculpts adding clay to the bottoms. This is the shark tail and a tiny octopus.

Next I did the shark head. Here I'm adding a lip on top of the teeth.

View of the teeth.

Another angle.

Now I want a larger octopus.

Forming the head.

Shaping it.

I want it to tilt back so I cut a piece from the bottom back and added it to the front.

After I open the kiln I will take photos of each Bob and I'll post them here for inspection. Then it will be time to get down to business! Cheers, Wendy

Getting down to business will be a pleasure. This whole process has been a pleasure as far as I'm concerned.

Thank you so much Professor G. I spent the morning painting hundreds of stars. I will not bake your mug until you say if you like them. I can take them off at this stage. So when you see your photos let me know.

I'm taking every mug and bowl photo right now. I'm going to hold Marone Tiki and Psycho Tiki D's Bob bowls for one more layer of glaze. I should fire tomorrow so the hold up won't be too long. It will be worth it.

All the rest of the mugs are as good as I can do. Even with all the new layers of glaze there are still a few small blue smudges. Dan said they pass his test for quality and that I'm nit picking. I'll let you each decide. They are faint.

OK now I'll get back to taking the photos and later today I'll post the images. Thank you all for your patients. I'm waiting too for my MadDogMike photos, they should be special.

Here comes Dan with the whip!!!

Wendy, actually Buzzy is the pinup beefcake of Tiki Central ~ he's younger and better looking too! :D But I will give it my best shot. I'm waiting for a camera operator and the right lighting.

I do have the Buzzy Bedroom set up with his photos but I really think I have room for another handsome guy to join Dan on one of my wall MadDog and that would be you.

Progress Report: I sent out emails and PM's to the owners of these mugs and bowls with photos requesting addresses so I can figure out shipping charges.

Here's how they look now. A couple that fired once are going back in for a touch up. It's super to be able to make them look as good as possible.

MadDogMike

Psycho Tiki D

PTD small Bob bowl with Dan's tall Bob bowl the tall Bob is $300 small Bob $150.

Tall Bob

Tall Bob

Marone Tiki

Bumatay Bowl for Dan these can be ordered from me $300

Tiki Tom D's Fu Manchu for Dr. Funk

hang10tiki I got the drips to work!

Zerostreet

Blue Bob Group of super carved.

bavtech WestADad hang10tiki and Professor G with stars

The Blue Kahuna's South of the Boarder Bob

Tiki Ba for Loki Tiki

PNG for blacksandz

hang10tiki

bavtech with the Secret Agent/Spy Bob

Atomic Chick ?Bob and Mosaic Bob

I'm looking forward to your replies to my messages. Wow it's been a lot of work but so much fun. Tonight I'm working on the Zombie Torch tests. I will fire tomorrow. Cheers, Wendy

Wendy,
All of your stuff is just so much WOW! Especially the mosaic Bob, it really speaks to me! Your talent humbles me!
~kele

A-freekin-mazing..........
Sweet
Love love love em
They all look stunning
My blue man bob rocks
My lava bob bowl came out great
Way better than I ever imagined
Wow wow wow

U 2 are an amazing team!

Jon

Too much goodness for one posting to contain!!!

The Bumatay Bowl turned out great! Those are both beautiful glazes and it worked out so well where they ran together ~ the blue and the yellow made shadows of green.

The drips and the inside center worked out well on Hang10's bowl, congratulations

ZeroStreet's logo turned out perfect and I love the green eyes on TikiBa.

All the rest were beautiful too ~ BRAVO!!!

Ahhhhhh, Wendy-and-Dan-fantabulous!

Oh My Tiki God!!!! Wendy, in the words of Ken Ruzic, "YOU ARE NAILING IT". Beautiful carving. Awesome glazes. Perfection.

Hell Yes Wendy! Hell YES!

Hey Wendy, will the shark head stick out one side of the lamp and the tail out the other?

Wendy,

You're truly the Michelangelo of Bobs! They are all works of beauty, and that Fu Manchu Bob looks to be ready to receive a certain peculiar South Seas drink known from Tonga to Tahiti!

Mahalo,

Tom

bowls are lookin cool, and very classic

WaikikianMoeKele
hang10tiki
MadDogMike x 2
The Big Kahuna
MP
Atomic Tiki Punk
Tiki Tom D
OceaOtica

Thank you all for your support and friendship. Who could possibly wake up to a better morning than this. I loved reading these comments so much more than the Sunday paper. I'm like a kid and each note is a piece of candy. I have read them to Dan to show that we are indeed a team and recognized as such. Thank you dear friends for making this journey an adventure filled with surprises. It is so much fun to fulfill dreams. You give me such joy. Cheers, Wendy

Back to work with a Progress Report:

Today I will fire those bowls that needed tweaking and five glaze tests. Really I only glazed these five in two ways. Two are all brown with one having some glaze removed and the other half brown and half blue green. Once they are fired I'll do some with enamel paint. Once all of them are finished we'll see what the run should look like and next week I'll try to get a good start. Hopefully there will be some rain free days. This week its possible rain every day.

[ Edited by: danlovestikis 2012-03-25 10:39 ]

I'm I seeing this right? you are reproducing the shade & lighting from the original Art/Menu
That is so "insane in the membrane" in the very best way possible!

It's just to cool for my mind to contain it.....I think I have been artistically overdosed!

Of course I could be trippin on to much MSG from John-O's road trip but I say it's the ART.

Wendy & Dan,

Can't wait to see them after being fired! Hurry, hurry!!!!!!!!

:)
Lori

Fantastic! The Bumatay bowl is incredible, they all are incredible!

Looking forward to the firing of the Torches!

Best,
Chris

Wendy all that work definitely paid off, everything came out great, lovin the Bumatay, really really came out nice, the glaze combinations you chose were beautiful..
Can't wait to see how you finish off these zombie mugs, looks like your off to a great start..
Aloha to you both..

Atomic Tiki Punk you got it. That is exactly what I'm aiming for. I want them to have as much of the feeling as the menu.

LoriLovesTiki tomorrow morning the kiln opens up. That's my favorite part.

WestADad I only had that bowl long enough for photos before it disappeared into Dan's tiki jungle room. I'm so happy everyone liked it.

BeachBumz you are so good at glazing I really appreciate your thumbs up and Aloha.

Progress Report:

We started the day by loading the kiln with the glaze tests and some bowls that needed more glaze. The bottle may say three coats but how thick those coats come off the brush makes a huge difference

The few mugs that has enamel added, such as the red sombrero band were baked in the oven.

We brought all of the Zombie Torch mugs into the kitchen.

My job was to pour in the glaze.

Then Dan would vigorously shake the mug in every direction to make sure the entire insides were covered and that there were no air pockets.

Next mug filled.

More shaking.

My other job was to empty the mug while...

Dan's shaking the next filled one.

Another of my steps was to wipe the top leaving glaze in the indented part.

Dan keeps going and he is very entertaining.

I also turn these upside down to drain more and then I wipe the tops a second time and leave the mug upright.

Dan continues to shake the filled mugs...

and shake...

and shake...

and shake...

until we had all 30 mugs glazed inside and drying.

Now the baked mugs are done. Dan found more energy to box for shipping the mugs for zerostreet and Professor G.

These two boxes have shipped! I'd love a photo of the mug with the owner or where its displayed, Please, Please. Cheers, Wendy

Dan's motto Shake Mop and Roll

[ Edited by: danlovestikis 2012-03-26 09:21 ]

On 2012-03-26 09:11, danlovestikis wrote:

These two boxes have shipped! I'd love a photo of the mug with the owner or where its displayed, Please, Please. Cheers, Wendy

Photo Op!!!! This could get interesting. Dan's looking a little flushed in a few of those pictures, take it easy you two.

Best,
Chris

And the wait begins again, This should be spoken with a British accent.

Love those pictures of Dan! :lol:

Dan's new favourite movie is "Shakes the Clown"!

[ Edited by: rugbymatt 2012-03-26 15:21 ]

That Dan is an earthquake in the making...SHAKE & BAKE!!!

Now the baked mugs are done. Dan found more energy to box for shipping the mugs for zerostreet and Professor G.

These two boxes have shipped! I'd love a photo of the mug with the owner or where its displayed, Please, Please. Cheers, Wendy

---

Dan's motto Shake Mop and Roll

[ Edited by: danlovestikis 2012-03-26 09:21 ]

Definitely! Can't wait!

Hope after all that hard work Dan shook up one of these!

You probably didn't need to shake if you just fill to the top and then poured out.

Shake shake shake
Shake shake shake
Shake your Booty

Here ya go Wendy! This is me enjoying a nice refreshing Cannibal Bob Cooler made from Pineapple Juice (yellow), Orange Juice (orange), Tamarind Nectar & Myers's Rum (brown) It taste like a million bucks ~ but that is because I'm drinking it from a MASTERPIECE. I think I could pour Thunderbird into this mug and it would taste like Dom Perignon White Gold!

Personally, I think me in the picture detracts from the beauty of the mug, I prefer this instead :D

AWESOME!! You got that fast! I'm jealous.

Well this is a bummer. I was able to open the kiln last night. I took lots of photos until my battery was dead. So I charged it up and took more photos in preparation for this morning.

Now Dan and I have searched everywhere and we can't find the transfer chord. Life is full of mysteries but I think I know what happened. I was standing over the waste paper can when I took out the chord to charge my battery. Right after Dan collected the trash and took the big can to the curb. They picked up while we were asleep this morning.

This is all guessing. Dan has a doctors appointment for a vaccine against shingles. When you turn 60 you get the shot. After that we will go to Best Buy and get 2 new chords if they have them and I'll load the photos ASAP.

Meanwhile I'm going to answer most of my wonderful messages that I read to Dan this morning as he crawled around on the floor looking for the chord.

WestADad Dan was flushed because I keep giving him reward kisses. You are right MadDogMike got his mug first because I wanted that photo pinup for our wall! I hope everyone will send me a photo of them with their mugs and bowls. Everyone opted to wait until I can ship the Zombie Torch with them, it's so much cheaper.

Atomic Tiki Punk sorry there is a wait this morning. See you this weekend.

MadDogMike you are a handsome pinup, you can't hide the fact. You belong in the Buzzy Bedroom. Thank you so very much for this photo. I love seeing my art safe in hand! You even look good in modern block art.

RugbyMatt we haven't seen the movie but now we'll be watching for it. Dan loves to be my darling clown. He said he liked shaking photos better than mopping photos.

VampiressRN like minds. Dan said Shake and Bake too.

Zerostreet we feel honored that you photoshopped Dan. That was well done thank you. I took a photo of your Mystery Woman hung...where else in the Buzzy Bedroom. I'll post it when I get the chord.

teaKey I took a photo to show you why we had to shake so check back later today. It was a learning lesson that I forgot to share.

hang10tiki we were singing that song the whole time. When Dan and I dated in the late 70's I loved to dance at Black Angus to Brick House and Shake your Booty. He loved it when the Beach Boys were played.

Next up will be all the photos right down to a finished Zombie Mug. Cheers, Wendy

Wendy, Sorry about the camera misstep, But don't you worry about us, we have become spoiled
to all the time you take to create your works of art & then take & post pictures on TC.
I really don't see how you do it all, But thank you!

You guys have a safe drive & see you at Don's on Sunday!

MDM :lol: :lol: :lol:

Thank you Atomic Tiki Punk formerly Chuck Tatum is Tiki. It does take a lot of time to post but all the comments reward me so much that I'll never stop.

I have a few things to post and then we'll get to the final result.

I've hung the Mystery Woman by zerostreet - Robert Jimenez in the Buzzy Bedroom.

Thank you Robert she really took the room up a notch.

teaKey here is a side view of the mug. the part that is indented for the flame causes an area that would hold air and not be glazed unless we shook and inverted the mug.

As you can tell our trip to Best Buy worked. They didn't sell replacement chords so I got a card reader. My computer didn't work for the card size on the new camera. This reader is perfect.

I made this small super carved statue for myself but it was abducted and taken to the tiki jungle room.

Now it is time to show you the glaze tests.

My inspiration for the Zombie Torch was my favorite menu cover.

Test One all brown

Test Two all brown with glaze wiped off of Zombie and Woman

Test Three Green and Brown ( I have learned from these tests to spray the green first and the brown second. That will be an improvement.

Ever wonder how the flame would stay and not fall off. Earthquake putty. A piece will come with each mug. Make a rope and stick it around the opening.

Press the flame down firmly.

Tested with a long straw and it works fine.

Test four brown and green. The Zombie had glaze wiped off and the woman is painted with enamel that is fixed by baking in my home oven.

Group comparisons.

Note: I accidentally reversed the colors on the flower. That I will correct. Pink flower darker at the stamen and center not the edges.

I have tests but I don't have finished mugs. Dan is finishing the flames. Because they are glazed inside and out like a mug the spikes that held them during firing leaves sharp spots on the bottom. Each must be sanded smooth. Of course I'll take photos for tomorrow.

Now its your part to tell me what you think of each test. Do you think the run should all look alike or would you like a choice with a difference in price according to the amount of work? If I let you choose which version the prices would be:

Test One: All brown (except for the flame) $100
Test Two: All brown with the bodies wiped of some glaze $110
Test Three: Half brown and half green $110
Test Four: Half brown and half green with the Zombie wiped of some glaze and the girl hand painted with enamel and baked to set $125

My wish is that everyone would want Test Four. I love painting the woman and also making the Zombie look closer to the menu. But I realize that tastes are different and I'm willing to make an order specific to each person.

I am going to make a numbered card to go with each mug. I love being able to say I give out my autograph. You must know by now that Dan and I are hams.

Please let me know your thoughts. Cheers, Wendy

[ Edited by: danlovestikis 2012-03-27 13:57 ]

I have to pick #4, it is fantastic! And I have to admit to liking your painted women!

[ Edited by: WestADad 2012-03-27 14:23 ]

Thank you WestADad. It's fun to paint these ladies.

I forgot to mention once again that the mugs with the flame are appoximatley
14 inches tall and they are thick and heavy mugs so that they will not tip over.

Cheers, Wendy

On 2012-03-27 14:16, WestADad wrote:
I have to pick #4, it is fantastic! And I have to admit to liking your painted women!

[ Edited by: WestADad 2012-03-27 14:23 ]

I agree with Chris, #4 is awesome!

Thanks so much for posting that pic Wendy! I'm thrilled to have my work hanging in your home! Will post pics of the mug as soon as it arrives!!