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

The rib is doing much better, thank you :) Treeboat - I like that Dale. Jon & Swizz, if you didn't like me operating the Skilsaw with no shoes it's a real good thing you didn't see me with the chainsaw! :o Wendy, Marlene & Tiger I hope I'm being a good Poppi ~ I'm not sure what kind of a grandparent builds a treehouse for a 3 year old!

I went to Buzzy's Chop yesterday and had a great time, we ate all kinds of deep fried stuff. I made a new blank bottle with full intentions of turning it into a PNG mask Saturday. But when I packed it up Friday night I noticed it was a bit odd shaped. The I noticed it was shaped a lot like this

The Ambum Stone was found in the highlands of PNG and is thought to be one of the oldest known examples of Oceanic art. It is thought to have been made around 1500 BC, making it about 3500 years old. I want to see if I can make a bottle to look like it, I still have a long way to go.

TREEBOAT ERECTION! Yes, you read that right ~ we lifted the treeboat 5 feet up into the tree this morning with no problems. Nothing exciting to take a picture of yet, maybe later this week. But I do have a pic of the treeboat fasteners. Back in the Paleo days, we just nailed 2x4s to the trees and built a platform. Now we are much more sophisticated in the safety of our youngsters and in the health of our trees. It turns out that nailing several places in close proximity kills a large area of the tree. And having the treehouse butt up against the tree traps debris and moisture, encouraging insects and rot. The modern technology is called a "perch", one large bolt (3/4 or 1 inch x 10 inches) into the tree that the frame of the treehouse sets on. This treeboat sits on three perches set in 3 different trees. It will also have some 4x4 "legs"

One really cool thing I noticed today is that the treeboat creaks as the trees move under it sounding like a real wooden boat!

Loving the creaky treeboat and I think a very good Poppi builds a treeboat for a 3 years old.

Bottle looking really cool. I can't wait to see what you come up with for a finish for that one. If we know you it will be different and creative.

• Dale

Wow, I love construction projects and this one is fabulous! The bottle so going to be so cool. You amaze me Mike, Wendy

The bottle is looking good, man. Looks just like it. Can't wait to see it done.

Dale, Wendy & Hale - thank you so much. I have been busy working on my Pirate Ship Tree House (link in my signature below) so I haven't done any ceramic work. Wendy, I see what you mean by looking at pictures of your work. When I looked at the picture of the Ambum Stone bottle above I realized that the arms are all wrong. I probably better spray that and re-wrap it so it would be in workable condition when I get back to it. I have 2 non-tiki commissions that I promised to people, I need to get crackin' on those this week. And I have some projects for a "Year of the Dragon" themed $100/plate event for the hospital I need to work on real soon too. Looks like no Tiki mud under my fingernails for at least a couple of weeks :(

Captain Goobie and first mate Tater Tot should be very proud of such a fine vessel. Arrrr!

Seriously, my dad built me a couple of awesome playhouses over the years: places where I could go and be alone and just be a kid, or invite friends over and share in the joy of the place. Those have always stuck in my mind as the most fantastic gifts you can give a kid, and I had many a joyful moment in my playhouse refuges. It is a gift of joy that continues to give for many years, you are giving them something more special than you probably even realize. To give a kid such a place plants the seeds of imagination and independence. You are being a first rate Paw Paw in giving them this. :)

mike-

this project is KICK ASS! Your grandkids will LOVE this for years to come! You are a great Paw-Paw! (or grandpa or whatever you call yourself, I'm drinking chocolate martinis, crappy day)

In any case I need to get creating. I finally finished my bamboo frame for Sophista Tiki's picture but still need to hang it. Back to school time is rough!

Feel better soon & heal quickly!

Mike, any progress with the ceramic skull you were working with at Buzzy's house? It would be nice to see progress pictures, it was a pretty nice looking skull.

I wanna see more tree house epics!

the treehouse. AMAZING!

A going green pirate ship! When it's brown will you paint some waves across the bottom or just ship in some icebergs to melt like they do in Saudi Arabia? This is a magnificent project Mike. I want to be adopted so you'll build one for us. Wendy

Thank you all for your kind words on my treehouse. I have finally admitted to myself it is actually for me and that the grandkids are just an excuse :lol: I posted some updates (link in my signature) including what I did with the crackle skull I posted on Wendy's thread.

I tweaked my neck yesterday so today seemed like a good day to work on ceramics instead of treehouse construction. The Ambum bottle sculpt is done. Now to let it dry slowly and see what I want to do when I fire it.'

Ambum bottle or ambien bottle?

:)

Jon, I don't know nuthin' 'bout no Ambien! (is that a double negative?) :lol:

I forgot to mention that part of the reason I have been absent for a while is that I was shanghai'd to Shanghai where another roundeye and I were forced to carry a beautiful princess around. When they sent me to fetch fireworks for the nightly celebration, I tied myself to a large skyrocket and blasted myself to Okinawa.

When do you sleep MadDog? Another great bottle and a fun photo too. You have a terrific show going and now I'll go see the pirate ship web page. (: Wendy

Bisque fired the Ambum Bottle and it survived the heat. I put matte black on the negative space, it looks a little stark right now but I'm hoping it will look better when I get some color on it. If I photograph it against a black background it should look good :D Going to do saggar firing on this one too, I think it will give it a nice organic feel. Got some copper wire to wrap around it this time, see what that does. Back into the kiln today for glaze on the inside, hopefully saggar firing in the morning

Bring it Mike! Bring it!

Keep working hard every day so we don't have to wait so long for the next set of photos. They are like Lays potato chips, have one must have more! Wendy

I want a Pirate Ship tree house.

I know I've slackin' on the Tiki ceramics while working on the Piratre Ship. But now that the starboard hull is finished (the side that faces the road), I'll divide my time a little better.

Besides, the time change really messes up any outdoor projects, I get home from work around 4 and it will already be close to dark! Isn't that like cutting one end off your blanket and sewing to the other end to make the blanket longer? Doesn't seem to work. They talk about how we get an extra hour of sleep tonight ~ I'm calling Shenanigans! My internal clock wakes me up at 5am every morning. Now for the next few weeks I'll wake up at 4am! Then I'll be begging for 9:00 to come around so I can go to bed :lol:

The Ambum bottle is in the kiln and should be ready for saggar firing tomorrow. I finished another pair of Sea Monkey Salt & Pepper shakers for a TCer and finished sculpting another Raiders skull mug for a friend.

Tonight I started a tiki project I've been wanting to do for a couple of years. John-O may recognize it, it's the logo from the "El Tiki" restaurant I worked at as a kid. I want it to look like the 1960s vintage mug that never existed ~ single color, maybe a crackle glaze on the outside, on the back I'll put "El Tiki Imperial, Calif." using the old abbreviation instead of the current CA.

I like sculpting ceramic clay better than plastacine or wax so I'm making the master from Laguna EM347. I have decide if I want to make the mold from wet clay or from a bisque fired piece.

I know not of the restaurant, or the Raiders mug, or the sea monkey shakers, but I look forward to seeing them all!

Thanks Hale. The Ambum Bottle is finished, the copper wire left some interesting marks ~ I'll have to experiment with that again sometime.

More progress on the El Tiki mug

Cool! El Tiki is looking good!

Mike El Tiki is so much fun. How great to have a mug specific to your town. That's why I love doing the Sacramento Crawl mug. You've done an outstanding job. I'm so happy that you are working so many hours just so we can enjoy all that you create. Cheers, Wendy

Mike "El Tiki" is looking great amigo and the ambum bottle really turned out awesome too.. I was thinking that El Tiki would look cool with that sagar process..
Your going to need a bigger kiln... :wink: Aloha

Mad dog
Ambum rocks
New mug lookin good too

The El Tiki one is looking very cool. Really like your experiments with "burning materials" on the firings.

I am not sure which idea terrifies me more: that you had two photos of yourself in Chinese coolly dress lying around to do that photoshop pic in, or that you have a twin willing to pose for your artistry. :wink:

When do we see more pics of the good ship mad dog pop? I mean the pirate ship? :wink: I am sure tater tot and crew are excited to "set sail" on such an incredible craft. :)

Attention MadDogMike you should make the El Tiki mold because Dan is first in line for one of these. He wants to drink from it as he does his Rosetta Stone Spanish lessons. It's a terrific mug. Wendy

I just received the MOST AWESOME sea monkey salt and pepper shakers EVER! Thank you soooo much Mike! You are a ceramic genius!

Pirate Ship Tree House (it wouldn't copy)

I just clicked on your link for the pirate ship and saw your flooded backyard photo. That was so cool.

I love the MadDogMike Show. Cheers, Wendy

Robert, Wendy, Bumz, Jon, & Tiger - Thank you!
Atomic Chick - I had fun with those

I have not forgotten you guys, I have been busy making a parade float for my hospital. Not hardly Rose Bowl material but we did get the trophy for the commercial division :D

Haven't done anything on the pirate ship since the time change. Hopefully next weekend. Wendy, that flooded back yard is an effect from http://www.lunapic.com - it looks pretty real.

I have done some work on the El Tiki mug. I am making the master from bisqued, unglazed ceramic. The sculpt is done and fired and I am starting on the mold. Not sure exactly how this will work out :D Bowana suggested I shellac the bisqued ceramic, which I have done, and use lots of mold soap. We'll see.

Working on some ideas for the Sea Creatures of the South Pacific Art Swap. Also getting ready to start on a Headhunter's Bonepile Wind Chime for one of my TC friends.

I haven't exactly been resting on my laurels, but I don't have anything exciting to show you yet :lol:
EDIT - OK, one pic just to prove I'm not lying to you :P

When you come across a big kettle of crazy, sometimes it's best not to stir it
Pirate Ship Tree House

[ Edited by: MadDogMike 2012-11-11 21:01 ]

You never rest. The mold looks great. Dan's excited. Cheers, Wendy

Looks like the mold was a success. I should know before the end of the week :D
They don't recommend that you apply heat to your plaster molds but it's winter and it could take until April to dry! :o I have a forced air cabinet at work is only about 100 or 110 degrees, it would be dry by the end of the week.

2 days in the warm air dryer and my mold was dry enough to use so I cast a mug tonight, I'll find out tomorrow how good my mold is.

I started working on a Headhunter's Bonepile Windchime for my friend HilTiki

I've got a skull, femur, radius & ulna, scapula, clavicle, four vertebrae and a hand. The skull is slipcast from a mold, the rest are formed from paperclay. Since the fiber in paperclay helps wick the moisture to the outside, thick objects like these can be allowed to dry faster without cracking.

The plan is to hang the bones from the skull. A solar light in the top of the skull will illuminate the eyes at night as well as shine some light down on the hanging bones. I have just realized that the femur is probably too long to fit in my kiln :lol: I'll have to fire it in someone else's kiln

Wow, I could recognize all the bones, good job. I wish we could hear them in the wind. Wendy

Mike
Your an animal

Can't wait to see the mug
and the bone chime
Jon

Mike I'm real excited about this chime. I Love skulls. It's going to be fun just looking forward to progress pictures.

That's humorous without a humerus.

Mike,
You see how well Hilda makes out,
just for being nice.

You go girl.

:wink:

Super cool wind chime Mad Dog!

Mike!!!!!

Love the mug! Add me to the list!

Can't wait to see more pictures.

Thank you my fine friends :D Heath, you're funny!

I got 2 El Tiki mugs done and glazed but I gave them away before I took a picture :lol: I've got several more cast and drying, pictures someday

Bisque fired the Bonepile, need do a little aging and refire then string them together. It took a while to dry as some of the pieces are an inch thick solid clay. I'll need to jazz up the solar light on top some, maybe some PNG designs or something?

It so funny how the hole in the skull makes him look cross eyed in this photo. What a fun idea. This really should go in a man cave. Wendy

Lookin good bones

Kirk out

Thank you Wendy & Jon :)

Here's a shot of my kiln loaded to capacity - 6 mugs :lol:

And here they are in various glaze colors ready to go back into the kiln

I can't compete with Wendy for output so I have to try to beat her in quality vs quantity. No, I don't stand a chance there either. Well at least I have more fun. Hmm, that's also probably not true. Uhmmm..."If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself" :lol:

All finished firing the Headhunter Bonepile Windchime. I antiqued it in gray and left it unglazed. Being low fire clay and unglazed. it probably won't last as long, maybe only a couple hundred years before it returns to the dust. This is not the final configuration, just messing around to see how the bones hang. I made channels inside the bones to string them on but this cord is to fat to fit.

I am speechless. :wink:

Mike,

Can't wait to see how your mugs look after the glaze firing!