Barbie and Ken's Tiki Bar

Since I don't have a basement I can turn into a Tiki Bar, and I felt a need to make one - I built a Barbie and Ken Tiki Bar. It's still a work in progress, but wanted to see if anyone else is doing the same.

I apologize, I just realized, I placed this post in the wrong forum and don't know how to move it...

[ Edited by: NaniTiki 2012-11-19 15:38 ]

Really cool! I think bigbro would appreciate this

Very nice NaniTiki.

I went ahead and moved this to the Other Crafts forum as that's where there are other miniatures and dioramas.

Hilarious! Do a search for "diorama" and you'll find some similar stuff

EDIT - and welcome to Tiki Central :)

"Catch and release, it's tough when you use a spear"
Personally, I believe in "Fillet and release"
Pirate Ship Tree House

[ Edited by: MadDogMike 2012-11-19 17:37 ]

I really like it.

Yes indeed, delightful B&K diorama. CHEERS and nice contribution on your entry to Tiki Central.

Looking back at it I see some great details. Tell us what you found and what you made?

I love what you've done. It's really fun to look at all the special touches. Wendy

Thats kool

This is so very cool Nanitiki!! It instantly brought a smile to my face and gave me the chuckles as well.

Your detail is quite amazing... I love it!

You've even got Sailor Ken, in port on liberty and looking to get lei'd. Now THAT'S detail. :lol:

Welcome to TC NaniTiki.

Love it! I'm also tantalized by the glimpse of kitchen. Can you post a pic of that too? And are there other rooms as well? Just how extensive is this environment?

You are all very kind, thank you for the good words and for the Welcome.

Details: The hanging "floaters" on each side of the roof are just marbles, with a plastic mesh wrapped around them - mesh came from odds & ends I've saved over time (most likely from a bag of cherry tomatoes from supermarket). Shell necklace strung around the bar.

Ashtray on the bar top is made from a tiny clam shell, I rolled up some tissue paper to make some cigarettes, colored the tip brown to look like it's been smoked and glued a few in there. I recall backyards up in NY where I came from, had old clam shells they used as ashtrays (everyone smoked then) - anyone else remember that from back in the day?

Also on bar top - have a tiny rippled-looking clam shell with some beads made to look like small “floaters” sitting in it.

Glued down some small Coco Joe's around for some "atmosphere", wicker chair and table set my mom gave me, added a guitar stolen from a Spanish Flamenco doll.

Mini hula pic was a magnet pic frame and I found a beautiful pic of a Hawaiian Wahini to glue in, shelf on the wall was some sort of a “ desk organizer” thing I found in local thrift shop, made a nice wall shelf. Filled it with a mini-basket, tiki keychain, and a plastic hula (most likely a cake topper from back in the day).

Bar is made from thin pieces of bamboo, hot-glued to a picture frame.

Grass roof is cut from some grass I had growing outside, glued to foam-core board. Assorted chickens, lobster on the roof from local yard sales.

Genuine vintage Barbie and Kens from early 60's - I'm not a hard-core Barbie collector, but do love the vintage ones even if they are missing some hair or makeup rubbed off, they are still beauties!

As Brudda Bear said – he is right, that Ken is looking to get lei’d – and even though he’s a couple of years older than the Ken behind the bar, he’s in town for a couple of days and is going to make the most of his Liberty… Ha!

Thank you for the idea – I need to make leis for all three of them.

Great Eye - Sweet Daddy Tiki – you caught the kitchen next door - I did make other dioramas (more fun than just dressing Barbies up in clothes), but they’re not Tiki. I’ll post pics of them too to satisfy your curiosity.

The dioramas are in a spare bedroom with other old things.

This diorama, I’d like to expand, but still in planning stages – thinking of palm trees outside next to it, tiki torches, a small pond with waterfall using caulking to resemble the water stream. (of course more beautiful Barbies to grace the scene). I would love to hear of any suggestions on how to improve this one.

[ Edited by: NaniTiki 2016-01-24 08:27 ]

[ Edited by: NaniTiki 2016-01-24 08:34 ]

Nani Tiki,

I LOVE it! Soooo cute & well done. The tiki statues, the bar, the stuff hanging on the walls. Very clever.

awesome!!! This just put a big smile on my face..

A woman after my own heart. Amazing diorama Nantiki! I collect dolls and sometimes they partake in some Tiki Fun as well. Do you remember Liddle Kiddles?
Here are just a few of mine. I can't take credit for making anything. It was a set made by Mattel a few years back.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Darilyn

Very cool! Here is a photo of Ken and Barbie's trip to the Mai Kai that must have inspired the home Tiki Bar.

DC

How did I miss this thread for a whole week? This is definitely something that I am extremely interested in.
I love seeing what you've done.

First, aloha NanTiki. I like to work in 1:12 scale being half the size of Barbie & Ken scale (1:6), but a lot of times, items can slide from one to the other.

I created "the Blue Footed Booby Hatch" diorama for the Bird's of the Pacific Tiki Art Swap.

Hope to see more of your work!
~kele

I love love love the Blue Footed Booby Hatch! Detail is beautiful, especially for the tinier more difficult scale you work in - how you made those great tiki mugs? I love your hanging float ball! I spent lots of time trying to make the netting from thin rope and you aced it perfectly!

The Little Kiddles set is so cute, and the tiki's are perfect! It looks like someone handmade it, that is a wonderful find - congrats(I need to shop around for that set myself).

Barbie and Ken at the Mai Kai is cool! Love the coral wall behind them - though if I saw that one when I started on mine, I would have went that route and made a replica of the floor show area including the coral/shell wall - maybe using some HIP or Coco Joes Hula dancers on the stage (Barbie is beautiful, but she's such a stiff and can't dance - though it seems she likes to "flash" alot - ha!)

Let's see some more tiki doll dioramas - now with the cold weather up North, inside projects hopefully can include everyone else's version of their dream tiki bar...

One last shot of Barbie and Ken's Tiki bar - Barbie called it a night, went home to her five kids, because Sailor Ken bought out the joint, then passed out on the floor...

Tiki Bar was closed for Renovations - reopened with new Fish Tank and Juke Box...

On 2012-11-28 02:35, NaniTiki wrote:
I love love love the Blue Footed Booby Hatch! Detail is beautiful, especially for the tinier more difficult scale you work in - how you made those great tiki mugs? I love your hanging float ball! I spent lots of time trying to make the netting from thin rope and you aced it perfectly!

The Little Kiddles set is so cute, and the tiki's are perfect! It looks like someone handmade it, that is a wonderful find - congrats(I need to shop around for that set myself).

Barbie and Ken at the Mai Kai is cool! Love the coral wall behind them - though if I saw that one when I started on mine, I would have went that route and made a replica of the floor show area including the coral/shell wall - maybe using some HIP or Coco Joes Hula dancers on the stage (Barbie is beautiful, but she's such a stiff and can't dance - though it seems she likes to "flash" alot - ha!)

Let's see some more tiki doll dioramas - now with the cold weather up North, inside projects hopefully can include everyone else's version of their dream tiki bar...

One last shot of Barbie and Ken's Tiki bar - Barbie called it a night, went home to her five kids, because Sailor Ken bought out the joint, then passed out on the floor...

Ok, for you weed-heads out there.....Ken BOUGHT out the joint (purchased all the liquor)....not BROUGHT out the joint. Yes, I had to re-read it more than once :)

Also, looks like if you get a few drinks in Barbie at the Mai Kai, her clothes start coming off.....My kind of girl!!!

howlinowl

Wonderful fun. I just smile while looking at all the photos starting on page 1. Keep it up. Wendy

Welcome to TC, and awesome! Love the detail- those mini bottles! The glassware!

Love this- the only thing close I've seen is a photo print I got at Tiki Oasis a few years' back- I have to check the artist, but I think here's a link to his work (though the tiki bar photo I have is not on the site):

http://www.barbieandkenphotos.com/

Look forward to seeing more.

I love these! What a fun way to play around with ideas until you can build the full size bar of your dreams

PURE CLASS! Bravo Zulu.

And 'really like the other contributions, well done!