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

hang10tiki you have such a nice smile!

=======================

Part II of the Owen Wright project I couldn't finish.

Instead of making a Kava Kava Man tiki I made the real Kava Kava Man who gave the Easter Island king nightmares.

I started with a cannibal pot. I got out a bunch of sticky clay and

began to re-shape the head.

Forehead.

Nose.

Eyes.

Beard.

Now I began to fine-tune the face.

So many tools that are perfect for each step. This one is a cutting loop.

Now I cut in to securely attach the ears.

He is done except for the fine-tuning once the clay is firm.

Days later I remove the extra attachment clay.

Now that he was done I figured out the best idea for him would be to turn him into a lamp. So I drilled the holes.

This one is so thick and heavy that it will take at least a month to dry him for firing. Hopefully I didn't trap any air.

I hope you all don't have nightmares after looking at him. Wendy

Another illuminating Wendy project
:)
:)
:)

hang10tiki hahahahhah got it!

==========================

Wish List #7 I almost forgot to do an update for these mugs. I make these to go with the black velvet paintings.
I am doing four. Three for Wishers and one for Tiki Oasis. I even made a few extras. They are based on the tikis at Disneyland, Orlando.

I am way behind in posting photos but I will work to catch up. Cheers, Wendy

Wendy, that's okay you're behind on photos. You're way ahead of everyone else when it comes to creativity!

Love those Disney dudes

Awesome Wendy

MaukaHale ah that made me blush

hang10tiki me too, this one is kind of scary

==============================

You all know I love to mess with Tiki Bob. Months ago I did these two in a new way. Instead of carving I took a spike and I stirred the clay to make the design. I'm not sure if this introduces any trapped air that will explode in the kiln. I will find out.

The first one I did as a Maori Bob. This shows the tool I used.

This is the second one that I did spiking the body rather than the face.

Glazing these should be interesting too.

What do you all think of this new technique? It may have been done before but for me it is new.

I hope you are all having a fun Saturday evening, Wendy

Ohhhhhhhhh
Love the 2nd one

hang10tiki thank you, I hope it will fire and glaze well. If so then I'll be using this style more often.

===========================

Big thank you to everyone who votes to keep us on Cool and Current. I have fun using the link to click over to my thread faster. I appreciate all of you who view and comment on my thread. You make this fun.

===========================

Well you have seen all the Wish List #7 projects sculpted and the black velvet stretched. There has been so much more work going on than I have been able to show that now it is time to just share some backstage photos. While I bring my thread up to date I have started glazing. I'm not going to run out of photos to post.

Wish List #7 began in June 2016 when I began pouring all the pieces that I could use to make each project. I filled the garage and house with them. It really helped to speed things up.

This is what the garage work table looked like in October 2016 as I just made a few extra pieces not on the list.

The Sacramento Crawl mug for 2017 is based on this restaurant which was suggested by Psycho Tiki D. It worked out well because this year the mug is also being made in a small number for lunarvideogames home bar in San Diego called Tiki the Hut.

With one mold I could pour and clean one mug per day.

It's been fun watching the numbers grow.

Hoping that there would be a few wishes for Frankoma bowls I made and stored the little tikis in Tupperware.

The dining room table has both greenware pieces drying and pieces ready to be used stored in plastic bags.

One day we forgot we had poured a crawl mug and didn't notice until the next day. It was 2 inches thick in muck.

The outside of the mug looked fine so I turned it on it's side and

from the bottom I dug out all the muck.

This will not be a mug I will turn it into a lamp.

I added sticky clay as glue and

pressed down clay on the top. I trimmed it and detailed it and added a hole to the top.

Then I added a hole to the back.

I have sanded a whole kiln load and I am loading the kiln as tightly as I can.

It is OK to stack green ware for firing. Nothing will stick.

Dan is blowing off the sanding dust. A kiln lasts longer if you keep the dust out and off of the wires.

We wear our face masks to save our lungs.

I loaded it completely full.

Every single day we pour more pieces and a crawl mug.

Now the nook is filling up.

Whenever I have a batch dry I sand them and Dan blows off the dust. Now the kiln room is filling up with projects to fire.

The kiln is opened and the pieces are now ready to be washed. It is freezing outside so

they were carried inside where I will wash them in a big pot in the sink. I have to catch the dust so that I don't clog the drain.

A crawl mug ready to clean and other pieces waiting for their day. This photo was taken on Dec. 4th 2016.

Day by day the projects progressed and I wasn't even going to start until January 2017. It felt so good to have this huge early start.

Thank you for the visit. Wendy

Wow
So much goes on behind the doors of Cevola
Thanks for posting so many pics
I know it takes time
Thanks for all you guys do
It's appreciated more than you know

hang10tiki you have such a kind heart.

============================================

Wish List #7 and the Sacramento Crawl mug. More behind the scenes photos. There is some overlap with photos I have posted in the past. It's not always easy to organize when I take so many and post so often.

With the kiln unloaded and in the kitchen it was now time to scrub each piece. I started with the Black Velvet mugs.

After washing they go on the dining room table under plastic to keep dust from falling on them. Dust makes glazing defects.

I made all the Frankoma bowls and for days they have been in and out of plastic. They are now strong enough to turn over to let the bottoms dry. Even still it's only for 1 hour at a time then back in the bag. The same with every project that has attached parts or clay added.

The crawl mugs do not go into a bag but I do rotate them so that the bottom dries at the same rate.

I think this is a repeat of the HUGE Maori lamps that I have made.

The one in the middle and the one with round eyes have sold.

The first one with the floats is still for sale.

I don't wire these I just glaze them and off they go. I really enjoy carving each one differently. That's why I made a blank mold.

Every piece is sanded and fine tuned with carving tools before going into the kiln.

Dan has to dust them all for me while I work.

Then it is time to load the kiln. Bisque can touch each other so more can go into a load.

Each piece must be completely dry or the moisture will boil and explode the piece. When I'm not sure I do a 10 hour preheat and a 13.5 hour slow ramp. That will dry out the last bit of moisture and all the art will be fine.

Before starting this load I remembered that one of the Zombie Village necklaces had cracked in half.

MadDogMike told me about Magic Mend for attaching pieces and doing repairs so I got it out and added it to the top.

I stuck the pieces together.

The preheat will slowly dry this and so I closed the lid and turned it on.

I like to look at the drying table as I add more pieces. The volcano bowl is supported by a plastic tub so that the bottom will dry.

Close up.

A couple of days later the kiln is opened and the pieces removed.

I tried to break off the top and it stayed firm. Great save, thank you MadDogMike.

This is back tracking in that I've shown my solution to the lids cracking.

Too bad these won't work as Frisbees.

I am so lucky to have Dan's help. I am so lucky to have so many friends. You all keep me going.

Cheers, Wendy

The first one with the floats is still for sale.

PM sent!

I see my Brain Bob up there
:)

(2nd pic)

[ Edited by: hang10tiki 2017-06-06 08:42 ]

It's always so fascinating to see all of this. Thanks for being so generous with your time and information, Wendy.

Jeff Bannow as of this morning I haven't heard back. I will message him again.

hang10tiki yes and his brain has been sending me messages to get busy.

HopeChest thank you. I really appreciate comments. They keep me going.

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Continuing on with photos taken between 12/13/16 and 12/22/16. All production of the Wish List #7 and the
Sacramento Crawl mug.

I have put together 10 Hot Tub Hula Girls and they are resting in plastic. Even wrapped they will firm up making all the parts equal in moisture.

So much to wash. I bet Dan will help me out. He is not only my right hand man he is my left too.

It is so cold I can't believe I was able to force myself outside. Even Dan wore a coat. Time to sand and dust and fire.

I'm trying to close the cracks in the lids with Magic Mend. I did a little fine tuning on the necklace as well.

Loading to fire.

I'm not showing the work to make these 10 Hot Tub Hula Girls because I've done that before.

Not taking photos made the work go by faster. I cast the parts in June and that helped too.

Another bisque fire completed and it's time to unload.

The cracks are gone! Love the Magic Mend.

Bottom level ready to unload.

My artistic photo. You can see more waiting to be sanded in the background.

It's about 40 degrees out and I am freezing. But the sanding must go on even if my hands are numb (from the cold).

Dan dusted these so into the bottom layer of the kiln.

Now he is dusting my Frankoma bowls.

Top shelf loaded and the kiln is on.

This load of bisque is ready to wash.

These are my best tools for scrubbing inside and out.

I wasn't going to start until January 2017 but December 2016 is not over and I have this much done.

It's time for a break in the tiki jungle room.

I actually see the hand surgeon today. I am still doing better. I work and then I rest my hand. Things are going well right now.

Cheers, Wendy

[ Edited by: danlovestikis 2017-06-07 08:23 ]

Everything is in place for surgery but I don't have to have it. I found out if I cut back and have more normal work days my carpal tunnel nerve can repair itself. I have been going slower and the numbness has become intermittent. So I will continue on this path. He offered a cortisone shot but I'm waiting on that too. 14 hour days did it now 8 hour days will be just right.

More work day photos during the making of the Wish List #7 and the Sacramento Crawl mugs. These photos were taken between 12/22/16 and 1/16/17.

Projects waiting to be made.

Drying in and out of plastic an hour at a time.

Top level of another full load.

Ready to scrub in the house.

Another trip to Alpha for slip. We add water and stir with a small baseball bat.

My stirring technique worked. Now if glazing works I'll have a new style.

The Frankoma bowls are washed.

More projects drying slowly.

Kiln load.

Kiln load.

The boxes for the Sacramento Crawl mug have arrived.

The table is overloaded. Good thing I have the hallway lined in tables.

More to scrub.

Now it's time to sand again. This one is the KZAP cat for Bullet.

This time I was able to fire three levels. One.

Two.

Three.

This work is all joyful. I never have a wish I didn't have to do it moment. I love every step. Well maybe not when it's freezing outside. But all the rest is so much fun.

Thank you all for keeping it that way. Wendy

I have secretly been reading your thread for a long time. Your creativity and skill amaze me each time you post pictures.

Your thread inspired me to take a pottery class. It is a lot of fun (and I found out that there is a lot to learn).

Thank you for sharing all your hard work. :)

Piddersthecat your name made me think our bunny's name which was Raisin. That's because of what he left behind as he hopped. It makes me wonderfully happy that I played a part in you taking the class in pottery. Once you start please post your projects. Everyone on "other crafts" like to see what everyone is making. It's so enjoyable. Same with lamps and any other medium you decide on. Thank you for joining in here.

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More back stage photos from the making of the Wish List #7 and the Sacramento Crawl mug.
These photos were taken between 1/28/17 and 2/24/17.

I am always such a mess when working that I prefer to take photos of Dan helping. He is the star of our show.

At this time my hand is really having problems with numbness at night so I looked at all these things needing

to be washed and I begged Dan to do them. He said OK but may I have another Wish?

Oh course. Here is Bullet's wish the KZAP cat having it's bath.

Then for Dan we poured the parts for his mermaid Bumatay bowl.

I went back to work for him. Fair enough.

By this time we are in full production mode for the Sacramento Crawl mug. Every year I have spent the summer making these mugs and sometime it's right up until the party weekend.

This time I had a goal to finish them early. Then I would just be devoted to the wishes.

I've done all the sanding and Dan is now dusting,

dusting,

dusting.

I loaded the bottom and

the top shelves and then turned on the kiln.

The bisque fire is done and the mugs are cool and

they can now come out of the kiln.

Time for Dan to do some more washing.

He is so good at it.

Time to pour a few more projects.

Now I'm back to sanding more of the wishes that have dried.

More crawl mugs are loaded.

More sanding and dusting.

Now the rest are put on the top shelf. Nothing more is dry and I'm impatient so we loaded the top shelf and set it to fire even though there is more room.

Every time I open the kiln I have to check for cracks. My projects are so detailed and take so much time that one crack is a huge deal.

Time to bring them to the kitchen. Look at that smile even though

he'll be back at the sink so my hand can have a break.

So many of the photos look the same because it is a production run but that's the life of being a mug maker. The Wish List makes sure I have some variety. No matter what it is all fun work.

Cheers, Wendy

Ummmmm
That looks like a lot more than 8 hrs a day
:)
Everything looks good
Don't work to much

Jon

hang10tiki you know me so well. There were more 10 to 14 hour days than 8. I think I'll share our doctor's appointments.

I went for xrays. Dan took the opportunity to have the urgent care

doctor check his forehead. Something bit him. Now he is on two medications.

Then it was time to see the surgeon. I learned that resting my hand could prevent having the surgery. So I am not going to work more than 8 hours a day. Glazing is more work for my right hand anyway. I look crazy and tired. I am at least one of those.

So today we are heading to the Jungle Bird for brunch. Yippy.

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I'm skipping ahead for the moment to show photos from 6/4/17 to 6/6/17.

Dan convinced me that I should be in a photo. Since everything is color coordinated I agreed. I am wearing my Nick Nolte mug shot shirt.

Sanding the bowls is just plain scary. So I do

it very slowly.

Jeff Bannow's home bar mug. Passion fruit with a wave.

Next the Kava Kava man lamp. No owner.

Time to set up to dust the pieces.

This air compressor weighs too much for me to lift.

Another way Dan helps and earns his wishes.

Here's Dan's bowl and Nelson Osorio's bowl next to each other.

Dan dusts and

dusts and I

load the kiln. I had to do it several times so that every piece

would fit. They just did.

A couple of days later the kiln is opened and

every piece is removed and examined for cracks.

Well the Diver Dan mug has a crack on the bottom. I will work to seal it. I learned something. The clay I used for the bottom came off of a large slab. It is the same slab I hand made lids from that also cracked. I now use a mold. So it's the clay. I will cut it up and make glaze test strips. No more important projects for that clay.

I wash and Dan

rinses and

rinses. It is so nice that we are doing this in June outside. Even the water is warm.

Once the washing is done it's time to take them into the house.

This is almost the entire Wish List #8. Some pieces have been glazed and are not shown here.

Another angle.

As of 6/6/17 All the projects have been sculpted, dried, sanded and bisque fired. All that is left is glazing.

Now the fun and frustrating part begins. Glaze that is supposed to stay put sometimes moves. So time will tell if the projects work out.

Cheers, Wendy

Good pics
Hope Dan-0 is better
I'll bet he was stung by one of his scorpion bowls
:)

I received a text from a friend
She knew someone getting rid of 2 Tikis
She said "do u want them?"
Silly question
:)

Sorry
I couldn't resist
:)

hang10tiki it is so good to have friends. Are those tikis going in your backyard?

hang10tiki Oh No! I was hopeful Dan would never have a beard again.

===========================

Woo Hoo under doctors orders to take it easy on my hand I told Dan it was time for a short trip to Santa Cruz.
I grabbed a book off the shelf to read during the trip and surprise it was set in all the little coastal cities we were about to visit. I love coincidences.

Dan wanted to wait until after our garbage was collected so we didn't leave until 7:30 am. Big mistake. Instead of taking 3 hours to get to Santa Cruz it took four and a half hours. Traffic was hardly moving on the 205 highway.

Once there we went straight to the pier for lunch at Stagnaro's.

Once fed it was time to go to thrift stores looking for treasure.

At this one I found another mid-century cat and a small dish with a tiki on it. Dan now has this photo on four different size plates.

Next it was onto Soquel where at Atilia's antique store Dan spotted this tiki.

The best surprise is that it was plaster and only $10.

Back to the pier

to Olitas restaurant for dinner and this view.

Dan's favorite food is Mexican.

We saw some wild life on

the pier.

The next day we were off to Capitola. The shop across the street is where I bought my wedding dress 39 years ago. It's still the same shop. Around 15 years ago Dan bought some tiki masks from them. They were just decorations but they let them go.

Here are the postcard perfect colorful rental homes on Capitola beach.

Many years ago when we were young and foolish we watched tsunami waves hitting the Capitola pier destroying it. All the beach restaurants were flooded and we could look inside and see the chairs and tables floating. Now we know to run to higher ground.

Since that time the pier has been re-built and for the first time there was a restaurant at the end so we walked out.

This place was so cool. All the

decorations were nautical.

I kept taking photos as inspiration for

paintings and mugs in

the future.

We decided to walk back to the car past beautiful flowers and

the colorful rental homes. No one was out so we trespassed.

They had been recently painted so they were at their best for photos.

Next we left Capitola and drove to Felton. It was time to see Tiki King.

He makes the best ukuleles in the world. This one has fur!!!

So many special touches. Look at the top for the little tiki.

Close up.

Here is the man himself!

The next morning we packed up and headed to our next destination Monterey. We went straight to the pier where in the parking lot I found this vehicle. I made a mug of this guy with the lantern for Bullet aka kingtiesdye.

Look Bullet you could rent this van!

Behind Dan you can see the pier we are headed too.

We like to walk the pier while the shops are still closed and there are very few people.

In the morning the bay is fogged but

still beautiful.

We left the pier and went for a walk on the other side and looked back.

It was now late enough that we could again start to go to antique stores and thrift stores. This trip has been a bonanza of records and CD's for Dan. At a Goodwill outlet the CD's were 10 for a dollar. He picked out 34 and they said that will be $7. He said they are 10 cents each. They said only when you buy them in groups of 10. If not they are $1 each. So he picked out 6 more and got 40 for $4. Weird.

After a full day of tiki hunting (no more tikis) we went to Fish Hopper's for dinner. They had volcano bowl drinks.

We come here because of the view.

We walked around the tourist town the next morning and found Zoltar. He spoke as we walked past and made us jump.

So jumping ahead. When we got home and turned on the TV there he was again. Creepy coincidence!

Dan is my good sport posing with his new friend.

One last look at the bay before heading home.

The fog was once again surrounding us.

We drove home through Salinas and Gilroy. At a thrift store Dan found his best album.

Exotic too.

We had a wonderful time and now I'm ready to go back to work.

Cheers, Wendy

Catching up again - looks like a nice trip! Glad you got some rest days in. Love the new work but don't over do it - 14 hour days?! You're supposed to be retired!

LOVE, Love, Love the Moai Kava Kava lamp base.

bamalamalu thank you very much. I have one person who has contacted me about it and I'm waiting to hear back. If it becomes available I'll let you know.

=======================================

Glazing begins with the Sacramento Crawl mugs. These photos were taken between 2/26/17 and 3/5/17.

I do Artist Proofs so Dan can be paid, he works for tikis, and to have some as first come first serve specials at the crawl. Any left over go up for sale. My AP's cost the same as the crawl mug run $85.

I have already decided that the mug will be a light stone grey with purple undertones and a purple interior and purple Tahiti on the back.

I started by using the purple glaze on the bottom. I covered the bottom and then decided to

wipe it off around the edges to highlight Sacramento, CA.

I glazed the inside of one and then decided that this wasn't working well and changed my technique.

I did three with the purple interiors and the purple bottoms.

I put one inside this box and while wearing a face mask I sprayed the three mugs with the grey glaze.

I let the three mugs dry.

Then two of the mugs went back in the box. One I sprayed the purple from the top down. The second one I sprayed from the bottom up. This will tell me which way works best. The third one I left plain grey on the outside.

Now it was time to make the AP's for the crawl and Dan. I decided to use brown bottoms for most of the AP's. I got smarter and didn't cover the entire bottom.

Now I only had to wipe off the extra glaze over the words.

With that done they are ready to glaze. Since I'm using glazes with crystals they have to be done by hand.

I also glazed the accidental lamp for Dan. I put black on the mug and then wiped it off and then I covered it with a crackle glaze to see if I could get those cracked lines to show up.

My poor kitchen. Glazing is a mess and I seem to do my best to make it worse.

Done and drying. I'm working towards a kiln load so I can fire.

All fun and games in the tiki factory as the best part begins. Cheers, Wendy

Wow
Love the mini trip photos
It's like I was on vacation too
Thanks for posting

This next step on your mugs looks like a lot of work
Then again, it all is

Cheers

Nothing like getting back to work... My nephew would call you a beast :wink:

It looks like you both had a nice mini vacation. The only part of California I've ever seen is DisneyLand. I suppose I should make a point of seeing what else is out there. It looks like you both had a relaxing getaway.

hang10tiki I like it when you share your vacations here too. I really have felt like I did go to Caliente this year.
I am following doctors orders and sticking to 8 hours a day. I am way better but I can still do a lot in 8 hours!

Piddersthecat how far from California are you?

========================

I'm taking it easy tonight. Here is the final version of the Sacramento Crawl mug 2017.

The mug is $85 at the crawl and $85 plus shipping after the crawl. Same for the AP's.

Good night, Wendy

Another outstanding mug

The mug looks great!

I actually live in western Canada (Alberta), so we're about 4 hours by plane from California. I was at Disneyland last year. I simply love that place.

I'm originally from Newfoundland (most easterly province of Canada) and grew up beside the ocean (albeit the Atlantic). Your pictures remind me of a more exotic (and much warmer version) of home. Newfoundland sticks out into the ocean, so it is generally colder than your trip to Montreal. But sometimes I do miss being so close to the water.

Have a great day and take care of that hand!

Bump!

The mug is $85 at the crawl and $85 plus shipping after the crawl. Same for the AP's.

=================================

hang10tiki it makes me smile each time I see your name here.

Piddlesthecat I can recal the cold. The coast of Oregon gets cold and foggy too. We love the West coast of Canada and Vancouver Island.

I am so happy to have a good response to the mug. The story of it's conception is on page one of this thread.

Cheers, Wendy

Nice bump
:)

hang0tiki I'm smiling!

===============================

More work on the Sacramento Crawl mug for October 2017. These photos were taken 3/9/17 to 3/12/17.

To start all the mugs in the hallway and this is only the first table, must be moved to the kitchen and the nook. Along the shelf are the AP's just out of the kiln. Dan snagged his share but there will be a dozen at the crawl that can be bought as an extra or instead of the regular crawl mug. First come first serve.

Here they are surrounding the stove. You can see why I don't cook.

Here are some in the nook.

I had Dan spray water into a batch of the mugs so I could start glazing.

This is as close as I got to having a photo of all the mugs together. I should have had Dan leave the room as he is blocking some.

I got out all of the supplies that I would need for glazing the inside and bottom of each mug.

See that hand? It's mine I really do work it's that Dan is so much cuter in photos. I poured the glaze to the top and waited 30 seconds and poured it out into a pitcher.

Then I put the mug upside down into a heavy duty vase to finish draining. If too much glaze is on the bottom of the inside it can bubble or crack the mug.

While the mug is upside down I glazed the bottoms.

Then I go back and remove the excess revealing the Sacramento, CA.

While I'm glazing I had Dan put boxes together and also number them them. Gosh I just noticed he matches the couch.

I'm getting tired looking at these photos. Or maybe it's because I did my 8 hours of glazing Wish List projects today.

Cheers, Wendy

[ Edited by: danlovestikis 2017-06-14 19:55 ]

Dan finished his assigned chore and left to play records.

I used up all this glaze for the insides of the mugs.

I scrapped out the glaze from each vase into a pitcher and saved it for the next day when this would begin again.

The next day.

Each time I take one out of the vase I clean up the top and if the glaze isn't thick enough I add some around the rim.

One by one the go on a tray until Dan can remove them from the kitchen.

A couple of days later they are dry and the weather is right for spraying. I need no more than a light breeze. Wind will carry too much glaze away from what I am spraying. I don't use the box when I have so many to do.

Mugs get carried all over the place during production. From when they are cast, cleaned, dried, sanded, bisque fired, glazed and fired again and touch ups as needed and fired another time. It's like lifting weights. So from the house they went outside and to the

kiln shed. Now I'm ready to glaze them all.

Most photos are of Dan so I thought I would show myself for a change.

The first time I used a spray gun everything I sprayed stuck to the turn table. I had to keep washing the turn table then I thought why not use the spikes.

I can spray all day long without the glaze building up to reach the mugs.

When I start I wonder if I can get them done, then one by one they are.

Each time I finish a tray of mugs Dan carries it to the shed or into the house.

I put tape between my eyebrows so that I don't frown all day long and make those lines. I iron them out with tape.

I pushed to get this first part done. They all must be sprayed again, I'll show that next time. Wendy

Looks like 4 months of work in those last two days of pics

Off topic
Question
Is that table a Henredon?

A second post for the day!

hang10tiki I went under the coffee table with a flashlight and didn't find any markings. My dad bought it on sale for $850 back in the 1960's. It's a treasure no matter what. Most of our furniture in the house was my dads. He moved in with us for 12 years and his furniture was better than ours so his stayed ours was given to family members.

On Saturday we tried out the new brunch at the Jungle Bird on J street near 25th.

We walked right in and found friends to say hi too. Senior moment. Help me with names!

We posed for photos to show that all three of us were wearing shirts with pineapples.

Out back there are umbrellas for shade.

It was fun to have our meal outside.

Dan and his sister Kathi got Spam and eggs but since she is a vegetarian he got her Spam. I had the fun granola with a side of bacon. It was perfect all round.

Continuing to work on the Sacramento Crawl mug for October 2017.

These photos were taken from 3/14/17 to 3/26/17.

The grey glaze on all the mugs dried and now I took each mug and putting the sprayer down below the mug I sprayed on some purple glaze. It is so subtle that I don't know why I did it. But I liked the shading.

Once this dried it was time to load and fire and

load and fire and

load and fire and

load and fire. I did 7 two layers in the kiln loads.

The fun part is unloading the kiln.

Dan's job was to carry them into the house and then to inspect them to see if any needed touch up.

Dan is a good inspector. It only takes one spec of dust to cause a defect that needs work.

Overall there were not that many that did.

It's fun to see them lined up with a few of the AP's.

They are not done. There is still one more step to go.

Cheers, Wendy

The mugs look great all lined up!

Next to Disneyland, your house must be the happiest place on earth!

Army of tikis!!! I really like the glaze colors you are using for these.

:)

:)

:)

On 2017-06-16 07:35, danlovestikis wrote:
Continuing to work on the Sacramento Crawl mug for October 2017.

Wendy, Thanks for including us on the list. We definitely want a mug this year--we have all of them so far! Great design once again!

Karen & Hoppy
mondo-by-the-bay

Piddersthecat Tiki Hula once said that same thing to us. The fact that Dan and I are both into tiki does make for a very happy home.

lunavideogames except for the touch of purple I wanted this mug to look like the stone inspiration that you supplied. Thank you for getting me started this year. The fact that Psycho Tiki D asked if I wanted to use the Tahiti restaurant at the same time cinched it. You two men were my inspiration.

mondo-by-the-bay I saw all your fun Hukilau photos on fb. I hope you and Hoppy make it to Oasis.

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Finishing the Sacramento Crawl mug for October 2017. These photos were taken 4/2/17 to 4/8/17.

I wanted to highlight the name Tahiti on the back. I bought a can of pin stripping paint at a car detailing shop. $25! I hoped it would last for the 65 mugs I've made. I did not use it for the AP's. This is durable enamel.

I uniformly applied the paint to this sponge. I save all my plastic lids to use as disposable easels.

I then applied it by blotting on the raised letters.

The name of the glaze I used for the interior was Purple. The pin stripping paint name was Purple.

I hoped when it dried that they would match. Nope, not that lucky.

Dan said it didn't bother him so, OK I did them all.

I printed 65 signature cards and autographed and numbered them.

Dan got ready. I matched a box, mug and card and gave them to him to box.

The crawl mug is DONE. Now I will just work on the Wish List #7.

This feels so good. I will try to accomplish the next crawl mug ahead of schedule too. I've already got an idea and a place that I found by going through all the phone books at the state library from 1912 on.

Wendy

[ Edited by: danlovestikis 2017-06-17 08:37 ]

They came out great
Love the purple

hang10tiki men like purple and I like men. It was a good fit for this manly mug.

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Now that all the crawl mugs are boxed and ready for the event it is time for me to concentrate on glazing the Wish List.
I have four black velvet paintings to do. Each is similar to the one I did for the Tiki Oasis art show last summer. So I had to make a mug to go with each one. Since things can go bad I made 7 just in case.

I started with all the mugs in the kitchen.

I glazed all of the bottoms.

Then I filled a squeeze bottle with a Duncan CN glaze that doesn't move during firing.

All done. Nope see the next photo. Horrors.

Sometimes glaze spoils just like milk and has to be thrown out. The black glaze for the interior of these mugs did not stick even though I always spray water inside the mug first to start "capillary" action.

There is nothing that can save this so I have to remove this glaze.

I scrapped it all off the best I could and used a wet sponge on a stick to wipe these out.

Then I got a new jar of glaze and

finished the insides.

Now it was time to wash off any excess glaze from when I used the squeeze bottle.

Then I did 3 layers of glaze around the bottom rim.

Now I was ready to use grey glaze on all of them.

One by one I did the tiki in 2 layers and the outside of the mug with one. My hope is that the black will show through.

This is what it looked like when one had dried.

I decided to glaze some really big items since they fill up the kiln fast and I wanted to fire these mugs.

Ready to unload.

All 7 in the kiln.

This guy wanted to pose alone.

I will know if they are done after inspection has been completed. They look good on the outside.

Time for TV, Wendy

Awesome

Instead of dropping them in the kiln
Send em all here
I'll just set them out by the pool

hang10tiki it was 109 in Elk Grove yesterday and we are NOT in the desert. Not fair at all.

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These glazing photos were taken 4/0/17 to 5/18/17.

I only had one mug that cracked. It split all the way down. Must have been an air bubble.

All of the Disney mugs had glaze creep at the bottom. It was the hardest area for me to scrap the bad glaze off of so

now I scrubbed them again with the sponge on the long stick and glazed them again.

Since I wanted to get the Disney mugs and the last AP's of the crawl mugs done I glazed other things that were ready. Dan's lamp was first.

I did necklaces in three different glazes.

Here's one I did with two glazes.

Then a hanging lamp.

Summer heat is great for drying mugs but it's not summer yet so I'm using the wind.

Loading the kiln.

Hopefully the inside bottoms of the Disney mugs will be fine after this firing.

A whole bunch of necklaces or wall-hangings, they are large.

I made a lot of wall hangings and necklaces.
Three of the Zombie necklaces I donated to the Hukilau for their silent auction for charity.

More AP's of the crawl mug.

When you can't find parts you need to make a lamp go to the plumbing department at a hardware store. I got these pieces and then I used black enamel paint to disguise them.

All done.

I glued it to the lamp and then installed the wires and bulb. This lamp is for sale for $100 the cost of a crawl mug and the parts to make it a torch. It flickers. It is a bit more green than shows in the photo. I have yet to wire the hanging lamp next to it but I will get it done one day.

The first lamp for Dan is done.

With a flash it looks like this.

Wow
Wendy lamps look great
Way to go

hang10tiki thank you. Be careful I just saw on the news that Las Vegas may break it's record high temperature today and that your streets may buckle! Don't blink when driving. Let us know how you are tonight.

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The calm before the storm of glazing. I just checked over the binder to see if I was missing any needed glaze colors.

One more time. As much of the Wish List (no paintings) as I could fit at one time on the table.

Now that all the glaze is in the garage I was able to put all my kiln supports on the shelf. It's really easy to reach them now when I load the kiln.

I have three black velvets on the Wish List and one more to do for Tiki Oasis this year. All the velvet is matched to a frame and ready to go.

You know I love coincidences. Well Dan got the ladder to hang by boat wheel. While he was doing that the smoke alarm started warning of a low battery.

So he hung the wheel and moved the ladder to the jungle room.

Wouldn't you know it. It was the really hard one to reach but he got it done.

Wendy

[ Edited by: danlovestikis 2017-06-20 06:48 ]

You're really organized!! I love the glaze on the soon-to-be hanging lamp...although everything else is equally awesome!

I just looked at the weather for Vegas and it's 32 C at 6 am (and it's supposed to be 46 C this afternoon)! Wow! Considering I wore socks to bed last night with 3 blankets and a long sleeved shirt, I might melt at over 32 (46 might cause spontaneous combustion). I think lots of water and shade (of course I'm sure everyone has AC) would be important!

This just back from hang10tiki in Las Vegas.

Piddlesthecat centigrade? I haven't known how to covert that since college in the days of horse drawn carriages.

Wendy

[ Edited by: danlovestikis 2017-06-20 06:47 ]