TeaKEY's critikeys (starting new p12)

I was thinking that I would start a thread where I post some of my thoughts on the tiki mugs and the companies that do them. This thread could turn out to turn south down the road but I'll get it a shot. Just my opinions.

The first thing that I found today is a great Munktiki wallpaper. Its not close to all of them but would be a great print out and checklist.

checklist

[ Edited by: teaKEY 2007-07-18 14:02 ]

On the subject of Munktiki, I was thinking that it would be great to have a certain item or items. Just like people and most of people's things, they are into accessories. I know that Munktiki has accessories but not for the items that they make. I like the silver tiki necklace but I would like to see ceramic charms. Its the medium that they work in and its my favorite medium for tikis. Its the mugs of course.

I can buy the mugs from both main companies, both what my collection is lacking is the items that go with the mug. The stir sticks are what I can never find in the wild nor buy. Maybe Munktiki is already planning to branch out and make some sticks but if there wasn't a push, maybe this will be it. Many of the mugs would look good on top of a stir stick. Of course you would have to have the stick that goes with your mug.

I would even like to see a beefy ceramic stir stick with big weighted mug shaped tiki on the top. Could probably work, aren't some chop sticks made from ceramic.

Also, it would be a great idea to have a swizzle stick trading system. I treasure my couple of sticks highly because I only have a few. I just bought a bulk shipment of swizzles and anytime that I do Ebay business or mug trading, I going to thrown a couple in just to speard these sticks as far as I can. I wouldn't mind having a few different ones come back my way in the future. And maybe if more different makes are made, the trading could be real exciting.

teaKEY - I started a reply, but it turned into gripes and "why don't theys" that weren't as positive as I'd like and probably meets your definition of "turning south", so I deleted it.

Where are you thinking this thread should go?

munktiki has made a few pendants. i have 9. but i like the idea of more pendants that look like mugs. i also like the idea of munktiki ceramic swizzle sticks. sorry i don't have much to add to this except i like your ideas. maybe you could e-mail stuckie.

The going south part, but it doesn't have too.
TikiCentral is an unusual place. All sides of the coin are represented. Most of the buyers of tiki are represented and then the sellers and makers are here too. Take example of the Pink Panther Shag mug. The seller presented it to the collectors and about half did not like the combination. A lot of forums, you can say hate it or love it. But here if you say you don't like it, you aren't just placing a negative stigma to it, you are also saying something directly to the artist and the financial backer. Sorta like standing in front of a product at a store and telling the people that walk by, why its not a good product. Thats why we have so many nice commits and the whole BK thread. We do have a lot of power. The mug companies woundn't to around if it wasn't for us.

"Where are you thinking this thread should go" . I tend to have ideas, a lot of ideas about my favorite part about tiki, the mugs. Each mug is amazing (well most) and the new tikis leads me to new ideas about what a great mug could be. Since I don't have all the resources and I have never made a mug casting, I'm more of a thinker than a doer. Maybe some of my thoughts will indirectly lead to pull tiki mugs in a direction that would have never been pulled. And that the pay off.

Like why does the white Asian figure mugs need such a big hole in the backs of the head plus a straw hole. Ok, maybe those do. I have lots of ideas and I'm sure they will flow when a particular items catches my eye. But I do think more talk could be made about the tikis everyday. I love tikis, I'm here to talk about tikis.

How about this, If a mug maker chooses to bite. Just thought of this now.

We the people, get to decide on the next mug with different choices. Five choices of the head to pick from, five from the eyes, mouth, nose, five choices of the body. The TC mug contest was the closest to having someone else pick a design and some members picking the winning mug, But what if all the common members that buy the mugs get to decide.

I think it would be good to just generate ideas .

Anyone feel free to say anything.

I will just continue to post when I get that feeling. Although, I hope to start making some art and less time on TC. TC can be like a drug. You love it but its hard to get off of.

Take Gecko for instance. Probably makes the best mugs, cause he put more time and love into each piece. His Mouth of Pele is the sweetest mug that I have been looking at for the moment. The price just keeps going up and so it should. Its a great mug with a low number. And gecko tells you up front, how many he is going to make of that mug and sticks to it. He makes that small amount of number that is less than the number of died-hard collectors. Smart. So, I keep looking at the Pele mug and its going for over 150.00 and since the mugs are reaching that price, the price will continue to go up. Now on ebay, there is a brown version of the mug for cheap. 30 left at the moment, and I haven't even bought one yet. Heck, I just bought a couple of mugs and I like to buy all at once. But..

LOve this design. Love the black color. Now that the brown ones are out, does the design still hold that magic? How many will be made? (maybe we should never know) 30 left, is there going to be more and when?? Does having these cheaper versions, raise or lower the price of the black, and does the black ones pull the brown ones up. I do know that the more affordable Gecko mugs are never there for long. And its becoming a "get them quicker" more and more each day.

Mouth of Pele

I did buy some. I figured they could be fun on a rainy day. Although, my collection is bigger than I can handle. No I not giving anyone a mug to help myself with my problem :D I actually like the tops of these mugs better. They are not cut. 22 left as of now.

I'm probably in the minority here, but it does bug me that many of the contemporary mugs are really not meant to be used as mugs - they are instead art pieces or collectibles. Not to pick on Bosko, but I noticed that his description for the Kumu line of mugs says "Especially created for regular use (that's right -- you're actually supposed to DRINK from these, not lock 'em away in your display case!)". I appreciate that irony was probably intended in that description.

I'm mostly a vintage mug guy, and part of an old mug's charm is that it was actually used at a classic tiki bar. Too many contemporary mugs, with various extended horns and legs, deep crevices, exotic glazes, and (to be honest) hefty price, really discourage me from filling them with ice, rum and mixer.

I guess I'm just a functionalist - I think a mug should be usable as a mug.

On 2006-11-04 20:49, Koolau wrote:
I'm probably in the minority here, but it does bug me that many of the contemporary mugs are really not meant to be used as mugs - they are instead art pieces or collectibles. Not to pick on Bosko, but I noticed that his description for the Kumu line of mugs says "Especially created for regular use (that's right -- you're actually supposed to DRINK from these, not lock 'em away in your display case!)". I appreciate that irony was probably intended in that description.

I'm mostly a vintage mug guy, and part of an old mug's charm is that it was actually used at a classic tiki bar. Too many contemporary mugs, with various extended horns and legs, deep crevices, exotic glazes, and (to be honest) hefty price, really discourage me from filling them with ice, rum and mixer.

I guess I'm just a functionalist - I think a mug should be usable as a mug.

...yeah, what Koolau said...my thoughts exactly!

Let's discuss Tiki Farm. I like and use a lot of their mugs - pretty good quality, likable designs, decent price. How are they doing these days? The website doesn't get updated all that often, and it seems like there are more out of stock/discontinued items than available items. I bought a couple of mugs this weekend from the Thor Stor, and noticed they are dated 2001, 2003 and 2004. The only new Tiki Farm items I can think of are those strange moai chimney things (what are they used for anyway?) and the Pink Panther mugs/bowl.

"The only new Tiki Farm items I can think of are those strange moai chimney things (what are they used for anyway?" Those chimney things are just that, chimneys. Their are two versions, a large outdoor one and a much smaller table-top one.

I think, based on what I have seen over the last two years, is that Tikifarm would bring out a group of different mugs all at once. But with their limited editions mugs, like the TikiMagazine's Derek Moai, (which was released recently) they did a weekend sale of those and sold out quickly.
But as of lately, there are more mugs that they are showing in the process stage or pre sales stage then anything selling stage.
Just from stuff that has been shown on TC like the recent Donny Shrunken head (soon to be called Tied Died :D), then the long waited Benzart heads and then the new Flounder spaceman mugs, and the Squid's Skull mug (very cool) plus the other mugs that are on the back of the last Tikimagazine, along with different mugs that they make with other companies which don't sell on their website all the time.

Speaking of Tikifarm, they certainly have their own style and its like no one else (a good thing) but I would like to see at least one mug without the high glossy glaze. I know that some of the black mugs are matte but something like some of the more expensive mug company glazes look. This would mean that the mug would have to be more based on sculptural then detailed line-work. I like the satin glazes on mugs because the glare of the shine does block the view of the mug. Plus its a different feel in the hands, one I like.

But Tikifarm looks to be pushing the envelope and thats the best part of the mugs. Always seeing something new and that new is a welcomed good.

photo from TikiTed

Is that What I think it is???

On 2006-11-12 18:37, teaKEY wrote:

photo from TikiTed

Is that What I think it is???

You betcha. That Al really is crazy.

photo from Ooga-Mooga

This one makes me wonder what that is too. I told my friend and now she hates looking at this mug.

On 2006-11-08 00:16, Koolau wrote:
Let's discuss Tiki Farm. I like and use a lot of their mugs - pretty good quality, likable designs, decent price. How are they doing these days? The website doesn't get updated all that often, and it seems like there are more out of stock/discontinued items than available items. The only new Tiki Farm items I can think of are those strange moai chimney things (what are they used for anyway?) and the Pink Panther mugs/bowl.

Check out this thread for all the stuff Tiki Farm is making....

That Rolling Out at Tikifarm was posted the same day, I believe, that the question was asked in Collecting. Coincident, I think not. :wink:

Where to find them: Standing at the door of many traditional restaurants in Japan. Statues of tanuki, holding a bottle of sake, welcome guests arriving to eat. Real tanuki are not so easy to find, but are quite abundant from Honshu to Kyushu. They live in lowlands, forests and mountain valleys (up to 2,000 meters in altitude) and sometimes come into gardens looking for food. Unfortunately for them, this can bring them into contact with dogs, from which they can catch dangerous diseases. Food: Almost anything. Tanuki are the classic omnivores, eating rodents, lizards, frogs, fruit, berries, insects and other invertebrates, including slugs and snails. They can even stomach poisonous toads, apparently producing huge amounts of saliva that dilutes the toad's poison. Special features: Tanuki don't usually carry bottles of sake, but the statues are correct about their biology in one important detail: testes size. Rather than being used as an impromptu drum, as Japanese folklore would have it, the scrotum is large because of high levels of competition among males for females. This means that they copulate very frequently -- and need large testes. Also, according to folklore, tanuki can change shape at will. Despite their playful nature, tanuki are wild animals. provided by Filslash

The Bigfoot Lodge should have a mug! I know it's not a Tiki Bar but they really should.

I'm reading...keep it coming gang.

I agree on the matte/satin glaze vs. gloss particularly for highly detailed carving.
Gloss glazes tend to be thicker and thus obscure detail. Holden and I are working on that for the new squid squlls. It's a matter of finding the right "been buried for 100 years" look. It's an extra step to glaze inside gloss but I think worth it.

What do you think about other products that you'd like to see in ceramic other than mugs?

On 2006-11-13 22:00, squid wrote:
What do you think about other products that you'd like to see in ceramic other than mugs?

I'd love to see more ceramic pendants, possibly ones that go with a matching or complementary mug.

Swizzle Sticks! (actually that was Bora Boris' idea....) um....pendants! Wall Plaques! Incense Holders! Bongs! um......toliets! Castenetts(sp?) you know, those things you clink together with your fingers...Hobo leaning on a lamppost and WC Fields figurines! Tiki Cookie Jars!Wigwam Mystery Bowls! GROG banks (I'd love to push quarters into Ernie's skull)! Marionettes! Tiki Plates! Mardi Gras Mask Wall Hangings! Squid Commemorative Plates! Squid Commemorative Mardi Gras Plates! Tiki Wind Chimes! Ouch!That's it for now! C'mon TC-ers what else would you like to see in Ceramic? There's a lotta you out there with a lotta brain-power sooooooooo
C'mon! Chime in!

On 2006-11-13 22:00, squid wrote:
What do you think about other products that you'd like to see in ceramic other than mugs?

Those things that you can lay spoons on while you're cooking and Little Lost Tiki's Piggy Bank request sounds good.

[ Edited by: Bora Boris 2006-11-14 00:12 ]

On 2006-11-13 22:04, JenTiki wrote:

On 2006-11-13 22:00, squid wrote:
What do you think about other products that you'd like to see in ceramic other than mugs?

I'd love to see more ceramic pendants, possibly ones that go with a matching or complementary mug.

I'd go for that. Definitely with complementary mug!
PS: JenTiki gets the award for correct spelling/usage of complementary!

Swizzle/pendant idea is good as it fills a practical need and could look really cool hanging around the neck as well. The only difficulty is the ceramic typically used for mugs is not that durable (See Tiki Mug Misfortunes thread...ouch). They would have to be made of a high-fire porcelain like a mortar and pestle or carved from stone. Maybe this is a job for Paipo or the other stone carvers out there!

Has anyone seen Little Lost's meds? I'll get to work on a Smurfette tissue box cover. That should keep him calm....for now.

Quote:

On 2006-11-13 22:00, squid wrote:
What do you think about other products that you'd like to see in ceramic other than mugs?

I wonder if it would be possible to have lava lamps that have bases and tops that are custom ceramic?

Koolau

You right on the skinny on this one. I buy the mugs / shot glasses by the dozen. When people come over they drink out of them then take them home. They be happy so that make me happy.

Some of these 'mug' collections remind me when the old man used to drag me to Queens and the people used to have plastic on the couches. I still have nightmares of that plastic sticking to my face !!!!!

And that's how I see it Tuesday November 14, 2006

Please forgive me for writing this -

"Those things that you can lay spoons on while you're cooking"

I was trying to come up with something that hadn't been written yet and turned into a Grandmother.

I apologize.

• Boris

[ Edited by: Bora Boris 2006-11-14 08:48 ]

I put my spoons on the stove, you mean there is something else?

How about things you can put your spoons on while cooking that look like GROG!?!?!?
Sorry Dave,forgot my meds again... :o I'll make sure to take them before Brad's opening...
GROG piggy banks! (Is that redundant?) :D

I picked up my "Grog Art" spoon rest at the Tonga Hut on Saturday night. I was going to get the matching nut cracker but someone beat me to it. Anyone else get "Grog Art".

On 2006-11-14 08:47, Bora Boris wrote:
Please forgive me for writing this -

"Those things that you can lay spoons on while you're cooking"

I was trying to come up with something that hadn't been written yet and turned into a Grandmother.

I apologize.

• Boris

[ Edited by: Bora Boris 2006-11-14 08:48 ]

I consulted Mrs. Squid who sez they are called.....ta da....."spoon rests". Spoons work hard ya know! It's not a bad idea at all. I think you're on to something Granny Boris. However a Grog Spoon Rest might curdle whatever residual stuff is on the spoon.

So would a kitchen set be good? Cooks please chime in:

•Spoon Rest
•Trivet (The thingy you put hot pots and pans on)
•Utensil holder (Mug-like only bigger, flared wide mouth)
•Toothpick holder
•Salt and Pepper
•Corked matching spice jar set (6 or 8) maaybe with a cool bamboo rack!

Watcha think TeaKey?

•Corked matching spice jar set (6 or maaybe with a cool bamboo rack!

Squidwerd,

How big are the jars?

I'll make one today........

Hey!
I like the kitchen set idea (but not too matchy-matchy) :D
What about a kitchen clock to go with it? Napkin holder? Soap dispenser? Soap dish for sponge holding or bar soap? Ring holder? Lotion dispenser? Sugar/creamer? Is that enough for now?

I know Tiki Farm did one in years past, but a bathroom set would be nice(including a covered extra paper holder to sit on the floor).

I like the bank idea.
I stop now...

On 2006-11-14 10:50, dibroc wrote:
I picked up my "Grog Art" spoon rest at the Tonga Hut on Saturday night. I was going to get the matching nut cracker but someone beat me to it. Anyone else get "Grog Art".

Did you get the free Grog hernia truss with that?

On 2006-11-14 12:00, kikekeki wrote:
Hey!
I like the kitchen set idea (but not too matchy-matchy) :D
What about a kitchen clock to go with it? Napkin holder? Soap dispenser? Soap dish for sponge holding or bar soap? Ring holder? Lotion dispenser? Sugar/creamer? Is that enough for now?

I know Tiki Farm did one in years past, but a bathroom set would be nice(including a covered extra paper holder to sit on the floor).

I like the bank idea.
I stop now...

Lotsa stuff! Yup, the Farm did do some bathroom stuff but I'm not sure it did so well.

Good kitchen ideas! There is a sugar/creamer set coming out soon with matching coffee cups. Clock would be cool. I think I got soured on clocks when I saw those resin Tiki Time monstrosities at Target so maybe I'll get on that now.
Mrs. Squid uses a large vintage ashtray for sponges and scrubber thingies. Perhaps something like that, fairly deep with compartments.

On 2006-11-14 11:21, RevBambooBen wrote:
•Corked matching spice jar set (6 or maaybe with a cool bamboo rack!

Squidwerd,

How big are the jars?

I'll make one today........

Your Holiness.....
Don't know yet. All of ours are misc. sizes from thrift stores and yard sales. I'll see what works and let ya know! I feel a collaboration coming on!

Can you make one that rotates like a (Sorry Mrs. Squid) "Lazy" Susan?

Ashtrays!
Ashtrays and Wall Plaques/Sculpt Plaques!
Haven't seen a good recent contemporary tiki/tropical ashtray lately!
A GROG ashtray so you can put cigarettes out on his cheek and not really hurt him!
Banks!
Piggy Banks!
Tiki BAnks!
Bob Eu Banks!

Hey Ken, A GROG piggy bank would be a "GROGGY BANK". And, if you're putting your cigarettes out on GROG's cheek, wouldn't that be an "Asstray"? (Or were you talking about a different cheek?)

On 2006-11-14 12:57, little lost tiki wrote:
Ashtrays!
Ashtrays and Wall Plaques/Sculpt Plaques!
Haven't seen a good recent contemporary tiki/tropical ashtray lately!
A GROG ashtray so you can put cigarettes out on his cheek and not really hurt him!
Banks!
Piggy Banks!
Tiki BAnks!
Bob Eu Banks!

Dude, I know your supervisor's phone number and if you don't off the computer and get back to the pick-up window soon, I'm calling!

On 2006-11-14 12:39, squid wrote:

On 2006-11-14 12:00, kikekeki wrote:
Hey!
I like the kitchen set idea (but not too matchy-matchy) :D
What about a kitchen clock to go with it? Napkin holder? Soap dispenser? Soap dish for sponge holding or bar soap? Ring holder? Lotion dispenser? Sugar/creamer? Is that enough for now?

I know Tiki Farm did one in years past, but a bathroom set would be nice(including a covered extra paper holder to sit on the floor).

I like the bank idea.
I stop now...

Lotsa stuff! Yup, the Farm did do some bathroom stuff but I'm not sure it did so well.

Good kitchen ideas! There is a sugar/creamer set coming out soon with matching coffee cups. Clock would be cool. I think I got soured on clocks when I saw those resin Tiki Time monstrosities at Target so maybe I'll get on that now.
Mrs. Squid uses a large vintage ashtray for sponges and scrubber thingies. Perhaps something like that, fairly deep with compartments.

Ok,
so what about a desk set(post it holder, paper clip holder, tape holder, pen/pencil holder--you get the idea...)? Again, not matchy-matchy...

Cell phone holder.
Crackberry holder, uh, I meant Blackberry :D
Business card holder.
What else can I come up with that needs a holder...
Tabletop picture frames(holder).

That'll HOLD me for a while...HOLD--get it? :lol:
K.

On 2006-11-14 12:57, little lost tiki wrote:

Ashtrays and Wall Plaques/Sculpt Plaques!

I would love to see some ceramic wall tikis.

How about a line of ceramic Ice Buckets? They're not much different than a cookie jar right? I can see a whole wall unit of them - all different like tiki mugs.

Or how about ceramic wall hangings (ala Witco wallhangings) -- all styles, sizes and colors....

Or along that line --- ceramic TIKIS -- just like a full sized palm tiki. Hey, if you can do them in resin, why not ceramic??? Again, all styles and colors ---

Nah, not enough flair.

On 2006-11-14 13:11, kikekeki wrote:
Business card holder.

I second the vote for the Business Card Holders. I've just recently been asking some carvers about those, but I bet they'd be cool made in ceramic. It's a great way to add a little bit of tiki-style to an otherwise boring corporate cubicle without annoying the non-tiki people around me.

just hang on Paipo....if you get my meaning...

Squidwerd,

I'll try a round one with a lazy susan soon but here are a few for the time being.

We'll use the Tiki Farm coconut salt and pepper shakers for the time being...

dang it! pushed the wrong button!!!!

[ Edited by: RevBambooBen 2006-11-14 18:43 ]

These Mug shelves might work too!!

We make them in all shapes and sizes.

Arrrr!! I keep getting booted off as soon as I post a pic!! Whatap! My back button is on glue!!

On 2006-11-14 18:42, RevBambooBen wrote:
Squidwerd,

I'll try a round one with a lazy susan soon but here are a few for the time being.

We'll use the Tiki Farm coconut salt and pepper shakers for the time being...

---

how do you light that thing ? never mind now I see it is a spice rack.

---

[ Edited by: RevBambooBen 2006-11-14 18:43 ]

Now that the kitchen door has been opened I think some sort of Coconut Creamer would be neat.

• Granny Boris