I haven't been posting many "Tiki Build-Along" posts here in 2020 because much of my effort at chronicling my tiki bar build has gone into my YouTube series, "A Moment of Tiki." My latest episode, "A Very Tiki Bob Christmas," is linked below. This year I carved 13 Tiki Bob holiday ornaments, which the video documents. Of those, 10 went to various tikiphile friends, but I reseved three to give away. That's right--anyone with an inclination to do so may enter to win their very own Tiki Bob on three different platforms, as long as they get their entry in by 11:59 a.m. December 25, 2020:
Here's the Tiki Bob episode of "A Moment of Tiki":
So, you may be asking yourself by this point, "What's up with the Tiki Bob ornaments?" I'm glad you asked! Several years ago, The Wife and I were invited to a tiki Christmas party that had a white elephant-style ornament swap. Still being newcomers, I wanted to make a good impression and bring cool ornaments, but couldn't think of anything appropriate. It was The Wife, always the clever one, who suggested I carve some ornaments. I'd carved handles for the tiki mug display case in the Lagoon of Mystery, as well as the baseboards and chair rails, so it seemed like a good idea. Those ornaments, pictured below, were pretty crude but proved to be quite popular at the party.
The next year we were invited back, so I decided to make another pair of ornaments. This time I had a better handle on the process, and turned out the two pictured below. These proved even more popular and led to my conceiving the Tiki Bob ornaments to gift to our friends we can't cather with because of the ongoing COVID pandemic.
Needless to day, I'm a bit Tiki Bob'd out. But wouldn't you know it, even though I was ready to pack away my Dremel for the year, inspiration struck, and I found myself compelled to start putting this little fellow together. Wooden pufferfish Christmas (or Festivus, or Yule, or whatever) ornaments don't seem to be terribly common. I've still got to stain and seal him (I'm going with a dark wood finish) but I can see future versions in festive holiday colors. We shall see where this particular impetus takes me.
Mystery Science Theatre 3000 may have gone off the air years ago, but that doesn't mean Joel, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot didn't leave us with that modern holiday classic, "A Patrick Swayze Christmas." Sing along if you want--you know you know the lyrics!
There mey be more unlikely couples than Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton, but not many of them are capable of making sillier, goofier Christmas music videos than "You Make It Feel Like Christmas." This video is all over the place, but one thing that's clear is that the couple had a blast making it.
Previously on Friday Night Videos... Katy Perry.
Now Playing: Various Artists Ultra Loungs: Christmas Cocktails Chicken Ranch Central
In this most recent episode of A Moment of Tiki I tackle my last big home tiki bar improvement project of the year: Resurfacing the concrete floor in the Lagoon of Mystery and then adding a floating deck!
Way back in 2017, when I first stuck upon this crazed notion to convert the large covered patio into an immersive home tiki experience, I looked at the far end and envisioned a floating deck and booth to act as aesthetic anchors. The booth arrived much sooner than expected, the floating deck much later. But arrive it did. Follow along as I strip away the old, ugly paint off the concrete, refinish it with semi-transparent stain and sealer, then measure, cut, torch, seal and assemble one of the tikiest little floating decks you ever did see. Even if your carpentry skills are minimal, this is a straightforward project that can be accomplished by almost anyone if you're willing to be patient and pay attention to the details. It's such a feeling of accomplishment once it's completed!
Don't forget to subscribe and leave a comment letting me know your thoughts!
Now Playing: Esquivel Merry X-mas from the Space-Age Bachelor Pad Chicken Ranch Central
I'm never been much of a Katy Perry fan, so I certainly never expected to feature one of her videos here. I think a big problem I have with her is that a lot of her success is cribbed from other artists (for example, Dita Von Teese in this video, Jill Sobule and the Beach Boys on previous singles). Still, when I stumbled across "Cozy Little Christmas" I was fully prepared to hate it, but I don't. The song itself isn't particularly memorable, I think, but the video is wonderfully gonzo. The mid century modern flair is fun and the tiki nods certainly get my attention, but it's the stop-motion animation, carefully designed so as to avoid any trademark infringement from Mssrs. Rankin & Bass, that put it over the top. I mean, this thing is cheesy enough for a lifetime's worth of holiday dip. Dig in!
Previously on Friday Night Videos... Hal Ketchum.
Now Playing: Elvis Presley If Every Day was Like Christmas Chicken Ranch Central
