Kellogg's Honey & Nut Corn Flakes 1982 Animation Cel: Calorie Counting Crows

 

In 1982, there was a commercial for a short-lived cereal called Kellogg's Honey & Nut Corn Flakes.  The ad featured a hand drawn, orange crow in a live action world---and a cheeky, modified version of "Turkey in the Straw" that seemed to delight in playing with the word "Nuts".  I was able to acquire a hand painted animation cel from this commercial for $59.  I believe the Crow was animated by Murakami Wolf Swenson, an animation studio famous for the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and also quite a bit of commercial work for Kellogg's in the 1980s, including a Raisin Bran Cel that I also bought.  These cels are pretty meticulously made, as they feature painted shading directly on the cel.

I remember a lot of things from 1982, but I don't remember this commercial.  Thankfully, it exists on YouTube.

This ad kind of seems like a Saturday Night Live skit---almost like a parody of the Cocoa Puffs Cuckoo Bird, Sonny.  The Crow also appeared in print media for the cereal, but apparently not on the cereal boxes.  Honey & Nut Corn Flakes lasted a few years, but the Crow was short lived.

Bully for Bugs Bunny: Vintage Looney Tunes at Six Flags Magic Mountain

In 1985, the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes characters became the mascots of Six Flags parks across the United States, including Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California.  Among the souvenirs available in the 1980s and early 1990s were these branded, colorful PVC figural keychains of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck.  These were made by Bully/Bullyland in Germany.  Daffy Duck still has his Bullyland sticker on his cane.

Bully figures are a big collector's item, and were primarily sold in Europe.  Bully made figures for all sorts of well known licensed characters, both American and European.  As far as I know, Looney Tunes Bully figures were only sold at Six Flags parks.  Similarly, Bully Disney characters were only sold at Disneyland and Walt Disney World in the United States during the 1980s and early 1990s.

Tweety Bird and Bugs Bunny seem to have the most variations of all the Bully figurines during this time period.  Bully Looney Tunes figures were also sold at my home park, Six Flags Over Georgia.  I remember seeing them, but never got them.  I presume these were sold at other Six Flags locations as well.  I've never been to Magic Mountain.  I found these for sale online just a few days ago.  I don't remember if the keychains sold in Georgia had any Six Flags branding on them.

These Looney Tunes buttons were sold at Six Flags Over Georgia starting in 1985.

While the Looney Tunes joined Six Flags in 1985, their association with the chain goes back to 1976, when they were the mascots for Marriott's Great America in Gurnee, Illinois (and Great America in California).  Six Flags bought Great America in Illinois and Bugs and his friends were inherited by Six Flags and expanded to other locations.  A lot of this early merchandise was adapted from Great America.  Six Flags Over Georgia even sold some Great America branded merchandise in the early 1980s.

In December 2025 it was announced that Six Flags Magic Mountain will be getting a new Looney Tunes Land in 2026.  So That's Not All, Folks!

Medium Reuben With Ghost Peppers: Ghosts in the Shells

Self-proclaimed "Halloween enthusiast" Medium Reuben has the ability to communicate with the spirit world.  As such, Reuben is perpetually haunted by the notorious, infamous Peppers Gang.  This includes the calculating, vindictive Carolina Reaper; the intimidating, silently sinister Scorpion; and the unhinged, maniacal Fresno.

Medium Reuben and the Ghost Peppers are made from sea shells and other materials found on the beaches of Venice, Florida (including sea glass for Reuben's lantern)---plus a very large amount of glow in the dark paint.

 Putting Medium Reuben and the Ghost Peppers directly under a bright lamp for a few hours charges up their glow in the dark paint, setting the stage for an eerie effect.

Kentucky Oats and Barley: Sea Horse and Sea Cow

 Oats the Horse and Barley the Cow claim Kentucky as their home, but they were actually made from shells, shark teeth, and other assorted mollusk parts found on the beaches of Venice, Florida.

I live in Florida, but from 1994 to 2009, my parents lived in Louisville, Kentucky.  As such, I have fond memories of time spent there.  They lived in a beautiful suburb called Prospect, Kentucky, which not only was home to horses and cows, but it had a place called Henry's Ark that housed camels, bison, llamas, and other exciting creatures (it is sadly no longer open).

To this day, I'm still following the saga of Kentucky Kingdom, the amusement park (which at one point was Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom) that looks to be getting an exciting brand new life with an actual Kentucky theme.

Sears Build A Winnie the Pooh Bear: Hundred Acre Wood Works

Once upon a time, there was a retail giant called Sears.  Sears was well known for selling hardware and appliances.  But there was also a softer side to Sears.  In 1965, Sears began an alliance with Disney to exclusively sell Winnie the Pooh merchandise.  In the 1970s and 1980s, Pooh and his friends were essentially mascots for the children's section of Sears.  Among the clothing and toys sold at Sears were Bucilla Stitchery Kits.  If produced, these were probably the best looking plush representations of the characters that Sears designed.

The kits were not simply patterns.  They contained the materials to make the characters.  While they were sort of early versions of the Build A Bear concept, these look to be a lot more work, and curiously, some include wooden dowels.  So they were not exactly cuddly plush toys.  They were craft projects.

Winnie the Pooh seems to be the easiest of these kits to find.  Pooh's kit includes a Chenille Bee--these Bees are pretty common even today in craft stores.  And a cuddly wooden stick.

Eeyore is also a kit that seems to be easy to find.  Eeyore is made using a denim material.

Eeyore features printed eyes, nostrils, and other facial features.  They did the main detail work for you on these projects.

Eeyore doesn't include a wooden dowel rod.

Stuffing is also not included with these kits.  I can't remember if Sears sold stuffing.

Kanga and Roo are kind of difficult to find, and are generally a bit more expensive.

Kanga and Roo seem to be made of the same thick, furry material as the Winnie the Pooh project.

No Wooden dowel for Kanga and Roo.  This project seems like a lot of work, considering it is two characters.

The toughest character to find in this series is Tigger.

This project is my favorite by far, and easily the best Tigger item Sears ever did.

Tigger is made from a chic Tiger print material.  Perfect for a Jersey Shore housewife's coat, or a toy tiger!

Like Pooh, the towering, tall Tigger requires a wooden dowel rod for his construction.

I'm not sure if there were any more characters in this set, but so far I've only encountered these four.

Ray Raisin in the Sun: Kellogg's Raisin Bran 1981 Animation Cel

 

What's the scoop, Sun?  In 1981, reporter Ray Raisin interviewed Sunny, the Kellogg's Raisin Bran mascot, about two bigger scoops of raisins being put in boxes of Kellogg's Raisin Bran cereal.  Years before the Claymation California Raisins, Kellogg's had its own singing and dancing cartoon raisins.  I recently found and purchased an animation cel of Ray Raisin (with a pencil drawing of Sunny)---for $40!

Before computers were used to color animated characters for cartoons, character drawings were transferred to clear plastic sheets (called cels), and the painting was done on the back.  This Raisin Bran advertisement took things to another level---the characters had meticulous shading painted right on to the cel.  This must have been an astonishing amount of work (possibly airbrushed?).  A TV commercial had a much bigger budget and care given to it than the TV shows the ads ran with at the time.

I believe the Kellogg's commercials were produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson, which ironically went on to produce the hand-drawn California Raisins Saturday Morning cartoon in 1989, as well as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (among countless other projects).

Ray Raisin was voiced by the legendary Paul Winchell (the original voice of Tigger from Disney's Winnie the Pooh).  I believe Sunny was voiced by Joel Cory (who voiced the Helping Hand in commercials for Hamburger Helper).

Two bigger scoops of raisins are the reason Kellogg's Raisin Bran's so pleasin'!  That song is stuck in my head now.

Harry Tigon, Bobby Liger, and Mac Zonkey

 Harry Tigon, Bobby Liger, and Mac Zonkey are hybrid animal characters made from shells, rocks, and shark teeth found on the beaches of Venice, Florida (oh, and paint).  Tigons, Ligers, and Zonkeys are actual animals but not found in nature.  Perhaps you would find them in Zoos, Circuses, or an episode of The Tiger King.  Venice, Florida is historically known for being a circus town (formerly for Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey) so it is fitting that these characters are made from shells from Venice.

A Tigon is the offspring of a male tiger and a female lion.  A Liger is the offspring of a male lion and a female tiger.  A Zonkey is a cross between a zebra and a donkey.  So, not animals you would normally see.

Lost Disneyland: Critter Country Characters Part 2: Turtle Talk

Back in 2009, I wrote a blog post about Lost Disneyland: Critter Country Characters.  It is now 2024, and a lot has changed in regards to Critter Country in Disneyland.  For one, Splash Mountain is no longer  in the United States.  Which is something I predicted would happen back in 2014 (I guessed it would become a Woody's Roundup theme).

Sometimes it takes me a LONG time to find something, as is the case with the plush Turtle that Disneyland sold as part of the launch of Critter Country back in 1989.  There was an entire line of plush Critter Country toys designed for the park, and I remember reading in Disney News Magazine that a Saturday Morning cartoon was also planned.

I grew up in Alabama, so Disneyland in California was not my usual stomping grounds.  But I was able to go in 1989, and I was hoping to visit Splash Mountain on this trip.  Of course, it wasn't open yet, as the ride was delayed due to technical issues.  But I did get to visit the shops near Splash Mountain, The Briar Patch, and Crocodile Mercantile (I'm kicking myself for not buying the Wooden Splash Mountain Yo-Yo they sold there).  I did get a plush, the Critter Country Mouse, which I don't have anymore (visit my link above to see a picture of him).

The Turtle plush sticks out in my mind because I remember children carrying this specific toy around Disneyland.  I've been searching for it for years and just found it on eBay a few days ago.

While I didn't get to ride Splash Mountain in 1989, I was able to return in 1990 to finally ride it.

The announcement of the Rufus the Turtle character for Tiana's Bayou Adventure really reminded me of this Critter Country Turtle.

The Aladdin Musical Spectacular on the Disney Cruise Line: When You Wish Upon Shellfish

 In February 2024, I went on my first ever Cruise, and it was on the Disney Wish.  One of my favorite parts of the trip was the Aladdin Musical Spectacular live theater show.  This presentation features special effects, puppets, and show-stopping musical numbers, as you might imagine.  I decided to make Aladdin, Genie, and the Magic Carpet as seen in the show using materials found on the beaches in Venice, Florida.  I used shark teeth (particularly in Aladdin and Genie's hair) and a variety of shells.  And a lot of glittery paint.  Filming is not allowed in the show, so for reference, I found YouTube footage of the show from the Disney Fantasy from January 2017.

For this version of Aladdin, the Magic Carpet is perhaps the breakout character.  He is silent, and performs all sorts of acrobatic stunts.

My adventure on the Disney Wish was fantastic.  We did a 3 night Cruise and visited Nassau, and Castaway Cay.  I would like to give a special shout out to our assigned wait staff, Eduardo and Glory Ann, who performed magic tricks for us at dinner multiple nights!

SeaWorld Orlando: Pete Penguin Trek

 Pete Penguin is one of SeaWorld's longest running mascots.  I've made the chilly, dapper bird using sea shells and shark teeth found on the beaches of Venice, Florida.

My first visit to SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida was as a kid in 1987.  This was at the height of my obsession with SeaWorld, marine animals, and SeaWorld's animated characters, Shamu and his Crew.  We stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton close to SeaWorld for about a week.  As such, we got a multi-day pass to SeaWorld and by the end of that week, I had pretty much memorized all the shows.

In 1987, the newest attraction was the "Brrrand New Penguin Encounter."  This featured a moving sidewalk through a massive building showing off the birds.

In 2013, the park revamped the Penguin Encounter to become Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin.  This included an exhibit where visitors could actually enter the cold world of the penguins.  There was also a trackless dark ride included---but I never experienced this ride, as it was closed every time I visited.  Eventually, this dark ride shut down for good.

In 2024, a brand new family snowmobile roller coaster called Penguin Encounter (built by Bolliger and Mabillard) will replace the old dark ride (and beyond the building).  I have to say, a penguin themed roller coaster may be my favorite idea they've come up with.

Pete Penguin himself has changed quite a bit over the years, starting out as a character wearing a top hat.  In the 1980s, Pete was given a makeover with a stocking cap, and also given a female counterpart named Penny.  This 1980s version of Pete still survives today, with Pete and Penny being included in SeaWorld's Christmas Winter Wonderland on Ice.

DuckTales The Movie: Collie Baba, You Old Dog!

 In DuckTales The Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990), Scrooge McDuck adds to his wealth by  finding the hidden treasure of the legendary thief, Collie Baba.  Here, Uncle Scrooge and Collie Baba are made from sea shells and shark teeth found on the beaches of Venice, Florida (in addition to paint and just a little bit of metal hardware--for Scrooge's spectacles and Collie Baba's mustache and goatee).

The movie was a spin-off of the 1987 syndicated series Disney's DuckTales.  Which itself was an adaptation of the Uncle Scrooge comic books series that really took off in 1952 (the character was first introduced in 1947).

Alan Young voiced Uncle Scrooge in the original DuckTales TV series and film.  He began playing Scrooge in a 1974 record album adaptation of A Christmas Carol which was later adapted into the famous 1983 film, Mickey's Christmas Carol.  1990s kids may also know Young from his role in the live action series Mister Ed (a 1961 sitcom about a man with a talking horse) that ran in reruns on Nick at Nite.

DuckTales The Movie was created by Disney TV Animation and animated by Walt Disney Animation France and Walt Disney Animation UK (the studios in France and the UK closed long ago).  The screenplay was written by Alan Burnett, who went on to guide the stories for Batman The Animated Series at Warner Brothers.  A real highlight of the movie for me is the adventurous soundtrack by David Newman.

The character of Collie Baba has a very interesting function in the film.  He is an important figure in the story, but the audience only gets brief hints of what he looks like in the form of statues and iconography.

A Goofy Movie: Roxanne and Max Sea It Eye To Eye

 In the 1995 film A Goofy Movie, Goofy drags his son, Max, across the country to go on a fishing trip---far from his beloved crush, Roxanne.  Here, Max and Roxanne are made from painted sea shells and shark teeth found on the beaches of Venice, Florida.

A Goofy Movie was not a big hit when it debuted (I saw it in the theaters twice), but over the years it has gained a large following.  It joins other Disney films like The Nightmare Before Christmas and Hocus Pocus that were not big successes in their debut but gained a huge following later.

Max was voiced by Jason Marsden, who many 1990s kids may remember as a live action TV series regular on Step by Step and Boy Meets World.

Roxanne was voiced by Kellie Martin, who was a familiar face on TV on shows like Life Goes On and ER.  She was also the voice of Daphne on A Pup Named Scooby Doo.  In a way, Roxanne is kind of a cross between Daphne and Scooby Doo.

The characters have pictures of their loving fathers (taken by Goofy in his photography studio at Kmart).  Roxanne's Dad is a snarling, ferocious dog who adores his darling daughter.  Poor Goofy (voiced by Bill Farmer), the ever cheerful soul, must clash with an aloof, moody teenager.

French Vanilla Bully, German Chocolate Weenie, And The Butterscotch Terrier

 

French Vanilla Bully, German Chocolate Weenie, and the Butterscotch Terrier are a trio of valuable, scheming dogs who create all kinds of mischief.  They might even infiltrate a wealthy home and rob it.  These characters are made of sea shells and other materials I found on the beaches in Venice, Florida (and some paint, too).

I became fascinated with French Bulldogs thanks to YouTube videos and TV shows like Christina on the Coast.  The breed is incredibly popular now and there's also a bit of controversy surrounding them.  They are prone to breathing issues.  As someone with Sleep Apnea, I can relate to their plight.

I feel like I have always had neighbors or friends with Dachshunds.  And let me tell you, Dachshund enthusiasts are devoted to their feisty German hot dog buddies.  I was shocked to discover that Dachshunds were bred to hunt badgers (the name actually means "badger hound" in German).

And then there is the Scottish Terrier.  In junior high, I had a math teacher named Mrs. Cross.  Mrs. Cross was obsessed with Scottie Dogs.  She wore Scottie clothing, had a Scottie clock in the classroom, and all sorts of Scottie office supplies.  She also had a pet Scottie named McDuff that she always talked about.

I wanted to do a dog project for a while, and I was drawn to the extreme, comical proportions of the French Bulldog, the Dachshund, and the Scottish Terrier.  Things fell into place with the dessert "flavor" theme---French Vanilla, German Chocolate, and Butterscotch (I landed on Butterscotch after getting a Butterscotch Dilly Bar at Dairy Queen).

Groovy Beauty and the Funky Beast: Freaky Foam Figure

 

Back in 2015, I came up with an idea for a 1970s twist on the Beauty and the Beast story called Groovy Beauty and the Funky Beast.  In 2018, I decided to build the Funky Beast using sheets of foam.  For his gold chains and belt buckle, I used thin gold metallic sheets of fabric.  At the time, I was frequently going to craft stores to discover new materials.

Like so many weird ideas I've had, I did this and forgot about it. 

If this character was ever to be in a movie, I'd cast actor Jason Mantzoukas to play him.  I feel like it looks like him and I wasn't even trying to do that.

A Goofy Movie: Camping With Bigfoot And An Octopus

 Behold, the legendary Bigfoot!

I love 1995's A Goofy Movie so much that I saw it twice in theaters when it debuted.  I was shocked at how much I enjoyed it.  One of my favorite things about the film is the entire camping sequence, and especially the Goofy world's version of Bigfoot (being an ape with a dog nose).  I decided to make Bigfoot out of shells, shark teeth, and other sea junk found on the beaches of Venice, Florida.  I also made Pete's pet octopus, who lives in a cool aquarium inside Pete's outrageous RV.  The dome tank is a rock and the cabinet is made of shells.  I love the absurdity of having an octopus on a camping trip. 

New Shrimpola Cola From Sheep In The Big City: Contains Shellfish

 The 2000 Cartoon Network series Sheep In The Big City contained a commercial for a "brain burning" shrimp-based soda called Shrimpola Cola.  The mascots for the new drink were a duo of Beastie Boys shrimp, singing a catchy rap jingle.  I made one of the Shrimps out of shells, shark teeth, and rocks found on the beaches of Venice, Florida.

I did not catch Sheep In The Big City when it originally aired, but I stumbled across the Shrimpola Cola commercial on YouTube and fell in love with it.  I really admire the graphic style of the Sheep series, created by Mo Willems.  I'm especially impressed that he created shrimp characters that actually look like the Beastie Boys.

Gooey Grilled Cheese And Tangy Tomato Soup

 I like a challenge, which is why I decided to make characters out of one of my favorite classic comfort food duos, a Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Tomato Soup.  Loner, Tangy Tomato Soup would love nothing more than to relax in his piping hot basin.  But high strung, Gooey Grilled Cheese gets a thrill taking a big dive into the bowl to have a warm and toasty visit with his saucy, acidic best bud.

Logan Berry and the Grape Bovine

 

Logan Berry sports a milkman type uniform and has a knack for whipping up some delicious treats, including his signature Grape Bovine.  The Grape Bovine is Logan's twist on a classic Purple Cow drink, which is a grape soda ice cream float.  Logan Berry happens to be an inventive chef and farmer, and creates his Grape Bovine from scratch.  He grows the grapes in his vineyard to make his own grape soft drink and to form two Grape Bovine cow nostrils.  He milks his cow to make the tasty ice cream that forms the Grape Bovine head.  He mixes his own whipped cream to make the Grape Bovine's hair.  He creates his own candy corn to make the Grape Bovine's horns and ears.  He even prepares his own chocolate sprinkles to represent the Grape Bovine's eyes.  Logan Berry and the Grape Bovine here are made from sea shells, rocks, and other items found on the beaches of Venice, Florida.  The characters are ready to make Logan Berry and the Grape Bovine a national restaurant chain.

I am often inspired to create characters based on actual people I meet.  Logan Berry and the Grape Bovine is such a case.  Logan Berry is based on an actual Logan (whose last name was NOT Berry) I knew who worked at a Culver's frozen custard restaurant in Florida.  A Loganberry is a hybrid of a blackberry and a raspberry.  A grape is actually considered to be a berry, so it felt natural to have a berry based character with a berry based frozen treat.  I was also inspired by the legendary Orange Julius fruit/dessert based drink empire.

J-Man Jokerz Wild: Batman Beyond the Sea Returns

 The world of the futuristic Batman Beyond animated series is terrorized by a gang of thugs called the Jokerz.  The most Jokerish looking of the Jokerz is a dapper guy named J-Man.  J-Man is the second character I've built from Batman Beyond, using shells, rocks, and shark teeth found on the beaches of Venice, Florida.  J-Man was voiced by none other than Batman The Animated Series artist and legend, Bruce Timm.

There are some very sinister looking members of the Jokerz gang.  One of them, named Scab, looks like one of Santa's Elves from 1983's A Christmas Story (the ones that are rough with Ralphie and Randy at the department store).

Peter Pan’s Flight: From Disneyland to DisneySea

My introduction to Disney's Peter Pan was riding Peter Pan's Flight at Walt Disney World in Florida as a small child back in 1983 (I did not see the Peter Pan film until it was released on VHS in the 1990s).  The attraction was definitely my favorite thing at The Magic Kingdom at that time, particularly because it seemed like the least threatening of all the "dark rides" there.  I made Peter Pan and Tinkerbell using shells, shark teeth, and other sea junk found on the beaches of Venice, Florida.

Peter Pan's Flight can be found at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Shanghai Disneyland.  In addition, a brand new Peter Pan "land" with a brand new flying attraction is coming to Tokyo DisneySea in Japan.  It will be part of Peter Pan's Neverland in the new "Fantasy Springs" expansion planned for 2024.

All the Peter Pan's Flight attractions are slightly different.  I've only ever been on the versions in Florida and California.  But from ride videos I've seen, I think Tokyo Disneyland has the best one, as it looks to have taken the Florida version and expanded and upgraded the experience.  If you are a fan of Peter Pan, Tokyo seems to be the place to be.