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.

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.

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.

1971 Walt Disney World Winnie the Pooh, Made From Shells And Shark Teeth Too

 Winnie the Pooh has been at Walt Disney World since it opened in 1971.  The first version of Pooh that people could meet at the Parks was "Honey Pot Hat Winnie the Pooh."  It was basically a big puppet, with the performer looking out of the honey pot and controlling the wiggling nose, ears, and puppet arms with their hands.  This Pooh could also be found at Disneyland (where it debuted in 1966), as well as in Sears stores and at Tokyo Disneyland in Japan.  This version of Pooh was retired from the Parks by 1990, but lives on in YouTube videos.  I made Winnie and his pesky bee companion using shells, rocks, and shark teeth from the beaches in Venice, Florida.

Pooh was a big part of my first visit to Walt Disney World in 1981, which ended up ending before it started.  Because my brother got very sick, we only got to visit the Disney Village Marketplace, which at the time had a Winnie the Pooh themed character shop.  The shop had an animated Pooh with a balloon that drifted through the store.  I have never been able to find any pictures of that store online.  Maybe someone who reads this will remember it, too.

Smurfs, Avatar, and Boo Berry: North Port Florida Culver’s Blue Cutlery Crafts

 

I live in Venice, Florida, but also work in nearby North Port.  In time, I've become friends with some of the folks at the local Culver's restaurant.  Culver's is famous for its frozen custard.  They also have blue plastic utensils.  One day I decided to make a very unique cross over.  Smurfs (using standard Culver's spoons), Jake Sully from Avatar (using a long ice cream spoon), and General Mills Cereal ghost Boo Berry (using a fork).  The Smurfs and Jake Sully enjoy their familiar forest setting in a small house plant.  Boo Berry enjoys haunting the house.

One Way Sesame Street: Muppet Fonzie Jumps the Shark Teeth

 "One Way" is one of my earliest memories of watching Sesame Street as a three year old in 1978.  "One Way" featured a parody of Henry Winkler's "The Fonz" from the TV show "Happy Days" on his motorcycle trying to navigate his way down a one way street.  The song "One Way" was performed by singer and composer Christopher Cerf, who created a great deal of music for Sesame Street.  "One Way" was released on record albums, attributed to Sesame Street's resident rock band, "Little Chrissy and the Alphabeats" (Cerf also performed for these musical Muppets, notably the song "You're Alive").

"One Way" was simply a memory stuck in my head for decades until I finally saw it again on YouTube.

I created Muppet Fonzie, the motorcycle, and the One Way sign using shells, rocks, and other sea junk found on the beaches of Venice, Florida (I used paint and glue, too).

Interestingly, Henry Winkler was speaking at an event for the Tidewell Foundation in nearby Sarasota last month and I unfortunately did not get to go see him.  That would have been cool, like Fonzie.

Disneyland Haunted Mansion Rock Rocket Skull

 Disney's The Haunted Mansion attraction at the Disney parks around the world is full of surprises.  The original 1969 Disneyland version in California contains an effect that once featured prominently but now clings to life in the Graveyard.  It's a Rocket Skull, a "Blast-Up" feature based on a simple trick used in spook house rides and amusement parks for decades.  The skulls are attached to thin wires and are sent flying up with a blast of air.  In Disneyland, two Rocket Skulls were in the Attic Scene for decades.  They were removed when Disney started tinkering with the bride storyline.  One survivor Skull still exists near the tea party scene in the Graveyard.

I'm not sure if the Rocket Skulls air blast effect was used in any other Haunted Mansion besides the one in California.  The Skulls themselves are used in the Great Hall scene in all the Mansions, where they float out of the massive pipe organ (and are a Pepper's Ghost effect like the other spirits in that scene).

This Blast-Up Rocket Skull is made from rocks and shells I found on the beaches in Venice, Florida.  This is my third Haunted Mansion character made out of sea junk (I've also made a Pop Up Ghost and a Gargoyle).

Charles Entertainment Cheese, The Pizza Time Theatre Rat

 

I grew up within walking distance to Showbiz Pizza Place in Vestavia Hills, Alabama.  Over the years, I watched as a rat named Chuck E. Cheese slowly invaded the restaurant (starting with redemption prize souvenir banks) before the Showbiz chain was eventually renamed to Chuck E. Cheese.  The Showbiz/Chuck E. Cheese drama is an insanely complicated story that I will not even attempt to explain here (go watch Defunctland's Chuck E. Cheese story on YouTube!).  But as a kid, I had never been to a Chuck E. Cheese branded location (though I remember hearing classmates talk about it).  Chuck E. Cheese started in 1977, and the animated figures used in the pizza restaurants were characters cut off at the waist inside picture frames mounted on the walls.  Chuck E. Cheese (AKA Charles Entertainment Cheese) himself was a tough New Jersey Rat with a cigar.  Even though I grew up with the full bodied, more advanced characters from Showbiz Pizza, I do find the original, clunky 1977 Chuck E. Cheese "Portrait Animatronics" to be charming.  Eventually, Chuck E. Cheese was redesigned and his species was reassigned to a somehow more acceptable mouse alternative.  I miss the sleazy, inappropriate, old rat version of Chuck E. Cheese.  So I made a figure of Charles Entertainment Cheese using Sculpey and paint to celebrate the flea-ridden pest who drank and smoked and served up pizza to video game-obsessed kids for decades.

Batman Beyond The Sea

 

The 1999 sci-fi animated series Batman Beyond featured a teenage Batman named Terry McGinnis (voiced by Will Friedle) in a cyberpunk future.  This new Batman was mentored by the original Batman, Bruce Wayne (Kevin Conroy).

Though I remember when the series aired on the WB (remember that network?) I never actually saw it until a friend introduced me to it on HBO Max.  It's rather shocking that this complex and striking series was a Saturday Morning show.  The series has a very strong cult following, and is beloved by many fans.

I live in Venice, Florida, and I decided to build Batman Beyond out of shells and shark teeth I found on the beaches here.  Batman's fingers, feet, and arm spikes are made out of shark teeth.  Batman's legs and arms are made out of cerith shells.  The iconic Batman Beyond pointy headpiece is made from boring turret snail shells.