Just a regular old 'novelty' coffee-mug, until..... (OR--- the 'MAD-scientist' strikes AGAIN!)--

Once again, here at the 'ol  blog-a-wog-a-ding-dang, I'm featuring an item I've customized, featuring the 'Caped Crusader'. Batman being pretty much my ALL-TIME favorite fictional character, I guess that shouldn't be too surprising----to any of you who've been following along with me here, at least!

The focus this time around, is on a REALLY odd-ball item I received a number of years back. It's been enough years ago, in fact, that I don't remember if it was a B-day, OR a Christmas gift. But  I DO know that it was from some of my in-laws, who are ALL pretty familiar with the stuff I'm all GEEKY about-- including 'Ol Batsy! Now, when I say odd-ball, I really mean.... ODD-BALL----

The 'Micheal Keaton'-Batman-3D-mug, (I believe it was part of the 'Bat-merchandising-avalanche'--that came with the release of 'Batman Returns', in 1992!) as it looked when I originally got it! Check out the WEIRD, 'glassy-eyed' stare! (pun FULLY intentional!)

For a number of years, this strange, but 'cool-in-a-goofy-kinda-way' item sat on my desk, functioning as a pen-and-pencil holder. This was how it pretty much looked for quite a chunk of time!-----

Now, in more recent years, the 'Keaton-mug' ended up being shuffled into a box---along with other odd-ball items I either couldn't figure out exactly WHAT to do with, or they just took up a little too much space! (This mug fit into BOTH of those categories!) Then, around a month or so back.... I began to think about this odd little piece of 'Bat-bric-a-brac', and my old 'mad scientist'-mentality took over!

'What IF....' I thought to myself...' I could turn this thing into some sort of 'mini-bust'? OR... at least maybe 'fill-out' the top portion of it's 'skull'--- make something like a neat-o paperweight out of it or... something! (Hey--- inspiration / 'mad-scientist'-type-thoughts aren't always crystal-clear!)

So..... after mulling it over for a bit, I started gathering up the little bit of material I'd need for this latest project!----

Two chunks of styrofoam material. this was snagged at the local 'Dollar-Tree' store. This stuff could be easily 'carved' and shaped into the 'missing' portion of  the 'Bat-skull'! I originally grabbed two, just in case I messed up on the first attempt!

'E-6000' multi-purpose glue.This is THE glue to use, for this kind of project! It dries ROCK-hard, and pretty  much will LOCK any kind different of materials together---PERMANENTLY!

Not exactly the FIRST stuff you'd think of, when your'e gonna tackle some sort of 'sculpture'-type of project! But, plastic wood-filler has worked GREAT on a couple of other little things I've tinkered on, up in the 'Secret Sanctum'! This time, I ended up utilizing nearly an ENTIRE tube of the stuff!

Then came the 'getting-down-to-business' part of the deal! Over the better part of roughly a week or so--- I carefully & patiently worked on turning the former 'mug', into something COMPLETELY different! Here's a little diagram of  what it took to turn a 'mug', into the 'Bat-noggin'!---

Then.... roughly around the 'half-way' point of this little effort, I had another jolt of  'Mad-scientist'-type of inspiration! Why NOT--- add a little MORE to this thing? Make it a REAL, legit, 'mini-bust'!--

It's a good thing I had TWO pieces of that styrofoam! Did I mention I was doing this WHOLE project on a SUPER-tight budget? (As is USUALLY the case with me!)

Finally, once I was satisfied with how the 'Dark Knight' was looking from ALL angles--- it was time to start throwing some paint onto this bad-boy! This was the most FUN part for me!

All along, I planned on the likeness to be based on the comics of the late-'50s / early '60s! With maybe just a hint of the way the character looked, in the opening credits of a certain CLASSIC TV show from my childhood! (any guesses as to just WHAT that program might be?)---

Needless to say, I'm proud-as-can-be, of how this latest 'Bat-customizing-project' turned out! I now have yet another item I can look at, up in the 'Crime Fighting Headquarters'--- that brings a smile to my face! Isn't THAT what being all GEEK-A-ZOID about something is all about?

Smokey the 'lucky' cat, and Emma the mini-schnauzer---R.I.P.

Smokey, one of our 'survivor cats'--A few years back.She was sort of our 'rescue animal', who had been treated pretty rough by a previous owner! We found her here on the property we currently live on, a number of years back--- with a broken tail, mangled ear, and nearly starved to death! She later even survived the loss of her right eye! Her nick-name truly should've been 'LUCKY'!

Miss Emma, our mini-schnauzer, in happier, healthier times!

It's been a rough past couple of months, for some of our animal friends, here at 'Supreme Ferrell Headquarters'! All of us being pet-lovers around here, we've ALWAYS had a mix of dogs and cats as part of the family.

At one point in fact,during our time living at the place where we've currently lived, for just over 12 years--- we actually had 5 dogs and 4 cats all at once!  Smokey--- the gray kitty pictured above, and Emma-- the mini-schnauzer up there, were two of our 'long-time residents' around here!

We've lost both of them in the past few weeks. Smokes back in July, and Miss Emma just today. They both were 'getting up there' in years! Smokey was at least 12, and Emma around 16. So, they BOTH led long, active lives. But--- the past few months had been hard on both of them, with various age-related health problems and issues hitting them pretty hard.

Even knowing they both lived long lives, it's STILL tough to lose a couple of our LONG-TIME canine / feline family members! We still have the other two doggies-- Dino, our lab-pit-bull mix, and Waldo, a little chihuahua-weener-dog-mix--- not to mention the four cats (not all of the same 'original 4', of course!) that live here! But--- the 'extended four-legged-family' is a little smaller now, and these two will certainly be missed! Rest well, my little friends--- you will ALWAYS be remembered!