The Tipsy Toucan Tiki Bar & Lounge
Welcome to paradise! I started working on this project a few years ago, but I struggled with how to create the lighted, mirrored, acrylic bar shelves, so I put it aside until about a month ago, when I really started working on it again in earnest. The entire bar is scratch built, which was definitely a learning curve! However, I’m delighted with the outcome and hope you’ll enjoy all the love that went into creating The Tipsy Toucan Tiki Bar & Lounge!
When I was researching decor details for my bar, I kept coming across Margaritaville-branded pieces, and when I saw the parrot party table, I knew it would be the perfect piece to stand out in front of the bar. He’s completely hand-sculpted from polymer clay. I named him Jimmy as an homage to the late, great Jimmy Buffet!
Directional signs are so fun, so I designed two sets to display at the front of the bar.
Yes, the tip jar is one of my favorite details. Crumpling up all the tiny little ones and fives was a blast!
The Tipsy Toucan Tiki Bar & Lounge wouldn’t be complete without an actual toucan, so I sculpted her from polymer clay and flocked her. After conducting a poll on Instagram, I’ve decided her name is Toula (thank you for the suggestion, Monica!), which means “light.”
I wanted to display a wide variety of tiki mugs and bottles of booze, and the mirrored bar back and lights with acrylic shelves really highlights these details perfectly!
The tiki mugs were all 3D printed in clear resin (see source list at the end of the post), and I painted them all. A number of the alcohol bottles had weird generic labels and were too big for 1:12, so I cut them down in size and made new labels. Others were perfect as is!
I really wanted to include plenty of “branded” details for the bar, so I designed stand-up menus, coasters, cocktail napkins, and bar trays, all with the Tipsy Toucan logo. Even the guest check says The Tipsy Toucan at the top! I also made custom pineapple drink stirrers with resin, multicolored drinking straws, and tiny little cocktail umbrellas.
This angle lets you see the “business” side of the bar – the iPad point of sale terminal (complete with card reader), the garnish tray (filled with handmade pineapple wedges, maraschino cherries and orchids), the receipt holder, the bowl of fruit, the cocktail shaker and accessories, and the blenders with cocktails in the making.
I also printed my own fabric for the bar stools.
I love adding realism to my scenes, so I figured an almost-empty mug of beer, a half-finished cocktail and a crumpled up bar napkin would do the trick!
I rarely see scale palm trees that I like, so I decided to make my own, and I’m so glad I did! I also sculpted all the plants at the base.
The 3D printed tiki torches are so perfectly detailed, but I had to add a little bit of hot glue to simulate the flame for when they light up!
Before I even built the bar, I knew I wanted glass float lights. So, I took a strand of multicolored fairy lights, tiny little glass globes, alcohol ink and crochet thread and got to work!
I colored each glass globe with alcohol ink to match and enhance the lights inside, and I knotted every single net myself – that was quite the project, but well worth it!
At some point, I decided I wanted a volcano as a focal point in the bar. I don’t know why… I just did. So, I went with it, and it turned out so cool! I used a flickering red LED light, and I sculpted the volcano from polymer clay. I love the effect!
The “neon” pink and blue lights behind each bar shelf are actually EL wires. I’ve never worked with them before, but they turned out exactly the way I wanted them to!
If you enjoyed this photo tour of The Tipsy Toucan, don’t miss the reel I posted over on Instagram!
A million thanks to my wonderful and talented husband, Tom, for helping me capture every detail – especially the bar “after dark!”
Resources
- 3D Printed Tiki Mugs, Torches and Fire Pit: Blackthorn Miniatures
- Beer Taps: Tonya’s Miniatures
- Cocktail Shaker and Accessories: Genie’s Mini House Shop
- 3D Printed Coconut and Pineapple Cups: Stewart Dollhouse Creations
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