This one may end up as a little troll once I get a chance to really refine him. Not too bad for working in horrible light, on my lap, and with my roughed up man-paws.
What are man-paws, you might ask?
Well, man-paws are what you get when you a) don't own a dishwasher and b) work with clay.
The dishes are self-explanatory. Hungry kids=messy dishes three times a day (at least). I am sort of a freak about germs and stuck on food, too, so the water I use is at such a temperature that it would probably remove skin from most normal people's hands.
I, on the other hand, have man-paws. Rough, thick-skinned, abnormally tough hands. Hands that are impervious to pain, heat, and have a texture akin to shoe leather.
Why no gloves, one might ask? Because if I wore gloves I wouldn't be able to feel any microscopic bits that might possibly still be left on the plates.
(I know, I know. FREAK!)
I keep waiting for my husband to give me a new little nickname. Like Frank or Chuck. It must be like holding hands with a mechanic. 
(Ignore this crooked photo, please. Or tilt your head until it appears correctly rotated. It kept getting wonky during my uploads and I am lacking patience today. *eye roll*)
Working with clay has become a hand issue, too, because I am constantly washing my hands or using alcohol wipes to get rid of residue. Not the most gentle thing to do to one's hands. (Don't even get me STARTED about wet-felting! Oy! So chafe-y!)
Its sort of a catch 22. It is easier to work with clay when one has nice smooth hands, but in working with the clay I find myself washing and degreasing and washing...you get the picture. Very drying and not conducive to soft, lovely hand model-ish hands.
At least I have nicer hands than THIS guy.
This little thing may end up a root baby. We'll see if I still like it once I give it some eyes. If not, back into a little green blob of clay he goes.
Thanks for popping by! Until next time, happy moisturizing!
Theresa
If you would like a chance to win Clyde, aka "
Well, that's enough of a rant for today. I will fight through this flu, accomplish what needs to be done, and take a nap. 
The following three are from Lynda S. Mihaly at Haunted Swamp Designs. She can be found on etsy, eBay and at 
Next is "Witch Tree Capture the Moon"
Of course my kids have to put in their two cents. My middle son said I should name him Clyde. My daughter says he now looks like a booger. And most people who see him wonder why I made him in such a weird position. My reply is that I tend to like motion rather than stasis in my work....
Bad Clyde!
This one is finally going up for sale tomorrow morning. I am going to try eBay again, though I haven't been particularly successful there in the past. I don't think I tag things well, so I am going to run through some tutorials again before I post her.
If any of my artsy friends in the