Fimo Mickey Mouse : Part 1

My sister Rose is a big Mickey Mouse and Disney fan.  So she bought some Fimo clay when it was on sale, with the intent of making some sort of Mickey Mouse figure when she had the chance.  But the other day when I showed her my dragon gloves, where the scales and claws were made with fimo clay, she offered her Fimo to me, if I could use it.  I jokingly said I could make her a Mickey Mouse some time.  But when I got home, I realized that it wasn't a joke, perhaps I could actually make her a Mickey Mouse.  So here is one evening's work toward that goal:

I have to say the result is working out better than I had expected.  I was able to form much of the character, with only my hands and needle tool from ceramics.  But I realize that to make the character stand up will be a bigger challenge.  At first I had problem with the head, it kept drooping forward, and eventually fell off.  Then when I left him propped overnight in a standing position, I found him fallen the next morning, with his feet broken off.  So I think I will need to reinforce the neck as well as both legs with a strong wire.  I'm not sure about the tail, I am thinking of using a strong wire with Fimo wrapped on top of it.  If I make the tail long enough, it could serve as support for Mickey.  My husband was more practical, he said I should make him holding an umbrella.  But I don't know if I want that pose, and then it would be an issue of reinforcing the whole umbrella and arm.

To be continued one day, when I have time, or another insane burst of late night creativity.

On the ceramics side, I have already created or at started 24 items in the first 4 weeks of my 10 week course.  A few of the early pieces have been bisque fired, and I will be glazing them next week.  Although I am full of more ideas, I think the glazing will be a nice break, because today I was so exhausted I could hardly center a 4 1/2 lb lump of clay.  I think I hadn't kneaded it enough, and I must have wrestled with it for 20 or 30 minutes to center it, before I could throw a nice vase.  So I think I will have no problem sleeping tonight, I am still quite exhausted.  But in the most wonderful way.