Tomboy Tess

 Tomboy Tess is the original piece that is featured on page 43 in my bestselling polymer clay book, How To Make Clay Characters, published in 1997 by North Light Books.   Try as I might, I will never be able to make this exact character again, so she is truly one-of-a-kind – and is a well publicized one at that.  The book has sold more than 116,000 copies to date.

 Five of the original Neighborhood Kids from the book, of which Tess is one, are still in my possession.    The other two pieces were donated to charity auctions in previous years.  My studio is becoming too full, so I have decided to start selling some of the pieces from the first four books which I wrote for North Light Books.  I need to make room for the pieces from my newest book, Fairies, Gnomes and Trolls, which has a release date of mid-November 2006.

 Tess is made entirely of FIMO polymer clay, except for her toothpick backbone and painted face.  She is approximately 2 ½ inches tall in her lying down position, and is 5 inches long.

 Her story, as written in the book, says that she is always in the middle of any activity on the playground.  Her bright smile and expectant eyes can cheer up even the grouchiest neighbor who happens to settle onto one of the rustling old park benches that surround the playground.  Laces and frills are not her thing, because being free to tumble and play is what brings her the greatest happiness. 

 I hope that you enjoy her smiling presence as much as I have!

 Maureen