Lumpy the Plasticine Stoat

When you log this bug, think up something for Lumpy to do. Through the miracle of plasticine and the blazing force of my own awesome artistic talents, I will try to make it happen, and then post a picture of the astonishing result.

Plasticine was invented by an art teacher near Bath, England in the late 19th Century. He wanted a modeling clay for his students that wouldn't dry out. The basic forumula is chalk mixed with vaseline, and it definitely will not dry out. In fact, it'll catch fire if provoked. Today, it's widely used for everything from building car prototypes to molds for ceramics to animation. It's non-toxic but emphatically not delicious, I can attest having absent-mindedly popped a gob of it in my mouth once while eating and arting simultaneously.

Whence Lumpy? After logging this cache, I discovered at the last minute I couldn't get the lid back on. So I nicked the largest item in the container, a two-tone box of plasticine. I felt guilty that I'd already logged TN, so I decided to make a little plasticine weasel to atone (why I thought that would help, I could not say).

I had rather too much yellow and not quite enough red, and the batch was soft and gummy and wouldn't take detail well at all, but nonetheless I was soon able to sculpt this crude but jaunty mustelid. I posted a picture with my log and then set him aside on my desk...

...where he totally stole my heart. Every time I look over at him, his deformed head is cocked at a goofy angle, or his lumpy paw is waving cheerily. This is largely, of course, because he's melting. Plucky little trooper. I decided to make him a Travel Bug and share him with the world, for as long as he lasts. You can thank me later.

Wait! I almost forget his theme song. Yeah, you know the tune:

Lumpy the Stoat
The wonderful plasticine stoat!
Whenever someone posts a dare
This eager weasel is totally there!
Lumpy the Stoat
The wonderful plasticine stoat!
You'll laugh so hard
Your voice will squeak
A lot like Truman Capote...
Watching Lumpy, the plasticine stoat!<br