I was a potter for many years before I discovered what else clay can do.  For now, I have a clay that works well for this purpose and a way of starting with a very simple form that easily allows the addition of a head (thereby telling me what kind of creature I’m making), and arms/wings/fins (which convey whatever mood the creature wants).  What I have now is a cast of characters that love nothing better than to entertain people and make them smile.