Scrap Clay Takes on a New Life

I feel like I fall down a rabbit hole every time I start a big project because I end up with a lot of scrap clay.  And I can't just put it in a ball and toss it in a container.  I am so curious as to what's inside and how I can manipulate it to create a pattern.  Using the stroppel technique sometimes and sometimes using other techniques.  The cool thing is I don't know what it will look like until I cut it.  I take a small end off and look at it.  The I cut it length wise to see what else comes up.  Then I decide which way I am cutting and stacking and finally I make the beads.  But then, there is new leftover clay.   Like I said...a rabbit hole.  Here's some things I created lately from my leftover scrap clay.

This flower was inspired by a class with Dayle Doroshow.
This flower is a big improvement from the one I made in class.

A nice pattern from my leftover clay and I added a three legged octupus.
  I suppose I could have added more legs but he's an alien mutant octupus.

Faux pottery.  I used a different cane making techique for this one. 
 This was basically putting scrap cane in the order I wanted it on a sheet of black clay and then cutting the shape.  
I wanted to imitate pottery dishes that come out of a kiln so I put a curve in it.   

Faux pottery 2.

I don't have all the beads in this picture but I am finally through all the promising scrap clay.
  Time to start another project!