This is a very unique decorative piece. Tammy, known for her pottery and sculpture, created "a spoof on using clay to look like a different material." The clay is formed as a traditional style "whimsey." Whimsey's became a popular tourist souvenirs in the nineteenth century. They came in a variety of shapes and sizes. They were also created to serve various functions including: purses, vases, table decorations, wall pockets and pin cushions. To add realism to this pin cushion style faux whimsey, Tammy applied glass beads creating a strawberry plant, and edging, as well as hand painting a calico pattern on the back of the piece. This is a very fine example of a contemporary "whimsey." At the height of the whimsey popularity in 1850's Niagara Falls and Saratoga regions, books and magazines provided instructions on how to make beadwork in the "Indian style." This piece exemplifies the technique of raised beadwork and the use of clear glass beads, reminiscent of those created during the nineteenth century.