Fresh off the turnip wagon.  

You could put a long pencil in a tin can, fill it full of dirt and then stick the pencil into the turnip head.

The heavier or more secure the base, the heavier the head it can support.

Eyes are important.  Eyes often dictate the soul of your critter.  Bigger eyes can tell bigger stories.  

See how far you can stretch your imagination.  Break the mold.  Think about using stuff like no one else uses it.

Feathers and scraps of colorful cloth work well to dress up your characters.

Thomas Edison said, "To invent, you need a good imagination and lots of junk."