Pressing things into clay, etc

The project I am currently emersed in involves pressing things into clay, created the art in the negative space, pouring plaster into the clay, and tearing away the clay.
I have tried two basic ideas:
>the first is to create a cup like structure out of the clay and press different shapes into it, the product of which is a mound with shapes protruding from it. (see picture)
>the other idea is to use the shape of my hand and different variations on the hand shape. one is a hand with spikes and the other (drying as i write this) is a hand with worms.
-the idea of using hands in art is aweosme- im not sure where I got it from but I have used the image of hands in several pieces. they seem to show power, the power of man, hands are used to DO things, etc.
>a hand with spikes is sharp and you dont want to touch it but it can touch you, etc.
>a hand with worms seems to have something slithering beneath it, caught underneath, hiding, trying to get out (etc etc).