Ugly Mug Pottery

You think this is doable with a handle made out of plasticine clay? This feels like it requires a fully finished handle.

Hi All, Before I started to venture down my first slipcasting mold project, thought I would gather the braintrust for some tips and potential corrections before I make a mess. I've never done this but I have gathered what I believe is the substantial knowledge to execute but any tips are greatly appreciated. I plan to utilize plasticine clay as a handle shaped as what I desire a finished handle, just 10% larger (to accommodate shrinkage of desired final piece size) I believe the best way to go about this is to suspend the handle sideways inside the box of wood by wire, using wire as a structural piece inside the plasticine clay. Thicker house electrical structure wire uptop but thin gauge for the actual suspension. The tricky part will be keeping it level, then pour up to half of the subject to make the first mold. Once it dries, add release divets, snip the wire, cover and dress up, apply Murphy's Oil Soap and pour side No. 2. Logic says the handle design must be 100% symmetrical or else final slip-poured pieces won't release from the molds well and having a true high point in the middle followed by a downslope in handle shape is probably the ticket when the handle lays sideways? Exact straight edges I would only guess are a nightmare to remove from the mold after you've poured the slip. I figured I'd snip the wire suspending it and cover after the first side dries, then pour the second side. I see most utilize clay to seal the edges. Thinking I would do the same unless there is a better way around. I thought about hot glueing. I plan to utilize some sort of ramp to pour the plaster slowly to lessen the bubble trapping. In an ideal world I actually design two handles to pour at the same time lined up junction point to junction point but also not trying to overwhelm myself for this first time also. Questions I have... Q1. Do you prep your wood box before beginning the first pour of plaster? I plan to use Murphy's Oil Soap I see a lot of this mold release? Would Murphy's be a fine agent for this? Q2. I am stuck on removal of bubbles post plaster pour. Just tap the whole thing as much as I can? Do it on a dryer while running? I considered building some sort of stand that a blender underneath running would vibrate the whole box. Q3. Lastly, whats the trick on plaster mixing, ratio, how it's mixed in? I figured I'd follow what seems to be the typical 100/70 water-to-plaster ratio and would sift in the plaster and mix in by hand, however, I read agitation of the plaster is actually a good thing for increasing the durability of a better-bonded plaster at finished step? Does this speed up the chemical process by creating friction for it? All thoughts in advance appreciated. Hope this all makes sense. Any tips or tricks appreciated!