Hi benzene - actually thing that look like they have branching limbs that are kind of melted together can tend to be more easily done in a sub-d modeler instead - the overall sub-d process tends to make things like protrusions that appear melted together pretty easily. So if you do have a sub-d modeler available to you that you already use, you might want to use that for this project instead of MoI.

For modeling it with NURBS you will probably want to do something like model the main body as one shape, and then the handle as a second shape, then combine them together putting either a Blend or Fillet where they meet as a connection piece.

Take a look at this Rhino tutorial here which uses that method for a hair dryer which is kind of similar:
http://www.rhino3dhelp.com/tutorials/modeling-rowenta-hair-dryer

- Michael