I've only recently discovered that I love creating pieces with polymer clay. I don't know why I thought that it was so difficult or tricky. I spent a lot of time talking myself out of trying it. Well, what a waste of time that was! I really believe that you can create virtually anything with polymer clay; it's certainly perfect for jewelry-making due to its versatility and light weight (nice for keychains as well).I'm also enjoying the fact that I can use my enormous collection of rubber stamps on polymer clay. I used to be an avid rubberstamper and still would enjoy doing it if I had the time. Fortunately, I've discovered that most clear and crisp rubber stamp designs make great images on polymer clay, so my wood-handled treasures have been resuscitated from their dark drawers!
I'm also amazed that artwork can be transferred to the clay much like Silly Putty (just remember to print out the artwork in mirror image). In the future I'd like to experiment with using my own artwork for this technique.
As a polymer clay newbie who has many more things to learn and and try, I don't have a lot of sage wisdom of the ages for other polymer clay artists. Except one: always use the right product to finish the job. I use a lot of acrylic paint, mica powders, etc. on my pieces so I always seal them. Do not use just any sealer; often the surface will remain tacky, or the finish can chip, peel or yellow. I always use Studio by Sculpey glazes in gloss or satin finishes; they are made specifically for polymer clay and you can't go wrong with them.
