Sticking Fimo to Fimo: My daughter and I did a clay presentation for Scouts one year and in doing it we learned that scoring pieces before they are put together helps them bond better. My daughter makes wonderful Sculpey dragons and other figures and she has tried this and says it definitely helps. By scoring it just means making several lines on each piece where it fits to the other piece.

Sheila

Sticking Fimo to Fimo: When all else fails in getting the two pieces to stick together when sculpting with polymer or Fimo, try a trick called scoring. Take a knife or other object and make slashes on both pieces where the two will be put together. Sometimes I do this when I need to.

Just something I remember from an art class in high school. When I am done, I take some baby powder and put it on my finger tips and smooth it out. I have found that this helps to get rid of those nasty finger prints.

Laura

TLS as glue for Fimo: Haven't seen anyone mention using Transparent Liquid Sculpey (TLS) to adhere pieces of polymer clay together... this is neat stuff... you can use it as a glue or alone... it can be colored with oil paints, scrapings of oil pastels, powdered pigments, etc... just don't use anything water based... you can use it to make transfers of copy machine print-outs to clay (sorry, ink jet printers don't work well) for fancy-dancy bowls... haven't seen it anywhere in regular stores but TLS is available from several of the polymer clay sites... just do a search for Sculpey and you should find it and be able to compare prices. Sites that sell it usually have a fact page to help you as well.

Sammy Smith

Sticking Fimo to Fimo: To get pieces of Sculpey or Fimo to stick, bake one piece first. Then stick the new piece to it, and re-bake. Works for me on some of the critters I make. Yes, you can attach Fimo or Sculpey to pre-baked items, even to non-clay items. An excellent miniature artisan named Dave Crandall attaches Sculpey to wood, making fine detailing additions to furniture, etc. Just bakes the whole schmear at once, works fine. Not to worry about the heat, wood and paper burn at a much higher heat than that used to bake polymer clays.

Dave Pierce

Sticking Fimo to Fimo: I thought of the Trans. Liquid Sculpey too, but it is not easily available so didn't mention it. These are 2 of the places carrying it:

Wee Folk Creations, (expensive large quantity), 18476 Natchez Ave., Prior Lake, MN 55372 http://www.weefolk.com/

Prairie Craft Co. Best price on Trans. Liq. Sculpey http://www.viaweb.com/prairiecraftcompany/index.html

http://www0.delphi.com/polymerclay/pcc/opening.html good site.

Mary Lou

Toaster Ovens: I have an old toaster oven and for some reason it bakes hotter than the temperature at which I set it. So instead of 265 degrees, I bake it at 250 degrees. Maybe just take a scrap piece of Fimo and test it at different temperatures to see what works for you.

Jonesy

Gluing Fimo: To those who asked about gluing Fimo, Vaseline might be the answer. Vaseline glues baked pieces to unbaked pieces. Glue before you bake. For more control, you can even use a Chapstick. I don't think this works with all unbaked pieces.

S. Cox

Toaster Oven: I have been using a toaster oven for Sculpey and Fimo since before there was Fimo (1975). I never use more than 250 degrees and never cook it too long. Sometimes if I'm in doubt I drop it in cold water and see if a nail makes an indentation. It doesn't matter if it's and old one or not. I bought one at a garage sale 2 years ago and it's fine. If it smokes the thermostat may be off and you may have too cook it even lower.

Gail

Clay and ovens: if you are making just a few things from Polymer clay you can use your regular home oven. If you are planning to make things time after time in bulk a toaster oven is better. You have to use a good quality and large size taster oven. If it is too small the elements above your precious clay piece will burn it. That is why someone wrote they can only make 'flat' pieces. Looking for making Miniatures in Polymer Clay. There are two books by this name. One is Sue Heaser's and one is mine. The one I wrote is available from Earth and Tree or Scott Publications 1800 458 8237.

Mary Kaliski

Evenly rolling clay: When making candy or other items that require an evenly rolled piece of clay, I place a tiny ball of polymer between two toothpicks and roll across those with my roller, thus ensuring even thickness throughout. Guess you could always find something thinner than toothpicks is you need to roll the clay thinner.

Karin

Home Made Paper Clay: Take it from someone who has quite literally burned out 4 blenders (one making home-made paper, one making paper mache, one making - well I can't exactly describe it, but it was an experiment in hectograph pad stuff, and yet another with a bad clay experiment). Make sure you only put in a tiny bit of paper into the water at a time, let the paper soak for a while before running the blender, and stop the blender while the stuff is still like soup.

Actually you reminded me of a recipe I have that is similar to what you want to try. It is from the book "Recipes for Art and Craft Materials" by Helen Roney Sattler. This recipe is called "Large Figure or Float Paper Mache." I'll give you the recipe "as written" and I'm certain you can figure out the proportions for something you would want to try in miniature.

Old newspaper
2 gallons warm water
Small tub or 3-gallon pail
Electric mixer
3 qts. pulp
1 pint wallpaper paste
2 cups plaster of paris

Tear newspaper into long strips. Drop a few strips at a time into the small tub of warm water, stirring to insure that each piece is separated. Set aside overnight. Pour off part of the water and beat the paper pieces to a smooth pulp with the electric beater or with your hands. Add paste and plaster of paris, beat until smooth and claylike.

Tori West

Baker's Clay: I did a web search for baker's clay and the basic recipe is 4 cups flour, 1 cup salt, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups water. Mix together and knead until smooth. Add food coloring if desired. Make shapes and bake at 300 degrees until set and golden (1/2 to 1 hour). For a more golden appearance, paint with a beaten egg when it is almost done baking and looks dry. You can paint with egg twice or three times for a darker golden color. Don't use egg on colored dough. For colored dough, paint with shellac or lacquer after baking. If cracks appear, patch with some slightly moist dough and continue baking.

On different websites the recipe varies a bit. You can do a search and find out which one you want to use. I hope this is what ya'll are talking about. If not, you can make some cute Christmas ornaments with this.

Arlene A.

Painting on Polymer Clay, Fimo, Premo, etc.: I have always used acrylic and water color to paint my dolls. Sometimes I have used actual makeup before baking. When using real makeup, I used powder- type blush, eye shadow, etc. Apply lightly, then bake as usual. When I paint a doll's face, I water down the acrylic or watercolor paint. You can always add more. I sometimes apply a wash of clear water first. This prevents the color from blotching and creates a smooth, more natural appearance. I have painted the dolls after baking. However, as I did today, I baked the dolls, then painted them, then baked "briefly" again about 10 to 15 min. at 200-225 degrees. The final baking sets the paint for me. I have not had any problems so far. I have also used an ultra fine felt tip pen for detail work around the eyes - eyeliner, eyelashes, etc. Works great!

Lyn T.

Painting FIMO: I've had success with sanding it before painting. I've also painted before baking, but some people who heard about that told me that was a no-no because, apparently, you shouldn't bake acrylic paint. So, I sand.

Marsha Heeter in Dallas, Oregon

Crayola Model Magic: For Christmas in 1998, our daughter bought me a 2lb bucket of Crayola Magic. It was in a large plastic bag inside a plastic bucket. I have used a lot of it and it is still like new.

Each time I use some, I squeeze all the air out of the bag, close the bag with a twister seal and cover it with a damp hand towel, and seal it tightly in the bucket it came in. I have had no problem keeping it in this manner.

Flo

Storing Model Magic: I have bought Model Magic in the foil bags, in plastic jars with screw on lids, and in the big bucket. In the plastic jars or big bucket, I reseal it in there, sometimes adding some clean water if I know it's going to be a while before I get back to it. The Model Magic from the foil bag I put into the storage bags that "zip" shut. But since they are not air tight, I double bag it and put some water (a teaspoon or so) in both bags. I've kept some for over a year this way.

Marsha

Model Magic: Here's still another way of preserving left-over Crayola Model Magic. I wrap it in a wet paper towel and place it in plastic sandwich size baggies which can be wrapped tightly and it has stayed usable for weeks and weeks in the refrigerator.

Jeanette

Bread Dough for Modelling: If you do not like to make a HUGE mess forget about this. But if you like to get real MESSY, this is your thing. Warning. White glue is used in this stuff so wear old clothes. If you get it on you it can be removed while it is wet by applying water. If it dries, say goodbye to the garment.

I start with white bread. I remove the crust. Mix some of the white glue (Elmers or similar) with water or with Glycerin to dilute it. You can use both together. The Glycerin makes for a more workable mush. Spread drop cloths all over the work area and have a bucket of water handy for your hands. I kid you not. Make a mush (very technical language) out of the decrusted white bread and the diluted white glue. When you feel that this mush holds together and can be rolled and formed, etc., then it is ready to work with.

NO BAKING REQUIRED. Make whatever you want. This stuff can be rolled real thin. If it cracks or "parts," use some of the "clay " to patch the area. Whatever clay is left over can be wrapped in a sheet of plastic wrap and stored in the fridge. Keeps for weeks. After your creation dries (about 24 hours) it will be very light in weight and can be painted with any acrylic paint. When the paint is dry, I coat it with clear nail polish which results in a high shine finish. It remains slightly flexible so if it is dropped, nothing happens other than bending down to pick it up. That's the hardest part. It (the dried clay) can be cut with sharp scissors or knife.

Note from Joy: You can also pre-colour this bread dough as you are making it, or you can knead colour into it after it is ready. Use acrylic paint, from the tube.

Bob in Hollywood, FL

Shading Fimo: A teacher in a class I once took on making Fimo fruits, etc. used eye shadow powders to get her highlights. After making the foods, you highlight with a little of the appropriate eye shadow or face powder, and spray fix it lightly. I've also seen eye shadow powder mixed with the Fimo to give it kind of a sparkly, translucent look, used for teddy bears, etc. I know you can pick up all kinds of old eye shadow colors and blush powders cheap at yard sales. We used brown powder to make the edge of a bread loaf darker than the middle, before slicing, and the edge of bologna to look darker.

Mary Ann

DO NOT Microwave Fimo: We tried microwaving Fimo at a club meeting and it gassed us out of the house. VERY dangerous. Stick to the toaster oven or regular oven with Fimo.

Ruth, Masterpieces in Miniature