Gold Paint on Fimo: You need to be careful what type of paints you use. Gold Leaf works well even on small items if you just use a toothpick or small tool to press the Gold Leaf into the crevices.

Jeannine

Gold and silver paint: I got small bottles of both gold and silver paint made specifically for Fimo and I got them at Michael's, they were in the same place as the Fimo.  I have never opened either one, can't tell you if it works or not (I'm working on it, okay?)  but it seems to me that others have experienced that no-drying tackiness with various attempts at painting Fimo with other stuff.

Pamela L. Swain

Gold leaf on Fimo: For a gold leaf effect on small Fimo and polymer clay items, try the metallic powders. They are brushed on BEFORE baking, and have a lovely metallic sheen. Fimo makes a gold and silver, and I've used metallic powders from clear resin casting and it works great and comes in colors. Without adding a gloss on the finished item it comes close to a gold leaf look.

Beverly Michie

Sticky Fimo and Fold Leaf - Ya gotta be careful with solvent-based paints on the oven-fired clays. I know that many brands of nail polish never dry when put on Fimo or Sculpey. Gloss Mod Podge works well for a ceramic-type shine. The matte version is also nice.

For an easy "gold" leaf, try Renaissance foil by Delta. The leaf comes bonded to a plastic backing, then transfers to the special glue it comes with. Very easy to use, nice effect. Comes in gold, silver, and I think copper, blue, and red.

This leaf, and I think any gold leaf, is going to reduce the detail of any carving because the size (glue) tends to fill in the low spots. For a delicately carved frame, I'd probably paint it a dark, dull gold, then apply the size and foil only to the high points to emphasize the design.

Lee

Sculpy Elasticlay: I just ordered some polymer elasticlay from http://www.polymerclaymall.com/Malls/PolymerClayMall/sculpey3.htm

Carol

Sculpey Elasticlay: I just ordered some polymer elasticlay from http://www.polymerclaymall.com/Malls/PolymerClayMall/sculpey3.htm.   I found it listed in the third column, under Super Sculpey.

Carol Giberson

Elasticlay, Liquid Sculpey: Apparently they are both Sculpey products, even though some of the labeling is by Polyform, and thy are both available on the wonderful site Dave Pierce put up for us. Neither product comes in clear, which I was hoping for, and they're both pricey, (Elasticlay is $7.19 per half pound, cream color only; and liquid sculpey is 19.99 per pint, white only). I figure they should be great for casting and molding.

Lynn O'Shaughnessy

This is the poly clay site: http://www.prairiecraft.com/

Charlean

Liquid sculpey: Just did a bit more digging. At this URL - http://st3.yahoo.net/prairiecraftcompany/tranliqscul.html, you will find Pioneer Crafts, and that is the page for transparent liquid sculpey. Also at http://www.prairiecraft.com/ you will find some tips on using Liquid Sculpey.

Dave Pierce

Liquid Sculpey: MindStorm made a tape called "Exploring Liquid Sculpey" by Jody Bishel.  She's one of the pioneers on this subject.  If you want to read more about it, check out #PC13 on the MindStorm Productions
Website:  http://www.mindstorm-inc.com.

Helen Johnson

Softening Fimo: To re-soften Fimo, grind it up in a coffee bean grinder until it is very fine and warm. Once it is ground up in very fine pieces roll a bit out like you would pie crust, fold and re roll a few times, it will be very pliable.

Smallstuff Member

Softening Fimo: Polymer clay can be easily softened by mixing it with a bit of transparent clay. Mix it until a bit of it is soft, then add some more of the crumbly clay until all of it is softened.

Mary Kaliski

Softening Fimo: I have found that adding a drop of baby oil to the FIMO and working it in a little at a time works for me. It takes a lot of kneading but it does work. Some gals use a pasta machine to knead it. They keep passing it through the rollers, but remember....don't use any utensils for cooking or eating after you have used it for the polymer clays. I even have an inexpensive toaster oven that I bought JUST for baking my clays and not for food preparation.

Maria

Softening Fimo: I use an old food processor to break up the clay then try working some baby oil into the hardened clay. There is a clay product called Mix Quick. If it is cured it may be useless but the baby oil or mineral oil may work.

Judy K.

Softening Fimo: Adding a very small amount of regular cooking oil to the Fimo will soften it.

Marilyn

Softening Fimo: When I'm conditioning Fimo, I crumble the brick into a Black and Decker Handy Chopper (it's a tiny food processor, and I ONLY use it for clay!), with some Mix Quick. Mix Quick is made by Fimo for softening clay - I think you are suppose to keep it at 1/3 of the total amount of clay (it says on the label). Then I add a couple drops of mineral oil (if I'm conditioning a whole brick). Keep pulsing the chopper until it starts to collect on the sides of the container in tiny balls the size size of mustard seeds. If your clay will not form into little beads or pellets, but remains dry crumbs, then it's too far gone - pitch it out. Next collect all these little "beads" of clay together and form into one ball. It will not mold together yet. Put your ball of clay into a baggie and warm it - some ladies tuck it in their bras and the pro's usually use a heating pad or hot water bottle. BE CAREFUL you don't have a pad or water bottle too hot - you will cook your clay! When the clay is thoroughly warm you can start to work it - some people like to beat it with a hammer, others just knead away. I tend to pinch off marble sized balls and knead those, and slowly work through the bulk. If you don't have the time to go through all that, switch to Premo. That's what I've been doing - it's super stuff. I HATE Sculpy III - it's too mushy to sculpt miniatures with in my opinion. I still like working with conditioned Fimo the best - it finishes the nicest and I love the colors.

Beverly Michie

Crayola Model Magic: It's an air dry clay that is just great. It makes the best sliceable breads and cakes. It originally came only in white, but now comes in green, yellow, blue, red and black. I tint the white with acrylic paint, or crushed chalk. Makes great mashed potatoes to. I use yellow acrylic glass stain to put melted butter on top. It does shrink minimally as it dries - for example, you have to glue the mashed potatoes into the bowl after they have dried. My sister and I mixed cinnamon and nutmeg with some to make cinnamon roles. The rejects, mixed with a little clear glass stain, made great porridge. When mixing paint with the Model Magic, especially if you are trying for a darker color, like chocolate, it can get pretty messy. But, like bread dough clay, you just keep kneading it and everything eventually comes off your hands.

One hint - I've discovered that zippered storage bags are not necessarily air tight. When I'm putting some away and know it will be quite a while (weeks or months) before I get back to it, I double bag it and put about a tablespoon of clean water in both bags. Sometimes it’s a little wet when I go back to it, but you just keep kneading until it dries out enough to work. Oh yes, when you first start working with it, it's a little like playing with a marshmallow, only it doesn't get really sticky like a marshmallow does.

Marsha Heeter

Cernit Clay: Wenzel Minis sells cernit on their website at http://www.cernit.com/cernfram.htm They have 2.3 oz bars for $1.80 plus shipping. Looks like they've got lots of colors available, including the Glamour and Neon colors. They also sell larger blocks of the doll making colors. The site also has some tips for using Cernit and an artist's showcase.

Tere Perry

Cernit: I believe Dee's Delights carries cernit.

Gail Spector

Cernit: You can find it at www.cernit.com

Valerye