Polymer clay Tip! Great little device for drying the varnish on beads

Here's a handy dandy little tip that I received from Sue at PolyTools when I was working on the Bead Technique book.

Polymer clay does not have to be sealed unless you want to bring out the color or if you are protecting a topical surface such as foil, paint or leafing.

There are many types of varnish out on the market, some made especially for polymer clay, some made for floors. I use alot of both depending on the look I want. If I want a glossy shine and I don't want the bother of sanding and polishing, I simply use Fimo Gloss. If I want to bring out the color of the clay or want a matte, satiny surface, I use Future acrylic floor wax - smells good and it's inexpensive. These are only a couple of my personal favorites - there are many - many out on the market. (Don't use nail polish - it yellows over time)

Sue sent me a 4" section of one of those swimming noodles with a little paper wrap around the outside. This makes a great tool to hold your beads while the sealer is drying. The foam will hold toothpicks or piercing pins upright so that your beads don't touch one another in the process of drying.

If you don't have a "swimming noodle" around, subsitute a piece of floral foam and it will do the trick. Isn't so pretty....but it does the trick! (Wrap a piece of decorative paper around it - or make a polyclay container...)

Hope you find this little tip helpful! Do you have a tip to share?? Email me!