What is Polymer Clay?..

I had some friends over and showed them my polymer clay jewelry. And I was asked questions that made it clear to me - my friends thought that I'm buying the beads and elements and only stringing them together.. Nope. I am making my beads, pendants and so forth. I guess, still few people know what polymer clay actually is. I also guess that I should put out here some pictures of the process of creating beads for my visitors to see how beads are actually made.. The most common question is "So, you paint these things, don't you?". No, I don't. In fact, I almost never use any paint at all. All the patterns and pictures you see are made only using the polymer clay of different colors. Often I do mix colors myself to achieve the specific color that I want.. But I do not paint my beads. So.. just in few words: polymer clay is a pliable media, kind of like a play dough. You can play with it, create different textures, different patterns, shapes.. the difference is that you BAKE polymer clay in your oven and it hardens! It hardens so well that it becomes very durable and unless you want to break it and really try to do so, it will stay just as it's been made for years. Polymer clay by itself is not afraid of water, but does not like chemicals and oils. And if it's covered with glaze (which I usually do - for extra protection), then it is afraid of water, so you should not bathe in your necklace or keep your earrings in the bathroom all the time. There are different brands of polymer clay, which differ by their baking temperature, durability and purpose. I am using Premo by Skulpey polymer clay. This clay is created for artists and is very durable, and also flexible. So if the piece is thin, it will bend, but not break. You can read more on Wikipedia or anywhere else. There is a lot of information out there! See you later!