So much to do, so little time!!

I don't think I'll ever get around to using all the beautiful, exciting polymer clay techniques I've taken notes on! ...But it sure will be fun trying! ;o)

Here are a few items on my short list of things to try:

• Crackled/crazed paint on translucent clay. Something I saw in an ad in the latest issue of Polymer Cafe caught my eye and reminded me of something else I'd seen. Anyway, the basic idea is, I think, to crackle paint on an ultra-thin sheet of translucent clay. (I'll dip into my reserve of Bleached Translucent/Frost for this one, since ultimate translucence will help with the look of the finished product.) You may want to do this with a variety of coordinating colors of paint. Then you take a base bead (or sheet of clay or whatever) and apply bits of the crackled-paint-clay to the base, with the paint side facing down. Smooth seams, etc. and bake. Oh, and I'm sure you can layer as many pieces of the crackled-paint clay on the base as you like. Overlapping different colors might be a nice effect. Early in my "claying career", I was obsessed with crackled paint. I still like it, though I've wandered more in other directions. I think this technique might give more of the look of dichroic glass, which is why I liked the crackled paint so much to being with.
• Make texture sheets and/or molds from seashells, pressed glass, etc. I've been meaning to try this for such a long time. I have made molds of a few plastic beads, but beyond that, I've held off. There's really no reason to do so, though. I'm going to look through the house and yard for interesting textures to capture. I'm pretty sure I can find at least two or three in a couple buckets of seashells Donald and I picked up on Sanibel Island last year. :o)
• Make miniature foods. I've made mini sushi beads and tried some mini chocolates, but that's the extent of my miniature food experience. I'd like to try the chocolates again, as well as some cake slices and things. I'm a little less certain of where to start with this plan, since the minis I most admire have an unusual texture that really doesn't look like plain polymer clay. I probably need to mix something in with the clay to get the right texture, but I only have a few ideas as to what. Well, I can at least give those few ideas a try. :o)

So, even with just those three things, I could keep myself busy for a looong time.
Better get started!