Polymer clay?

Tips, um...I guess it depends on what you're making....when I first started I usually looked on youtube for tutorials (especially Gentlemanbunny, sugarcharmshop. and toniellison....tumblr's a pretty good resource for ideas, too, but most people who post their tutorials on tumblr link them to deviantart....on tumblr there's smallcreations [who also has a youtube with tutorials] and bon-appeteats )...

A lot of tools can be common household objects. I use an x-acto knife (both as a knife and rolling pin), toothpicks and sewing needles for texturing, metal yarn needles for mixing TLS and clay and smoothing things out, and the rounded end of a pin (or also old ball shaped earrings) as dotting tools (I think there's a tutorial somewhere on here...).

You could also buy the dotting tools everyone uses from amazon for around $2, and the purple (or are they yellow...?) sculpting tool set with a rolling pin from Sculpey for I think under $5, but I think there's more fun in figuring out what works best around the house that you can get for free before buying expensive sculpting tools (go figure....I'm trying to be an engineer )

But definitively look at smallcreations on tumblr because she usually uses cheaper tools (like foil and orange sticks) and craftcandies on wordpress, who shows a lot of methods to use cheaper materials

Oh! Gentlemanbunny makes food and miniature sculptures, toniellision makes a lot of miniature food, sugarcharmshop mostly did tutorials on food, smallcreations does mini food and sculpture too, craftcandies does a lot of cake tutorials and sculptures in bottles, and bon-appeteats does miniature food. If you're looking to do larger sculpting, some people have recommended TheBroodingTom on youtube...

Sorry if that's not really what you're looking for in terms of tips ....I usually learn quickly by just watching or looking at pictures of steps, but you can ask me if you want more specific advice

I prefer the soft clay over the firm clay bc it doesn't crumble and it's easier to work with. As for tools a sharp knife but not one with a serrated edge if you want a clean edge and tooth picks work for me. Wire is great for support. I've seen ppl use foil to make their clay supply stretch. I work a lot w/ polymer clay and have no idea why firm clay even exists it's such a pain to work with you spend like 20 min just trying to knead it all together. You can also buy an assorted tool set set at Hobby Lobby for 5 bucks. I guess it just depends on what you want to make.

mPanda thank you for such a detailed response! Can't wait to check those tutorials out!! Thanks Andrea im not sure we have a hobby lobby here in england but ill certainly investigate, thanks guys

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/skelanimal-necklace here's what I've made recently. Hmmm I'm not sure what craft stores you have in England but I'm sure you'll be able to find something.

I am in England and I normally get all my supplies off eBay. there is a craft shop called Hobby Craft. I know they have a store in Croydon and Crayford. I don't know what kind of polymer clay supplies they sell though.

I could never get the clay to harden fully. it didn't matter how long i did or didn't let it in. so frustrating...

Megan B. : Maybe it's the temperature of the oven? I remember some of the old stuff I made use to be soft over time, but then I slowly started turning up the oven a few degrees above the recommended setting until it seemed like it would harden best without burning.

Thanks guys ill try hobbycraft!