Hi Jana! I think I know you sort of. I was at one of your classes last year at this time at CFCF. Can't make it this year, but hoping for next year. You make some really gorgeous, intricate canes that are just huge to begin with. I remember watching you reduce one of them, it was pretty amazing! Thanks for your concern  and tips. ...

 Love Beads, I condition my clay via the pasta machine. I'm not going to go into an explanation of technique. My point was that all clay conditions in the pasta machine, and some are soft enough to just do by hand, but even then you could use a Pasta Machine as well. For me with the Kato clay, as with all clays, I will slice off a ...

 Love Beads, That is basically the way to condition all or most polymer clays. But with the Kato clay, at least the old formula, you could not just simply roll it through the pasta machine in slices. It would crumble completely, as DressageWoman said. My experiences with it were more like hers. Perhaps you have the newer formula which I have ...

 Thanks for the tips. I definitely had the old formula! For me, if you have to go through that much work to condition it, then it is not worth it. I have had experience with Premo and Fimo soft and I have much better luck with those clays from beginning to end. Also, I do not do any intricate caning anymore, but when I was years ago, the ...

 Still haven't picked up a copy of Belle Armoire, but looked at your website. Love your stuff!   Joan

 Linelle, I get those little white pieces flying all over the place now with my homemade buffers, so that's no problem. I can't wait to see these little things when they arrive in the mail. Thanks again for the referral. I am finding new sites practically everyday! Joan 

 I will try the sandpaper strips. But first, I gotta buy a tumbler! Thanks for all the info. I didn't want to purchase one yet before I knew if I could use it on polymer clay. Joan

 Thanks Linelle! I just placed an order! They have to be better than what I am using now. Joan  

 I have a dremel, but I had to sew together my own buffing wheel because the ones it came with were too hard, they actually made grooves in the bead. No matter how lightly I touched it to the piece, I got indentations. So I made my own buffer.   Joan

 Thank you for the additional information, Jilla. I think the woman who used the tumbler also used it to buff up her beads. Apparently you can run it with flannel or some other soft cloths, without water of course. Joan