Polymers, in work and play

I spend almost every day of my life talking, learning about and researching polymers. One of my (many, after all this is my first job) bosses is a tissue engineer who specializes in the creation of natural hydrogel polymers that doctors can be injected into the human body to cure some really horrible things.

I figured that it's about time that I apply my vast polymer knowledge (I just had a horrible flashback to organic chemistry) to my craft life. This means that I'm ready for my first craft with polymer clay. Polymer clay is one of the best things ever. It doesn't dry or harden in room temperature but once it's baked in the oven for 30 minutes, it forms any number of awesome things that are extremely hard and durable.

I have definitely experimented with polymer clay in the past; over Thanksgiving weekend, while home in Los Angeles, I built a beautiful (if I do say so myself) baby sheep ornament for our January Tree (a Christmas tree for Jews). But this is something else... jewelry? Made from polymer clay? Really? It seems too good to be true, but I gave it a whirl.

Martha had an incredible necklace idea that was basically polymer clay rectangles strung on a chain necklace. I found the process of flattening the clay and pressing it in the conditioning machine (thanks for the gift, Mom!) to be extremely cathartic on a Friday night. And even though I didn't have a clear ruler and therefore made uneven and fairly ridiculous shapes, I chalked up the resulting rectangles to a hand-made look that is kind of endearing and unique. I didn't make as many as are shown in the picture - I'll have to make more next time! I also overcooked the beads a bit so all the red ones I made fell apart and I couldn't use them.

I will definitely be doing this again and hope that once I get better at it to be able to sell these to make some money for an awesome charity.