Carol Blackburn: Making Polymer Clay Beads : Step-By-Step Techniques for Creating Beautiful Ornamental Beads (Paperback); 2007 Edition Paperback – 1672

This is the 3rd time that I bought this book. I used the first book so much that it was falling apart.The second book was lost during a move and now I am purchasing it again. It is the BEST book that I've found for everything to do with polymer clay. Don't let the name fool you. It isn't just for bead making. It covers so many techniques such as how to create faux stones/gems, wood, and coral. It also demonstrates the Skinner method and creating canes to name a few. What I like about it is there are lots of photos and step-by-step instructions. It was one of the first books that I used when I starting working with polymer clay, and it is now considered my polymer clay bible. I've found some books that were decent, but none have compared to this one. If you are new to using polymer clay, this is a definite must-have.

This book is so good! Carol Blackburn covers a lot of different techniques and some that I already knew... well, she explains them in a way that makes more since than the way I was first shown. My only compliant about the work about is that the type is small which makes it difficult to read. This is not the author's fault, but the publishers and it makes me sad as anyone working in Polymer Clay needs this book, as it makes a wonderful reference book! It was recommended by one of my friends who works in polymer clay and I am so glad she recommended it. as it is as good as she said it would be!

I found this a wonderful how to book on the techniques I want to make faux: Amber, turquoise, and many others. Also lots of general tips for a semi newbie like myself

Great book with so many pictures and instructions on bead making, from the different styles and shapes to different style techniques and faux gemstone techniques.The instructions are pretty easy and it really is a good catch all of the different things you can do with polymer clay. Its an older book but in no means obsolete!I would recommend this book highly for anyone new to polymer clay as it has easy stuff as well as more advanced techniques. It is also very easy to modify you own ideas to what is offered in the book, so it is very inspiring just to look at and come up with something that you would have not thought of before.

Wonderful book! If only there had been a "Look Inside" for it, I would have realized what a treasure it is and snapped it up long ago. As it is, I wasn't particularly attracted by the cover, and since I already had another great book on bead-making, I didn't think of buying this one until someone in the CITY-o-Clay group at Yahoo spoke well of it.It contains an extensive section on faux techniques, including wood, veined marble, leather, jade, silver, turquoise, lapis lazuli, ivory/bone, mother-of-pearl, abalone, bronze, amber, coral (had lots of fun making coral!), and easier ways than I had known up to now for making onyx, agate, and malachite. I especially enjoyed making the coral. There is also a section called "Bringing It All Together" that covers findings and threads, attaching findings, and designing with beads.This book is good even for complete beginners, but also holds inspiration for clayers beyond that stage. Just a few of the headings in the Materials and Techniques section: drilling, sanding, polishing, and varnishing/extrusions/coiled beads/mokume gane/mica shift/molding/color mixing/applique/inlay/transfers/caning/and Natasha beads (called "Rorshach beads" in this book--which is another great name for them)There are pictures of and directions for many unusual beads and although I had already learned most of the techniques described, I found a lot of useful tips and good ideas throughout the book and keep going back to it to remind myself of them and find more.If I were pressed to point out a fault, that is the lack of help in finding sources for tools, findings, and materials. A few "source" companies are mentioned in the credits at the back, but with no information beyond their URLs. Most books in this field have at least a page or two with the names and addresses/URLs of companies that sell the materials mentioned in the book, telling which company sells what. There is, however, a 2-page index to the book's contents; and on the last page you will find URLs for some helpful sites such as Glass Attic, Polymer Clay Central, and Polymer Clay Daily. Some of these contain forums, but Glass Attic is a sort of compendium of forum conversations on all aspects of polymer clay use, almost like an encyclopedia.So--no help finding tools and materials--but, ah well, nothing in life is perfect. This book is definitely worth having.

I bought this book on recommendation from other reviews here. Am I ever happy I did! This is definitely THE book for learning how to make faux effects! It happened that I had already been searching in vain for information on how to make imitation bone without having to purchase the product "Faux Bone", which is not within my budget. Lo and behold both imitation bone and ivory are in this book, and it looks real - as do the pearl, mother-of-pearl, abalone, coral, agate, jade, silver, gold, bronze, wood, turquoise, amber, lapis, etc. all appearing perfectly natural! The only effect that was not an exact facsimile was the malachite -- but with all those other delicious choices, who cares? But the book goes way beyond making fabulous fakes, the fantasy pieces are amazing, from wind-chimes to kaleidoscope! There are even pieces that look like blown glass. This whole book is just making my imagination go wild! There are techniques in this book that I have found nowhere else. Really, this book is a dream come true.If you are looking to find a book on using polymer clay and can only afford a single, all-purpose book, this is it. Buy it!