I want to make bookmarks.....

Hi SageMother, I'm sorry to knitpick but it might save someone a little confusion later on. PMC is the abbreviation used for Precious Metal Clay. PC is short for Polymer Clay. Ok, done knitpicking.. LOL. Sculpey is notorious for turning brittle over time. I also started out using Sculpey because it was the only pc available at my local craft store (more are available now thank goodness). Almost all of the beads I made with it are now crumbled dust in the bottom of a ziploc bag. There are several brands of pc available online and probably at your local craft store that would work very well for large full size bookmarks. Kato, Premo, Fimo are my particular favorites (in that order) for projects of this type where flexibility is important. Each of these brands is very tough and very flexible after baking. They all come in a wide variety of colors also. Please be careful when using a toaster oven, they are rarely accurate with their temperatures. Some are drastically inaccurate. Too low of a temp will result in all your hard work crumbling over time. Too high a temp results in discoloration and possibly even toxic fumes being released. I would highly recommend getting an stand-up oven thermometer available at your local grocery store and keep it in your toaster oven while you are baking your clay. I have a toaster oven that when it heats up, it goes 50 degrees over what the dial says, when the coils shut off it goes 30 degrees under what the dial says before the coils turn back on. I have to keep my eyes on it constantly if I'm using it for my polymer clay beads. I'd love to see a picture of your finished work if you get a chance!

I would be worried that Sculpey III would be to brittle. If you can get Premo (I would get translucent) and mix it 50/50 it should be better. You should always bake your piece for at least 20 minutes. Gives the clay time to cure properly. No matter what clay you have you must cure it thoroughly.

When I make my bookmarks I use a mix of sculpey III and bake and bend or superflex. It makes them flexable and they don't break unless they are really abused. I know I abuse my bookmarks when I read, old habit. When they are fresh out of the oven and still hot I use a hole push to make a hole in the top and when they cool I add a tassel (you can get them at Wal-Mart). I am not sure why it took a half hour to cook as I make mine about 1/8" and it only takes 15 min to cook.

Very neat idea! I've never worked with sculpey myself. I just don't see myself as "artistic" enough. I'm more "crafty". If you get the chance, post a pic of your finished products! I'd love to see them!

I love to see waht new crafty thing you are up to! I appreciate that you put the directions step by step for those of us who are craft challenged!

I used to love making my own bookmarks. The first time i did was at school and very basic, but i pretty much enjoyed it. Your plan sounds good, i prefer full length ones instead of them thin small ones which slip out. Goodluck with it! ~Joey