Polymer clay lends itself to being formed and shaped in many ways.
Rubber stamps, sewing trims, laces and braids, buttons, and items commonly
found in households and hardware stores can be used to impress clay beads.
There are special plastic texture sheets available in a number of designs,
and you can also make your own out of thin sheets of polymer clay.
Two part press molds can easily be made using polymer clay, and these
require a mold release such as cornstarch or talcum powder.
Silicone RTV molds do not require any sort of release, and allow for
more undercuts and detail in the final molds.
I use Miracle Mold, available from Puffinalia.com
and I absolutely love it---I remade ALL my old molds so as to have
them available for a much longer useful life as tools. Another similar
product is Amazing Mold Putty.
It can be found at Michael's and Hobby Lobby stores.
To use a two part mold, a bead of raw polymer clay is formed and pierced
with a toothpick or needle tool.
The bead is placed into the bottom part of the mold, and the top is
lightly pressed down---the toothpick or needle tool keeps the hole through
the bead intact.
More complex beads can be formed by baking two pieces pulled from a
mold, and entrapping more raw clay between the two baked pieces, like a
sandwich cookie. These beads can be further decorated, then baked again.
For more information on making molds,
click here.
Commercial rubber stamps that allow for use under "angel policies"
can be used to create your own items for sale and stamps of your own designs
can be made through Ready Stamp in San Diego.
The matrix trays used in making the stamps are included for polymer
artists who specify it in their orders, and these trays make fabulous molds
for texturing beads, as they are the reverse of the stamp, and harder.
These wonderfully useful sets can be made using your own artwork or collected
designs from Dover Archive copyright-free books
and cds, clip art, and freeware or shareware dingbat
fonts.
Antique buttons and archetectural hardware can also be used in making
molds that do not infringe on copyrights.
Many different tools are used to make the patterns and images in relief,
and after baking, they are stained using Varathane,
Pearl-Ex powders, and acrylic paints. 
Some
pieces require several different coats, and repeated scrubbing and sanding,
as well as a final buffing.
One of the great things about Premo and Kato brand polymer clays is
that they can easily be used to mimic any number of natural substances.
These things are sometimes endangered, or costly, or difficult to work
in their natural formation, but polymer clay provides the look without
the other difficulties. Coral, bone and ivory, woods and semi-precious
stones are all obtainable "looks" with texture, color, and stain.
Faux Finish Beads can be done in a number of ways. Particularly beautiful
and effective are:
Faux Ivory (in shades ranging from winter white
to dark bone)
Faux Bakelite (a warm butterscotch to golden
brown range)
Faux Ebony (black with gold highlights)
Faux Cinnabar (a rich oriental red with deep
shading)
Faux Jade (greens ranging from creamy celedon
to dark moss)
More information about making textured beads and other decorative
household items can be found in "Create A Polymer
Clay Impression"
