They're the perfect finish for a ribbon/cord necklace or bracelet; & they work perfectly! I just made a couple quite quickly (it's something I can do w/o getting out of bed & hurting my back!) They work as advertised. Now if I can get back to making my polymer beads, I'll be in business. I'm thinking maybe I should leave the other 2 videos for another day, so that I'll keep my promise to myself to make the extruder flower cane tomorrow, whether it hurts my back or not! Hmmm, can I stay away from Cindy's videos, when they're sitting there — ready to be watched…?

Hi Carolyn: I agree, Cindy is a mentor for so many. As I catch up on all of the wonderful articles here at the blog, I find beginners (and experienced clayers, too) who have been transformed by Cindy's teachings. The community here is one-of-a-kind, and the video demonstrations can't be beat. Although I discovered polymer clay through TV craft shows (Carol Duvall on HGTV – today's topic! – & DIY Jewelry Making,) Cindy Lietz is my mentor!

Cindy (and the community she's created) has reignited my inspiration to clay. I had everything packed away in boxes after my surgeries, and with the exception of a few little projects, it all stayed there. Now, I've unpacked it all. I've been baking & even sanding and buffing some items. (Love that glossy shine and feel.) I've made new canes, and have Valentine's projects in various stages of completion. I owe it to Cindy! It's not only the great lessons – she also taught me to "just do it!" I've always had a problem with trying to make everything too perfect. I would nit-pick over everything until it's flawless. Now that I am limited physically, I didn't even want to attempt anything, knowing my body wasn't up to my old elaborate routine. But now I'm working with my polymer at least two times a week. I clay a little, then lay down and rest in-between steps. Then I get up and try to clay some more! I TRY not to worry about correcting every little thing. I just DO, so that my hands learn what my brain already knows (cuz Cindy's taught me!) Thanks again, Cindy! Making me put my hands back in the clay has made me so happy!