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b'Welcome to Episode 2 of Polymer Clay Podcast! We hope you enjoy listening all about how to add texture to your clay pieces using rubber stamps and texture sheets. Make sure to visit us next week when we do a video demonstration of everything we talked about. Some key points when using stamps- you need to test the compatibility of your clay and your texturing tool of\\xa0choice. Sometimes the clay will stick and if it does, you will need what\'s called a release agent. That\'s a fancy way of saying something needs to help the clay not stick. You can try cornstarch baby powder, because it will wash off the baked clay with water. You can also try spritzing the stamp with water before applying the clay. Also try putting the stamp onto the clay and refrigerating the whole thing for a few minutes to firm up the clay, then peel the stamp off (gently!) Another success we\'ve had is actually using the powdered pigments that you want as part of the surface design as a release- just powder up your clay before impressing the stamp and the powder gets between the stamp and the clay and helps it peel off easily. One more thing- try putting your stamp and your clay right into the oven. Only try this with unmounted sheet rubber stamps. The 275 F heat won\'t hurt the stamp, and this way you can let the whole thing cool down before removing the stamp and there will be less chances for your design to get smushed in the unpeeling process. DO NOT try this with sheet plastic texture sheets or clear "rubber" stamps. Any clear plastic item can not withstand the heat and it will melt, curl, or catch on fire. This tip goes for those of you who want to make clay covered pens- never use the clear kind. What kind of stamp or texture sheets should you use? You need to find ones that are deeply impressed. That means that the stamp is actually deep, so it will make a good mark in the clay. Try buying unmounted rubber stamps- they are nice and flexible so you can have more control. Plastic texture sheets for embossing paper work well, as do the clear ones by Scratchart that we will be featuring in next week\'s video. We love these because they are big, so your design can cover a larger space. They also allow you to get two designs for the price of one- an "inny" and an "outy!" Ok, I\'m just being silly- what I mean is, one side impresses the design into the clay, and the other side causes a raised design to be left on the surface of the clay. While you are working with stamps and texture sheets, you will need to develop the skill to create a good impression. Ilysa puts her clay on her work surface and pushes the texture into the clay, sometimes using her acrylic roller to assist. I, on the other hand, usually put my texture tool down on the table and push my clay into it with my fingers. Practice makes perfect and the great thing about polymer clay is that you can just mush-up your mess-up and try it again. Next week when you watch the video you\'ll get to see both techniques in action.'