Some work better than others, would you consider Sempervivums? they are great for your climate. Some Crassula would work well, depends where they are going to place the small pot when they get it. Put a smiley face on the bottom of the pot if the plant likes sun. Make sure the pot has a hole in the bottom, and congratulations.
Use any miniature species. Echeveria minima, would be a great one. Even miniature Gasteria species, or Haworthia
I even dwarf Sans. but those you must start when they are a pip-squeak. Norma

L -
I had to go look up pachyclados as I am not familiar with it. Nice sedum! (note to self: find some)
First I must say that I've never attempted to grow sedum indoors as it grows so well outside (read: hardy). I have grown hispanicum in virtually every conceivable outdoor condition...I am going to assume this is not the sedum that is suffering. I've had some of the larger sedums (like pachyclados) that I've had trouble establishing.
Can you define "doesn't seem to be doing very well"? or better yet post a pic? Can you give a bit more info on what type growing conditions the plants are in now? what type of soil did you use? what method for dividing?
I think your idea is a snifty one...and I think your first instinct, sedums, was a good one. Give us some more info and perhaps we can help you save your project.
There *is* one other inexpensive option: MOMs. An established bryophyllum would give you more than enough plantlets for such a project. They are exceedingly easy to establish and maintain. I've had several (different varieties) in pots surrounded by hispanicum. It is a nice display. Kept in small pots, they are more than manageable. In the ground they will give a fantastic display of coral, bell-shaped flowers. The two main drawbacks to a MOM would be 1) on a deck, full sun or part shade they will grow well but I do not believe they would be successful as an indoor plant and 2) promiscuity (each must determine for themselves if this aspect is a plus or minus). HTH - Congrats! -
Jo

Thanks for all the info! Norma, those are some great suggestions, and I'm checking them all out. I had looked at sempervivum and liked how it looked, but I didn't want to have to buy dozens of separate plants.

Jo: I don't yet know how to post a picture, but if I get time I'll figure it out (although I don't know how I feel about taking a picture of my gardening failure!). In the meantime, all the plants just look kind of . . . sad. A little shriveled and wilty -- as if they're not getting enough water, except I know that's not the problem. The pachyclados (white diamond) looks a little brown around the edges. (I didn't think I left them out too much in the hot weather, but I may have been a little spacey about that. I just didn't expect them to be really heat-sensitive.)

I tried two different methods for dividing: some plants I just pulled apart because they looked like separate plants growing in the same pot from the nursery. The others I tried to propagate by cutting (I used rooting hormone). Neither group looks very good.

I bought some sort of potting mix to use, but I've since tossed the bag. I hadn't worried a whole lot about the soil, since I've heard so much about how hardy sedums are!

The plants are now in small ceramic pots, getting sun until about 2 pm. If all this sounds reasonable, then I begin to worry that the pots are too small -- would sedum for some reason need a larger root system??

Thanks again,
Marguerite

P.S. If you want to find that pachyclados, the company that sold the ones I bought is online at www.stepables.com.