You could go to the dollar store,buy some bowls with a shape you like,paint them on the inside ,and glue something on them for a stem.You wouldn't have to worry about the paint as it's on the inside. I do this to make spinners from plastic 2 and 3 ltr bottles.First with the bottles I cut pictures from fabric,or magazines,decoupage it to the inside of the bottle that I've cut the bottom off of.When that's dry,i take those foam brushes and paint over the picture on the inside as well.I'll try to find a picture to show you after I have my dinner. Kathi

In the initial post, Tia explained: "I've been toying with the idea of making my own unique pots, but I was going to try it with polymer clay baked in the oven before I commit to getting a kiln." Making polymer clay pots at home and curing them in your oven costs far less than purchasing an expensive kiln to fire your own terra cotta pottery. Tia's original question was "are polymer pots breathable?" The answer is "No." "Clay" is often used to describe many different types of modeling material. Hence, polymer clay, paper clay, modeling clay. None of those are actually made of clay. Different modeling compounds can be either air-cured, oven-cured, or kiln-fired. See here for a more detailed explanation: http://newclaynews.blogspot.com/2011/06/types-of-modeling-clays-explained.html Tia, I was going to suggest looking in your local craigslist, YMCA, or community college to find pay-per-use studio time and kilns, so you can pursue your foray into ceramics without committing the expense of buying and running a kiln. You may even find a home hobbyist with a kiln who would be willing to fire your pots for a fee or barter. And if you make pots, be sure to share your work with us here! :)

I know this is a long time from the first posting, but... be very careful about what you use. MOST spray-type finishes will over time chemically interact with the clay and leave you with a mess. Use WATER-based polyurethane for your surface protector, and it will withstand weather and sun. It's the same stuff they put on wood floors. Just be SURE it's WATER-based. The only SPRAY protector that I know is safe for polymer clay is PYM2. Amazing stuff, works great if you specifically want spray.

I have used polymer clay to make small items. I haven,t heard about making your own, but there are many dough type recipes that might work for you. They usually contain flour. One that you might like has salt and flour and when your sculpture dries, the salt gives a sparkly effect. I have seen Christmas ornaments for sale that were made out of this. I don't know the recipe offhand, but you could easily find it on the internet or in craft books. Coating it with a couple layers of acrylic varnish should protect it. ( This is my first posting, since I just joined today.)