FIMO is the oldest name in polymer clay. It goes back to 1939 in Germany — the name comes from Fifi Rehbinder, the dollmaker’s daughter who developed it — and Staedtler still makes it in Germany today.

FIMO Effect is FIMO Soft with an effect worked into it. It is the same clay to handle — pliable out of the pack, easy on the hands, forgiving to condition — and it mixes freely with plain FIMO Soft.

Botanical. The one FIMO effect with something real in it. Actual plant matter is mixed into the clay, so you get fine natural flecks instead of mica or glitter, and the shade names tell you which plant — sunflower, spinach, seaweed, mallow, rose and rose hip. The particles land where they land, so no two pieces finish quite alike.

Mixing: Effect colors blend with FIMO Soft and with each other, so you can knock an effect back or push it further. If a project calls for caning or the crispest possible cut edge, FIMO Professional is the firmer clay for that job.

If it feels dry or crumbly, it is not spent. FIMO Soft stiffens with age and usually just wants more conditioning than a fresh block — keep working it and it comes back. If it is being stubborn, a few drops of clay softener sorts it out; Cernit Magic Mix works well for this and a little goes a long way.

Baking. FIMO cures at 230°F (110°C) for 30 minutes. That is considerably cooler than Sculpey, so if you have been baking Sculpey, do not carry the same oven setting over — too hot and FIMO scorches and darkens. Thicker pieces are happy with longer at the right temperature; there is no penalty for extra time. Most home ovens run well off their dial, so an oven thermometer is the single most useful thing you can add to your setup, and underbaking is the usual reason a finished piece turns out weak.

Specification. 2 oz (57 g) bar. Staedtler item 8010-170. Cures at 230°F (110°C) for 30 minutes.

Staedtler’s own page for FIMO Effect · Ginger Davis Allman’s polymer clay brand comparison at The Blue Bottle Tree