Thank you for the lovely comments everyone <3

I meant to comment back when you first posted.  I love Jack's eye, I think he is adorable!

No idea on how to clean her, sorry!
She's very sweet, I'm currently researching how to make posable polymer clay figures at the moment, so my eyes were drawn to your post!

I am going to sound controversial and say that I really like her with the dirt, the elastic on her shoulders looks a little like stuffing bursting from her seams and that combined with the dirt gives her a real 'just lifted out of the attic' look, like someone finding their beloved toy after many years.  I think she'd look lovely in a customised tiny tattered dress or dungarees. 

I normally make shrinky jewellery on a smaller scale, but after receiving a commission for a larger piece I thought 'why not give it a shot!'  It's in the mail as I type, and I'm a little worried about what the customer will think, because the noses really annoy me and the perspective of the black rat is all off (big hands!)  Anyway, I'm really inspired to make some similar style items and I hope what I've learned with this will help me for the next ones

I've used Krylon Matt spray sealant and Citadel spray sealant both with good effect on Sculpey sculptures painted with acrylic paints.  I'm not sure how it would work with beads but it might be worth having a go?

In case it comes in handy for anyone I thought I'd update this thread.  I posted the completed sculpt yesterday (finally! after all that time!) in a hollowed out bottle mailer (those polystyrene rectangle things) packed in with bubble wrap, carrier bags (classy I know, but she was going to a friend so it's allowed XD ) and some of those air pockets I'd kept from a previous web order. 

I posted special delivery ( @ the price) and it got there this morning, really early.  She'd lost a nail in transit and the tip of her tail had fallen off, but my friend isn't bothered about the nail and she's happy to glue the tail tip back on.

These are all factors to take into consideration next time I make sculptures (too late for the unpainted one on my shelf!) Otherwise I don't think those 'injuries' were too bad, considering I was expecting the thing to shatter across the body. 

  Oh I love them! I think their names are just a really special touch. I love their feet so much.  These definitely rock! 

Thank you so much everyone for your kind words. 

I have a couple more commissions of rats to complete, but I'd really like to work on non rat projects too.  I've been really enjoying working with Sculpey, although I have no idea how doll makers keep their clay so free of dust.  I must just have a dusty room!

I've also bought some Fimo Puppen and Cernit to try too, so I'm rather excited to see what they are like 

Finally finished my second rat today! Phew what a meal I've managed to make of this.    But she's done now...finally!  There are a few bits I'm not happy with, but all in all I'm satisfied with her.  Polymer clay, painted with acrylics.



Photobucket was playing up, so please click the thumbnails for bigger images if required:

He is beautiful  You did really well with such a tricky subject!