Clayers are pretty clever people who adapt all sorts of other techniques to their polymer clay work. Sona Grigoryan did just that by making “balloon beads” with polymer clay. She uses thin wire to make a skeleton or cage around a tiny balloon. Then, layers of very slightly tinted translucent clay are laid over the whole works. The balloon is popped, the form is baked and voila, a great hollow bead with attractive metallic lines. There’s a useful picture step out on Sona’s Flickr. Her Flickr is full of other clever ideas and well photographed works to enjoy.