Like practicing yoga and listening to soothing music…

For me, carving polymer clay is so relaxing and such a meditative process.  With my work situated at the proper height on the carving block and my arm at a comfortable angle, the carving tool just glides through the clay like butter - smooth as silk with no abrupt starts or stops.  With each stroke, the design flows and progresses before my eyes.  I've learned that the design dictates which direction I should go, and that sometimes moving the piece freely works better than changing the angle of my arm or the direction of my carving tool.  Indeed...practice makes perfection!