The kind folks at SD Voyager have published a little profile on yours truly. And this is the profile photo I sent to represent me - it's a close-up from a small figure I made, her name is "Mama". She really doesn't look anything like me, and yet she does :)
The link to SD Voyager: http://sdvoyager.com/interview/meet-cynthia-winters-bead-spy-studio-chula-vista
This little one offers a surprise in the dark - her tentacle tips glow! (see photo below under "For Your Eyes Only"). I picked up some glow-in-the-dark seed beads from Dancing Bear Indian Trader (Escondido, CA) a while ago and was excited to find a way to use them - so here they are in her tentacles and little points on her head. Just need
to expose them to bright light for a time, and then the beads will illuminate in darkness - quite fun! Our Octopus is somewhat malleable, her legs can be stretched out - she normallly sits at about 3 3/4 inches wide, but can reach out to about 8 inches, and she can be positioned in many ways. However, she is on the fragile side so she should be handled with care - as should we all :)
Isn't it lovely when little dreams come true? For many years I a have been dreaming of visiting Tinsel Trading in Manhattan. Established in 1933 by Arch Bergoffen as a purveyor of beautiful trims, fabrics, tassels, embellishments and such, many found in France. The shop was eveventualy inherited by his granddaugher, Marcia Ceppos who has turned Tinsel Trading into an essential resource for artists, designers and makers with her gasp-worthy collection of adorments, ephemera, millinery supplies, tassles, metallic threads, artworks and more based on her grandfather's vast antique and vintage collection I did not see a trip to New York in my immediate future to visit this enchanting place. But then, the fates somehow aligned, and Tinsel Trading moved from Manhattan to Berkeley, California last year, and I was able to attend the grand opening of the shop in it's new location! The photo above only hints at all of the wonderous treasures that can be found here, including a splendid assortment of vintage beads. You must go!
Tinsel Trading
1659 San Pablo Ave.
Berkelely, CA 94702
tinseltrading.com
(510)570-2149