Learning with Cynthia Tinapple

 Cynthia Tinapple of Polymer Clay Daily spent two days training some of the ladies in a variety of techniques and projects.  It was a wonderful time and this is a translation by Kopila of what the ladies said about the training.  We heard so much about Cynthia and we were anxious about what it would be like to learn from  someone who was so well known. First day, when we saw the bangles we were SO excited to make it but wondered if it would be very difficult to make it like her bangles. But we could because she gave us such clear directions.  At first we were confused about how the squares and triangles would end up being like the bangles but she went person to person and was careful to explain to us. She told us to use a piece of paper to measure and that made it easy for us. Slowly we got the idea what does it look like and why we were making with that paper. We watched so carefully what Cynthia was doing and she was sitting cutting each of the squares and triangles and then we did same. We were near to finishing making bangles and we cut the strips and put them onto the brass forms. Then it was ready and we made one or two bangles each and the special thing was that we were able to wear them and could show our friends and family and they all appreciated the bangles and the designs and the work we have done.Today when Cynthia and I went to buy vegetables the lady selling the vegetables was so surprised to see the bangles and earrings and could hardly believe that we had made them. And I was so proud because generally we wear the bangles that we buy from the market but now we are making our own bangles. Even though they are a little big for our wrists, we don’t want to take them off.