Please welcome our featured artist of the week!
-Your nameMy name is Cynthia Summers-or Cindy for short
-Your shop name(s) Cindystreasurechest
-Introduce yourself Cindy!
I was born in San Diego, California and raised in Point Loma and La Jolla. La Jolla high school had a great art department and I found my love of art early and got to learn from some very good teachers in both La Jolla High and UCSD. My art teachers encouraged me to experiment and try everything and not be discouraged when I didn't like the results but to learn from the mistakes as well as the successes. Art seemed to form the way I saw things and God had given me a gift which I loved to use.
After college I moved to Hawaii-I have surfed since I was fifteen-and lived on the North Shore of Oahu which is known world wide for it's amazing surfing beaches and it also has a wonderful art colony. I asked Christ into my life when I was nine years old and found North Shore Christian Fellowship was the church that would change my life and make Christ the center of my life. I was surrounded by Christians on the North Shore along with professional surfers and fantastic artists. I got accepted to University of Hawaii, Manoa, Art School and learned from some exceptional art professors. With this experience I was able to get my art into several galleries in Hawaii and later in Los Angeles. I loved living in Hawaii and the life there, surfing, the Christian friends that I will have for a lifetime, the beauty, the difference in culture, the freedom to do art. It was so amazing!
I had to move back to California in the early 80's and soon after that I was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer that destroyed my liver. The results were that I had to have a liver transplant, but the first transplant rejected immediately and within three days they found a new liver for me. I had the second transplant and it has been successful and I have had that liver for over 20 years. Unfortunately, the medicine that a transplant patient has to take to keep the liver from rejecting also puts down the immune system and so I got cancer several years ago. The cancer is very virulent and the doctors have tried to get rid of it but just can't and so I have still have cancer and it changes my life drastically as I have had surgery to remove it and several bouts of radiation to try and back it down. But I have learned compassion for others through this and patience for people who hurt and feel like they have no hope. God is so good and He teaches you with the different trials that you go through
I have a really good friend who has a silver shop in the mall near where I work. I have had my handmade jewelry in her store for years and she started a shop on Etsy. She just loved Etsy so much that she encouraged me to see if Etsy was something that I wanted to do. I love making jewelry and vintage jewelry, painting, vintage clothes and have so many interests that I just couldn't decide what to do. So I started with the vintage jewelry and my handmade jewelry and went from there. It has been so much fun and you meet so many people on Etsy and almost everyone is so nice. I wanted to find a way to help pay my medical bills and really got a bonus in Etsy!
How I decided on my name for Etsy is that I didn't want to do just one thing, I wanted to put several different kinds of items on the site. So it seemed like CindysTreasureChest would indicate that you could open it up and be surprised and excited about what you found on the site. And I have found that people really get a kick out of the different kinds of things they find in my treasure chest!
-What does a typical day look like for you?
I work a forty hour work week and have a wonderful husband besides having an Etsy site. Oh yes, and a darling four legged friend too! My husband's name is Steven and Kiva is the dog that you see on the picture. I work all kinds of hours-no set hours in retail-and so sometimes I get up really early and go to work, come home and work on my jewelry, then take pictures and list it and sometimes I do just the opposite because I will work late. I walk with my husband and Kiva whenever I get the chance or we take long walks on the beach and get in the ocean. I tend to stay up rather late and so you can find me convoing with other Etsyans late at night or listing some treasure that I know someone would just love to have. I don't have a typical day but I do never stop!
-If you could be anywhere in the world for one day, where would it be?
If I had only one day that I would like to spend somewhere I would like to be back on the North Shore of Oahu. My heart tends to yearn for being there and I really love Hawaii.
My favorite bible verse is Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. When I was having the transplant I held onto that verse with everything I had. I died between the transplants but God wasn't through with me. I trusted God that He promised me my father would become a Christian and my Dad did-about seven years after the transplant. I believe that he promised God that if I lived he would go back to church and really listen to what the pastor had to say. I lived and my Dad went back to church and he accepted Christ into his life! So I trust the Lord with all my heart!
-What is your favorite Etsy item listing to feature?
The favorite item I like listing is the jewelry that my relatives have left to me. As I list I remember the special times that they wore the jewelry and I see their faces and remember their voices. It really is neat and I love giving the stories of the jewelry to the people who are going to buy them and hopefully wear them for a long time! -What is your favorite Etsy item listing to feature?
-URLs to where else we can find you on the internet (Facebook fan page, Twitter, your own dot.com, your blog, etc)
You can find me on Etsy-I have different shops that my handmade jewelry goes to here in San Diego County but Etsy is the place to look for my goods. CindysTreasureChest.etsy.com
Thank you for allowing us to feature you Cindy! Everyone please head over to her shop and give it a peek (and some love.)
The winner of last weeks Carrytheword giveaway is Miss Sarah who said "It's so nice to "meet" you! I LOVE your Bible covers and someday when I have some extra money, I want to purchase one!" Someone will be getting in contact with you soon!
4:30 PM |
Category:
Featured Artist
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Comments (10)
How wonderful to get to know you, Cindy! Your ETSY store is lovely. You'll be in my prayers.
What an amazing witness you have, Cindy. Thank you so much for sharing your story. Beautiful jewelry. Please come hang out with us in the CAST forum if you can find the time with all that you have going on!
Hi Cynthia! Thank you for sharing your story. I love your jewelry and shop. May you continue to be an awesome witness for God.
North Shore is beautiful - my daughter lived there several years and her inlaws live there.
Thank you, Cindy. What a wonderful testimony to our Lord.
Your shop is great.
God Blesses you♥
Sue
Oh and I LOVE Kiva!
♥♥♥
Sue
Cindy, what a blessing you are...thank you for sharing your very inspiring story...
♥ Monika
Cindy, you are indeed in inspiration.
May God keep you safe in his loving arms.
Johnnie
Wow, Cindy. What a testimony you have. Your love for God and the peaceful spirit that radiates through your writing is amazing.
What an interesting shop. Your handmade jewelry is gorgeous.
Thank you for sharing. Prayers for continued guidance and restored health.
Patty from catcalls
Nice to "meet" cindy! Great shop. I love the long, vintage skirts in her shop!
Oh Cindy, thank you for sharing your courage and your love for God with us.
God bless,
Deb :)