Cathy Lampole is a long time designer and member of Bead-Patterns.com. She has some fabulous patterns for necklaces and bracelets that feature graceful, feminine lines. They are elegant enough for a formal occasion and simple enough for every day. She is a master with color and balance, with a true gift for wearable art.

        

Cathy was born in Sydney Australia. She and her parents immigrated to Canada in the 50's. Her dad was in the army and they traveled considerably.

Cathy now lives in Newmarket, Ontario, about an hour north of Toronto. Her mother and her husband's parents live in the Ottawa valley area. Cathy has 2 boys, now 13 and 12. Her youngest son is develop mentally handicapped and autistic, and she is an at-home Mom.

Cathy says "The pattern designing started because I didn't have any more time to teach. With a special needs child, a family's time is spent much differently; child care is next to impossible. So I began designing patterns and kits as my way of teaching new beaders."

Cathy wanted to start her own business, and thought mail order would be great for Canadians (having grown up with the Sears and Eaton's catalogues). About 8 years ago Cathy saw an article in Threads magazine for beaded Amulet bags. She bought some beads from the local stitchery store, and made up a few. She was hooked! Cathy went looking for beads, and couldn't find the ones that she wanted in Canada, so she decided that this was the mail order business that she had been thinking about! Cathy's on-line shop ThatBeadLady.com started small, and has been growing ever since.

"The Internet came along at just the right time for me, it was growing, as my "shop" was growing. I joined B-P when it was about 6 months old, and we have been maturing together!"

Cathy attributes much of her success to having worked for 16 years as a buyer and a senior buyer for a major department store in Canada (with all the "glamour and traveling") and for having an insight about what customers want. She tries to write her patterns and designs especially for beginner beaders. Her patterns on Bead-Patterns.com are not usually graphs, but complete bead work projects.

Available Patterns:
Click on an image to view the pattern.
        
        

Cathy has taken very few beadwork classes, and no artwork classes. Color to her is a natural feel, same with line and balance. Cathy says that she can just tell by looking if it is right and someone will buy it!

The patterns on B-P come about because she designs new kits each season for her on-line shop. She tries to keep a balance of stitches and techniques, and have new projects always on the go!

Available Patterns:
Click on an image to view the pattern.
        

Cathy's customers are her biggest influence and motivation. She has to keep just one small step ahead of the demands for new patterns and new kits. Her biggest joys are the delightful responses from customers. Cathy says "No one else has a job where the customers always leave happy! If you are a teacher, office worker, dental hygienist, folks are not always happy to see you, but they are always thrilled to see me, or to "have" to purchase one of my patterns!"

Examples:
   
   

When I asked about Cathy's workspace she responded, "Workspace? HA! It's in my head, I am constantly thinking, at the diner table, in the shower (I have a note pad on the bathroom counter for immediate sketches). I scribble notes on grocery receipts that I have in my purse, etc. When the boys are in school, I can choose my beads (in daylight) and sit in the evening and bead. I can't understand those people who can just watch TV with their hands in their laps, not doing anything! I am not very computer-savvy, so I simply use word Paint to draw my diagrams, and write directions."

As for future goals, Cathy says, "As a business owner, I am supposed to have goals aren't I! My plans are to be able to travel more with my beads and patterns, to be able to reach more customers, and meet beaders face to face. Although on line shopping is great, you really need to feel the beads, touch them, and see the finished items. I know that beaders understand this! Perhaps you will see me at some future US bead shows!"

"I truly believe that things happen for a reason. Because I have a son with different challenges, I have been able to do volunteer work in our community to help other families with similar issues to cope and access support services. Because I am an at-home Mom, I can have my own business and have the opportunity to design my own patterns! None of this would be if my family was "typical"."My husband is so supportive of my business, I certainly could not manage without him!"

Cathy's final words are, "The biggest thrill is when someone buys something that you have made! That you designed! I encourage anyone who is ready, to put your work out there! And for those who are buyers, you can really help and support new designers by purchasing their work, this helps to keep them designing!