Cara and Lane are a mother and daughter team of artists and jewelry designers who live in beautiful Gig Harbor, Washington.  Lane (mom) has been a professional artist since her teens (see her watercolor painting of Gig Harbor at right), served as an art commissioner for their small town, and ran a successful small technology business with her husband for over 30 years (she also does all of the drawings that appear throughout this website).  Cara (daughter), as a teenager, worked for the family business during the week and helped her mom set up and run her art booth at local festivals and farmers’ markets on the weekends where together they'd sit and muse about creating an artistic small business that they could run and grow together full-time.

When Lane had a major surgery that required a long recovery, Cara suggested that they take a jewelry making class together at their local bead store.  Cara immediately fell in love with the beautiful beads and creative process and was soon hired by the store.  It didn’t take long for Cara to discover her passion and knack for teaching and designing jewelry.  When the economy, the family’s technology business, and Lane’s husband’s health all took a serious downturn, Cara and Lane teamed up and started their first business together to earn extra money.  On the weekdays, the local bead shop was kind enough to let them teach after school beading and art classes in one of the store’s classrooms, and on the weekends they were hired to throw artistic beading parties for eager beaders of all ages!  To everyone’s great disappointment, the local bead store was not able to make it through the difficult recession and was eventually forced to close its doors. While Lane faced the imminent threat of losing her own business (as well as their family home), she was forced to take a second job while Cara took over running the family business.  Despite the desperate circumstances, she never gave up on her passion for beading or of having a small business of her own (or preferably with her mom).One day, while thumbing through old issues of beading magazines, Cara had the light bulb moment and realized exactly what she wanted to do.  She was going to continue to teach jewelry making, but from an online storefront!  And, she was going to do it in a way that “left no beader behind,” ensuring success regardless of skill level!  That’s how Simple Bead Patterns was started!  When Cara and Lane realized that her fledgling business could be the opportunity they had always dreamed of, they decided to team up once again.Today…We’re glad to say that the business is doing well and we continue to grow (which, blessedly, has allowed our family to hang onto our home)!  We have created hundreds of beading tutorials and have become regular contributors to Bead & Button Magazine.  We’re having fun together and loving what we do, and we enjoy sharing our passion with you!  ~  Cara & Lane

"Mighty Little Acorns" Beading Pattern