Cindy Gimbrone Beads

What is your personal name, business name, website and location?

My name is Cindy Gimbrone – it’s Italian so it’s a bit unusual to pronounce – “jim- BRO-nee” – good thing my first name is so easy! My bead business is on the web at Cindy Gimbrone Beads I work out of my home studio in western New York State. I've also opened an Etsy

What kind of beads do you make?

I create glass beads with texture and symbolic meaning – like the spirals. The spirals reflect how certain events in my life kept coming back to me. I work to express emotion and thought – the unseen and then make it tangible through the glass. So when you touch a spiral – you’re touching a feeling, emotion or thought.

Do you design your own jewelry too?

Yes and I’ve written an article on a fiber knotting technique – Lucky Knots and Lampwork that appeared in the Premiere issue of The Annealer Magazine in December 2006. I teach classes too. I’ve taught Lucky Knots and Lampwork at Beadfest. I like to use typical materials in unusual ways to complement my beads. Lucky Knots and Lampwork was designed to highlight my faux porcelain beads.

How did you get into beadmaking?

How does anyone discover his or her passion? You stumble upon it! As a jewelry designer working with wire, I bought beads to incorporate into my designs. After designing for awhile I found I wanted specific beads – but beads that I had created in my head– when I couldn’t buy what I had in mind, I knew I had to make them myself!

What are some of the important things you do for your business?

I had to scour the forums and beadmakers boards to find relevant business information. I realized the only way I was going to find it was to start a networking group. So, I started a business group comprised of beadmakers from different media, clay, glass and polymer. It’s a group of dynamic women who are a constant source of support and inspiration. It’s been one of the most important things I could do for my business and myself.

What is your workspace like and how do you work in your studio?

Aww gee, do I have to tell you what my workspace looks like? You’ll probably tell me to clean it up. I like to have all of my things at the ready so that means I have to have EVERYTHING out and on my workbench. Another word for that is “messy.” I contend that your eye is untrained to see the high level of organization that lurks there– that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

How do you stay inspired and motivated?

I’m inspired not so much by the external as the internal world. I spend a lot of time these days talking to my teenage son – he inspires me a great deal – the “Pins in my Heart” beads were inspired by a day when he was so raw emotionally, everything hurt – I was very worried about him when I went into the studio. So instead of putting it aside, it was the inspiration for a bead that reflected how he felt.

What beady plans do you have for the future?

Beadwork magazine’s BeadingDaily.com has a free project featuring my Spiral beads. I’ll be offering kits on my website based on the free project. I already have a Spiral bead set based on April’s Beadwork Challenge featuring the spirals.

Do you have new designs or ideas you will be exploring soon?

Absolutely! I’m developing bead kits for seed beaders featuring my lampwork and fused glass beads. My “purse buttons” to use on knitted/crocheted purses will be up on my site this week. They’re one of a kind bead/buttons that can be used to finish off that purse you’ve been working on!

If you have a discount code you would like to give our readers, please list it here, including the expiration date:

Ten (10%) off all website purchases for ABS readers until my 25th wedding anniversary on July 3rd, 2007. In order to get the 10% off, please write “I saw it on ABS” in the comments section of your payment window.