Tell us a little bit about yourself:
Born in the Cornwall, UK with a very rugged coast. I was surrounded by the sea and boats. I am a sailor, I met a Canadian in England and now live in the wild woods of Muskoka, Ontario, Canada. I haven’t left the water behind, my partner, Mark is a wooden boat builder for the local lakes and we still sail locally. I haven’t forgotten my roots and have brought them with me in my ropework, which is self taught.The Ashley Book of Knots is my bible. I love working with the rope and each piece is different. The rope dictates my work, each piece taking on its own shape. It has such a wonderful smell of docks, harbours and sailing. I am always looking for new rope designs.
Why did you start an etsy shop?
I was selling my work locally at craft fairs and markets, a friend suggested that I try etsy and things just grew and grew. I love it! The networking, the friendship that have developed and definately the sales
What does your typical day look like?
Each day is different. The only constant is my cup of tea in the mornings (I’m English). It is then that I start up the computer, check convos, facebook, my blog, make any changes and hope for sales. I always get excited at sales. I package them up and then work on replacing the item.
I am constantly working on new stuff, I enjoy taking photographs and listing. I try to fit in housework (not my favourite and sometimes it gets missed) and make sure that I get a walk in the woods each day. I walk with my partner, Mark and my cat, Lucy. I also help Mark promote his boats at local craft shows, I design websites on the side and can’t forget to try and fit in sailing during our short summer. My day is never typical and always changing, but fun!
What is your favorite item in your shop?
I think my favourite will always be the manila doormats, this is where it all started and is my most popular listing. They are hardwearing and last years. I am always pleased with the new items I list. Just last week I received a custom order for a huge bowl, it took ages as each round is sewn individually, but was well worth it! It was beautiful and I didn’t want to part with it.
What would you like the other team members to know about you?
I am always excited about everything I do, all new avenues and contacts. I think this is a great team and I am proud to be a part of it. Please come by and say hi! I have plenty of ways to meet you.
If you’d like to see more of Karen’s Rope Work, please visit her etsy shop, facebook page, blog, and twitter page 🙂
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Etsy Team 