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Meet the Maker: Behind Coral Strands

A Maker's Journey: From Chicago's Advertising Titans to Coastal Design

Before founding Coral Strands, my creative arena was high-stakes corporate advertising. I got my start in 1996 at Leo Burnett Chicago, at the time one of the most prestigious, well-respected advertising agencies in the country. For three decades, I worked as a big-city advertising executive across Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C. — managing and strategizing multi-million dollar ad campaigns for powerhouse brands like Disney, Hallmark, Comcast, Toyota, and the Alzheimer's Association.

I was a tenacious, hands-on director who stopped at nothing to understand consumer behavior and product integrity. Once, while conducting market research for Sealy, I literally lit a mattress on fire — on purpose, right inside their R&D department — to witness exactly how the char layer forms to save lives in an emergency.

When the Great Recession hit, that trademark tenacity kicked in. Instead of retreating, I launched my first business: a one-woman social media and web development agency, building digital platforms entirely from scratch.

From Charleston's Luxury Food Scene to National TV

That foundational drive eventually led me to Charleston, South Carolina, where I created Sweet Lulu's Bakery. The impact was instant. After a mere three months in business, Cooking Channel's Unique Sweets found my boutique wedding catering company and featured us twice.

Ironically, the night our episode premiered in 2015, the late Anthony Bourdain's acclaimed Parts Unknown Charleston episode with chef Sean Brock aired at 8:30 PM — right before my Cooking Channel slot. Because of that exact scheduling, I still joke that Anthony Bourdain once opened for me.

Over nearly a decade in the Lowcountry, I catered more than 300 luxury events. Bill Murray fell in love with my Key Lime Pie. I personally curated and delivered a 50th birthday basket to Darius Rucker. I catered private concerts and events for James Beard Award–winning chefs. When Bravo TV's Southern Charm hired my business to cater an episode, the cameras caught real-world reality TV antics unfolding right in front of me — turning my candid facepalms into viral GIFs used across national TV teasers. 

Charleston taught me to expect the unexpected. I've run events through hurricane evacuations, last-minute cancellations, and situations no amount of planning can fully prepare you for — including a male peacock who caught sight of himself in my catering van's hubcaps and decided he had a rival to fight off. Through all of it, the events still happened — on time, flawlessly, without the client ever knowing what it took to get there.

The Evolution of Coral Strands, Key West

When COVID-19 disrupted the world, I knew it was time to permanently hang up my catering apron. I traded the fast-paced kitchen for a slower, more intentional life in the sun and light of Key West, Florida.

True to form, I dove in headfirst. I taught myself the meticulous art of hand-knotting precious gemstone strands on premium silk, then mastered metalsmithing — learning to source raw materials and forge handmade jewelry. Deep American turquoise and vibrant tourmaline became my signature gemstone collections.

When the viral coastal canvas tote wave took over the internet, three decades of advertising and consumer instincts flashed a green light. I admired the original designer who dreamt up the silhouette — it was pure art. But as mass-production factories rushed to churn out generic, floppy versions, I watched that beautiful concept collapse into a formless, unlined shell. I didn't invent the raw silhouette, but I knew my background in structured design could rescue it from the conveyor belt. That's exactly why I set out to reconstruct our coastal canvas bag into a true artisan keepsake, built from durable, high-quality vintage-style lineman canvas.

Today, Coral Strands brings that same ground-up design standard to our curated handcrafted gemstone jewelry and elevated coastal accessories. We operate as a small independent studio inside the historic Ferdinand Hirsch Cigar Factory in Key West. Because we don't carry the overhead of a traditional retail storefront, we run cost-effectively and put those savings directly into premium materials and better value for our customers — not rent. While mass-production assembly lines ship out limp, bare canvas silhouettes, our independent model lets us pass structural upgrades and signature styling directly on to you. That's why every Coral Strands Boatkin arrives fully structured and pre-styled with a complimentary 4-piece artisan kit — custom charms, twilly scarves, and a matching accessory pouch — at no extra cost.

Every design that leaves our studio is packed entirely by hand, made to be worn, cherished, and styled to bring effortless, playful elegance to daily life.

Press & Recognition

Coral Strands' work has been featured in national and regional outlets, including:

A Note From The Maker

Want the full story? Read about my transition from Sweet Lulu’s Bakery to Coral Strands.

xoxo,
Karen
Founder & Maker, Coral Strands
Follow me on Instagram @GemCandyGal