Picture by Patrick Colvin
Hello, and welcome! I am Kera, The Dreadnaught Darling. I make synthetic dreadlocks in a tiny house (also known as a vardo) of approximately 144 square feet named The Fortune Cookie with my shih tzu, Riley. I am located in Tacoma, Washington, about 45 minutes south of Seattle.
I love tea, books, dogs, sweet wine, skirts, tattoos, camping, knee-high striped socks, sunshine, live music, hair flowers and good tequila. You can routinely find me rocking out in my house with the front door open (weather permitting), making dreads with a cup of Lady Grey in hand.
What was your inspiration for making synthetic dreadlocks?
I was first inspired to make synthetic dreadlocks out of my desire to own a set. Which expanded to making hair for friends, which then led to my friends referring other people to me and so on. Since beginning the journey into the wide world of hair, I found that I have a bit of a knack for it. I enjoy the challenge of figuring out new styles, accents and combinations. It is a strange and fabulous sort of alchemy and I love it.
Do you do custom orders for dread falls and dreadlocks?
Yes! I’d be happy to discuss any ideas you have rolling around in your head. You can contact me via e-mail at: kera@dreadnaughtdarling.com . I also have a few pre-made sets of dread falls that can be found in my Etsy Shop at any given time. Feel free to browse.
What was the inspiration for living in a tiny house?
In part, I contribute much of my journey to my friends Adam and Suzi for kick starting me on my eco-friendly path. I really wanted to reduce my carbon footprint, lower my bills and have a portable home. The Fortune Cookie has been a fantastic way to combine those elements. You can read a more detailed account here.
Other than that, I have always adored small spaces. I think it stems from my love of tree houses, forts, caves and any small space I could call my own as a child. I also fantasized about living in the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse when I wasn’t fantasizing about an underground lair. As an adult, I still wildly appreciate the aesthetics of small spaces.
I also really want to thank Kent Griswold from Tiny House Blog for creating an awesome resource. His site really got me dreaming and scheming for a number of years. Another huge thanks to Dee Williams for being an excellent inspiration, meeting me and kicking my butt into gear. Also for suggesting the fabulous Abel Zimmerman who built my home. Abel is not only a wonderful artisan and architect, he is someone I now consider a friend. This trio of people were tremendous sources of inspiration.
You obviously had to downsize. Was this process difficult?
I get asked about downsizing A LOT. I am finding that the downsizing process is just that, a process. It is an ongoing project. I am always finding more things that I can donate, give away, repurpose, reorganize, and re-gift. It was difficult in some ways and quite easy in others. What I have found after all of this time, is that I feel liberated. The less stuff you have, the less you have to worry about. For more detailed information on downsizing, go here.
If you have any questions regarding hair or tiny house living, feel free to shoot me an e-mail. Your question may even inspire a blog post.
Thanks for reading!
~Kera~
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