Be Poetic

Today I am excited to introduce the lovely and talented Kaitlin of Be Poetic, and her really adorable Etsy Shop that sells her hand-made vintage fabric flowers. These flowers make great accessories for shoes, purses, outfits, hair-the possibilities are endless and the enthusiasm, love and attention to detail that Kaitlin pours into her flowers is just inspiring. Kaitlin was kind enough to answer a few questions and share her work with ATL. Enjoy!
What gave you the idea to start B. Poetic?
Being creative and hand-making wearable stuff is my passion. In fact I quit my full-time salaried job with benefits at a great company last year in the thick of a recession (questionable move, I know) to pursue my creative endeavors because I just felt that life is too short to not love what you do. The pins go way back to even high school when my friend and I started a little business hand-making accessories and selling them to our friends. Most recently though, I had plans to start to making clothing out of the drawers and drawers of material that I've collected over the years that needed a purpose. I've had this one silk flower that I've worn for years and one day I decided I needed to have one in different colors, so I made some flowers and wore them out and about, and the response from my friends, family and random strangers was so great, I just kept making more and more. When my fashionista best friend recently had surgery, instead of sending her flowers, I sent her a big bloom to wear and she loved it, she was like, you need to make more stuff and sell it, that's when I decided it could possibly be a business.

Where do you find the fabric and materials to create these beautiful blooms?
I live in Ohio and we have the greatest antique and vintage shops. Many times I'll find yards of fabric there or I'll buy old clothing and cut it up to use the material. Of course, it goes through a cleaning process first, but I think there is something so charming and special about wearing something that has history. I made a bloom the other day out of this really beautiful vintage blazer and the whole time I was making it, I was imagining who might have worn it and the places it had been. I love to re-purpose things with a past.

How long, on average, does a custom order take?
Custom orders are fun! It depends on the quantity, but two weeks is enough time to allow me to find the material that is exactly the right color or hand dye it and make the product. If I already have the right color of material I can have it done in a couple of days.