PetalsofMetals's Profile

Bio

My name is Karen Schleifer, creator of Petals of Metals. I live in Kensington, Maryland with my husband and two daughters. After being a stay-home mom for the past 7 years, I have been anticipating a mix of loneliness and freedom for some time now, as both of my children will soom be in school all day. In the wee hours of the morning, while sipping my coffee, I have envisioned starting my own business, and I kept hoping that an idea for a business would just come to me while I was changing diapers. I'm an aesthetic person and have always been attracted to color and whimsical art. I decided on metal flowers, so I sketched some flowers, and there it was--my idea for a flower delivery business, offering everlasting blooms. Months later, I found some flowers I had made out of construction paper one day while fiddling alongside my girls a few years ago. They are very similar to the ones I sketched to create my Petals of Metals. (See photo of Worker 1, Worker 2 & photographer/husband, behind camera.) I suppose the idea had been percolating for some time. I thoroughly enjoy the creative process of envisioning and producing, and the solitude it provides. I also enjoy sharing my creations and cooking up new ones with friends and customers, and the social aspect that brings. And I love that my girls and husband are my biggest fans and promotoers! My original idea for a flower delivery business remains my focus, although I can't seem to resist the constant temptation of branching out. This explains the large blooms, the napkin rings, the picture frames and the drawer pulls, not to mention the ideas in my sketchbook... So my plan to have my own business, my love of all things funky, my kids and my husband have all come together in a way that allows almost enough time for them all.

Female, Born on April 4

Favorite Materials

Hammer, Chasing tools and Riveter