finally, the new addition

all
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

miles peter was born on may 23rd after a fun 18 hrs of labor.
he arrived 2.5 weeks early, but was healthy.
parker has truly been the best big brother ever by letting me know (repeatedly) that i should check miles' diaper, questioning me nonstop about breastfeeding, and giving lots of soft kisses and hugs to his brother.
miles has been mellow (for the most part) and super easy to drag around while i try to keep parker's life as 'normal' as possible.
the past month has been quite chaotic as we have tried to juggle them both.
needless to say, both my house and my jewelry have been neglected.

woohoo!!

woohoo!!
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

i finally made it to 1,000 etsy sales!!!

this week has been rather stressful with me trying to get every little thing done before boy #2, so what an accomplishment to finally reach this milestone!
and i must add a special thanks to rubygirl who had been stalking my store and was purchase 999 & 1,000.
i always get even more excited to sell something to another talented metalsmith.
oh, and the recipient of the goody bag is purchase #989.
(it will be shipping out today)

consistency...

starscape
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

i just don't seem to have it lately.
i have been working on finishing up a couple of custom orders and have done very little in the jewelry department other than that.
i have been tying up loose ends on the home front in preparation for boy #2.
its not like anyone can ever really be prepared for any child, but i figure that the more preparation i do now, the less stressed i will be in a month.
i have also been trying to enjoy parker as much as possible before i have to share my time.
i have heard how some mothers/parents worry about loving the next one as much as the first, etc, etc.
i think i have some of those same fears. really, how can any child be as smart, fun, and just generally awesome as parker?
and how in the world will i be able to split my time fairly with both of them?

new release thursdays

petite garden
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

i have managed to get it together and list some things today.
honestly, this feels like a miracle since i have felt soooo tired and unmotivated.
i keep telling myself that i have to do this now because in june i really won't want to do anything other than sleep.

check out the shop for more updates

my current alternate life II

32 weeks
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

every day it seems like i am growing and stretching even more.
i am trying to prepare the house, my family, and myself the best that i can.
i have also finished the last two postpartum depression books that i will be reading.

*Postpartum Depression Demystified by Joyce Venis RN & Suzanne McCloskey
The authors both suffered from postpartum depression and wrote the book in an effort to help others. The book seemed to be more of a layman's guide, but was also very thorough.
The first half of the book discusses symptoms and the difference between 'normal' tired mothers and those suffering with postpartum depression. The second half focuses on treatment options and includes self help strategies as well as different types of therapy and medication.
I did not find this book very useful, but it was the fourth on my list. I do think it would be a great book to share with others who really have no clue about postpartum depression as it is super easy to understand and covers most topics.

*The Mother-to-Mother Postpartum Depression Support Book by Sandra Poulin
Again, this author suffered with postpartum depression and her goal is to offer support on a topic that is not adequately covered in childbirth education classes.
I found this book helpful because it provides exactly what it describes, support. The book's chapters are broken down by symptoms and then include stories from women who have been there. I found it very reassuring (and scary) to read other women's stories.
Sometimes, its just nice to know we are not alone and that's where this book comes in handy.

*The Postpartum Husband by Karen Kleiman
I bought this one for Ryan and refuse to read it myself.
It may be helpful to know that there is support for husbands/partners who are having to live through it too.

my very own giveaway

giveaway
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

in honor nearing 1,000 etsy sales, i will be having a giveaway.
every purchase made from 985-1,000 will be entered into a drawing to receive all of the goods pictured.

handbag from meringue
mini notebook from shalom's cottage home
zombie card from tinaseamonster
card case from blissful
octopus magnet from tinaseamonster
huge pocket mirror from kateblack
red lychee soap from savor
pushpin miniature from johnwgolden

front page

front page
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

woohoo!!!!

(and apparently i was on the front page on april 3rd as well)

there were many months that my pieces did not see the front page and it became a very frustrating thing for me.
in the past couple of months, i have (at a snail's pace) been redoing my pics with the new weathered wood background.
not only am i happy with the results, but it seems that others are too.

the year of.....

mountain blossom
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

lately i have read several entries on blogs about an artist's theme for the year (for lack of better explanation.)
it really got me thinking about what direction i want to move in and what i want to focus on in the little time i have available.

so far i have thought about:
dots/granules - maybe too trendy for me
flowers - but i ALWAYS have flowers
motion - kinetic pieces can be a lot of fun
piercing - how far can this take me?
and then i decided that it was simply the year of MORE.

i know, can i be any more vague?
but the idea does seem to define my newer work the best....
i have been trying more techniques, using more techniques per piece, incorporating more details into each piece and this will continue.

to see some of my newest pieces check out the shop

a busy thursday

kinetic constellation
Originally uploaded by wildflowerdesigns

i managed to get some items photographed before it began to rain this morning.
so, i will actually be posting a handful of items for etsymetal's new release thursdays.

and since the storms have turned out to be mostly light rain, i will also be participating in fondren's arts, eats and beats.
if you are in the neighborhood, you should definitely stop by.
local merchants stay open later and some craftspeople (like myself) set up booths in a very relaxed atmosphere.

my current alternate life

growing parker was the easy part for me. life after him was very difficult for quite a while. since ryan and i have finally decided to have another, i am preparing myself the best that i can for a better outcome.
i feel that at the very least, parker survived me once and shouldn't have to do it again.
so being the semi-obsessive researcher that i am, i bought some books and thought some reviews might be helpful.


*What Am I Thinking? Having a Baby after Postpartum Depression by Karen Kleiman
This is the first book that i read (yes, after i was already pregnant.) The author is very nonjudgemental and lays out the important factors that any mother should consider before having another child.
The most useful sections of the book involved questionaires/fill-in-the-blank portions which examined previous symptoms, hang-ups, and helps. Although it was extrememly difficult to relive so many of those things, it will be a major help to have calmly thought about what worked and what did not work last time. Those sections will also be invaluable as ryan will use them as a reference to judge when things are bad and what he can actually do that will make a positive difference.

*The Darkest Days of My Life: Stories of Postpartum Depression by Natasha Mauthner
The author really looks at what the cultural ideals of motherhood are and the conflicting reality for many women. The comparison between women suffering from postpartum depression in Britain and America was very interesting to note.
The book was useful for me because it broke postpartum depression into a very real and personal experience and emphasized the positive affect of communicating with other women. It was also very helpful for me to examine what cultural ideas of motherhood surround me and how realistic they are.

*When Baby Brings the Blues: Getting Through Postpartum Depression by Dr. Ariel Dalfen
The author very throughly explains symptoms and treatment options for postpartum depression.
A large portion of this book was redundant since i have personally dealt with postpartum depression and done a fair bit of research. Although the book covers many (and maybe all) treatment options, I found the section on medication and breastfeeding most useful since other books did not go into as much detail.