From Prints to My Family: Our 50 State Series Story

People often ask me how I came up with the idea for my 50 State Wildflower Series. Honestly, it doesn’t feel like that unique of a story to me, but it’s one I love sharing because it’s filled with moments of inspiration, a little bit of panic, and so much gratitude.

Several years ago, before I had even started my business, I was driving home one day when an idea hit me out of nowhere: What if I created the state of Alabama using flowers found throughout the state?

That thought stuck with me, and as soon as I got home, I headed to my studio in the corner of my garage. My dad is a retired botanist, and I have a number of his old identification books as I’ve always been drawn to detailed line drawings and pen-and-ink work. I started researching wildflowers that I loved and that are found abundantly in the state of Alabama, all while thinking about the artwork composition. 

I wanted the piece to feel meaningful, something you could look at and feel a connection to—a mix of beauty, nostalgia, and display a love for that state.

As I went to sign it with India ink, a big drop of ink fell near the edge of the print. There was no way to crop it out with a mat and frame without losing part of the design. Instead of giving up, I decided to try something new—I scanned it and turned it into a print.

I bought the cheapest but best scanner I could find, uploaded the Alabama print to Instagram, and put it up for sale.

I thought maybe I’d sell 50 prints, at most. But within an hour or two, they were gone. Completely sold out.

So, I did another run of 50. Sold out again. Then another. People were DM’ing me, asking for other states. Strangers I’d never met were buying my art, and I couldn’t believe what was happening.

At first, I was managing everything through Instagram DMs and my Notes app on my phone. I was packing orders in my garage, shipping them through USPS, and running out of space fast.

It became obvious that I needed a website. So, I launched one—and immediately made a rookie mistake. People could add prints to their cart, but they couldn’t actually check out. Oops. Thankfully, my customers were patient and kind, and they let me know right away. I fixed the issue, and the orders kept pouring in.

At one point, my little corner of the garage was overflowing. Our garage fits two cars, but both bays were taken over by boxes of prints and note cards. I had to bring in help just to keep up with shipping because I was spending so much time packing orders that I had no time left to create art.

What most people don’t know is that during this time, I was dealing with some significant personal challenges. I was battling endometriosis and adenomyosis, both of which left me incredibly sick. On top of that, my family was in the middle of an adoption process, and the financial strain of medical bills and adoption fees was staggering.

This series—the 50 State Wildflower Prints—became more than just art. It became a way to help pay for surgeries, adoption costs, and the things that mattered most to me.

Every print sold wasn’t just income; it helped give me my life back and helped create a family. Every single person who purchased a print, shared my work, or sent an encouraging message played a role in building this business and supporting my family through one of the most challenging seasons of our lives.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it a thousand times: In so many ways, my customers made us a family.

And after years of wanting to become a family, we met Caedon in November of 2021. Best day of our lives.

This journey has been so much more than I ever expected, and I’m so thankful for every person who’s been part of it. It’s not something I’ll ever take for granted.

To everyone who’s been part of this journey—thank you. You’ve not only helped me grow a business but also supported some of the most important parts of my life. I’m endlessly grateful, and I can’t wait to see where we go next

With love,
Amanda