First…
It’s been a horrible month. This might be a little long, and I apologize, but I wanted to explain a little bit about what has been going on and why this email is going out a day early.
My husband was hospitalized during the first week of the month, and we’re incredibly lucky things didn’t turn out worse than they did. Thankfully, he’s home now and fully recovered.
The following week was my brother’s birthday, but instead of celebrating, he ended up in the hospital, too. My brother lives with our dad, and they experienced a house fire. It started at the back of the house — we still don’t know how but should find out by Wednesday — right where the stairs lead to the second floor, where my brother and their two dogs were sleeping.
My dad made it out safely, but my brother had to jump more than 16 feet to the ground to escape the fire. He broke his right leg in eight places and shattered his ankle. The house — and nearly everything inside it — was destroyed.
As devastating as all of that has been, the hardest part has been losing their two dogs. They couldn’t get out and passed away from smoke inhalation in my brother’s room. That loss has weighed heavily on all of us over the past week and a half.
The day after the fire, I made the five-hour drive to be with them. I got us settled into an Airbnb, and I’ve been here ever since. My brother is out of the hospital and beginning the long road to recovery, while my dad and I work through the overwhelming process of finding them somewhere more permanent to live.
Which brings us to this week.
PBP is closing.
Honestly… holy crap, right?
This wasn’t a rushed decision, and there were so many factors involved that I couldn’t possibly list them all here. Faye and I spent hours this weekend talking through every angle — the pros, the cons, and everything that would need to happen behind the scenes to keep things going. In the end, she decided it was time to close the doors. As heartbreaking as it is, I truly believe it’s the right decision for her.
So what does this mean for me and my products?
Right now, I honestly don’t know.
At the moment, I’m sitting 353 miles away from my home helping my family navigate this unimaginable loss, and I simply don’t have the emotional bandwidth to think about finding a new shop until I know my dad and brother are safe, settled, and taken care of. I need a little time to go home, hug my husband, cuddle my dogs, and just… breathe. This month has been more than I know how to process.
I do have new releases for you this week, but they’ll likely be my last for a little while as we work through all of this and I take some much-needed time to decompress, reset, and figure out what my new normal looks like.
The one bright spot in all of this is that I graduated from ASU this month — probably the only good thing to come out of May 2026, honestly. Because I had planned to enjoy my summer after graduating, I worked several months ahead and already have around 14 or 15 new releases ready to go.
So yes — there is still new stuff coming. It just may be a few weeks before I’m able to share it.
In the meantime, I do have two new releases available in my shop, and they’re included in the closing sale: 50% off, with even bigger savings on the kit and bundle options.
As this chapter comes to a close and we prepare to say goodbye to Pickleberrypop, I just want to take a moment to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I appreciate each and every one of you more than words can express. Your support, kindness, creativity, and friendship over the years have meant the world to me.
What started as a creative community became so much more — a place filled with inspiration, connection, encouragement, and countless memories. Through every release, every challenge, every comment, and every shared page, you helped make Pickleberrypop something truly special.
I’m incredibly grateful for the time we’ve shared together and for the role each of you played in this journey. Thank you for supporting not only the shop, but also the people and passion behind it. The friendships and memories created here will stay with me long after this final chapter ends.
Thank you for being part of this incredible journey and for making Pickleberrypop such a special and meaningful part of my life. Your support and presence have meant more than I can ever fully express. You’ll be hearing from me again once I’ve had some time to get my family settled and find our footing again.
::much love::
