Built from scratch — with intention, experience, and a whole lot of heart. Gather Crop Create isn't just a store. It's something we've been building toward for a long time — and we couldn't be more ready.
I came to crafting as a painter. Color, texture, layers — that's always been my language. When I discovered papercrafts, it was cardmaking that pulled me in first. Something about the precision of it, the intention behind each piece. Scrapbooking came later, nudged along by a circle of friends who knew what I didn't yet: that I was going to fall hard for it.
Over time, I built a life around this craft — running a store, hosting events, and pouring myself into a community of makers. What I found there was something deeper: people who needed a place to belong just as much as they needed a place to create.
That stayed with me.
Gather Crop Create was built from that understanding — a space where both of those things can exist at the same time.
Jesse was the UPS driver for the store I ran. What started as polite passing conversation turned into something neither of us saw coming. Before long, he was finishing a 9.5-hour day on his feet and driving straight to the store — staying until midnight during events, bringing food no one thought to eat, making sure everyone got to their cars safely. They all loved him. They still do.
When it came time to build GCC, Jesse didn't wait to be asked. He said: it's time to build our space. He helped pick the location, helped name it, and will build the shelving, paint the walls, unpack inventory, and handle all the things that nobody sees but that make everything work. His hours are full — UPS isn't a quiet job — but that's never been the point.
The point is that when it matters, he shows up. He always has.
He asked me what I wanted. What I saw. I gave him my vision — and he made it his mission to bring it to life.
Between the two of us, we have a big, beautifully blended family — kids, grandkids, and one more on the way. They're loud, funny, and completely different from each other, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
Our oldest, Bri, has worked alongside me for years and will be part of Gather Crop Create from day one. She's made more scrapbooks than I have — which tells you everything you need to know. Johnny just finished college and brings a steady, grounding presence to everything he does. The twins, Brea and Bay, keep life moving — one on the field, the other with a pencil in hand.
Jesse's son Grant fills a room the moment he's in it, and his daughter Avery is finding her way, one chapter at a time.
And then there are the grandkids — Ezra, Nova, and baby Devin on the way.
Our life is full — in all the ways that matter.
Omaha has always had crafters. What it hasn't had is a space that truly felt like theirs — a place designed around community, not just commerce. A place where you can spread out, stay a while, and feel at home the moment you walk through the door.
If you wanted more than one option, you were driving over an hour to find it. And while this community has always shown up, it deserved a space that showed up just as hard for them.
I've spent years inside this community — alongside my best friend Gena, hosting events, building relationships, watching what happens when crafters find their people. I know what makes a space feel right. I know what keeps people coming back.
Gather Crop Create is built from that experience. A space where layout matters, time matters, and people feel it the moment they walk in. Not just a store — a creative home base, built for Omaha by someone who understands this craft and the community behind it.
We've been working toward this for a long time. Now we're bringing it to life.
