Some dreams aren't measured by how big they are...

Sometimes they're as simple as spending an afternoon laughing with the people you love.

In April of 2024, we received a message from a woman named Kim. She told us about a remarkable 19-year-old young woman named Jada Shipley, who had terminal brain cancer. Painting pottery at Mr. Toad's had found its way onto Jada's bucket list, and Kim simply wanted to purchase a gift certificate to help make that wish come true.

But after reading Jada's story, we knew we wanted to do something a little different. Instead of selling a gift card, we invited Jada, her family, and her closest friends to join us for a paint-your-own-pottery party as our gift to her.

On May 20, 2024, our studio filled with laughter.

There were paint brushes scattered across the tables, conversations that bounced from one end of the table to the other, and family and friends creating artful memories together. For a few hours, cancer wasn't the center of the story.

Friendship was.

Family was.

Love was.

One of the most meaningful pieces created that afternoon was a handprint plate. Jada's hand rests in the center of the plate, surrounded by the fingerprints of the people who came to celebrate with her. One of our talented team members transformed each fingerprint into a beautiful flower, creating a lasting reminder that every person there had a special place in Jada's life.

It has become one of my favorite pieces ever created inside our studio, not because of the paint or the design, but because of what it represents.

Love leaves an imprint.

Recently, with heavy hearts, we learned that Jada passed away on June 22, 2026, after an incredibly courageous battle with cancer. She was just 21 years old. Reading about her life, it was impossible not to admire her strength. She dreamed of becoming a veterinary technician because of her love for animals. She loved the Baltimore Ravens. She loved the color purple. And judging by the incredible group of people who surrounded her that afternoon, she was deeply loved in return.

We reached out to Kim after learning of Jada's passing to ask if we could share these memories, and Jada's family graciously gave us their blessing.

Kim also shared something with me that I haven't been able to stop thinking about. She told me that on the evening Jada passed away, she had set an alarm to remind herself to step outside fifteen minutes before sunset. It had been raining, and she almost didn't bother looking because she assumed there wouldn't be much to see. But then the sky came alive.

Even through the rain, the sunset lit up in spectacular colors. Kim said she couldn't help but think of Jada. When she shared the photo with me, it felt like more than just a beautiful sunset. It was a reminder that even after life's darkest storms, light still finds a way to shine. I think that was true of Jada's life, too. She faced unimaginable challenges with extraordinary courage, yet everyone who knew her remembers her kindness, her strength, and the light she brought into the lives of others.

At Mr. Toad's, we often say we're not just painting pottery. We're helping people create memories. Sometimes we don't realize just how priceless those memories will become.

To Jada's family, friends, and everyone who loved her, thank you for allowing us to play a small part in her story. It was an honor to help check one more dream off her bucket list.

We'll never forget her smile around our painting tables, the joy she shared with those around her, or the reminder she gave us that even during life's hardest chapters, there is still room for creativity, laughter, and love.

Rest peacefully, sweet Jada. Your handprint will forever remain on that pottery plate. But your fingerprints live on in the hearts of everyone who had the privilege of knowing you.

💜

Shared with the love and blessing of Jada's family.