Why Pick Me Up

I was right in the middle of raising kids, working, and just doing life when I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at 36 years old. I had no family history, no genetic markers, and was otherwise young and healthy. The side effects from continued treatment quickly compounded, and I couldn't continue working regularly as a dental assistant. That hit hard and really took a toll.

I found myself in a place where I really had to stop and ask, "What's left? What hasn't cancer taken from me? Who am I at my core?" I had to dig deep to find the parts of me that were still there after my sense of self had been turned upside down. After a lot of prayer and self-reflection, Pick Me Up was born.

I want my kids to see that even when life hands you something really hard, you still get to decide what to do with it. You can try something new, find something you love, and build something good. You don't have to be great at it right away, either. Sometimes you just have to go for it, mess up, try again, and eventually figure it out.

My Mammaw taught me how to bake. I wasn't very good at it as a kid, but it was fun. After high school, I managed a candy store. That's really where my love for sweets, both making them and eating them, settled in. When I became a mother, I began making birthday cakes for my kids. They started out rough (just ask my husband). My kids would tell me whatever random thing they wanted their birthday cake to be, and I'd do my best to figure it out. The cakes started out looking like something straight from the show Nailed It! and eventually became something much more. Over time, I became the one making desserts and cakes for holidays and gatherings.

At some point, my mother-in-law gave me a cupcake book, and that's really where my love for cupcakes took off. I love both the simplicity and the complexity of cupcakes. You can really make them anything you want. They're a lot easier to decorate, too. Patience has never really been my strong suit with cakes, but cupcakes? Those I LOVE to bake and create.

Funny enough, I've come back around to loving cakes, too. I've discovered how much I enjoy coming up with designs, playing with flavors, and bringing someone's ideas to life. Give me a theme and a little creative freedom, and I'm happy. Whether it's a custom cake, a box of cupcakes, or a whole dessert display for a special event, I really do love making things that feel personal to the people they're for.

A cupcake is something small that can brighten your day or give you a little moment of comfort. The name "Pick Me Up" came from that. It picks me up, too. The whole process of baking, decorating, boxing them up, seeing people enjoy them, or giving them as gifts is just a good thing. All good things seem to happen around dessert.

A portion of every order goes back to the local breast cancer community here in Charlotte. That support matters more than most people realize, and it's important to me to give back to something that's been such a vital part of my life after cancer. It's my way of passing along a little bit of that "pick me up" to others who might need it, too.

Starting this was always one of those "someday" things, and one day I woke up and decided it was now or never. So I went for it, and here we are. I'm still learning, trying new things, and figuring out what I want Pick Me Up to become. I'm having a lot of fun doing it, too.

Your support means more than you know. I can't wait to bake for you.

~ Julie

2 Corinthians 1:3–4