Why I’m No Longer at The Lilypad – and What Comes Next

 

Thank you so much for being here, for following my work, for signing up to this newsletter. This is not the kind of message I ever wanted to send, but I believe in honesty and transparency. Over the past few days, many of you have noticed that my products at The Lilypad are gone. Today, I want to share with you the story of why that happened.

 

Let me start with what matters most: I’m okay. Emotionally, this wasn’t easy, but I was prepared. For a long time, I sensed that this would happen. When Esther took over the shop ownership at the beginning of the year, we had one conversation that felt okay. But everything that followed went downhill. The tone changed. The trust disappeared.

This newsletter is not written to attack. It’s here to provide clarity, because you, my customers and creative friends, deserve to know what led to this change.

 

At the end of January, I had surgery. In the months leading up to that, my mental and physical health had been declining fast. November and December were extremely tough. The surgery didn’t go well, and the recovery was slow. I wasn’t able to return to full creative work until around May. But I never gave up—because I love designing, and I love serving my customers.

 

In February, a major change was announced at The Lilypad: a new AI policy. Designers were limited to using 40% AI content in their products.

For me, this was a huge blow. AI has helped me create truly unique and personal elements that don’t exist anywhere else. It allowed me to step away from overused Commercial Use (CU) content and craft designs that fit my artistic vision.

Many of you have used my Artsy Bits, Papers, and whimsical extras like the knitted dolls. These weren’t simple one-click creations. They came from a mix of ideas, editing, hours of cleanup, and yes, AI. Without AI, some of my kits would never have been possible. And now I was told I could no longer offer those designs—even though my customers loved them.

 

I accepted the new policy. I adjusted. I followed the 40% rule. I restructured products. I even created a brand-new collection that followed all the guidelines and sent it to Esther to review. I received no feedback.

Despite everything, I stayed quiet. I didn’t join any forum discussions, especially about AI. Esther had told me directly not to discuss about AI and other things anymore. As a European, this felt like a restriction on my freedom of speech, but I complied.

 

Behind the scenes, I knew I had to prepare. Around March, I decided to reactivate my Etsy shop. I wanted a place where I could create freely and feel safe again. I began working on new product lines and planning ahead, just in case things escalated.

 

Over the years, I contributed far beyond just releasing products. I created the little frog graphics for the social media team, set up a shared Canva account to maintain a consistent shop look. These efforts came from a genuine belief in the community and its potential.

All of this was done out of love for the shop and its community. None of it was mandatory. I simply believed in what The Lilypad could be.

 

In June, I asked to run a birthday sale. I was told no—because the new shop system was about to launch. A week later, other designers had sales during that same time.

A few days before the shop relaunch, I received a message: the new platform would no longer support “option” products. This meant 400 of my products (entire collections like the artCrush series) would be removed. I had no input in this decision. 

Esther told me she would add all the option products back herself, but I’m quite certain she didn’t realize that 400 option products don’t equal 400 listings—it’s actually 5 to 10 times more. Each of those products contains anywhere from 4 to 20 individual options, meaning thousands of sub-products would need to be re-entered manually.

 

Still, I kept quiet. I warned my Creative Team that I felt something was coming—and that one day, I might be removed without warning.

 

I know I may have made some mistakes. During that period, we were told almost every other day that the new shop would go live—only for it to be delayed again. In the middle of that uncertainty, I added some new products. Later, I realized I may have done so during a time when we were asked not to, so I immediately wrote to Esther to explain. What I received in return was another bossy and harsh message, accusing me of being disrespectful and not following the rules—rules that, to be fair, were changing constantly and confusing for everyone involved.

I never added that product to cause problems. I did it to support the shop, to keep it active while everything else was standing still.

 

I’m not claiming to be perfect. These past six months have been incredibly rough. Esther was aware of my situation—she knew about my surgery, my medications, and the cognitive challenges I was dealing with.

 

• Nearly 400 option-based products were not transferred into the new shop system. I was noticied a day before the first launch (which not happenend) I was never informed when they would be reinstated or how the process will be. I was never before warned before that this will happen and there was no will to find with me a solution.

• Because of the AI Policy, I could no longer continue my most successful series—such as For Art’s Sake, Selected Scenes, Backdrops, Whimsy Artdolls, Color Splash, Junkyard Chronicles, Canvas Chronicles, Polaroid Templates, ArtistryBlends, Faces of Artistry, Ink Muse Portraits, and many more.

• The new shop launched then finally but sale prices didn’t display properly—they were only visible in the cart. If customers were logged in, all prices showed as zero. Many didn’t realize they had to add items to the cart to see the correct pricing.

• Unsurprisingly, this led to a significant drop in sales—not just for me, but across the board.

• In addition, I noticed that many of my product pages no longer showed the video previews I had carefully created over years and linked—my unpacking videos were gone. I received no communication or warning from Esther that these would be removed during the transition.

 

On Thursday at 1 PM, I received a message from Esther via Messenger:

• I had allegedly violated copyright

• My product quality was questioned

• I was accused of violating the AI policy

• I was removed from the shop

All access to communication was cut off. I could no longer contact anyone, not even in the forum. I had no opportunity to respond, explain, or defend myself. The public message in the forum implied serious wrongdoing. I have never received a complaint about product quality from a customer. Not once.

 

I tested products from other designers anonymously. Many still use AI over the 40%— but think they hide it cleverly. It felt like I was being held to a different standard. I believe this was no longer about rules. It was personal.

A shop owner should be neutral. Supportive. Collaborative. Instead, I was shut out, unheard, and erased without warning.

All of this could have been avoided with a simple conversation. “Nicole, it’s not working. Let’s end this in four weeks with a farewell sale.” That would have been professional. But that’s not what happened.

 

I didn’t design for a shop. I designed for you. I kept my prices low, made flexible kits, and gave you value. I wanted every customer to feel excited, happy, and inspired when they opened one of my products.

 

I’ve re-opened my Etsy shop: SCRAPSTUDIO BY NBK I’m rebuilding a space where creativity can breathe—without fear, without judgment.

 

I could have filled this newsletter with screenshots and proof from past conversations—but I’ve decided to close this chapter here. I’m deeply sad for my customers, because they’re the ones most affected by all of this. And that’s what hurts the most. If you hear anything that is concerning, talk with me. Via Etsy, email NICOLE@NBK-DESIGN.COM, Facebook Messenger or Instagram.

 

 

But there’s also hope. I’ve already had conversations with a few people over the past months, and I’m looking forward to sharing hopefully some positive news with you soon—maybe even in one of the next newsletters.

 

 

 

Yes, the 50% sale will continue—every week with 4 selected products, available for 2 days (Tuesday/Wednesday). Please be patient with me: it might not run smoothly every single week at first, because I’m still in the process of rebuilding my Etsy shop from scratch.

 

New releases on Fridays will also continue, just like you’re used to.

 

 

Etsy gives me many new opportunities to connect with you. I’m still exploring all the tools available, and I plan to surprise you now and then with spontaneous special offers and pop-up sales.

 

 

If you’d like to help me stay in business—this is a sincere request—here are a few things that make a real difference:

 

If you’ve placed an order, you should have received an email with a 5% off coupon for your next purchase. Also, if you favorite a product in my Etsy shop, you should automatically get a 5% discount offer as well.

 

If something doesn’t work or you run into issues—just let me know. I’m happy to help! Mixing Coupons, does not work. As far I also now saw, that coupons maybe not work with a Sale. 

 

And if you’re looking for a specific product that isn’t in the shop yet—just reach out! I’ll gladly prioritize it and add it to the shop for you right away. Nothing makes me happier than knowing I can help you keep creating.

 

 

Thank you for walking this journey with me. Your support is the reason I keep going.

 

To my amazing Creative Team: thank you for staying. Even when approached behind the scenes, you stayed loyal. That means everything to me.

 

To all of you reading: thank you. For following me, supporting me, and believing in what I do.

 

But my creativity wasn’t taken. And I’m just getting started.

 

With all my heart, Nicole aka NBK-Design