Today in My Life

This is my life... today anyway...

Recently in Texas they passed a cottage food law.  Basically, this means that we can now, legally, sell baked goods out of our homes.  There are restrictions and limitations, but it's a start... a wonderful start... it's an opportunity for so many of us to earn some money for our craft... pay our bills (and taxes!) and do what we love.

It's my hope to make this home based business successful.  My hopes and dreams for this to work are two-fold... first, and most importantly, it allows me flexibility to be there for my kids.  I get to pick them up after school... help them with their homework... go on their field trips... and just be present in this very short, but crucial, time in their lives.

Second... it's what I love and am truly passionate about doing it.  I would love to open my own shop one day, but I feel like my time, for now, needs to be devoted to my kids as much as possible.... I am hoping to grow my business at home...and,  by the time my kids are old enough to be more self sufficient and need less of me... I 'd like to be in a position to open my own place.

In the meantime, I am doing my best to get by.  I'm a single mom with an ex who seems to think the terms of our divorce decree are merely suggestions, which he continually ignores.  He sees them, at best, once every couple of weeks.  There is no set schedule of any kind (not one that he adheres to anyhow).  I am their mother, their father, their tutor, their housekeeper, their chauffeur, their confidant... I am their stability.  It's overwhelming at times...I'm so afraid I will do it wrong.

I'm trying desperately to make a living out of doing what I love.  It's a tough road and most of the time I have no idea what I'm doing.  I keep telling myself "do something... anything"... as long as I'm trying.. giving it my best effort... I feel like that's something...

Baby steps, Elaine... baby steps.  As long as you're moving forward... not stagnating in the same place or, God forbid, going backwards, you're moving in the right directions.  Just keep moving. (I finding myself thinking of the scene in "Finding Nemo" where Dori is saying "just keep swimming, swimming.. just keep swimming"...) That's how I feel most of the time... Like I'm doing everything I can to just keep swimming.

So if you feel like you're really good at something... like it's what you were meant to do... how do you turn that into a business?  One that is successful enough to pay the bills?  I feel confident about the cakes and cookies I produce... I take a lot of pride in my work and I really, really want all of my clients to be over the moon with their creations.  But how do I get the word out?  How do I send the message "Hey!  I make awesome cakes and cookies and you won't regret ordering from me!"  It's not like in "Field of Dreams" where, if you build it, they will come.

So...for the first time, ever, I've made an active effort to promote my business.  It's the week of Valentines Day... I create three cakes that I have promoted repeatedly.  I have to say, the number of orders most certainly constitutes success in my book.  Now to just keep it going.  Thanks to everyone who ordered... I hope you're cake exceeds your expectations and you all have a romantic and wonderful Valentines Day!  I appreciate every single person who has supported me in my endeavors.  You are all such a blessing.

So, for now, I will "just keep swimming"...

The 420 Cake - and How Clueless I Am!

So, a  few years ago when I had a partner, we were commissioned to make a wedding cake and grooms cake for a really awesome couple.  They were looking for a hippie style cake to go with their very Austin/hippie kind of wedding.  What fun!  They were not crazy about fondant, so we made some modifications to a fabulous wedding cake design from Debbie Brown's book (love, love, love her!  btw)....

For the groom's cake, they wanted a VW bus... but no fondant.  They really were adverse to the taste and texture of fondant.  They also wanted the cake to be carrot cake with cream cheese frosting which created an even bigger decorating challenge.  They wanted stickers on the VW that would be indicative of all things "Austin"... they also wanted the license plate on the bus to read "ATX-420"... they snickered a lot and we smiled.  We really just thought it was some kind of private joke between the two of them and it was really cute and sweet.

So... for the VW bus, we knew the best way to make it would be with fondant, but they didn't want that. Soooooo.... we decided to try something off-the-charts crazy.  We created a gumpaste cake "cover" that could be removed from the cake.  Revealing their non-fondant, cream cheese frosting carrot cake underneath.

So... after a LOT of hours and a few failed attempts.... this is what we came up with.

 VW Bus Gumpaste Cake "Cover"

Side View

Front - sorry about the finger in photo but it's the only one I have from the front!

So while we were really happy with the result, the cake underneath now was very plain and kind of boring.  We were trying to think of something simple we could do to decorate the hidden cake underneath... we thought of their request for the license plate and thought "That would be perfect!  We'll put 'ATX-420' on top of the cake!"....

So... when the bride and groom were cutting  their cakes, they lifted the VW Bus cover off the groom's cake and revealed this...

Now... if I had known then, what I know now, I would definitely have taken a better picture of the top of the cake. Or most likely we would not have done this!

It wasn't until after their wedding we learned what "420" meant... If you don't know, I'm not telling you.  You'll have to google that for yourself.  On the upside, the couple was THRILLED with the surprise underneath.... Everyone thought it was hilarious and we could not have been more relieved.

The wedding cake was just as fun and whimsical and it is definitely a wedding I will never forget!  Here are photos of their wedding cakes on display...

Random Things From My Dad - #9 Socks?

Okay... this one is short and cute and a little bit quirky.

My dad got one of his mail order packages today... he ordered these especially for my daughter (or anyone they happened to fit)... turns out, all three of us scored!

Thanks, Dad!  (and the kids say, "thanks, Papa!")

Without further ado....  the socks.....

FYI -these are those super soft chenille like socks... you know, the ones you don't dare run too fast on wood floors for fear you might fall and bust.... well... something:)

Pinterest Challenge!

Have you seen something really cute and wonderful on Pinterest and been interested in trying it... or wondered how easy or difficult it might be to re-create?  Send me your favorite Pinterest Pins and I'll choose one to re-create and post photos of the process and final result.  Make sure your Pins are cake, cookie or baking related (I'm really not that crafty in many other areas:)....

Can't wait to see what you guys come up with!

Are Edible Images Cheating?

Some people think using edible images is cheating... I suppose, in a way, it is.  But what exactly is it that you're cheating at?  It's not like you're trying to fool anybody into thinking it's anything other than an edible image is it?

I use edible images quite frequently.  There are a number of reasons I choose to use them...

I might use edible images when it's faster than piping... sometimes, the edible image is going to produce a much more refined look than I could achieve with icing...Edible images are often more cost efficient... and ultimately produce a better looking finished product.  You can also use an edible image to create a cake with a lot of detail, very quickly, and with little investment of your time (kids really don't care if you painstakingly piped a million details on a cake, or if you simply fill the top of a cake with an edible image.... edible images THRILL kids and you don't have to break the bank (or your back) creating it).

Obviously, photos have to be edible images, but I also have a "rule" I try to follow when it comes to edible photos.  Whenever possible, I add the edible image to  the cake on a fairly sturdy piece of gumpaste... this way, it can be removed from the cake and you don't have to hack into the birthday boy or girl's face!  Something I find terribly off-putting....

It's easy to get hung up on creating everything yourself and "by hand"... but to me, it boils down to the final product... what is going to look the best and be cost effective as well.

Here are some examples of how I have used edible images in a way I feel  were very effective:

Use Them in signs and banners on your cake:

I used edible images to create the stickers on this
 hippie VW van....

Love Is In The Air!

Perfect for the banner and the "logo" on the side
 of the plane...

Use them for Photos

Baptism Cake - Photo of the baby which is easily removed from the cake 

One of my favorites for my friend Guy - he is an awesome singer and we had a party for
 him at a local karaoke bar - I used edible imaging to create this "album cover" including a list of the songs he sings on a regular basis.  Along the sides of the cakes are album covers from some of his favorite artists.

Another way I like to use edible photos... put them on gumpaste and create a stand... easily removed from the cake so you don't have to cut into the happy couple...

They are great for making a decoration for the entire top of a cake!  Saves a LOT of time if you're in a pinch..

She wanted a Warriors Cat cake...
what could be simpler?

Great for adding details that would take HOURS to pipe...

My daughter's cake - she wanted Hello Kitty and a slew of the Hello Kitty characters... in a bus....
 Easy, peasy and so cute!

And finally, just some nice detail that adds a more finished look to your cake:

Perfect detail to make the prescription bottle look so realistic... it's all gumpaste... edible image label

I love using it to create a monogrammed hankie... so delicate 

Another monogrammed hankie....

My Dad...

In case you were wondering what my dad looks like... here's a photo of him.  It's not the best quality, but it certainly captures the "essence" of Hugh.... This was taken last year and I can only hope it was near St. Patrick's Day given his choice of shirts... And the pants?  Well, those are his "lounge pants"... he typically puts these on after he's had his afternoon shower.  FYI - the table to his left is where he puts the random things for me to choose from...

My Dad :)

Pinterest Fails...

I ran across this post on Buzzfeed.com today in my Facebook feed... I was cracking up the whole time and thinking "exactly!"... Have you ever had a Pinterest "fail"?  Or perhaps the better question is, have you ever had a Pinterest success?  Would love to hear about your successes AND failures... if you're so inclined...

In the meantime,  enjoy!



Pinterest FAILS from Buzzfeed.com