White & Gold Chanel Cake

Well another busy week of caking has past and I am back to showcase like I said I would the white and gold  version of the pink and silver chanel cake from the other week. I actually think I like this version better. I think it may because of the combination of white and gold gives it an air of sophistication. You all can let me know what you think.

Its a 3 tiers covered in white fondant with gold accents on the top two tiers. Each tier is a different flavor; chocolate, vanilla and red velvet in the order. The bottom tier has buttercream rosettes and then sprinkled with gold glitter to give it some extra shine.

The top tier has gold rhinestone banding around the bottom. The bow is made from gumpaste and has the chanel logo in the middle. The middle tier has gold edible beads at each intersection point of the quilted pattern.

The hubby delivered the cake and he said the client was so happy as this was all done over the internet because she lives in a different state and was coming up for her sister's baby shower. Love when everything works out and the clients are super pleased with their cakes.

Until next time...

New Year, New Directions!

Good Evening Ya'll! 

Or should I say Happy New Year!! I know I'm like a month late and all..but better late than never:) Since moving to Philadelphia, I have been trying to figure out what direction I want to take the my business. I have decided to stay a one woman business for now.. having an actual shop was a great experience one that I wouldn't give back, but I having had that experience I now know that the rigorous day to day of a shop while trying to balance family life is just to much for lil ole me. I prefer to stay small so I can still give my clients that personalize attention that I have known for as well as being able to take orders when I want to instead of taking on orders to pay bills.. I love what I do and I want to keep it that way:)

I have also been increasing my skill set to make myself more marketable in this new and much bigger market. So I have branched out into cookies:) I have always offered cookies among my products..but I never really marketed them before now. For the last six months I have been expanding my skill set with cookies tremendously and I am loving my new collection of cookies so much so that they are now in my Etsy shop here which you can find h. I am pleased as punch with them and will be steadily expanding my collection for the next couple of months. So for your viewing pleasure here are some of new cookies.

Until next time...
Peace & Blessings!

The Beginning

So this is my post! I decided to start a blog because as a new mom and an aspiring baker I thought it would be nice to share my story. I know there are plenty of blogs out there and I do follow some, but there is only one that I have come across that has detailed how hard it is get into this business. I also thought it would be neat to chronicle my life as a first time mom. 

So let's start with the later first, my son's name is Jayden Makai and he is 8 weeks old. He was born November 6th, 2009. I love him to death, but it can be very trying at times. Right now it’s the whole putting him to sleep and getting him to sleep on his own without mommy and daddy. We start by holding him until he falls asleep, usually on my chest, and then I try to move him to his play pen because he won't sleep in his bassinet. That thing was such a waste of money.  The play pen (it has a sleeping compartment in it) worked for a little while and now he cries about ten minutes after I lay him down in there. So for now to get any type of sleep he ends up in the bed with us. Now I know plenty of people and doctors say don't have your baby sleep in the bed with you, but for us right now it works. He sleeps most of the night which is miracle for a child his age, so something is working. He sleeps on my side so I don't have to worry about his father rolling over on him, though I don't think that will happen, and I know that he is breathing okay. I am so paranoid about SIDS especially since he is sooo young. But now I think he is too comfortable sleeping in the bed and now I don't know what to do to get him to transition to his play pen or cradle when we get one.  I bought a sleep positioner and when he sleeps and stays sleep on it, it is great but he doesn't do that often. So I have placed it in the bed and trying to get him to sleep on it in the bed that way I can move it out of the bed and into the play pen hoping that will work. We shall see what happens.

On the reason for the blog. So I started baking early last year around February, right around the time that I found out I was pregnant with Jayden. I did a Valentine's Promotion and I learned very quickly a lot about pricing and advertising. I made a small profit which quickly got eaten up by buying more equipment. It was a lot of trial and error, but finally I learned that my specialty is cakes and cupcakes. I do some other things like brownies and such, but I shine with cakes and cupcakes. The idea was all my husband, Stefane, who felt that my baking was good enough to sell. He was right; people were interested in what I was offering. It was very thrilling.  To date, I have three cakes (one more this weekend), catered two events and sold a whole hosts of other goodies. Then I realized how much work is involved in this kind of business and all the things that it takes to be successful. Right now because of commercial space (the lack thereof) and other things I am baking out of my home and all of my customers know that but it doesn't diminish the quality of my baked goods, rather I think they are better because I can take my time and work on them until I feel satisfied (I am somewhat of a perfectionist). I do want to get all the licensing and get a commercial kitchen at some point hopefully before the year is over with, but right now economically I have to do it at home. I think a lot of people start off this way, they just don't admit it for obvious reasons but I feel that if you take the proper precautions when baking (which I am) then I am doing right by my customers. So I am interested in taking more decorating classes to get better and to become certified in some of things needed for licensure. I am also looking into renting a commercial kitchen; I will let you know how that goes. More adventures to follow......