Busy busy busy!

So since getting Alexis on board, I've been uber busy. We made some general decisions before you left (where'd she go, you ask? Costa Rica...for two weeks!) and one of them was that the bakery can't only sell cupcakes. The cupcakes can be the main focus, but we'll be selling other things too. In addition to cupcakes, FWB will also be selling: cookies, cakes, fudge, cake truffles, and marshmallow balls/pops.

And since I feel pretty confident in my cupcake making abilities, I've been hard at work brushing up on my other baked goods. They people at my husband's job love me. They've been getting a ton of test goodies. Today I'm going to work on some rainbow pinwheel cookies. Wish me luck!

In other news, I've discovered what my lack of picture problem is. Apparently, my camera is not compatible with Windows XP. Sigh. But I'm in the market for a better camera anyway, so I'll make sure whichever one I get is compatible. Any suggestion would be appreciated. Currently I'm leaving towards Sony Cybershot DSC-S700. Why? Because CB of Iheartcuppycakes using it. And I love the pictures on her blogs. And her. I'm such a stalker fan. Shhhhh. Don't tell.

Dana

And she said YES!

So the meeting this afternoon went fabulous! She was really into it and excited. She had done some of her own research previously so she had a lot to say and a lot of ideas. I can't believe she's really in! Dude, I'm so relieved. I can't even tell you. She all business savvy and I'm soooo not. It should be a good match.

I wish we were getting started right now, but she's leaving for vacation on Sunday for two weeks. Sigh. But we have plans to bakery scout the weekend she comes back. We'll drive around to local bakeries and taste the competition and check out the decor. Sounds like fun, no?

Finally, it's more than just a dream. Stuff is actually being accomplished. I never thought I would get to this point...and there is so much more to do! I'm going to take the rest of the night off. (Ha! Yeah right). I'm going to enjoy my company and hockey game (Go NYR!).

Dana

Under Pressure

So as far as I can tell, the website is still being worked on. My amazing friend Amanda is working on it for me. But as the amazing Amanda is a musician (you can check out her fabulousness here www.amandaduncan.com) her time is rather limited and she's often traveling. Since she is doing this as a favor to me, she can take all the time she wants. Ha!

In other news, I miss baking. I've been spending most of my time working on the business end of the business. I'm really trying to get myself into a bakery, but I had no idea what kind of work (not to mention money) was involved in this. And I'm clueless about all of it. But, being the 0h-so-smart cookie that I am, I asked my business savvy friend Alexis if she wanted to partner with me. She plans, I bake. Seems like a good fit.

So we're meeting tomorrow to discuss things and see if she wants to be a part of it. I need to have the business plan done by tomorrow for her. I want to have as much information as I can possibly have. I want an answer for every question she has for me. Down to the last detail. I want her to feel confident about what she's (potentially) getting into.

If you've ever tried to open a business, you know how insane the research process is. If you haven't, it's essentially a full time job with forced overtime hours. It's constant. There's always more information you need. So that's my plan for the rest of the day. Finish as much as I can for our meeting tomorrow.

Oh, I must remember to ask her if I can write off a new camera as a business expense (especially since I don't actually have a business). Hopefully Manda will have the website up and running soon so you can actually see some pictures!

I'm back!

As I stated last time, I suck as a blogger. But with my brandy new website (via the amazing Manda) almost complete, I think it's time I learn to be a better blogger.

I'm not a person who makes resolutions. I haven't since they forced us in school to write them down. Too much disappointment when you inevitably break them. But resolutions or not, the new year brings new possibilities. New challenges. New changes. Fresh starts. And I suppose these are mine:

I'm probably never going to be an everyday blogger. But I'm going to make a valiant effort to blog at least once a week. I'm going to figure out how to get pictures on here so you believe my cupcakes are real.

I registered for a decorating class that starts in January and a pastry class that starts in March. I am super fabulously excited for these! (Granted my diet will sorely suffer I'm sure, but I'm never happier than when I'm covered in flour and sugar).

And lastly (and believe me three is a LOT for me) I need to get more (any?) business. I had a little rush over the holidays and now post holidays, I'm finding myself lacking orders. Hopefully Valentine's Day will bring some.

And speaking of Valentine's Day cupcakes, I'm getting excited to start working on new holiday treats! I'm going to focus on strawberry shortcake, red velvet, chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes and maybe some plan vanilla with a cute Valentine's Day decoration.

Until next week,
Dana

Halloween

God I suck as a blogger. It's been over a month since I bothered to grace you with my presence. And it's been a busy month. But that's no excuse.

So I had my cupcake launch party the Sunday before last. It went extrememly well. I good time appeared to be had by all. I had Alix take a bunch of pictures and the few previews I saw turned out completely fabulous. I'm very excited to get them back so I can hand them over to Amanda and have an actual website...with pictures! Lots of people showed up and after tasting most of them took cupcakes home to share so that was encouraging.

I have two Halloween cupcake orders this week. One for an adult Halloween party and one for a kids school Halloween party. The adult party is getting pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting dyed black and orange. The kids are getting both vanilla and chocolate cupcakes with both vanilla and chocolate frosting. I plan to do Halloween colors and I'm going to try dying some of the vanilla ones to look like candy corn. I think it'll turn out really nice. I'm excited!

I also plan to make some for the Halloween party I'm attending on Saturday. I'll probably end up just making extra of all the ones I already made since time will be short. (But I managed to bake and ice 18 chocolate cupcakes with marshmallow frosting during hockey intermissions last night...and that included clean up)!

Finally!

So a few weeks ago I accidentally (don't tell my Aunt LuAnn as she purchased it for me) threw away my 1m tip. It's that big huge giant tip that makes huge fabulous swirls on top of cupcakes. Well I finally made my way to Michaels and bought not one but two. (You know, just in case I accidentally throw one away or drop it in the garbage disposal or run it over with the car). And just knowing it's sitting safely all tucked away in my drawer makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

And on a totally unrelated note, one of my favorite blogs I Heart Cuppycakes, made me so fabulously happy today! The author an uber cute girl named Clara announced she was started a business with her cupcakes! Check out her blog if you have a chance. Her cupcakes are beautiful and amazing. (Plus she knows how to do stuff like add pictures which makes her blog waaaaay better).

I don't have any orders for cupcakes until Thanksgiving. Ugh! I make a mean pumpkin cupcake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting and I have a few orders for those for Thanksgiving but nothing before that. However, my birthday, Halloween and the start of hockey season (Let's go Rangers!)are all before then so I think I can find some good reasons to make a bunch before then.

My Kitchen is OverRun with Cupcakes

I'm about halfway through the baking process for tomorrow. I've made all the full size cupcakes. They're cooled and covered and awaiting some fabulous frosting. I made two dozen of chocolate and two dozen of cinnamon. (The cinnamon sort of collapsed upon itself. I ate one. It still tastes delicious and once it has frosting on it no one will ever know, but it was kinda weird).

The jello with the rum in it is chilling in the fridge for the jello shot cupcakes. I'm going for a tropical fruity theme. Peach and raspberry. Total yum.

I still have to make the mini vanilla cupcakes for the actual jello shot cupcakes. That's all I'm going to do tonight. I'll make all the frosting tomorrow. The cinnamon are getting cinnamon. (Big shocker there, no?) One dozen of the chocolate is getting peanut butter frosting and the other dozen is getting vanilla. I'm going to make some whipped cream for the jello shot ones.

Again. We all know by now that I suck with pictures, but hopefully someone at the party will take pictures, that actually look good. It's only a matter of time until you guys think these cupcakes are imaginary.

Dana