Vanessa/Martha challenge is on...I made Lemon Meringue cupcakes this week. They were good but not my fav, kinda messy to eat and a lot of work. Lemon cake, lemon curd and 7 minute frosting all made by hand....I must say the frosting was the hardest since I don't have a candy thermometer so I played it by ear and not sure if it came out right. Everyone seemed to enjoy them so guess that's what counts...I must say I love the challenges though!

This weekend I have a Cars themed order so am making Martha's Marble cupcakes...two done! :)

Martha, Martha, Martha

So I have failed my Julie/Julia attempt...so busy and let's be honest I am obsessed with cupcakes! Now that I am getting so many orders, I long for the random days when I get to just bake for fun...no pressure, no stress, no doubting myself. {I am crazy hard on myself!!} So, to accommodate both, I have moved my Martha following to her cupcake book, atleast for now! I will attempt to make everything in her cupcake book and will post about it! Yay! I have already done some without even knowing it and had planned on doing Lemon Meringue today, so the order I make them will be random.
It doesn't get better then Martha Stewart and Cupcakes!!

This could be an epic failure or could be a huge business change but I have decided to take my cupcakes on the road, well at least to Albuquerque/Santa Fe. I have 12 dozen orders...not bad for a day trip!

{quote}

There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single, flashing, throbbing moment.
… Sarah Dessen

Most profess to want love - to give it & to receive it - but few believe in doing what is necessary to nurture & sustain that love.
… Zane

Our real discoveries come from chaos, from going to the place that looks wrong and stupid and foolish.
… Chuck Palahniuk, Invisible Monsters

In real-life fairy tales, you can define who you are for yourself and, as a result, choose your ending; you don’t really need someone to save you, just someone who can let you save yourself.

Julie/Julia challenge

I want to do a Julie/Julia thing but with Martha....I'm going to do her Baking Handbook. So the challenge I'm presenting myself is once a week bake from her book and will start from page one and go all the way through, trying everything, no matter what it is. This might be crazy, especially with my schedule and my diet but I love the idea, the experience I will gain, and the building of my baking resume.

the good and the bad...

I got unexpected exciting news yesterday when a new cafe called and asked me to be the baker for her shop...wow that did happen! I have to admit I still doubt my ability, still doubt if I'm good enough to sell especially when it seems like everyone and their mom bakes. I preceded to have a panic attack about if I can really pull all this off, with school starting next week. I am determined to finish school but it seems like all these opportunities are coming up and I'm afraid if I don't take them now I won't get them again, and this is my dream job! So, I decided to do it and called to find out about getting a business license...bad news followed and I have been feeling deflated all day. Apparently you need a lot of crap to be able to sell food, especially to another business...like a lot of money and I have to bake from a commercial kitchen (not my home, which does not make sense if I'm doing a HOME business!). I know that everything will come in time and this just isn't mine yet, and the smart thing to do is finish school and bake on the side but it's really heartbreaking when you get an offer that is almost to good to be true and then it is taken away.
I have to admit though, it's pretty great that this has all happened to me in just a few months..I just wanted to practice and now am selling and even getting business offers!! Happy dance!

Day One

Well I am FINALLY starting my diet..I know, finally! So today is day one of losing my cupcake pudginess and I started with The Green Monster.

I can do it!

Woo hoo, last summer session ever! One more year and I am done with school! I don't even know if I'm going to use my degree, now that the baking thing has taken off but just to say I finally completed it is enough! I have learned a lot, changed a lot in the last few years...who woulda thought life would turn out this way!