It's a Bittersweet Affair...

Last week, I headed to Edmonton for another "pick up supplies and get ready for fall" trip. I also spent some time visiting my sister and her family, before we headed all together for a trip to Medicine Hat, Alberta to visit my uncle and grandmother. 

This was a difficult trip... you see, my grandmother, who is 87, is suffering from dementia. It has been hard to see her health declining over the past 5 years. I am EXTREMELY close to my grandmother. She is the ONE who shared her love of baking with me and taught me over the years all her secrets and knowledge. She was not only my mentor, but my best friend, confidant, baking "soul mate", and second "mother". She was there for ALL the important times of my life from infant up until now. It was finally during this visit, that I realized the Gram I knew was "gone", she had failed to recognize me. We can no longer talk recipes or baking or just chit chat in general. THAT IS GONE!!! The best I can do is to sit beside her in silence and support her.

Just before I left, I was given her coveted bread pan and  prized collection of cookbooks. I have tried to look at them, but I CAN NOT... it is just too painful. You see, I have NEVER looked at those cookbooks ALONE, it was always in the company of my grandmother. I am just not ready yet to look at them by myself. Perhaps.. one day. Below is one of my favorite photos of both my grandmother and I, on my wedding day 15 years ago.

Onto more cheery things, we created this beautiful rustic country theme wedding this past weekend. Wedding cake was rusic iced, and adorned with burlap flowers, lavender and baby's breath.

Here is another view of the cake table. I ABSOLUTELY love this the cake display. The bride chose this antique cupboard to display her wedding cake along with a burlap and lace table runner. A big shout out to Flowers by Charene for the gorgeous work decorating the venue.

Blue & White Skull 'n Crossbones Baby Shower cupcakes for a baby boy.

Just a  few of the cupcakes we delivered to The Canadian Grind this week. Below are Triple Chocolate Cupcakes and Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes.

A Sculpting We Will Go...

Well... it's been ANOTHER busy week here. With the usual cupcakes, we also created some wedding cupcakes and two sculpted cakes. On ANOTHER note, remember last week when I was discussing the idea of a storefront. Well.... there has been a slight development. My husband and I decided that in fact we will ONE day, (and I mean ONE day) we will have a storefront that will house both our business'.  One half will be devoted to our environmental business, and the other half will be my cake shop. NOW, when will this be? Not for a while.. we have to find the right location, or maybe even build a place. Right now, it's just been in the "planning" stages, but will keep you posted on any new developments.

Here are the cupcakes and cakes of the week...

Created this 21 window VW bus for a couple celebrating their 10th wedding aniversary.  Cake was all hand sculpted and the figurines were modeled from sugarpaste.

Another hand sculpted Toronto Maple Leaf Corset cake created for a client's husband's birthday.

Carrot Cupcakes and Vanilla Cupcakes with White Chocolate Seashells.

 Red Velvet Cupcakes topped with sugarpaste flowers and Lemon Zest cupcakes topped with candy lemon wedges.

Here we go.. doing it again!

Here we go again, blogging for the second time.. think if I set aside a time each week i.e. Sunday mornings when it is quiet, I can get this done. Anyway, this week we were busy completing cupcakes for The Canadian Grind (a local coffee/craft shop) in Fort St John. We also had a large 60th birthday cupcake order (no pics.. sorry), plus a wedding cake. 

As I said in my last post last weekend, business has been REALLY busy this past year.. which is GREAT, but it can have it's downside. Even though I have been super busy, I have been in a bit of a rut (business rut, that is). I need to make some decisions, but don't know which direction to go. Since I have become sooo busy lately, it has been harder and harder to keep up with orders and unfortunately I have had to turn away sooo many people (which I really hate doing!!!)  People keep on telling me to hire help (easy, right???). Well, NO! I tried that, but since we are located 25 minutes north of Fort St John, people seem to think that is too far to travel. AND, I don't need someone full time, just a couple of hours 3x a week. Unfortunately NO ONE will travel and work for that, so I am STUCK! 

Open a business in town????? Hmmm... that is nice idea, but right now I have kids at home, an acreage to maintain, my husband's environmental business to help run.. you see the pic? Plus, during the school year, my kids go to a rural school that is outside of town. They catch the bus at 7AM and then I have to drive and pick them up from the bus stop at 3:30PM. I would have to close up shop in the afternoon to pick them up. Sorry.., you can't run a business like that.

So what to do??? Move to town, relocate not ONE business, but TWO businesses (my husband's business needs a shop and large area for equipment and machinery), change schools for my kids AGAIN. HMMM....NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. A lot of people tell me, "Oh, just wait until the kids are out of school and  that go at it." Hmmm... I will be 50+ then and, I don't know about you,  but I don't really want to be start ramping up a business, that's when I want to start slowing down.

So you see.. that is where I am at! I have been pondering, pulling my hair out, losing sleep and wracking my brain out for a solution, and STILL haven't come to a solution. So while I STILL ponder a solution, here are some of the cupcakes/cakes of the week.

 Red Velvet and Lemon Tart Cupcakes for The Canadian Grind

 

Chocolate Cookies n Cream and Strawberry Cupcakes for The Canadian Grind

This summer has been nothing but RAIN, RAIN, RAIN, RAIN. Every weekend for the past month has been raining. Delivering wedding cakes in the rain is not the greatest, however,  I box all my cakes up so that way they don't get wet. This weekend was no exception... just prior to delivery, we were experiencing thunder and lightening. Up here in Fort St John, about 50% of the weddings are outdoor tent weddings.   Needless to say, with this year's weather conditions, tent weddings have been less than ideal.   During a heavy downpour we delivered this 3 tier fondant ruffled wedding cake to an outside country wedding north of Fort St John located in the local fair grounds. Fresh purple flowers were added to the cake upon delivery. The reception tent was beautifully decorated with log accents, wooden accents, white linens and additional purple flowers. It looked lovely! It had a definite "country" feel!