I Think I Can, I Think I Can

One day soon (I hope) I will post full-finished photo's of my new cake studio. Today, I'm just bringing you up to speed. After returning to OKC in June (with squeals of excitement) I thought I had found the perfect space to set up shoppe. Cake shoppe. I was flippin' excited and roaring to go when I received the sad call that I had been outbid for the space by a franchise...you know, those people with extensive capital, which I, at this moment, do not have. I took a moment to throw my little fit, stomp around and cry a bit. Then, I had lunch with a great mentor...I would call her a colleague, but that would superimpose myself into her league, which I am not, so I think advisor, mentor, all-around-great-gal, fits the bill. You may remember when I first wrote about Ruth Rickey here. Sometimes, just having someone to bounce all of your goals off of really helps to clear the mind and bring a girl back on track. That's what my hour with Ruth did for me and helped me remember my initial plan and how very different it was from the plan I had formulated to meet the size of my so-called perfect space. It felt freeing to acknowledge that my lost space was perhaps a blessing in disguise...and boy was it. I continued looking all around the Edmond/OKC area looking for that little niche that I could turn into my studio - where I can create my edible art. After a couple more weeks of fervent exploring, I happened upon a little space in the nook and cranny of a downtown Edmond building. It fits the bill perfectly for me and my bakery boys - they do go to work with me most days and having an extra room specifically designed for them was a must. We didn't wast anytime negotiating the lease and hiring plumbers and electricians. At many points I questioned my sanity and understood why so many people choose to run a hobby business from their home. This commercial space is a lot of work! Especially when it's not a turn-key venture but rather a roll-up-your-sleeves-we-gettin-dirty heap of mess! We were determined to get the space ready on a shoe-string budget and as you know, that means a lot of DIY. I'm proud to say I have painted every nook and crevice with these two hands and spent countless hours scrubbing sanded concrete floors before I broke open the concrete sealer and went to work. We still have lots to do before I feel the place will be perfect, but I'm happy to say we're getting close to workable with loose ends to tie up as we go. The reality is, I've booked weddings and have to get to work! I'll just have to hang that bathroom mirror later, que sera sera. Take a moment browse thru a few before and during pics....and yes, you'll still be waiting for the after pics. Ornery, I know. 

First day we viewed the space

Love having an alley entrance for loading and unloading

No plumbing? No problem

Bring on the jackhammers

There's the plumbing

Picking out the perfect gray

Bakery Boy *sigh* I'm in Love

Bye-bye ugly brown

Hello gray

time to give those floors a face-lift: Round 1

My OCD needs medication

So close and yet so far

Floor sanding: Round 2

Ah, that's better

My baby has arrived!! 

Finally have a front door

Getting close

The brown had to go

Gray is so much better for us - love having a chalkboard on my back door

I hope you enjoyed a sneak peek behind our walls - I can't wait to bring you clips of the finished studio - stay tuned!!

It's That Time of Year Again....

If you've known me longer than say...a minute, then you know September is one of my favorite months. Fall begins not when the weather cools or the colors change but rather when Fashion Week arrives. As is my tradition for several years now, I tailgate fashion week (so to speak) by watching the documentary "The September Issue" while thumbing thru, of course, the September issue. Naturally. You may remember last year when I blogged about winning a signed edition of Vogue Editor's Eye for guessing the correct number of pages in the September 2012 issue of Vogue prior to its release. You could say I'm a bit of an addict.  I was subsequently offered a membership with Conde Nast Style Society (a Vogue subsidiary) which I shamefully do not participate in like I should, but proudly own the membership. I know, I know...if you stop by my cake studio on most days and find me in a hoodie sweatshirt with leggings and crocs you would find it hard to believe that I do in fact follow fashion - seems wrong to throw batter around and sweat in Gucci. It is what it is. This week I found myself laid up with a nasty little bug - you know the kind, fever/chills/body aches. But as is my modus operandi,  I don't sit still very well so while "resting" in my comfy pj's and in my favorite perch - my bed - I took the opportunity to not only send drug induced emails but to begin my annual fall tradition as well. After all, fashion week is literally just around the corner and this girl believes in standing by ritual....pajama's and all....

      

Adventures in Editing...

I've been settling in over the past three weeks and thoroughly organizing life before my cake boutique opens and my two oldest offspring begin middle school this fall. How do I have two children old enough for middle school?! Doesn't seem possible, yet I'm struck with the reality every time I converse with my oldest and find myself nearly eye-to-eye with him. Wowza. 

I'll be back to sharing recipes later this week and am super excited to reveal more about all of the amazing things happening with my business - I've already decided to post before, during, and after pics as we build-out and makeover the studio space that I have recently located. And no, it's not the original space that I was so excited about - long story - I'll bring you all up to speed soon. Keep your fingers crossed that my meeting this week with my commercial plumber won't break the bank as we draw out the plans for the kitchen.  *Investors Welcome* All the free cake you can eat! ...I think I'm funny....

During my cleaning/organizing as I unpacked our family of six, I found an entire computer folder of pics I shot last fall yet failed to edit and file. I should be thankful they weren't lost in the move and maybe I should file them unedited, but I can't resist tweaking just a little. I don't like to over-do the enhancements yet I think almost every pic can use a little sharpening and color editing. Here's a sample of what I've spent my Sunday afternoon doing. In the midst of my looonnnnggggg to-do list this doesn't seem as though it should be a priority...but she's too cute to walk away from.

p.s. - have I mentioned how stinking thrilled I am to be back in Sooner country?! Sweet Home Oklahoma....

xo,

A

Let Freedom Ring - Happy Fourth of July!

Impromptu Photo Session

It would be difficult to number the reasons I love being back in Oklahoma City - there are simply too many to count. However, being close to great friends is at the top of my list. One such friend in particular is like a sister to me and despite looking absolutely nothing alike, we are very similar in many other ways. Recently, we were goofing around and I captured these photos of her - I love each one so much - we spend a lot of time laughing together and they perfectly capture her personality. 

     

Turning Thirteen...

Shut the front door - I have a teenager. Do you remember turning 13? I do...I remember feeling so grown up. I also remember thinking how "old" my parents seemed. You know, like ancient. They were all of 38. Whew. So when my oldest offspring hit 13 last week I couldn't help but wonder if I seem old to him. He is a very honest child so I refrained from asking...not sure I could've handled it.

Thirteen years have never gone by so fast. I couldn't be more proud of the young man he is becoming. Thoughtful, kind, full of humor, possesses strong morals, and is an excellent decision maker (let's hope that holds true throughout his teen years). Here is a peak at his 13 year photo shoot....

       

First OKC Thunderstorm

My blog is undergoing yet another makeover. The name will remain the same, but finding time to redo the layout and header are proving difficult. Amongst the mountain of cardboard boxes, four kids and the professor, I'm brewing extra pots of coffee and taking lots of deep breaths. In business news, I finally found the perfect bakery space and - if all proceeds smoothly - we will be rocking and rolling by fall. A slightly later date than I anticipated, but as the saying goes...good things come to those who wait. I'm terribly excited and a little overwhelmed with everything there is to do.....making it necessary to spend some days simply playing in the rain. One of the things we have missed so much about OK (aside from the dry heat and glorious wind) are the rain-showers and thunderstorms. My baby had not experienced such a thunder shower before and though we probably shouldn't have been outside during one (bad mommy award is waiting for me) I couldn't resist letting him stomp around a little on the patio. Each time the thunder rolled my little sweetie-pie ran behind my back and hide his face. That boy is precious. Here are a few shots we captured from his first OK rain-shower....

Back To the Heart

It's getting closer! One week from today, all of my earthly belongings will be loaded onto a moving truck. I'll spend one last night in Texas before heading home to Oklahoma. While cleaning/purging/packing and then repeating everyday for the past two weeks, I have found so many little treasures tucked away in the back of box or hiding in the bottom of a forgotten handbag. One such treasure was my very first business card from over 13 years ago....

Clearly a homemade cutie as the edges aren't even. Ha! My OCD has since gone into hyper-drive. Nonetheless, I teared up a little when I found it and realized that I am moving back to the very same area code where it all began. My advertising has changed quite a bit as have my cake designs...but I couldn't be happier to be heading back to a city I'm crazy about with a business I never stopped loving.