Pushing Myself...

Motivation...Do you have it?  Does it come from within or from something external?  Being in corporate America, and I can now identify my former career- pharmaceuticals-- motivation was the topic of many national meetings.  They tried with stories, props, skits to motivate us,  what they should have been doing is creating an motivational environment filled with inspirational stories.  They missed this part-- only a few of my managers over the years understood this.  One of my mentors--she was and is a truly great leader hit on the nail head-- "I can create an motivational environment but it has come from within--"  You either have it or you don't.  You draw inspiration from all around.  That has never been more true about how I approach my cakes.  I want do cakes for two reasons: I love the people or I love the design.  This approach allows me to push myself, losing any fear in my inspiration.

My brothers birthday was coming up.  My brother has used his gift and developed a business.  This took courage, motivation, and inspiration.  He has an amazing logo: a viking ship.  His business and the courage he showed was the inspiration for the cake-- a viking ship-- a 3-D representation of his logo, chocolate peanut buttercup, a childhood favorite of my brother's and mine.  We would hoard the Reese's eggs at Easter.  The motivation came from my love of my brother.

I had never worked with modeling chocolate-- but the design was so clear.  Planks, the two masts.  I made the modeling chocolate, cut the planks.   The cake came together,  as if it rose from the sea.  Still to this day it is one  of my favorite cakes.  I need to be motivated by inspiration.

Cakes Get Personal

I love doing meaningful things for people.  Living in Orange County, in a world surrounded by stuff it is so easy to walk into a store get the latest and greatest, but will it be remembered in a week, a month, in six months?  Giving something meaningful can also be a testament to how well you know someone-- what is meaningful to them.  


My husband, a man who has brought so much meaning to my life, has a deep love for the Ford Bronco, and no, not the OJ model-- the classic.  If you are not a car enthusiast-- think what Kenau Reeves drove in Speed.  His birthday was coming up and I couldn't not get him the actual Bronco not quiet in our budget-- that would above our limit on single signature purchases.  But a could do it in cake.

Cake allows me to be fearless.  I have never sculpted a car before, I have never even played with cars before.  Ask my brother-- my cars sounds are terrible.  No matter-- I would deliver a classic bronco in cake.  


The cake traveled 5 hours with us to Yosemite.  We were there for his birthday.  A personal expression in cake.  This will have do until he turns 50 for the real thing...

Life Takes Over...

Where have I been?  Life.  Cakes have not been on hold, just writing about them.  I am about 8 cakes behind.   Being a mom, a wife, a room mom, a career women have all taken priority over documenting my cakes.  What I have realized in the past 7 months is how much I enjoy doing cakes-- and how comfortable I am in my own skin right now. I have taken some time to flush out what I want to do and focus on what is most important-- my family.  I have changed jobs so that I am closer to home.  My new position is still in corporate america but has less stress and I am done at 5-- my work does not come home with me.  I have become more involved in my daughters school.  My husband and I have started date night- awesome. Why did we wait almost 9 years to do this.  To all my married friends out their-- schedule a date night.  So worth it.  And I know my cakes are something I want to do-- just on my time.

I realized I am much more like my family than thought.  I like a starting point-- buzz light year or green and orange.  Then I want to run with it.  I don't like to be pigeon holed into an idea.  This is truly an artistic expression for me.  I like bringing joy to people through cake--whether a room full of people are enjoying a GFCF cake or someone wasn't even expecting a birthday cake and it was a personal expression.  I want my cakes to be a personal experience for people.  I am back and enjoying every minute of it.

GFCF Take Two

So I am a little behind in my posting.   Life what can I say-- I have not stop been on a break from cakes.  I believe I am walking on a path that is already laid out for me-- it is my job to recognize the opportunities and make the most of them.  If you would have asked me five years ago to describe what my life would look like in five years I would not have described my life as it is now, but I would not trade my life for anything-- I am beginning to live out one of my passions- cakes.

After an abysmal start to GFCF cake I had to try again-- my daughter's birthday was right around the corner.  As I learned from previous years- She would have more input on her cake this year-  the latest trend-- "Littlest Pet Shop"  seemed to be the theme of the moment.  I did not even know what these small, bizarre little toys were.  But she was passionately describing her cake- littlest pet shop in a carriage with horses and princesses.  Okay- let's rain her in-- one theme.  Littlest Pet Shops.  But I still had no clue what they were-- thank you google.  I had no idea what I had gotten myself into .  They are a bizarre combination of small bobble head and Japanese anime all wrapped up in a children's toy.  Parents--think lots of small parts.  Just what we needed.

My daughter wanted to be involved at every step.  She help mix the cakes.  The frosting was a family affair-- I learned from the Ding Dong cake - it had to be stiffer-- she wanted chocolate again.  My husband served a the taste tester for the non-GFCF crowd-- the frosting passed both tests.  The best feeling was being in the kitchen with my daughter and have her be able to lick the frosting bowl-- she had the biggest smile on her face-- it brought back memories of being in the kitchen with my mom.

I surrendered to power of the pet shops and being a working mom-- after very tense negotiations with my daughter-- they could have rivaled the Geneva convention-- on which pet shop animals she wanted on the cake-- she could not pick one.  So I surrendered to the Costco multi-pack.  34 animals.  No sculpting.  It is so liberating to recognize your limitations and be totally okay with it.

The cake was driven by my daughter-- sparkle pink-- it arrived at the birthday and the kids went nuts-- she was so proud of the cake.  We had 15 pet shop creatures on the cake.  She carefully directed which animals made the cut to get on the cake and which did not.  The best part was everyone loved the cake-- GFCF and non-GFCF-- not a drop of dairy or gluten.  My daughter got the first piece for the second year in a row...I was smiling from ear to ear.