HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

As I say goodbye to 2008 ................ there are many brides and regular cake customers that I would like to thank for giving me the opportunity to play such an important role on their special day ... weddings, special anniversaries, birthdays, baby showers, etc. THANK YOU.



It was a great year .... both personally and professionally .... and 2009 will be another busy year ... and just wait until you see what comes out of the kitchen. Such color, such design. I'm so excited.


As we look to 2009 .... Let this coming year be better than all the others. Vow to do some of the things you've always wanted to do but couldn't find the time. Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories. Vow not to make a promise you don't think you can keep. Walk tall, and smile more. Don't be afraid to say, 'I love you'.


Clay and I wish you all a very Happy and Healthy New Year.

Harmelin-Royal, The Temple, 12/27/8

My last cake of 2008 ...........

I can't tell you how many times Clay and I drove right by The Temple .... never noticing it, nor how architectually beautiful it was. This was my first delivery ever to The Temple on Peachtree Street. My goodness, what a beautiful building. I love roaming thru the venues that I've delivered to ... places like The Fox, The Biltmore, etc., but Dayna, my bride, asked me to arrive at 6:00p which was too late for me to roam as her wedding was to start at 6:30p. Perhaps I'll get another opportunity in 2009.

Sometimes, simple cakes turn out elegant. That was the case for Dayna Harmelin and Jeremy Royal's wedding cake. The huge ballroom was full of guest tables with high centerpieces, and a live band ..... their cake was simple yet so pretty. Three tiers of white cake filled with Bailey's ... a flat finish, wine ribbon border. The florist (Carithers) placed the orchids and spray roses.

The groom cake ... Curious George Goes to the Doctor ..... was created as a surprise to the groom, Jeremy. (yes, I believe he is a doctor). It was chocolate cake filled w/ mousse (yum).

Photo's by Edward Zeltser Photography (http://www.edzeltserphoto.com/)

NOTE: The last time I had a cake photographed by Mr. Z was back in 2005 when I created the Hostess Cupcake cake (which many have smiled at while looking thru my portfolio). Thanks for the fast turnaround, Edward ... (and I'm sure Dayna/Jeremy appreciate it too).

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

A CHRISTMAS RECIPE

Take a heap of child-like wonder that opens up our eyes
To the unexpected gifts in life .... each day, a sweet surprise

Mix in fond appreciation for the people whom we know
Light festive Christmas candles, each one has a special glow

Add some giggles and some laughter; A dash of Christmas food
Amazing how a piece of cake improves our attitude

Stir it all with human kindness, Wrap it up with Love and Peace
Decorate with optimism and our joy will never cease

If we all use this healthy recipe We know we will remember
To be in the Christmas Spririt even when it's not December


I wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS !

Christmas Goodies

How cute are these !!!!!

In my spare time (yeah, right) I did a bunch of cupcakes. These Christmas tree's are an old favorite. I've been creating them for a few years now .... the Snow Globes are new this year and so are the Santa cupcakes. The chocolate cake looks good enough to eat, don't you think?

Bhula-Patel, Holiday Inn - Roswell, 12/20/8

Seema Bhula and Rakesh Patel met with me on 12/8 (for a 12/20 wedding). That sure was cutting it close. This was my 3rd and final cake of the day. Their colors were purple and teal .... I wish you could have seen the lighting and decor at their reception ... beautiful purple and teal fabrics, draped and adorned with jewels ... Gorgeous !!!

They needed a tall cake to accommodate their many guests ... the top two were red velvet, the 3rd layer was fake, the 4th was chocolate and the 5th was vanilla. Seema chose a pretty scroll pattern from my portfolio ... the scroll work was done in a purple/eggplant color with teal dots here and there.

When Clay went back later that evening to pick up the plateau, he said "the joint was still jumpin". A great time was being had by all.

Photo by me.

Parks-Choe, Rhodes Hall, 12/20/8

Esther Parks and Dustin Choe live in Texas, but married here in Atlanta. Esther had no idea what she wanted her cake to look like ... "something old fashioned" she said. We finally found a design that she liked ... her cake was ivory in color and had lots of hand drawn floral detail. Dustin's cake (due the day before for the rehearsal dinner) was an NC State logo.

I had never seen Rhodes Hall during Christmas .... it's decorated for the Holiday complete with a beautiful Christmas tree in the front window (where the cake normally is placed). Rhodes Hall has a covered front porch made out of granite or concrete or something ... in the summer months, cocktail tables are set out there, add centerpieces, and it's a great place for your guests to gather. In the winter however, it can be cold .. both in appearance and temperature. I don't know what company did this, but someone came in and draped the exterior openings of the porch ... it softened the porch and looked amazing. Simply beautiful.

I saw a f ew photo's of this wedding from the Blue World Studios Blog .... I tell you, Esther looked stunning. If you get the chance, go check Blue World's blog out.

Groom cake Photo by me

Wedding cake photo by Blue World Studios.

Diaz-Gonzales, Private Club House, 12/20/8

The reception for Natalia Diaz and Gabriel Gonzales was small, but full of love. These two people are meant to be together.

Their Day of Coordinator (Meridith Wullkotte - A Remembered Detail) brought them to my home a couple of months ago. Natalia knew exactly what she wanted .... small/simple/fun .... and if you take a close look at their topper you'll see just how fun these two people are.

Photo by me.

Robida-Thornberg, Wimbish House, 12/5/8

I had such a great time while setting up for this wedding .... I got to see some 'ol familiar vendor faces that I hadn't seen in a while (Heather Oliver from Stylish Stems and Kirkley Hennessey from Avalanche) ... and for the 4th week in a row ..... EJ and Janet (Blue World Studio) were busy capturing all the goings on for Jill and Ray Thornberg.

Jill and Ray had both, the ceremony and reception, downstairs at The Wimbish House. So, as soon as the ceremony was over, all guests travelled upstairs for the cocktail hour, and the vendors got busy transforming the beautiful cermony setting into a lavish reception. I was busy setting up the cake in the corner ... and noticed that I had an audience of one ..... an adorable flower girl who was intently trying to figure out how I was getting those little balls (bead border) to come out of that bag I was holding. I finished the cake, and she and I agreed that it was beautiful. Time to place the topper on the cake .... a multiloop ribbon bow. I had started the bow at the house, and finished it at the site by adding individual loops of ribbon .. I asked my "assistant" if she would like to help .... she held my icing bag and would squeeze a small drop of icing on the loops of ribbon and I placed them on the cake top. We made a great team. I didn't think to take a picture of this with my camera, but know that EJ (Blue World) got a shot and I'll post it later. Too cute.

Jill wanted a substantial wedding cake in size, but with having a dessert station (thru the caterer), didn't need a whole bunch of wedding cake. So, to get the look of a large cake, I baked the top three tiers and used fake cakes for the bottom two. Different designs on each layer always makes a pretty cake.

Congratulations, Jill and Ray !!!