Erin and I are pleased to offer no shipping charges on all the items at www.sweettalkboutique.com for the holidays. We know every little bit helps and this is our way to take a bite out of the current economic situation. So head on over and start shopping! Check out the new gifts section for our adorable purses hooks and Soapylove custom soaps, both make great stocking stuffers. And don’t forget you can email your kids’ photo to us to have it added to a cookie anytime!

Thanks to my friend Rob who wrote that he thought of me when he saw this article . Aren’t they cute? Of course I like the cake the best.

We’ve added some goodies over at Sweet Talk Boutique!  Check out our newest holiday gift giving ideas in the tastiest format…our Invitastions! Just check out the holiday section but hey, start here with a peek at one of our Merry Christmas greetings!  We’re going to be eliminating the shipping rates just for the holidays - hey we know it’s tough on everybody right now, but just because we’re feeling broke doesn’t mean we can’t have great taste! So for a limited time, all the greetings are $15.00 INCLUDING shipping in the US!!  As always, other illustrations and greetings are available, but for a short time you can even get the snowman cookie right here! And don’t forget a card is always included in the box so go ahead….eat the cookie!!

aw...isn't he cute? tastes even better!

boxed cookie greeting

black box $15.00 white box $15.00

box and ribbon colors

red ribbon green ribbon white ribbon royal blue ribbon black ribbon

your signature on cookie

It seems like lately I’ve been so busy with things other than actual cakes. I’ll go so far as to tell you I’ve actually been asked recently if I still make them! Of course I do! Here’s a little peek at a cake from Halloween weekend for a surprise birthday party at the Red Mill Inn in Baldwinsville. The guest of honor’s wife and MIL asked for a MacKenzie Childs-ish cake in square with fall colored sugar flowers and a hand cut guitar topper out of gum paste. I think we delivered. Hope you all had a great time, thanks again for your order Roxanne and Danielle, it was a pleasure!

Looking for another great list of sites for holiday shopping? STB has also joined TipJunkie’s ShopAthon this year. A really large compilation of mompreneur shops and some great gift ideas sorted by category. You can find our Christmas cookie greetings in the card section.

Sweet Talk Boutique’s custom “Ho Ho Hoedown” Invitastions were recently part of a feature over at the TipJunkie blog when guest blogger Sheena from Totally Tabletops posted some uber cute really unique ideas for hosting a western holiday themed party. I’m a huge fan of totallytabletops.com so when asked if we had any western ideas to share, I gave Erin a call and she designed the cutest cookie that would work perfectly for any big kid western theme. Don’t I just have the most talented pardner ya ever did see?? Sheena also blogged it at TT. Thanks Sheena!

Head over to TipJunkie for more great ideas, and hey don’t you forget to have a look at STB…we’ve got lots of great goodies just waiting to be baked for your holiday gifts, and some new items too!

This past weekend I had the honor and pleasure of creating my yummy truffle trees for Bubbles and Baubles; a benefit event put on by Positively Pink Packages to provide continued funding for much needed care packages to recently diagnosed breast cancer patients. Founder and survivor Jennifer Tom hosted a fabulous champagne and dessert event at the Holiday Inn at Carrier Circle with a silent auction and this year there was also a casino room! I do wish we could have stayed to enjoy the event but it was a super busy weekend for us and it just wasn’t in the cards.

Yep, I did it…I dressed up for Halloween. I wish I had a better photo to share but alas, here I am in all my cupcake glory! It was fun. And ok, it was a little scary!Look for my pink version next summer in our local Memorial Day Parade. Hmmm…I wonder how well mini cupcakes will be received when I throw them to the crowd instead of candy like all the other entries do…yeah, stay tuned for that one!

You can make your own cupcake costume; if I can whip one up in a couple hours so can you! I used a round laundry basket, cut out the bottom, and hand stitched with a running stitch the fabric (on sale!) for the cupcake liner. The frosting was some even more fabulous fluffy fleece I found (also on sale) and simply sewed it into very long tubes and stuffed it loosely with fiberfill. Then I tacked it in place in several sections to mimic the swirl of icing. I do believe the lack of a cherry on top or sprinkles is made up for by the striped stockings!

Yes SuziHomemaker, I’ll take my time on the next one! Ooh a cupcake costume in late May…wonder if I can put air conditioning in there?!

…would have more updates. Wow folks! You stick with me even when I’m not around to post as frequently as I’d like. I sincerely appreciate it!

One of the things that has been occupying my time as of late is Entrepreneur Boot Camp at Syracuse University. What and why? Well, in a nutshell I came to the realization that I’ve come very far with my cake business on only a wing and a prayer, the support of friends and family (and ok, humbly I say there’s some God given talent too) . But really, “winging it” has been my approach over the last 9 years. What started out as purely refusing to pay for something I knew I wouldn’t be happy with has blossomed into what it is now and when I imagine what it could have been if I had done it correctly…well, I am speechless. Speechless at the thought of the possibilities. Speechless at the thought of the blood, sweat and tears that could have been spared, or at least shed a bit less often. And speechless at the thought of how far I have come without knowing what the hell I was doing. Yep, I feel that way sometimes.

So, I’m hopeful that Boot Camp will provide some of the much needed tools I’m lacking and give insight to the skills I need to continue in the correct direction. Bigger? Maybe, maybe not. Better? Well, obviously I hope so. But in the right direction for me, my family, my community and my customers.

Because without the 3 of you…She Takes The Cake would be nothing. Thanks, and stay tuned. Everything that is in the works now will hopefully be unveiled by next year. Just in time for year 10. Don’t you just love a Grand Anniversary Re-Opening? I do! Are things on hold till then? NO! You can still get the best tasting, coolest looking cakes and goodies around from STTC. And Sweet Talk Boutique is growing everyday. I’m still working hard to try and bring the best of everything and for now it is still just me baking in the studio and answering emails and phones. (I know…seems crazy doesn’t it!?) But with great collaborations like with Erin of Bride Design on our STB line and the ongoing support and return orders from all the terrific clients new and old, we will strive to grow and lead the CNY are with edible creations that continue to excite us all!