This has been something I've debated over ever since opening the doors of Steph's Sweet Treats.  Not this exact system, but just in general.  What the heck am I talking about? Getting an edible image printer of my own!  There are several benefits to having my own edible image printer, but also some pretty big potential downfalls.​

I can currently do cakes with custom edible images on them, I just don't print them in house.  (Above are two examples of images that I have had printed for cakes.) It can be inconvenient for me and the customer, as well being pricier.  So why do I do this way??  Because I probably only print three edible images a year....and to have your own system you need to print at least once a week to keep your printer unclogged and working properly!

So you can see my predicament.  I can get an edible image printer, but if I'm not printing regularly, then I will be replacing $100 printer heads every time I print an image...which would make even less sense for me to do!  So why am I even bringing it up if it clearly won't work?  Because there's a system called PhotoCake that would allow me to offer my customers A LOT of options for edible images, including a whole lot of custom images using licensed/copyrighted images!!  Yay!!  It's not just licensed images, it can be just your photo, or something like a graduation theme with or without a personal photo.

I really push the fact that I follow copyright/licensing laws at Steph's Sweet Treats.  Which means I can't replicate logos, sports teams, and characters in any way.  If they are on a cake it needs to be done with purchased toys and toppers.  This system would allow me to give customers a wider variety of options when they want a character or licensed image cake.

Now I just have to figure out if my customers would actually use this new feature if I get it for Steph's Sweet Treats.  It would take some time to get the word out, but would this be something that interests you??  My theory is: if I don't have an order using the printer that week, I can print an image that would likely be popular/get used relatively quickly (for example Finding Dory just came out so there may be some kids looking to have Finding Dory parties soon).  But then again....I could also get stuck with 40+ images at the end of the year....so I can't decide what to do!

I basically need to know from you, my customers, if this was something Steph's Sweet Treats were to offer....would you take advantage of it or want a cake with an image?

Below are some examples of images/cakes that could be done with these images.  There's over 1500 images available with the system, so these are just a few to show you the kinds of images available.  Customers would be able to add their own photo into images (like the 1st birthday image, Aaron Rodgers image, Finding Dory image, and Paw Patrol image); have an image that is the main focal point of the cake, licensed image or not, there are so many options (examples: ready to pop image, deer image, Frozen image, 2016 image, and Superman); or even do images around the outside of the cake instead of the top (like the My Little Pony image-there are a lot of neat patterns available in this option too!)

So there are over 1500 images available, but I don't even have to use them!  If you just want your photo or your company's logo, I could do that too!  The possibilities are endless....but I need to figure out if it interests you guys!

Thanks for another week of orders and I hope to see you at next Friday's open day!  

You may or may not know this about me, but in the case that you don't...I'll fill you in!  My main degree is in communication technologies (journalism).  For awhile I wrote for the local newspaper and wrote mostly opinion pieces.  If you ever read them, you may know I spoke my mind and didn't hold back.  Hmm....kind of like I do on here right!?

Sure this is a business blog...but it's still a blog. So I like to switch things up sometimes! I think writing about various topics also helps my customers get to know me a bit. Which is why I decided to do a bit of an opinion style post this week.  

I think it's pretty fair (and obvious) that there is a major difference in working style and ethic starting in my generation and going down (or younger).  Or maybe you'd prefer if I say there's major entitlement issues in the younger generations?  Mine included. Now I'm no researcher or expert here, but I can't help but think that part of the problem is that the younger generation no longer has working as a priority.

Whether it's their own choosing, or their parents'....working just doesn't seem like a priority.  Yet everyone still wants money and objects.  So how does that work?  Everyone just wants things handed to them or expects things to come easily.  I have worked ever since I was 13.  I started out working for my parents and have added and subtracted jobs as the years go on...usually holding down more than one job at a time.  And I still do!  Granted, I'm hardly ever at my parents' company anymore, but I do what I can while still making my own business my priority.  (Running your business can feel like 4 jobs!)

Don't get me wrong....when all my friends were at the beach and I was going to work in the factory I wasn't always thrilled about it.  I even threw some bratty teenage fits about it.  But instead of just letting me do what I wanted all the time, my parents put me to work in order to get things I wanted.  If I worked a certain amount I would get a day to go to the beach with friends or a trip to the store to spend my paycheck.  But I had to earn it.  

Now, I couldn't be more grateful to my parents for doing this.  They have a work ethic most people could only dream of having, and I hope others can see their ways rubbed off on me.  I will never forget the way it felt to buy my very first ipod (the ones that were like big bricks) with my paycheck.  I don't use it anymore, but I can't make myself get rid of it because of that memory.  Or the time I was determined to finish packing a certain amount of product and wouldn't stop until I had finished and my mom took me to the bookstore in Madison (big treat for me) to get books with my paycheck.  Gifts might be nice, but knowing you earned something is the greatest feeling.  I think getting to learn that feeling at a young age is a huge part of developing the way a person thinks, acts, and works as they grow up.

I say how a person thinks, acts, and works on purpose.  I'm not saying if you don't work as a kid/teen you are going to be a terrible worker when you grow up.  I'm saying it can shape aspects of how you think and act.  Because believe me, I don't think you have to punch a time clock to be a hard worker.  Stay-at-home parents work very hard!

I hear the argument all the time that "you are only young once"....."you have your whole life to work, enjoy being a kid"....or "you can't have a job and play sports, so play the sports."   Why not?  Like I said...I still got to go to the beach/be a kid.  It just wasn't all day every day.  It was a here and there and I still got to make summer vacation memories.  I was also a cheerleader in high school and still held down several jobs, good grades, and a social life.  Learning a work ethic and appreciation for where money comes from is just as valuable (if not more valuable) than "just being a kid."

Not trying to stir any pots here, just expressing my thoughts on how valuable I think working at a young age can be for kids.  Maybe it's not even an "actual job"... maybe it's helping out parents, grandparents, neighbors, etc.. whatever it is, I think there is deep value in kids doing more than "being a kid." And of course there are always exceptions to the rule; there's always people who didn't work or have responsibilities as kids or teens and turn out to be amazing people, great workers, value work ethic, and not be entitled as adults!

Thanks for another week of orders and thanks for reading my winded opinion piece!

Can you believe it's June already?!  Some may say that means it's wedding season, but I've been lucky enough to bake for quite a few weddings already this year!  And if you ask me, the time I get hit the hardest for weddings is September and October...so let's just say all year long is wedding season!

I kicked off 2016 with the biggest cupcake wedding I have had (not counting multiple wedding weekends).  The wedding was on January 9th and had 600 cupcakes!  This gorgeous wedding took place at the University of Wisconsin Platteville and used the cupcakes as part of their centerpieces.  Flavors: brownie batter, lemon poppy seed, vanilla raspberry, chocolate chip cookie dough, and red velvet.  They also chose to make the cupcakes a little more decorative than usual by having me add white glittered cupcake wrappers.  The end result was the perfect mix of rustic and elegance!

It's not very often I get a Friday wedding, but I got one on March 18!  This rustic themed wedding was at Barn 23 and consisted of 125 cupcakes in vanilla and chocolate and a wood log style cutting cake that was chocolate with banana cream filling.  The setup combined my wooden crates and wood slabs provided by the couple.  I also alternated the style in which the cupcakes were frosted-half had the signature swirl and half were rose (or rosette) style.  Another great mix of rustic and elegance!

The third wedding of the year happened to be at the same location as the first and the night after the last wedding (on March 19)!  This time there was 352 cupcakes and 3 dozen cookies (vanilla, vanilla strawberry, chocolate peanut butter, and dark chocolate).  The couple used stands and trays from the venue to display their monogram cookies and mint and pink colored cupcakes.  The table was full to the brim with these goodies and I loved the colors!

The last wedding for March was on March 26 at the Quail Run Golf Course in  Richland Center.  There was 175 cupcakes (marble, vanilla raspberry, and chocolate peanut butter).  This wedding combined my wooden crates and wooden stairs to go with the theme of their wedding.  They also chose to do some fun swirling of colors in their frosting (can't see in picture to the right).  Some of the cupcakes were plain yellow and gray and then some had yellow and gray swirled together.  It's always fun to do a little something extra to the cupcakes to draw in people's eyes (and taste buds!)

Now onto April!  The above wedding was 200 cupcakes at the Belmont Convention Center- blueberry white chocolate, chocolate chip cheesecake, carrot and funfetti (plus some gluten-free red velvet).  The couple used my tiered white stand to display their cupcakes and cutting cake.  I loved how the couple chose to leave some of the flavors as they would come naturally (like blueberry white chocolate and chocolate chip cheesecake) and incorporated their wedding colors into the others.

The next weddings were from a double wedding weekend! (April 16).  My mom went to The River Inn in Boscobel with me to deliver the wedding in the top photos- 225  ultimate marble, funfetti, smore and chocolate chip cookie dough (plus a two tiered lemon raspberry naked cake).  I absolutely loved how they had the cake tables set up.  I mean those hanging tissue decorations are swoon worthy!  The left display was provided by the couple and the right wooden tiered stand was rented from me.  I thought it was so fun to be able to do two tables instead of one!

The bottom wedding was taken to Turner Hall in Monroe by my husband.  It was 550 cupcakes (not all pictured): vanilla, vanilla raspberry, chocolate peanut butter, monster cookie, carrot, triple salted caramel, and almond cheer.  The couple provided the display crates and told me to set them up however I saw fit.  Since my husband is such a trooper and did the setup all by himself, we drew it out the night before so he knew were everything would be before he got there.

The next wedding, on May 7th, was for a classmate of mine.  All customers  are special to me, but it always feels a little more special, and like such an honor, to do the wedding of someone you know personally.  

The wedding was 410 cupcakes vanilla and chocolate at the Belmont Convention Center and were used as centerpieces for all the tables.  What I found neat about these red plates was that the lighting/reflections hit the cupcake liners giving them a red tint!

The last wedding for May (May 14) was also for a couple who went to the same school as me!  And I must say....I was super excited for this wedding because it was at Sugarland Barn in Arena and I had yet to do a wedding there.  I meant to take a picture of the beautiful barn interior, but I totally forgot!  We were setting up right before the ceremony so the need to get in and out made me forget!  Anyways, the couple provided the setup (which I loved!).  I love when setups have multiple aspects and levels, so this one definitely fit that!  It was 300 cupcakes - monster cookie, vanilla strawberry, and dark Irish (and a two tiered white cake with strawberry filling).

Now you are up to date on all the Steph's Sweet Treats weddings thus far in 2016!  Thank you for another week of orders and I hope to see you all at the open day Friday!!