Don't get me wrong, I love all my orders and get excited to fill everyone's orders...but there are times when I get extra excited to fill an order.  This usually means I get to do something new, over-the-top, or something I've had my eye on.  In this case...the cake was all of the above!

The cake that was floating around Pinterest, Facebook, social media, etc. was a wood slab cake with a plaid inside and an ax coming out of the top.  Naturally, I wanted to make it!  Unfortunately, there are some technical things that needed to be done and known...and the only way to get them...pay a subscription to the site...

Then, a bride emailed me wanting the cake for her cutting cake!  (Minus the ax).  I was immediately excited and gave her a few options.  To do my own version of the cake, which would be close but could have some differences to the pattern inside and maybe the outside since I didn't have the exact methods that were used; or to add the website fee to the cake so I can get the inside scoop and apply it to the cake.  She opted for the website fee and getting the inside scoop...and here's what the end result was!

Sorry to plaster you with what may look like the same photo over and over...but I felt like I couldn't take enough pictures of the cake and just kept taking them (for your sake, I didn't put them all up!).  I did veer a little from the information I obtained from the site for the top of the cake, which was supposed to be done with an airbrush.

I just hand painted it instead....because while I have an airbrush...I've only used it once.  Not because I don't want to use it...but because I somehow managed to make it not work properly after only one use!  Oops!  And I have yet to figure out how to get it going again.  In the end, I was happy that my airbrush was broken because I LOVED the outcome of the hand-painting.  I liked it more than the airbrushed version.

To make this cake even more exciting...it was plaid on the inside!  It's a little hard to see, but the couple was kind enough to have pictures sent my way so I could see the inside.  I couldn't exactly cut the cake, take a picture and put it back together now could I?!  

As you can probably tell my my over enthusiastic photo taking, and blabbing, I love this cake!  It's always stressful when something you've never done comes your way, but at the same time...sooo exciting!  So I hope you enjoy this cake as much as I do!

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

​I don't want to bombard the blog with baby stuff, but since I am pregnant, I figure an occasional update is called for/appropriate.  At 16 weeks (and 3 days) I'm moving on through my second trimester, and can now reflect back on what it was like for me to bake during the first trimester.

​Baking in the first trimester really wasn't all that different for me than my normal baking.  I lucked out in terms of morning sickness and only had mild nausea and then had to deal with hot flashes.  One thing I did/do have....tiredness!  I've never been much of a napper...I have a really hard time falling asleep in the middle of the day unless I'm sick or something.  Probably because I'm too worried about what other things I could be getting done...darn you Type A personality!

Well that quickly went away because I literally felt like I couldn't keep my eyes open.  This is a real struggle when you get up in the wee hours to bake.  If I got the luxury to get home early or if it was the weekend I would easily fall asleep on the couch or chair if it was between noon and 3 pm.  And then by 8 pm I was ready to go back to sleep!  

I go to bed early as it is since 3 am rolls around in a hurry...and even though I'm no longer in my first trimester I still find myself wanting more sleep.  Not so much in the middle of the day anymore, but in the evening I just want to go to bed. I will not feel bad about going to bed early!  No sleep and late nights are on the way so I will soak up the sleep while I can!

The only other real change I made was to make a conscious effort to take breaks.  I barely ever stop what I'm doing or take a real break when I have a day full of orders.....so the first trimester left me doing "the potty dance" a whole lot! I now make sure I have my snacks and meals at times I normally would....and I sit down to eat!  Crazy I know!!  I use my stool to actually take breaks, and I use it when I'm done baking and move on to decorating.  Using a stool isn't super convenient....I have to get up a lot so there's not really much sitting, but the resting/leaning still helps.  

The above pictures are pretty blurry and I didn't take a whole lot of time editing them....but I've been trying to document week by week by just snapping a quick picture on my phone and putting some tidbits with the pictures.  So here are the pictures from weeks 8, 12, and 16!  The next update will be at the end of March....when we find out the gender!  I have no preference, just health, but man oh man I can't wait to find out!  I was fine...until the ultrasound got scheduled...now I just want to know right this second!

Before I end this post I thought I'd throw in the post I put up on my Facebook page..in case you missed it:

As I pay my yearly business taxes I must say thank you to all of my customers. You may think this is an odd thing, since businesses have to fork over large amounts of money to the government, but it reminds me that I am fighting a fair and moral business fight.
Steph's Sweet Treats got started because people beyond my friends and family started wanting my baked goods. Which is good, this is how most businesses start..word of mouth. However, as soon as I saw this happening, I made the transition to no longer baking from my home; I went through the process of opening a legally licensed kitchen. (I even rented a licensed kitchen for an order that was non family related before my bakery was ready and I paid taxes on the order).
What does this mean? I follow copyright laws, I follow the codes of the health department, I pay licensing fees and inspections, and I send a very large portion of each and every order to the government. Combine all of these things, and it makes if very hard to watch illegal bakers in the area who are not licensed, do not follow copyright, code, OR pay such a large sum to the government, grow and get away with it.
Worst of all, their customers don't realize they are only encouraging them to continue business illegally. You don't need a legal business to put up a facebook page or website, so many many people get away with it and customers are none the wiser to the persons operations.
This is why I am saying thank you for those of you who choose Steph's Sweet Treats. I urge you to continue support small LEGAL businesses. Thank you everyone who supports me; I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate it!
Sorry had to get that off my chest and out of my brain.

As always, thanks for another week of orders!

It's been awhile since I did a "story behind the order" post, so I thought I'd do the first one of 2016, third one overall.  If you've never read one of the behind the order blog posts before,  I just give you a peek behind the scenes/background on a few orders. How do I pick which orders to talk about?  They usually have special meaning to me, were particularly fun (even though all orders are fun!), were something new I got to try, or were a big hit on Facebook.

First up, let's talk about Barbie.  I'm sure most of you have seen a 3D Barbie cake at some point since they are pretty popular... despite their popularity, I had yet to have someone order one!  So I was pretty excited to make this cake.  If you haven't noticed, Barbie is tall!  Which means a Barbie dress cake is VERY large!  This cake was 4+ layers of cake....I say + because there was some carving and sculpting at the top to get the dress shape and cover enough of Barbie's torso.  Barbie's top included, the cake measured around a foot tall.  

This isn't the first big cake I've had the pleasure of making for this customer.  I got to make the super fun monster cake pictured below when they welcomed a new baby into the family.  They sure know how to order fun cakes!

Next up, a super fun first birthday cake....and again, something I've been wanting to make.  I love seeing cakes with little elephants holding balloons, so when I was asked to make one, I was excited!  There was also a lot of different fondant details in this cake which is always a fun treat for me.  The elephant and flower got made a few days in advance so they could harden up enough to go on the cake.  The other details (chevron and polka dots) were made right before decorating so they were pliable enough to go on.  The cake also went with the polka dot smash cake pictured.  It was a first birthday and golden birthday celebration that I was thrilled to be a part of.

The next order was given to my husband's aunt by my mother-in-law.  Every year she gets her flowers for her birthday...so this year she wanted to combine her love of chocolate cupcakes with flowers!  She told me to do whatever I wanted, so I took inspiration from a popular cupcake bouquet that went around Pinterest and was sent to me by several people.  I think this mini bouquet turned about pretty darn cute.

Lastly, is a cake near and dear to my heart.  I was so excited to tell my Grandpa and Grandma Carley that I was expecting and keeping it a secret for so long made me want to make it a special reveal for them.  So what better way than to use a cake and my grandma's birthday?!  They have been the best grandparents I could ever ask for....supportive, loving, and always there for me.  I can't wait for them to be just as meaningful to our little one!

Thanks for another week of orders and for making the Valentine's Day open days so amazing!

Stitch fix time!!  I haven't had a Stitch Fix box to review since November.  I skipped December because of the holidays and all the presents I had to buy.  But boy oh boy did I miss not getting my box!  So I not so patiently waited for this box.  Before I reveal what I got....

What you need to know about Stitch Fix:
-You fill out a detailed style profile of your likes, dislikes, sizes, how much money you prefer to spend, etc. 
- You choose how often you'd like to receive a fix.  Each time you can ask for specifics if you have something specific you want, or if have an upcoming event to attend.  
-A stylist chooses and sends you five items based on your wants, style profile, fashion pinterest boards, etc.  Items can include clothing and accessories.  
-You pay a $20 styling fee for the fix, BUT if you keep something from you Stitch Fix the $20 is credited towards your total.  So the only time you "lose" $20 is if you send everything back.  Bonus: If you keep all five items you get 25% off everything!
-You get three days to try on your items and decide, then you checkout online and send back what you don't want in the prepaid shipping bag you get with your box.

If you want to give it a shot, click here to get started.

So here's what I got!  Again, my stylist listened to everything I said/asked for and pulled straight from my Pinterest board.  I asked for colored skinny jeans, the exact funnel neck sweatshirt, another urban expressions bag, told her I was lacking purple in my wardrobe, and she knows from previous fixes that I like plaid.  As you can see, I got what I wanted!  However, even though they were all things I really wanted and thought I would love....they turned out not to look so great on me...

I think a lot of it had to do with my overall feeling that day.  I was tired and didn't look that great, so my initial reaction was that nothing looked good on me.  A few hours later I looked at the pictures I had taken and I really liked some of the pieces, so I decided to try everything on again the next day and make more of an effort to style the pieces the way I would wear them, instead of just throwing them on.  

1. Urban Expressions Andover Bowler Bag in burgundy:
Initial reaction: I like the color, but the bag felt too big for me.  Don't get me wrong, I love a big bag, but this one felt "slouchy" when I sat it down and looked too big on my arm.
Next day: My feelings towards the bag didn't change.  It just wasn't for me.  I like a little more structure, like my first Urban Expression bag.  RETURN
2. Just Black Winslette Skinny Jeans in burgundy:
Initial reaction: A bit snug in the hips, too long in the legs and too long in the crotch.  I love the color and love them paired with the flannel and riding boots so I emailed customer service to see if the would be available in a size up and in petite.
Next day: Turns out I don't know what I was doing the first time I put these on.  They have a high waist....so if I just pulled them up to wear they were supposed to sit, it solved the fit in the hips and crotch.  However, I felt like they wrinkled weird at my knees...but if wear them with boots will people really stare at my knees?!  Still completely undecided as to whether or not I want to keep these.
3. Market & Spruce Colibri Plaid Tab-Sleeve Shirt:
Initial reaction: I love plaid and don't have anything in these colors, so I liked it.  It's also very soft, but thinner.  I can't decide if being thinner is a positive or negative.  I'm leaning towards positive because I could probably layer it with a vest if I wanted to. It's also a little long so I could possibly wear it with leggings.
Next day:  I still really liked this top, especially with the burgundy jeans.  UNDECIDED
4. Loveappella Evie Draw String Funnel Neck Sweatshirt in navy:
Initial reaction: I wanted this sweatshirt soooo bad...and I got it!  Then I put it on....  I didn't do much for me that's for sure.  I felt slouchy and unkempt.  But the neck part was cute.

I'd say holiday season is in full swing...at least over here at Steph's Sweet Treats it is!  There's cutout cookies galore and all kinds of decorated cupcakes.  So this week I'm just going to give you a few more ideas for holiday orders and top it off with a little silliness.  

Need ordering ideas??
-Decorated cupcakes (Christmas trees, Santa hats, Santa faces, ornaments, swirled colors, toppers-I have trees, Christmas lights, and snowmen)
-Promo pack #1 dozen cupcakes vanilla, chocolate and marble decorated -for week of Christmas pickup
-Promo pack #2 dozen cupcakes hot chocolate, gingerbread, and candy cane - for week of Christmas pickup
-Cookies 
-Cookie decorating kits
-Cupcake cakes in the shape of a candy cane, wreath, Santa, Reindeer, tree, etc-contain 24-30 cupcakes
-Plus so much more! Contact me for details or to order.

Want ideas other than food?  Check out the holiday gift guide post I made here.

Also....don't forget your raffle tickets!  Steph's Sweet Treats is raffling off this KitchenAid mixer (and everything you see with it!).  Tickets are $5 and the winner will be announced December 31.  All proceeds about the cost of the prize will be donated to the Iowa County Humane Society, so PLEASE get your tickets and help them out.  Contact me to get your tickets.

Now onto a little bit of silliness.  If you know me personally...you know I'm a big dork.  Ever since I opened Steph's Sweet Treats I've been doing this thing where I turn songs into songs about baking.  Maybe it's too much time alone in the kitchen, maybe it's my inner nerd...I'll just pretend it's because I'm creative!  I think they are pretty creative and funny...but you might just think I'm weird.  My husband tried to persuade me not to post them (he thinks the two of us are probably the only ones that find them funny)...but I'm doing it anyways!  

At least it won't be completely embarrassing...my original idea was to make videos of my new tunes.  You're welcome for not going that route!  So here are some of baking lyrics!  (I had to look up these real lyrics because I'm bad at figuring out what singers are actually saying and I'm so use to my version)

Song- All About That Bass by Megan Trainor

• Real lyrics- "Because you know I'm all about that bass, 'bout that bass, no treble"
• My lyrics- "Because you know I'm all about them eggs, 'bout them eggs, real butter"
• This is the first song I turned into a baking song and now I just can't stop

Song- Shots by LMFAO

• Real lyrics- "shots, shots, shots, shots (plus like 12 more shots)...everybody"
• My lyrics- "cake, cake, cake, cake, cake....everybody"  
• Not the most creative, but hey it still works!

Song- Watch Me by Silento

• Real lyrics- "Watch me whip, now watch me nae nae"
• My lyrics- "Watch me whisk, now watch me bake bake"
• Real lyrics- " Break your legs, break your legs"
• My lyrics- "Break them eggs, break them eggs"
• This one just makes me giggle

Song- Can't Feel My Face by The Weekend

• Real lyrics: "I can't feel by face when I'm with you..but I love it....but I love it"
• My lyrics:  "I can't feel my hands when I bake cupcakes....but I love it...but I love it"
• This would be confusing unless you know the story...so here's the story.  I have circulation issues, and the mass quantities of cupcakes I frost on a regular basis has made it so my left arm/hand (since I'm a lefty) fall asleep all..the...time...  Of course it's also really bad when trying to sleep on that side...none-the-less..."but I love it...but I love it"  I also sing this one with the words feet in place of hands.  Long hours standing makes for sore feet.  So depending on the day, the song will vary for me...but I sing one of them every time I hear the song!

Thanks again for another week of orders and for making the open day so crazy busy and amazing!

Ahhh vacation.  Something we all need, but is so rare for many.  If you've been following my blog you already know where my favorite place is.  If you haven't...well...now you'll know!  The Northwoods!  

My husband and I have been trying to reduce the "stress" of holidays.  Running around to 6, 7, 8 different holidays takes the fun out of it us.  Being with our closest loved ones is what means the most to us; so we've cut down on the rush, rush, rush, of the holidays.

We started by doing Thanksgiving on our own last year.  We stayed home, cooked food, ate way too much taco dip and watch football.  It was great!  This year I came up with the idea to have Thanksgiving up north!  My parents have a home up there so it's the perfect quick getaway.  We did Thanksgiving with my in-laws Thanksgiving day and then headed to the Northwoods the next morning to meet up with my parents.

Taking a weekend off is very hard when the majority of my business is weekend orders.  Thankfully, with the holiday being on a Thursday, the majority of the orders were for Wednesday and Thursday, allowing me to get away for a few days.  I did still fill a few weekend orders.  I told people that I could fill their order, as long as they were okay with them being baked Thanksgiving morning and they could pick then up from my father-in-law at my shop Friday. I am beyond thankful for my father-in-law for doing my pickups so I could go up north!

Thursday night it snowed so we got to arrive to beautiful snow covering the Northwoods trees.  It's amazing how differently I feel about snow when it's not where I live.  If this snow was here in Dodgeville I wouldn't be so happy about it (I just don't like driving in it), but having it up north made me feel like a little kid again.  We came home Sunday morning. So while the stay was a short one, it was so nice to not do anything.  I spent a lot of time laying in front of the toasty fireplace, enjoying the view, and eating.  Doesn't sound like much....but that's exactly what I needed!

Once again, if you've read my blog for awhile now you already know this, but in case you don't.....we travel with the cat and dog in tow!  My dog turns into a crazy dog when he sees the bags and cat carrier come out.  They equal vacation and he starts whining and jumping around like CRAZY upon seeing them.  While it's annoying in the moment....it's pretty cute that he likes it so much.  The cat...well these pictures say it all.  We could leave him up north and he probably wouldn't notice we weren't there.  He runs everywhere, lounges/takes ownership of the furniture, and spent a lot of time squirrel watching.  

Now lets talk about the giveaway I announced on small business Saturday.  Okay, okay, I wasn't on a total vacation.  I still posted, responded to messages, and posted the big end of the year giveaway that I'm super excited about.  If you haven't heard...here it is!

Steph's Sweet Treats is raffling off this Artisan KitchenAid, measuring spoon set, oven mitt set, and spatulas! Winner will be announced on Steph's Sweet Treats 2 year-anniversary December 31st!

Raffle tickets are $5; any raffle tickets sold above the cost will be donated to the ICHS-Iowa County Humane Society- so buy buy buy those raffle tickets! You can stop by the open day for tickets, contact me to see if I'm baking and you can stop or Saturdays I do pickups at my shop from 9:45-10:15, you are welcome to buy a tickets then as well.

Now let me tell you something about this giveaway...I was beyond excited when I came up with the idea.   How did I come up with it?  Well I love KitchenAids...so of course I was looking at all the beautiful colors thinking I should really collect them (now I just need the room to display them in my home and the money to buy them all!)..when it hit me...I should raffle one off!  I've been wanting to do a raffle for some time now, I just didn't know what to raffle off.  A KitchenAid is perfect!  Making it a raffle that has the potential to help out a local non-profit organization made it even better.

Needless to say I was pretty much jumping for joy when it arrived in the mail....then I opened the box.  Big ole' scratch down the top of the KitchenAid....I almost cried!  How could I possibly raffle off a scratched KitchenAid?  Sure, the tickets are only $5, but who wants to win something so glorious, but with a scratch?!  

Sooooo.....I'm in the process of returning the darn thing.  And let me tell you that has been a task all on it's own.  The company I bought it through has horrible customer service and has made it a nightmare for me.  Thankfully, I think I have it figured out and a new one, from a different company, should be here tomorrow.  It is a slightly different shade of gray than the one above, which is liquid graphite, only because I couldn't get the exact color in time for it to be displayed at the open day.  My jump for joy giveaway got a little stressful there for a moment, but I'm back to just being excited, so I hope you are too!

Thanks for another week of orders!  Please place holiday orders now, check out last week's blog post for gift ideas, stop by Friday's open day, and buy those raffle tickets!!

It's stitch fix time! If you're not into clothes/fashion don't run from this blog just yet!  Stitch Fix is made for people who don't like going to the store or never know what to put on.  Plus, there is a bit at the end about the Steph's Sweet Treats 2016 calendar you'll want to check out!

What you need to know about Stitch Fix:
-You fill out a detailed style profile of your likes, dislikes, sizes, how much money you prefer to spend, etc. 
- You choose how often you'd like to receive a fix.  Each time you can ask for specifics if you have something specific you want, or if have an upcoming event to attend.  
-A stylist chooses and sends you five items based on your wants, style profile, fashion pinterest boards, etc.  Items can include clothing and accessories.  
-You pay a $20 styling fee for the fix, BUT if you keep something from you Stitch Fix the $20 is credited towards your total.  So the only time you "lose" $20 is if you send everything back.  Bonus: If you keep all five items you get 25% off everything!
-You get three days to try on your items and decide, then you checkout online and send back what you don't want in the prepaid shipping bag you get with your box.

Before I review the items I received in my box, I want to say I was not compensated in any way for this review, I just like sharing it.  Also, if you want to give it a shot, click here to get started!

I was pretty excited about my box before even looking at my styling cards or contents (the stylists also puts together outfits for you so you have options on how to style each piece).  I opened it and could see just from the side view that it was items that I had asked for.  My stylist is GREAT at giving me what I ask for.  I asked for flare jeans, a scarf (but not a blanket one-new trend that's definitely not for me), and cozy winter items that are not bulky.  My stylist pulled straight from that, things I pinned on Pinterest, and from things I had mentioned previously.  So here's what I got:

So clearly I still wasn't brave enough to pose for the pictures when my face (yet again).  So headless photos of me scrunched into a corner taking my own photo will have to do!

From left to right:
Level 99 Blossom Flare Jean-  I've said it before, but I'll say it again.  EVERY pair of jeans I have received from Stitch Fix have been magical.  They fit so perfectly, and these were no different.  The only concern I had was that my shorty legs can't pull off a flare.  But they were so comfortable I just couldn't pass them up.  Plus, I tried them on again with heels in my full Stitch Fix outfit (pictured below) and loved how they looked.  Keep!

Look by M Cliff Checkered Woven Infinity Scarf- I LOVE scarves, especially infinity scarves.   I have plenty of them, but don't have one this color/colors so of course I HAD to keep it.  I was so happy to see my stylist listened to the part of my note where I said I didn't want a large scarf.  This one is the perfect size for me. Keep!

Pixley Tyenna Plaid Puffer Vest- I also love plaid, which I mentioned to my stylist previously.  She also paid attention to my pinterest board on this one.  I had mentioned vests in my "wants" and on my board I pinned a vest I actually bought from another stitch fixer so she would see it and not send it to me.  She saw that it was a neutral vest, so opted to send me this plaid one.  It's reversible, but I think I would always wear it plaid side out.  It's not like a regular puffer vest that has literal "puff" to it. (That "puff" in front is my hand in my pocket).  I liked that it wasn't actually puffy because I have a puffy vest that always makes me feel like a marshmallow....so I end up changing a few hours later. Bonus: my husband also likes plaid. This vest was a definitely a keeper!

Alice Blue Daphne Open Cardigan- I loved the colors of this cardigan and the fact that it actually fit me.  Wasn't too long or bulky, and wasn't something I have anything similar to.  The downside, I couldn't figure out if the sleeves were meant to be scrunched up or left down, and it looked lopsided on me.  I put it back on later and it looks like I just had it on a little funky the first time because it was no longer lopsided.  I kept this cardigan because of the discount but I'm not sure what I will do with it yet.  I will probably keep and wear it, pass it along to a friend or family, or another stitch fixer.

Loveappella Caracas Stitch Detail Knit Top- Okay....this top looks so simple...but the knit detail and the softness of it made it more than a plain long sleeve shirt.  Normally, I would not have kept the top....but if you keep all five items in your box, you get 25% off.  Which essentially gives you one or more items (depending on price) free.  So why not keep it??

Soooo after it was all said and done...I kept the whole box!  I especially love when items in a box pair well together.  For the picture on the left I put on the jeans, the long sleeve, and the vest.  I don't have my next fix set up to arrive until January, since there's a lot of Christmas shopping to do, and because I'm trying to force myself to go back to my original every other month set up...but it's so hard!  Want to give it a try?  Click here. 

Now onto the second part of this blog....2016!  Yikes...the year is almost over!  Why am I forcing you to think past Christmas already?  Because I made a Steph's Sweet Treats calendar!  Each month contains pictures of Steph's Sweet Treats cupcakes, cakes, weddings, event, etc.  Not only do you get to look at Steph's Sweet Treats goodies all year, you get stickers for important days!  You will get stickers that say "Open Day" so you never forget to stop at a monthly open day, and "Place Order" and "Pick-up Order" for the other times of the year you need goodies. 

These make a great gift for a Steph's Sweet Treats lover, or a gift for yourself.  If you'd like to order one, contact me via email or Facebook and I will put you down.  The calendar and sticker sets will be $20.  The above pictures kind of have a glare on them...they look so much better in person!

As usual, thanks for another week of orders and thank you for making the open day last week a huge success!

I haven't done a post with fun facts about myself since the very first blog post.  If you haven't read it, you can read it here.  Anyways...I thought it was time for a fun blog post about some of my favorite things.  Clearly most of my favorite things are baking related...so I made sure to leave those out.  

Ice Cream
Yes, yes, I know....I bake for a living.  My secret??  I'm a total ice cream addict!  I can't help it; I love it!  And when I say addicted, I mean it.  I have it in my head that I need it daily and I'm also convinced I have a separate stomach for dessert.  So even if I stuff myself, there's always room for dessert..especially if it's ice cream (or custard)!  What's my favorite ice cream?  That's like asking a parent who their favorite child is....you just can't do that!  I love most ice cream, but if I had to list a few favorites I'd say:

• Cake batter ice cream with sprinkles and whipped cream mixed in from Coldstone Creamery.
• Almost any custard from Culver's...I probably won't turn it down, but I usually get an Oreo and caramel mixer.
• Schwan's ice cream is usually in my freezer and it cycles through chocolate chip cookie dough, cookies and cream, chocolate marshmallow and sometimes a seasonal flavor.
• I love going to Grab-a-cone too!  My go to at ice cream shops is a caramel sundae, but I branched out this summer and I got a different flavor of Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream every time .  So many options!  

Coloring
I'm an adult who likes to color....   I have always liked to color.  In fact, I was a bit of a coloring fanatic when I was little.  My dad taught me how to color in Precious Moments coloring books (which were my favorite) and I have been hooked ever since.  I loved getting as many crayons as I could; I always had to keep them pointy; and I always had to put them back in the spot they came from.  If I had more than one crayon out, I would put a pencil in it's spot so I didn't forget where it went.  So....I was a little OCD with my crayons.  I'm not that crazy about it now, but I still enjoy it and it's a stress reliever for me.  I bought an "adult" coloring book (and have a new one coming in the mail!).  I use colored pencils instead of crayons...because somehow that makes it feel more grown up, and I don't insist on putting the pencils back in their original spots.... 

Reading
Another thing I have LOVED since I was child is reading.  I would go through five books in a day if I could; I'd wake up early on the weekends and read under my covers with a flashlight; when I earned my own money I'd spend it all on books; for Book It in second grade I think I read and did book reviews for well over 100 books...and not for Pizza Hut rewards, just because I wanted to; I competed in Battle of the Books in middle school; I read everywhere we went!  My nose was always in a book.  If I could read as much as I use to, I would love it, but there's never enough hours in the day!  Now when I read, it's usually in the car.  If I am working for my parents Argyle and don't have to leave to go the bakery/drive myself, I read to and from work; if my husband and I go to Platteville, Madison, or anywhere with a bit of a drive, I will read.

While I love most books, I think my favorite subject matter is mystery/suspense/crime.  I also love Law & Order, Chicago PD and Blue Bloods, so that explain that...  I recently discovered Lindy Zart who is from Boscobel, Wisconsin.  I have only finished one book so far, but I was obsessed with it! It was called Take Care, Sara and was one of the best books I have read in a long time.  I had a lump in the throat and burning in my eyes almost the whole book.  It makes you want to burst into tears and never take a day for granted. Plus, it takes place in Boscobel and has several other local references so it was neat to be able to relate to it in that way.  If you haven't check out her books, I highly suggest you do so!

Talk Radio
I'm totally hooked on talk radio.  I work alone, so I love listening to conversation on the radio.  Even though I listen to talk radio, it's not the intellectual NPR kind of talk radio....although I did listen to it before I got SIriusXM.   I get the most use out of my subscription on my computer, which is great because I can listen while baking.  My favorite things to listen to are entertainment shows. As you can see from my list of favorite things (coloring, books, and talk radio)...I'm a bit of nerd!  

 

Oh...and margaritas are pretty tasty! :)  I actually only had my first margarita a few months ago at Aztlan Mexican Grill here in town.  Yummy!  And look at that thing...it's the size of my head!  Now I feel like I should go on a mission finding the best margarita by ordering one wherever I go....or maybe that's just me wanting one everywhere because they are so yummy....

I also have a coffee addiction!  It's my favorite thing to drink.  My newest favorite coffee drink: caramel latte from the Kwik Trip Karuba Gold machine!  I even have a Karuba Gold refill cup..which means I get them cheaper...which gives me an excuse to get them more often.  I usually get them Monday's, Friday's, and Saturday's....sometimes more.  I try to make myself resist them.

Before I sign off I want to throw out a few reminders:

• Next open day: November 6th
  
• Halloween: If you want cupcakes or cookies for Halloween please let me know ASAP; it's going to be a busy week!
  
• 2016 is filling up for weddings (I have the most openings in the the spring, June, and July.  If you know someone getting married, you refer them to me, and they book...you get a gift certificate!  If you are getting married and are interested, feel free to set up a wedding tasting with me.

Thanks for another week of orders!

I apologize for the corny play on words for the title of this post.  I just couldn't resist! This blog post is a two for one special...there's a short review of my stitch fix items, and then and important section on timeliness.  Please read that bit, it is especially important.

First up...my October stitch fix box arrived last week. I went over a month without getting a box! In case you don't know what I'm talking about...

What you need to know about Stitch Fix:
-You fill out a detailed style profile of your likes, dislikes, sizes, how much money you prefer to spend, etc. 
- You choose how often you'd like to receive a fix.  Each time you can ask for specifics if you have something specific you want, or have an upcoming event to attend.  
-A stylist chooses and sends you five items based on your wants, style profile, fashion pinterest boards, etc.  Items can include clothing and accessories.  
-You pay a $20 styling fee for the fix, BUT if you keep something from you Stitch Fix the $20 is credited towards your total.  So the only time you "lose" $20 is if you send everything back.  Bonus: If you keep all five items you get 25% off everything!
-You get three days to try on your items and decide, then you checkout online and send back what you don't want in the prepaid shipping bag you get with your box.

This month I asked for transitional fall pieces.  When I opened my box I must admit...I wasn't very excited.  For some reason I think that I need to see a whole bunch of colors for it to be a good box...and that's far from the truth!  Here's a look at what I got, and if you want to sign up and give it a try, click here.

You'll notice I actually put the clothes on for these pictures (I normally just take a photo of the clothes on a hanger)...but I still cut my head off.  Sorry, a long day at the bakery doesn't make for great photo face and hair...if you've done a pickup from me after I've been baking all day you know what I mean!  Side note- don't you love my phone cover?!

From left to right:

Fate Eliza Jacket-  A few years ago I realized I have a jacket problem...and by problem I mean I had far too many of them!  I stopped buying jackets and I got rid of the ones I didn't wear (okay I bought a new winter jacket last year...but I needed it I swear!), but I don't really have a "fall" jacket.  I love military green and the sweater sleeves of this jacket had me right away.  I also loved that you can pull in the waist a bit by tightening the strings.  A keeper for sure!  Now I can be done buying jackets....

THML Knoll Pullover- I also happen to love plaid shirts.  I normally wear them in a button-up version, but I loved the play on plaid in this pullover! Instantly knew I wanted to keep it.

Laila Jayde Salderas Hooded Cardigan-  I love cardigans, especially cozy ones.  This one was a gorgeous purple color, thick, and it had a hood!  The downfall....it kind of looked like I was drowning.  I don't mind longer cardigans, but my husband refers to them as my blankets....so I knew I shouldn't keep it considering I have a few blankets in my closet already.  

Urban Expressions Elisha Zipper Accent Structured Satchel-  Cute, cute, cute!  I wasn't immediately sold on the color of this purse, but the more I looked at it and the more I carried it around, the more I fell for it.  I annoyed my husband by asking him a million times if it went with my winter jacket....because it goes with the jacket I got in this fix, but I wanted to know about my winter jacket.  He was no help since he says it didn't matter....it's a purse.  Men...   He liked it. I liked it. So I kept it.

Just Black Connely Skinny Jeans-  Note- I didn't post a picture of these jeans.  These jeans are one of the most comfortable jeans I have come across.  They are a cross between jeggings and jeans.  They are stretchy and comfy like jeggings, but a little thicker like jeans.  Only problem....I have this exact brand, black, skinny jeans....but with an ankle zipper.  The only difference between the two pairs was the ankle zipper, so I couldn't justify putting them in my closet.  

I loved the jacket, purse, and pullover so much that I wore them all at once...which is what the first photo in the blog is of, but you can't see my shirt.  Needless to say,  I really enjoyed my fix!  I loved the variety of items, I loved that my stylist gave me what I wanted, and it is just fun!  If you want to try it for yourself just click here.  

Time is Money
Ok...now onto something I have been needing to acknowledge and address for quite awhile, but have just been dreading doing it.  Being on time.  Now, before anyone starts thinking I am talking about them, or apologizing if you have done it....I am not talking about anyone in particular and I am not doing this to point fingers, make people feel bad, or to make people mad.  

I have had a really big problem with customers showing up late.  It has always been a problem, but is getting progressively worse as time goes on.  I do not want to punish customers, but I feel that at this point, it may be my only option.  I am a by order bakery without regular business hours.  When I fill an order and arrange a pickup time, I am there for you at that time...or in some cases, my father-in-law is there for you.  Which means I expect you to show up at that time out of respect to me and my time, which I find very valuable.  

Now I"m not talking 5-10 minutes late...that happens.  I have had an issue with people showing up 20 minutes to an hour late without any notification, or without notifying me until 30 minutes past their pickup time or until I have contacted them to see if they are still coming.  Some of you may be thinking what's the big deal if I am there baking and waiting for a customer? Sure, having cameras makes it easier for me to see people if they are outside and I can watch for them if they are late.  But there's certain things I can't start if I am waiting on people to show up. That can really throw off my day.

When it happens on a week night or weekend it becomes hard for me because I do have other places to go or even deliveries to make.  Time is money; time is limited; time is precious; and there's never enough hours in the day.  I get it, things happen...you run late, you can't get the kids out the door, you get stuck in traffic, you get stuck at work....I get it.  I'm just asking for people to make a conscious effort to be on time or let me know if you anticipate being late.  

If this continues to be a problem, I will have to start enforcing a late fee.  Before you freak out...if you tell me you are going to be late or something has happened causing you to be late ahead of time, you wouldn't be charged.  The fee would be for the no show, no warning until the pickup time has already come and gone, or the excessively late without being told.

Again, I HATE to do it, and I hate even having to say anything...but trust me when I say it is a last resort and I am only saying something because it has become such a problem.  Please remember, I am not pointing fingers at anyone, this is for everyone to keep note of as a whole. 

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

I still haven't gone back to getting my Stitch Fix every other month.  I started with it at every other month, but I can't help myself from getting it every month now.  I feel like I'll miss out on too many good seasonal items if I don't!  If you have never heard of Stitch Fix and am wondering what the heck I am talking about, the details are listed below. Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this post, just posting my review because it's part of my life.  If you want to give it a try click here.

What you need to know about Stitch Fix:
-You fill out a detailed style profile of your likes, dislikes, sizes, how much money you prefer to spend, etc. 
- You choose how often you'd like to receive a fix.  Each time you can ask for specifics if you have something specific you want, or have an upcoming event to attend.  
-A stylist chooses and sends you five items based on your wants, style profile, fashion pinterest boards, etc.  Items can include clothing and accessories.  
-You pay a $20 styling fee for the fix, BUT if you keep something from you Stitch Fix the $20 is credited towards your total.  So the only time you "lose" $20 is if you send everything back.  Bonus: If you keep all five items you get 25% off everything!
-You get three days to try on your items and decide, then you checkout online and send back what you don't want in the prepaid shipping bag you get with your box.

This month I asked for bright summery tops.  I know summer is almost over but I can still wear them under a jean jacket or cardigan...and there's always next summer!  I also asked for another dress to wear to a wedding.  Along with baking for nine weddings in September, I am attending two of them as a guest.  So here's what I got!

Pixley-Palacio Abstract Print Colorblock Tank:  My stylist is great at paying attention to what I want and pulling items from my Pinterest board.  This tank came from my board and I like the mix between pattern and print. It will be fun to wear on it's own or under a jean jacket.  It's a keeper.

Gilli-Juri Maxi Dress: I think I almost started jumping up and down when I saw this dress.  I have a Stitch Fix maxi dress addiction and I love the Gilli brand (pretty sure all the maxi's I have kept from here have been Gilli) AND I have been wanting this dress in the worst way!!  This isn't the exact color I have been asking for, but I think I like this one even more!  I love the bright colors in contrast with the black top.  My favorite part of the dress (not pictured) is the cutout in the low back.   So as you can probably guess...in my closet it goes.

THML-Chassie Textured Dress: I'm still not brave enough to post pictures on here of me actually in the items I receive, but I wanted to show why I am undecided on this one, so I settled for cutting off my head in the photos. :) It also doesn't look like much on a hanger so I thought I better include the other pictures. I love the details of this dress (they are tough to see in these photos).  It has a ruffled/petal like detail at the shoulders, pockets, and gathered points in front.  My issue...I kept a dress for weddings last month that was navy blue on top and navy blue under the lace detail bottom.  This dress is also navy blue.  My other issue:  as you can see in the top right photo it looks a little strange from the side if I'm twisting or moving due to the gathered material.  I don't want to stand perfectly still while wearing it...so I'm still undecided on what to do about this one.

Collective Concepts-Leeds Crochet Detail Top: I love the color and detailing of this top, but I think it might be a little too boxy again.  As you can see it is higher in the front than it is the back.  I think that accentuates the fact that from the side it looks pretty big.  But from the front I love it...so I'm so torn!

Skies are Blue-Arlene Embroidered Top: I was immediately drawn to this color.  It's not something I have in my closet so I would love to add it.  At first I wasn't too sure on the top.  I looks pretty simple but has subtle details, which I always like.  After posting this top on a Stitch Fix Facebook page and seeing how many people "liked" the top, I'm thinking I should keep it.  As you can see, it wrinkles easily..I'm not one for ironing.  I either wear the wrinkles (I know...tacky) or I've been known to use my hair straightener on a wrinkle if I can get to it (I know...bad).

Overall, my fix was a complete success in my eyes...once again.  I got items I asked for and I thought they were completely my style...which I'm learning is more of a boho style according to my stylist!  Ready to try Stitch Fix yet??  Click here if you want to give it a go.

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