Happy New Year!

I'm not doing a new years slew of resolutions, but I am trying hard just to cut myself some slack. I'm hoping to make this the year of not feeling guilty all the time, and of trying to make my life more joyful.

Looking back on the year that has passed, I've learned so much, and done so much and although things didnt quite go as planned, it was a great year.

We hoped we'd sell our house and downsize into a house in a quieter community. The downsizing happened, my husband did a fantastic job, and is still working on making our home exactly as we want it. We like the new neighbourhood, the flatter streets have got me to try something new, running. I'm hoping to finish a half marathon in January, which should be interesting!

I was lucky enough to make two trips to Australia to spend time with my family and my dear niece, Poppy. She's growing up so quickly and is just such a pleasure to spend time with.

As you can tell from the photos, there were lots of cakes. My friends pushed me to new limits, making cars, hats, garbage trucks and all kinds of crazy constructions out of cake! I've learned so much, and I think I've got something that I can produce consistently enough to sell, I just need to finish getting all the structure for a business in place so that I can make sure that I am able to sell my cakes on a part time basis. If you want to keep up with the cakes and my news then be sure to 'like' my page on facebook, www.facebook.com/jennywennycakes although I'm sure I'll have more news here!

Meanwhile, I've been lucky enough to take classes with a friend and wonderful sugar artist, Jacqueline, from petalsweet cakes, who has taught me to make gardenias and peonies, and given me a lot more confidence to construct interesting things from sugar.

It was an enormous pleasure to be involved in making cakes for a dear family who I have known for a while, they had a hawaiian themed wedding and I was really happy with how their display came out.

I also dipped my toes into some catering work, with a large 'farm to table' dinner where I was responsible for the desserts. I had a lot of fun, but it was extremely exhausting. I learned a lot though, and a future event like this might not be so daunting.

I also flew home for a dear friend's wedding, it was a wonderful occasion and I was so happy to be able to make their cake for them.

We finally moved into our new house and I got to enjoy this wonderful new kitchen. The house isnt really finished yet, but its great, and we're really happy here. We still have to put the tiles up for the backsplash but so far its been a pleasure to work in.

I had a lot of fun constructing this 'mountain' cake in November, another daunting task, but it was a fun one, and I thought the bride and groom's matching backpacks made a really cute topper!

I was also lucky enough to make this simple cake for some dear friends. This is very simple but I love the design.

The year ended with a last trip to australia and a really fun birthday cake, expertly baked by my mum, with a little help from Poppy!

Here's to lots of fun in 2011!

Looking back on 2009

Well, this has been a really busy year for me, I've learned so much about food and about cake making and decorating, I thought I'd do a quick recap of the great year I've had!




It started with a bang, in Australia, a wonderful new year, spent with my adorable niece, Poppy and my brother, sister in law and Mum.















I then zipped home to find a very cute 2 year old wanted a birthday cake, so I tried for a 2 tier cake, and was really happy with the results!






















I was lucky enough to get on the cake decorating class at grossmont college, so we baked our way through all kinds of delicious confections, including Black Forest Gateau, Opera Cake and Princess Cakes, learning countless important techniques.









I continued practicing my skills, had fun making a couple of cakes with dinosaurs on.


























I was lucky enough to find myself in New York City, with Elise Strauss, learning lots more about cake decorating. She taught me that I needed to be extremely thorough and careful in preparation, and although we made a very plain cake, I learned so much that day, I am eternally grateful!








I was honored to be involved in the wedding of a really sweet cycling couple and I made many little cupcakes to share among the guests, as well as a big cake for their wedding day.





















Another really fun wedding came up in July, and I was happy to make a fun, 3 tiered cake, with lots of cupcakes to go with it, it was very elegantly presented on an antique table in the garden of a beautiful house in Rancho Santa Fe!









I spent several weeks of summer evenings learning how professional bakeries work, I learned an awful lot, and was very happy to actually be able to help to finish one large cake entirely,























We then took a rest and made our way to wine country, for a nice break in Santa Rosa, with a stop off in San Francisco, it was really fun to ride around the wineries on a bike and check out the local scenery.

My jet-setting niece then made her way over from Australia, via the UK, with her parents in tow, and I spent a great week with my brother, sister in law and Poppy. She was a bit confused about the beach, but loved the water! I think her favorite thing in San Diego was probably my cat, who was always at least a room away!

I had a really fun vacation in the UK, managing to fit in an afternoon with Beas of Bloomsbury, and then made it over to Wales, for a wonderful wedding, in which I was most honored to be involved by preparing several wedding cakes for the happy couple.





The highlight of the year had to be in November, where I was forced to celebrate my husband's birthday on the wonderful resort, Kona Village, on the big island of Hawaii. What an amazing experience! We didnt see the lava flow, so that means we have to return!!
My last fun cake of the year was a delightful princess cake, for a 3 year old, I was very happy with how it came out. Maybe not the most original, but I was very happy with the execution, and the progress I have made this year.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Hope everyone had fun holidays, I got to see my Mum and Grandma for three weeks so I've been too busy for anything other than entertaining really!!

I did take them on a wonderful trip up the coast, staying in Carpinteria, Morro Bay, Monterey, San Francisco and Paso Robles. We had some wonderful food along the way!!