The title of this post says it all really... This is my life at that moment. I'm either baking cakes or running round after the puppy. I'm permanently exhausted, but in a good way I guess!
Cake
Exciting news for me this week though, as our local farm shop is going to be stocking a selection of my cakes. So yesterday saw me making lots of loaf cakes, cookies and tray bakes ready for delivery this morning. I haven't been back to check if they are selling but might have to pop in to see in the morning*. Fingers crossed!
I've a weekend off from baking cakes but no doubt there will still be plenty of puppy playtime. Hope you have a good weekend!
* Farm shop update... just one cake and two bags of cookies sold all day and I'm starting to think perhaps I should just get a proper job. It all feels like such hard work sometimes.
Puppy
Silliest puppy moment of the week has to be this. Between the back of our shed and the oil tank, there is a small patch of pretty useless space where we tend to leave discarded pots etc... not the prettiest bit of our garden! Hector was playing and suddenly disappeared... And when I looked out the window this is where I found him. Sitting in a huge flower pot looking very serious!I couldn't stop laughing and he just stayed there looking indignant.
Cake
As well as baking for the Farm Shop I had another commissioned cake this week... Fairly self explanatory really.
Puppy
Hector and I are still going to puppy school, which is as much about teaching me as it is him... But look what a good boy he is... So attentive!
This week it involved quite a bit of sitting about on the grass playing games, some recall work off the lead and a game of hide and seek...needless to say we both come home very tired!
Cake
And my final cake this week which I finished this afternoon was this triple layer caramel cake... Delivered to the local primary school for their school fete tomorrow!
Puppy
And a final puppy photo too... Hector worn out after puppy class. And yes, it was him that chewed the corner of the sofa!
I've a weekend off from baking cakes but no doubt there will still be plenty of puppy playtime. Hope you have a good weekend!
* Farm shop update... just one cake and two bags of cookies sold all day and I'm starting to think perhaps I should just get a proper job. It all feels like such hard work sometimes.
Oh ... maybe have to start slowly, until customers know your cakes are there to buy?
ReplyDeleteDon't despair. I always think it's much harder to make a profit on whole cakes than portions, not least because a cut cake, prettily displayed, is just asking for a bite to be taken there and then. Somehow they never look quite so seductive wrapped up. And surely the weekend will be busier when people feel in need of a treat.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a lovely weekend to compensate for your hard work.
Pity you aren't selling your cakes in my local farm shop, you would definitely sell more than that! Perhaps people have to get used to seeing them there.
ReplyDeleteHope next week will bring better results from the Farm Shop. Exercising and training Hector must be a good counterbalance to all the standing you do while baking. Enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteAwe don't despair Gina, customers need to know your there first!!
ReplyDeleteHector is so funny, love the flowerpot!!
V x
Hoping sales pick up for you Gina. Loving the Hector photos :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a CUTE puppy!
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Stavangerdailyphoto.com
Hector in the flower pot is priceless - made me laugh out loud! Hopefully trade will pick up at the farm shop once people get to know about your delicious cakes Gina. Enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteGina, before I say a word about Hector, I want to tell you how much I would want a slice...oh, let's make it two for starters, of that caramel cake. It does call my name!
ReplyDeleteHector is cuter than cute, and I expect that both of you are going to learn lots at the classes. Perhaps some of your other family members are also going to these classes with Hector. It might be confusing for him if he thought the learning only applied to when you two are together?
Don't be worried about the farm shop. Ask the folks at the shop what sorts of cakes the customers are asking for (can you also leave some sort of cards at the shop to elicit comments/requests?)
It's getting warm enough over here that I'm thinking my oven won't be pre-heated for a few months. But still...I am yearning for home-baked cake. Surely folks shopping at the farm shop feel the same?
xo
I know how disappointing it can be when you don't get the response you hope for. We're having the same thing with the felting workshop we are running and there is less than two weeks to go until that. We are still going to go ahead with it and try and generate interest and train up some local people and I will get some 1:1 training too. :)
ReplyDeleteThis working for yourself lark definitely is very hard work isn't it! Hang in there and see how it goes, just when you least expect it you might find you get a sudden spurt! At least Hector is doing well!
ReplyDeleteYour bakes, as always, look fab. As others have commented, maybe with the farm shop sales it's just a case of people getting to know your cakes are there and then word of mouth will work its magic. (We have a newish monthly food market in town and the cake stalls can't keep up with demand.) And I definitely want one of those puppy plants.
ReplyDeleteOh Gina. I don't know if I ever mentioned this to you before but I did a similar thing to you for a couple of years, supplying 2 loval cafes and making birthday and occasion cakes (though never these amazing novelty ones that you make!). I eventually stopped because I was utterley exhausted (three hours sleep/ night was the norm, four hours was a luxury), I wasn't making any money, because I wasn't confident enough to charge properly for my baking, the house was a tip (apart from the kitchen, which was sparkling) and I never had any time to spend with my boys, despite being at home all the time. My thoughts, if you don't mind my sharing them, are to do this as long as you are enjoying it, and making a profit, but if it starts to affect your health, or make you consistently miserable, don't be afraid to stop. Nobody ever died for want of a cake. I wish I had stopped after about a year, it would have been a fun, interesting experiment. Instead I staggered on (literally) for another 14 months, and it really affected my health very badly. I swore then if I ever did anything for myself again, business-wise (I haven't), I would not work with perishables again. I now bake only for family, and for gifts. Sorry tompour my heart out to you, but I think it's important to hear from someone who has had a similar experience, as few people understand the amount of work that goes in to home baking on a semi industrial scale. Having said all that, you always sound very organised, and as though you are enjoying it. Much love, Penny x
ReplyDeleteA very enjoyable evening at EG on Friday and the puds were delicious. As were my cupcakes and they looked fab too. My visitors were impressed. Thank you Gina!
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