Lemon Love Notes ♥

I was writing my business plan tonight.

I was on the first page where I had to state my mission.  One of the my missions in my journey to start a bakery is to share joy and love with the world through my cupcakes.  Another vision of mine is to bring community together to just forget about everything on the outside world, and perhaps for even a moment there would be "peace" in the realm of cupcakes.

Think of the time when you were young, and looked forward to that grand cake entering the room, your friends centered around you.  The cake glowing with candles.  Sprinkles, sparkles, crumbs, wishes for the future.

Then I knew that I had to share something I had planned for over a year here on my blog..

and when I was the cupcake sponsor for the Fox Valley Technical College's scholarship benefit, I made this "vision" a reality.

To share an edible message inside of cupcakes. A love note, really.  In this case, a "Lemon" Love Note.

I cut up little pieces of fondant into small rectangles, used my edible marker, and wrote inspiring messages for the future on each piece.  This is for you! Daydreamers, starving artists, future business owners.  This is for you!  The ones who build starting from the bottom and climb your way to the top. The believers, the idealists, the optimists. 

Extra credit:  Mini raspberry pies inside of the Lemon Love Note cupcakes.

All that inspiration topped with a cloud of light, fluffy, lemon zested frosting!

When I displayed the cupcakes at the event, I made a sign to tell people to expect a special "note" on the inside of their cupcake.  Adding the note was a bonus perk for the people who ate the cupcakes! Instead of stuffing your face, you had to take your time...enjoy the flavor...and....discover....your lovely edible note.

Thank you to my lovely assistants Cassie & Lonnie who are the joys in my kitchen with me. They helped me write out all these messages while we laughed, danced, and sang to bad music while decorating these cupcakes.

Now that I have started, I can't seem to stop passing love notes.

I made some "girls night out" Lemon Love Notes.

Instead of hiding the message inside, I found the best possible valentine heart messages for a girls night out and displayed them as the love notes on top of the cupcakes!

Go Girl!

It's True.

 

On a deeper "note".....

I even added some inspirational tags to some mail order cookies for someone who really deserved a surprise uplift of joy in the mail.

"We can do no great things....only small things with great love."~Mother Teresa

Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.

One of my favorite quotes by Oprah Winfrey.

And I used this quote as my title because I have been moved to happy tears the past few weeks by the support I've been shown by friends, strangers who have become friends, and colleagues.

People may think that all of the exciting events that have happened to me in the past few weeks have happened overnight.  But really I have been working so hard for several years trying to find my "niche" in the world by creating cupcakes for people.  I had no other intentions than to make people smile, squeal, dance, or just plain make someone's day brighter.

I remember last year someone told me while I was going through a trial in my life..."Just keep making cupcakes and giving out that love.  Maybe some of that cupcake love will be returned to you."
And honestly, whenever I deliver cupcakes that love is given right back to me.
I want it to stay that way forever! Love is the quality in my cupcakes. And it always will be.

So this blog, my sweet darlings - is a tribute to all of you. And you know who you are.

This blog is a mix of things that have been given, done for me, or said to me in the past 2-3 weeks of my cupcake existence.

By posting this I am showing you that I am blown away and so very grateful.  This makes all of my countless half sleepless cupcake chaos frosting filled nights when I leave the kitchen with frosting in my hair really worth it!

I hope it never ends. This wondrous busy cupcake chaos is my true love and I wouldn't ask for another career ever again. They say be careful what you wish for.  Well I wish for this cupcake dream to grow so big so that I can share my style of cupcake love with most of the world. ♥

And seriously..Ellen Degeneres..if you are watching...I really want you to eat one of my cupcakes! (I make a mean vegan cupcake! Preferably a cupcake kaleidoscope because that is how I envision it) That's next on my list. ♥

"You are going to be Waupaca's first cupcake gazillionaire."

"We just got done watching you on the news,

both segments about four times because Jimmy

wanted to watch you over and over again!

You did such an amazing job!

You looked beautiful as ever and we are very proud of you."

Thank you all for your love. ♥
Now you see why I am overwhelmed with joy!

Covered in Chocolate and a Miracle Or Two..

My friend Caroline Cakewise (so jealous of her name btw!) at Sparkles & Crumbs blog inspired this little passage. She is my friend over in England who posts delicious blogs that fill my spirit with joy.
Click here to read her blog passage that thus inspired my blog below. :) You might just get addicted and need your fix on a regular basis:
Sparkles & Crumbs

I have always enjoyed taking photos of multiple, brightly colored things. Especially yummy things.
I was in the Party City store not that long ago, and to my delight there was an entire row of HAPPY CHEERFUL COLORFUL and BRIGHT candy! 

One of the employees asked me what I was doing as I snapped away on my "sweet" random photo shoot.
♥  Hopefully my story inspired her to look at candy as so much more than just.....sugar.

This was me that day.



Cake Pops I created inspired by the Lemonheads.
"When Life Gives you Lemons, make Cake Pops."



My bright red cherry chocolate cake pop inspired by the joy of candy.



How many licks does it take to get to the center?

Obviously not very many. :)
♥ my sweet friend Jeremy.

Golden Amanda Cupcake Cake Pops.

Who can take a sunrise,

Sprinkle it with dew?

Cover it in chocolate and a miracle or two

The candyman, the candyman can,

The candyman can 'cause he mixes it with love

and makes the world taste good



Who can take a rainbow,

Wrap it in a sigh?

Soak it in the sun and make the strawberry lemon pie

The candyman? The candyman can

The candyman can 'cause he mixes it with love

and makes the world taste good



The Candyman makes

everything he bakes

Satisfying and delicious.

Talk about your childhood wishes.

You can even eat the dishes!



Who can take tomorrow,

Dip it in a dream?

Separate the sorrow and collect up all the cream,

The candyman? The Candyman can, the candyman can

The candyman can 'cause he mixes it with love

and makes the world taste good

And the world tastes good

'cause the candyman thinks it should

 
 
My philosophy in one cutesy little song.
I think if I had a cupcake mobile it would play this.
Except I would have to be the female version of the candyman.
And I would definitely be prettier than the candyman.
Wearing a dress that looks like a cupcake.
Bright happy lipstick on my lips.
Delicious deliveries to be made.
To make the world smile.