Thursday, May 20, 2010

Vintage Dream

We were contacted by Valarie from Southern Fete Event Planning about doing another photo shoot. Of course I was jumping up and down.I counldn't WAIT to work with Valerie again. Check out our last photoshoot together: http://socialbitesofruston.blogspot.com/2010/02/photo-shoot.html She directed me photographer's website who's vision was to create this photoshoot and I was BLOWN away. I fell in love with her work. I was stoked that they wanted us to be apart of their vision! After I recieved their inspiration board I started sketching right away! I had just received this button mold I had been dying to use for a cake, and then I went searching antique stores looking through old jewelry to make molds out of. I found a few pieces and began working on my vision for the cake. I used lace, vintage brouches, buttons, pearls, and a hint of ribbon. All of which are my favorite things! Courtney also thought it would be fun to have some desserts. Well... of course I was stoked about doing that! We did mini pecan pies, banana pudding shooters, chocolate chip cookies, and a new item homemade mini peach pies! I am super excited to show you guys these images. I couldn't believe all of these ladies attention to detail from the props to the invitations, and much more. This was truly awesome experience. I want to thank Courtney, Valerie,Katie and David for showin' off our desserts so well, Cherie for traveling, helping, and all of your creativity, and Anne for allowing us to use her kitchen for prep!

Here are a few images. Also visit Courtney's blog for more pictures and storyline :)
http://www.dellafiora.com/blog















Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Growing up:)

I would like to start out by thanking ALL of you for being so supportive of Social Bites.
When I first started this little biz in September of '07 I honestly had no expectations. I thought, man wouldn't it be cool to have this as a full time "job" one day. Quickly that "one day" became a "right now". I was so overwhelmed with the response of people wanting MY cakes, something I came up with. It was such a weird feeling of people paying MONEY, real MONEY, to have something that I created.
Let me give you a quick background of where we began. I worked out of my parents house for quite awhile (almost 2 years) until I knew I completely out grew it and certain circumstances came along where I HAD to move. Well we searched for about 3 days when we received a phone call about a place that was for sale.It was truly a God thing, It was a little portable building that had to be moved but it came with most of the equipment needed. We jumped on the opportunity and now we have a little shop still located by my parents house. I was super excited to "have a place of my own" all of my cake "junk" was in 1 place!
I then quickly realized that I needed help. When I was working out of my parents house I would always have some family member doing something, whether I had my dad (who just walked in from a hard days work) mold me fondant figurines, or have my Mom (the perfectionist) make me what seemed like 100 buckets of icing, my brother roll out fondant or make bra and panty petit four toppers (we still make fun of him for that)or my sweet hubby to ice cookies. In this new place I had none of the free labor. I searched around and had emails of people looking for employment. This was a tough one for me, I have NEVER had an employee, I was only 21 years old. How in the world could I "boss someone around??" Well this is still a daily struggle but I think I am finally going in the right direction, I now have a employee,and just hired the 2nd!!! Is this real??
This business has completely changed me, I am constantly looking for inspiration, adding new things to the menu, thinking of business ideas and how to improve. I am still learning how to run a business. Sometimes I walk in the door and I have 10 messages on my voicmails, 14 unread emails and I am so completely overwhelmed. I am trying to do the best I can. Sometimes I make a mistake on a cake, or forget to call someone back, or think I have emailed someone back when I havent. I am asking for all of y'all to forgive me. I am working on being the best I can. I know I can't always please EVERYONE, but I can sure try to please as many people as I can. Happy Customer's = Happy Heather. Sometimes we as people want to point out only the flaws, I do this if I have a bad experience at a place of business, then I sit back and I say "Heather, think about this as if this was your business, do you want people to talk bad about you? Then my whole attitude changes.
Again, I am so BLESSED to have this business. We cannot WAIT to see what our future holds and we hope you continue to help us GROW GROW GROW!!