I know what you are all thinking….ANOTHER baby?!?!?!?! Hold on, she’s got a 4 year old, a 2 1/2 year old and a 9 month old….she owns/runs a business and she’s pregnant again? My answer to you: YES, another baby. While we had planned on another (maybe another 6-12 months from now), we certainly did not plan it this soon. BUT, we could not be more thrilled! I’ll admit… notifying all of our family and friends about baby #4 seemed a little more mellow than baby #1 (plus, it is early and there can be complications). I am just as excited as I was when I got pregnant with Ricky…but for some reason when I thought about telling everyone, it just kinda felt like a broken record. LOL! Everyone was super excited and I can’t believe I am going to have another little munchkin to hold and love. 

So there you have it …this CRAZY baker, “stay at home” mom, party planner, soccer banner maker, wife, crafter, team mom, seamstress, delivery woman, maid (although I’ll admit, not a very good one), blogger, photographer (again kinda sucky in this area), Halloween costume maker, and probably anything else you challenge me with is adding one more thing to her plate. Cannot wait for baby number 4!

So,  last Saturday I had 2 delicious orders….and it was my eldest daughter’s first soccer game. In case you all don’t know, I am such the soccer mom. No, really. I make the team banners, whip up the coolest snacks for half time and after the game, make team soccer hair clips, you name it. So, you can only imagine how thrilled I was for the first game. I arranged the deliveries for 7:00 am and the other for 12:30…Rick’s game was at nine. The first delivery was in Garden Grove. Having broke my navigation system (which I lived by) two days prior I was a little on edge, but had my iphone to help. So, I plug in the address and was on my way…right on schedule. I took Ani and Snooks with me and left Ricky with Poppa. On the freeway, passing Garden Grove. I am THAT bad with directions….thinking to myself how big is Garden Grove. Well, finally after driving for way too long the phone announces I have reached my destination. I WAS IN SEAL FREAKIN BEACH! I know, cut me some slack..I’m a baker not a delivery person. So, now, I’m freaking out because the clock is ticking. I try to re-input the address and my phone is just not loading. Crap, I was lost. it was now around 7:45 and I was in full panic mode. I call the hubby (who is wondering where I am) and explain…in tears. What? I did not want to miss my baby’s first game. So, the hubby laughs that I am in tears and tries to help….no luck. I’m driving around who knows where and it’s now 8:15…..EF it, I’m going home. 

You have to understand I love ALL of our customers, EVERY single one. You all are what made Two Parts Sugar what it is. This, this was a very special customer though. I’m not sure if any of you remember back when we auditioned for Cupcake Wars, but on lady really pulled through for me and literally got me on the show. You can read about that here. This order was for her….I feel I owe her a lot. So, I snap out of it, call the customer and get directions. 8:30, delivery done. YES! On my way to the game. Huh…not so fast. About half way there (Ladera Ranch) my car dies. You read correctly, died. So, now I am on the side of the road waiting for AAA. Then, AAA ends up on the 405 instead of the 5 and I’m still waiting. I guess it was the alternator…whatever fixed it and I was on my way. Parked the car in the handicap spot (hubby graciously volunteered to move it once I got to the field…awwwww) ran down the what seemed like a mile long hill with both girls in my arms, only to see the game end. Typical Monica luck. 

I was so bummed. You know those movies where the dad misses the big recital because he’s stuck in a meeting….yeah, I was so THAT parent. NEVER again. I talked with the hubby on the way to lunch and told him I was done. I was not going to be THAT parent. I was convinced there would be no more cakes/cupcakes for me. Well, I think we all knew what bologna that was. I was serious at the time…I wanted to shut it down. But, I started thinking about what it has taken to make this what it is.

Yes, it’s very difficult at times to manage the business and family life. Yes, I hate that I NEVER get to sleep. I hate that I have to drag my girls to the cake shop or deliveries. Yes, it gets frustating that I can only do so much because I am not in LA, or because I don’t have Mom and Dad to shell out a lump of cash to get a storefront. I can’t bake every single day and get samples to everyone I can think of. I can’t take every order that comes my way. The most frustrating thing is that I know what I am capable of, but cannot fulfill my potential. I can’t do all the things I want to with the business…and it sucks. Then, while I am getting down on myself for not doing more…I realize, now’s just not the time. As much as i want to “do it all” now, I’d rather be the soccer mom, the mom that spends every possible minute with these girls, cause they are growing fast. I’m not gonna lie, I do wish I had more time in the day. Plus, it totally bugs me when I see these single gals (with no family, or other responsibilities) hustling half as much as I would. I am struggling with my competitive nature daily and constantly turning to my girls for reassurance that I AM doing enough for both the business and them. 

So, that’s that, I got my cupcakes delivered, but missed a very important game. Just another day in the life of a baker trying to raise her girls and balance life.

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So the only changes really were to eliminate Stawberry Shortcake and incorporate the age and message “Happy Lula Day”. Otherwise from our discussion I felt I had “creative liberty” on this one. So, here’s what we came up with:

Cute right?….WRONG! By cooinsidence, the customer sent me a ext and asked what colors i had used so that she could purchase the party supplies to match. I excitedly told her I had a picture I could e-mail her. Well, i sent the e-mail and the response was not what I expected. She said it was really cute, but just not what she envisioned. OK…don’t panic, how can we fix this? I asked what she liked and didn’t like and we went from there. It was a mad dash to change it to what she wanted. It really was no biggie. I realized more today than ever, why I LOVE my job. I get to be  a part of memorable occasions in people’s lives and help bring their vision to reality. We added some darker colors, and some bows and TADA…a brand new cake and a thrilled customer!

Yes, it was a little crazy….but, this is what we do! I would never deliver a cake knowing the customer was not satisfied.  This is what sets us a part from the bakery down the street. We truly value each and every order we create. We are a part of YOUR memorable event and it should ALWAYS be ALL about YOU! We love our customers and strive to deliver smiles every time! 

A very special HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Lula who turned SIX today….Happy Birthday Lula, hope you loved your cake!

So, Parker’s cake…Laurie tells me he requested a “Big Pink Cake” as seen in The Cat in The Hat. The flavor….cherry chip. She attached an image and let me run with the flavor. I had no idea where to start with the cherry chip. I started thinking of the ice cream, chunks of cherries and chocolate chips. Then, I noticed a box of Duncan Hines Cherry Chip cake mix while down the baking aisle in my local grocery store. It would be perfect. I scowered the internet for cherry chips and experimented with icings until I thought what I had was just right. So, here’s the new flavor:

Parker Cherry Chip (yes we named a flavor after him, cause he’s just THAT rad!)….vanilla bean cupcake with cherry chips mixed in, topped with vanilla bean buttercream and cherry ganache drizzle….So Yummy!

Me, cake, Parker and daughter

Laurie is SO sweet, she made it a point to get in touch with us the following day, here’s what she ahd to say!

“I just wanted to thank you again for the wonderful cake! Parker and all of his family and friends LOVED it! Even the caterers were asking about it! Parker’s youngest daughter said, “Daddy, it looks like a cartoon!” which was the point! And the flavors were sooooo delicious! You did the most amazing job! Everyone raved over your cake, and I mean everyone!” -Laurie

“One of the most amazing things about the party was this CAKE. It was PINK & Suessy. The most delicious cherry chip & vanilla bean cake… So Good!! It was a Parker dream-cake…My favorite…And you know me and cake…     So, I’m a fan….” -Parker Jacobs

It was so special to me to be able to create something for someone who has created something so special for my girls (yes, YGG was created for MY GIRLS…lol!). Parker, from our family to you…we wish you a very happy birthday and a big thank you for being a part of our favorite show!

First, if you haven’t seen yet, we’ve got a newline of goodies…GLAM BITES! These are our gourmet treats all glammed up ready to hit the town! They are available in all colors and all treats! (The pictures don’t do them justice!)

Also, be on the look out for these cool cakes: Lacrosse cakes, Teddy bear minis, Money bags cupcakes, Damask cake, Turntables cake, pink/black vintage cake, Angels baseball cake x 2, Plumeria wedding cake, Sesame Street cake/cupcake combo…just to name a FEW! 

AND….

We’ll be taking our treats to the VIP BOOTH at TASTE OF LADERA….THE MTV MOVIE AWARDS gifting suite at the SLS Hotel…..the AMERICAN IDOL FINALE…and more soon to be announced!

I still can’t believe all the opportunities presenting themselves and am so thankful to all of our customers and supporters.

From Sweat to sweet

Only a certain kind of woman is willing to mix it up and go head to head against guys in a wrestling match. You might not expect it to be the same woman who now bakes cupcakes for a living – but it turns out they require the same ingredients.

The tenacity to score on the mat is not all that different from the tenacity you need to make a business into a winner.

So call this a story about what happens when sweat meets sweet. To me, though, it’s that familiar tale of a young mother juggling family and work. Mothers who learn how to fit their dreams around their children know how to grapple with life.

Monica Serratos, 28, wrestled at Estancia High School in Costa Mesa. As one of two women on the team, she wrestled mostly guys in the 103 or 112 -pound weight class.

She didn’t win a single match in her first year, but that only made her work harder. By senior year she was team captain.

Monica met her future husband, Fernando, on the wrestling team at Golden West College — and that’s where three babies come in.

Monica is primed to tell me about all this, plus cupcakes and the Academy Awards, but 3-month-old Angelica announces – loudly — she’s ready to eat. There’s no arguing with that.

Monica fell into baking the way women fall in love: opportunity and attraction to something sweet. She was working weekends and nights at Macy’s, and wanted to start her own business. Then her sister took a culinary class and Monica sampled some recipes.

“I liked the cake on one and the icing on the other,” Monica recalls. “When we put them together, it was gold.”

First, she experimented with recipes – a little more egg here, a bit less oil there. A good cake is moist, not over-baked, with icing that isn’t overly sweet. One result is her signature raspberry red velvet cake.

“This is my passion … when people pop a bite into their mouth and their reaction is ‘Wow!’ you’ve created this little bit of dessert heaven.”

For a year she explored the idea of a baking business. She took some classes in cake decorating and discovered she was good at it – very good.

Monica began selling her creations to friends and their friends and suddenly realized: “I guess I’m in business.”

Two Parts Sugar (www.twopartssugar.com) launched in December of 2008. Listening to Monica explain how she hustles to build her business is exhausting.

Less than a year after launching, a very pregnant Monica was competing (and losing) in the first episode of the Food Network reality show, “Cupcake Wars.” Yes, she admits, she spent one crazy evening with power tools building a display stand for her cupcakes.

Twice she’s accepted the annual LA Cupcake Challenge, passing out thousands of samples so the public can eat and vote. The first year Two Parts Sugar won a second place and bragging rights for its (suddenly) “award-winning” cupcakes. In February, she won a third place for her chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes.

She’s already diversified from cupcakes into other sweets and aprons. With marketing help from her brother, Monica tweets and blogs and looks for every advantage.

When the Academy Awards came calling, Monica didn’t hesitate. She pulled several all-nighters to bake mini-cupcakes for tasting and “swag” bags for stars visiting the gifting suite.

She’s tasted other cupcakes. With no modesty she says:

“Some of the cupcakes out there made me realize that what I have here is fantastic.”

An entrepreneur and mother, Monica knows all about juggling her time. Most mothers mentally barter with our kids, trading more favors than a backroom politico: If we accomplish one chore for me, later we will do one fun thing for you.

Monica trades a morning at the park for a run to buy ingredients or make a delivery. She packs Alicia, 3, Anabelle, 2, and the baby into the car and tells them it’s time to make a trip. She bakes; they bake with an Easy Bake Oven.

After the girls’ 8 p.m. bedtime, she heads to her Irvine-based kitchen to work. Her time is her own until 6 a.m. when the kids wake up.

“I tuck them into bed. They know Daddy is here and Mommy has to go to work.”

No problem – if you don’t require sleep.

And here’s where wrestling comes in. This is a grueling schedule. To meet it, Monica calls upon the same focus and drive she needed just to finish a practice.

“Some nights I’m baking and I’m dead tired and I tell myself: All right, it’s overtime. I need that extra bit you have to give.”

Endurance counts. She’s taken a self-taught, crash course in business: setting prices (too low), buying supplies (no longer at the grocery store), packaging and marketing.

So far, Two Parts Sugar is barely profitable. The deal with Fernando is that she needs to at least cover expenses and pay the family’s bill for health insurance.

Monica is selling cupcakes, but she’s buying herself time.

Right now, her business is the freedom to stay home days and weekends with her girls. But she has ambitions: maybe her own storefront bakery one day, maybe a little saved for the girls’ education. She would like them to finish college.

“I am setting an example. My girls can see it’s important to be independent and be able to support themselves and not have to rely on anybody else.”

She wants to build a successful business. She wants to be a successful mother. She wants more hours in the day.

All mothers wrestle with that.

We incorporated the signature starburst with a happy birthday message and the bottom tier was decorated with each character made out of fondant.

I have to admit…I walked into Jillian’s (Sadie’s mom) house and I was totally scoping it out for ideas for my daughter’s birthday party the following day! She had all kinds of cute decorations for the party. She put Sadie in a homemade YGG shirt with Foofa popping out of a cupcake (that’s where I got the idea to incorporate a cupcake into my girls shirts). The cake went perfectly with all she had set up for the party. Such a fun cake to do.

Thank you again for the wonderful cake!!! We had SOOOO many compliments and comments on it! And then there was almost an all out war on who got the first character slice!

-Jillian, Sadie’s Mom

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SADIE!

My little Ani on Halloween dressed as Toodee…we used this picture in the invitations.

I was swamped with work and a new baby and moving, so didn’t get to ordering any themed party decorations. Yo Gabba Gabba is SO hard to find in stores. So, 2 DAYS BEFORE the party I ran to find something that would work…heres what I did:

I was able to find bubbles in some of the colors of the characters and just added some of the simple facial features and POOF! they all came to life. The bubbles were a hit with the kids, but messy. I applied the same idea to the goodie bags, party hats and buckets for centerpieces. I was going to do the same to all the balloons but ran out of time! On a side note, I asked my 3 year old what kind of party she wanted, response: a Foofa party!

Here’s what the cake table looked like almost complete:

Here’s a shot of the cake!

So, the original plan was to do a 4 tier cake…each tier was going to have one of the Gabba lands as the background and the coordinating character on each tier with Toodee on top holding a ballon and the Yo Gabba Gabba starburst somewhere. Well, it was either a huge cake (with tons of leftovers) and no decorations, or a small cake and decorations. I opted for the tiny cake with cupcakes…much easier! I had a slight catastrophe with the liners…the all began to separate from the cupcake…solution: ribbon tied around each cupcake. 

I got SO many great shots of my angel on her big day, and I really tried to limit the number I posted.  Here’s my Ani enjoying her cupcakes! If you look closely you can see the shirt i made her is Toodee holding what else? A CUPCAKE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANABELLE!

While yes, a majority of the business was in my hands, from baking, decorating, and flavor concepts, to marketing, blogging, and even clerical….by NO means did I do it alone. I’ll try and make it quick, but here is where my gratitude lies: I am blessed to have help from my NUMBER 1, my husband. Thanks for ALL the PATIENCE and SUPPORT. My now three daughters Alicia (3), Anabelle (2), and Angelica (1 week)….they have no idea what lies ahead in the cupcake world! My Mom and sisters who have been there to help with baby sitting, taste testing, and creative ideas. My Dad, who is my voice of reasoning. My genius of a brother and sister who help in all creative aspects from packaging, marketing and website design. Ruth my beautiful model. Kitchen Couture for partnering up with us to bring you a couture line of aprons exclusive to Two Parts Sugar. Sugar Cat Studio for partnering with us to bring you couture cupcake wrappers. Dan Silberstein for getting us in last minute for last year’s LA Cupcake Challenge. The ENTIRE Super Delicious Team, Food Network and Ren Messer for believing in me! Katie B for graciously extending a hand to someone in need. Andy Ortega Photography for some amazing photos. The awesome bloggers out there….Zen Cupcake, Bake And Destroy (Natalie),Cupcakes Take The Cake, The Cupcake Activist, and anyone else who has helped spread the cupcake word. The CUSTOMERS……without you we would not have a place in the kitchen! Thank you to anyone and everyone who has crossed our path and helped to get us where we are today! 

So, as I was saying….This time last year we launched our website and life has been madness (in a good way) ever since. I have to admit, being a wife…no wait, a coach’s wife,  raising 2 children (now 3) and running a business is no easy feat. There were many times I wanted to give up, but my stubbornness wouldn’t allow me to. In the past year we have whipped up lots of cupcakes, cakes and treats, and have learned lots along the way. Our favorite moments of the year include participating in the arthritis walk to help spread the word about amazing kids like Faith who suffer from Juvenile Arthritis. Almost as rewarding, our blog was featured in the OC register, we took second in the LA Cupcake Challenge in the best traditional category, and auditioned and earned a spot on The Food Network’s CUPCAKE WARS (due to air December 27)! Needless to say it has been quite a BIG first year of baking for us!

This post is just to let all of our supporters, customers, family and friends how much we truly appreciate EVERYTHING! Also, to let you all know we are NOT slowing down! We have lots of aspirations for 2010! Some of our newest features include….a “make-over” for our website, new packaging exclusive to Two Parts Sugar, our “shop” which will include couture aprons and cupcake wrappers, new gourmet treats added to our menu, and much, much more! Events where you can find us: The Food Network’s CUPCAKE WARS, air date December 27, 2009…..The LA Cupcake Challenge, February 20, 2010…..The Arthritis Walk May 16, 2010! Please keep checking back for the latest, and if you have an event you’d like us to participate in or would like to place an order let us know!

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