Fall in the Bakery

Fall may just be the most fun time in a bakery! The scents are amazing and the seasonal ingredients so inviting and fun to use! We've been making some fun fall treats and I thought I would share them here for you to see!

We just published our Thanksgiving Menu on our website too. I feel actually like I'm a bit in control of this huge baking holiday (unlike last year, our first year, where I just prayed to live through it!).

Oh What a Day it Was!

As celebrations go, ours was fantastic! I was totally prepared for the day, though I continued to bake and bake and bake all day long to keep up. It felt good to know that no matter who walked in that day, I was gonna have a ton of stuff to offer AND I was gonna be able to enjoy a chat with them.

I was SHOWERED with amazing energy from customers, friends, and family ALL day long. One after the other -- almost like they had appointments. Some drove as far as Waterford and Hartland to see me/the shoppe, and some simply walked across the street! One after the other, leaving all their good, positive, supportive energy, good will & wishes, and prayers with me for another successful year to come and a few "atagirls" for the year completed.

My husband sent a bouquet of flowers (stunning I may add!), my Dad & Stepmom brought a fun balloon, my landlord brought flowers and champagne (ok, he wins!!) and not that any of that was needed, necessary or expected, it all seemed to be the added sparkle to the already amazing day!! We sang outloud (even though I'm not supposed to)...had a little Daytime Dance...and hugged a lot!

The day ended with my family getting a pizza (just like on our first day), all four of us chatting about what happened all day, and me going to bed before any of them with a smile on my face and a renewed sense of energy to start year #2. As hard as this is, I'm becoming more and more proud of the work I do and less and less critical of my self and my "work". I'm understanding that not everyone will like my bakery, but those that do, will more than like it, they will love it and tell others and bring in more people that do the same and then those people will enter and leave my bakery, and my life, with even more smiles.

I'm not sure what the coming year will bring, how this construction will affect us, how our growth will manifest itself, but I STILL trust that God alone "...knows the plans (He)/I (has)/have for you..." ~ Jeremiah 29:10.

Will Sign Autographs Later :o)

I've said it a zillion times, my customers are amazing! And I'll say it again here! Truly fascinating how the circle spins around.

One of my customers (who just had a stinkin' adorable little girl) that comes in pretty regularly asked me, out of the blue, last week if she could write an article for the Waukesha Freeman about Sally's! Now, up until this point, I have declined such offers for fear of growing too fast and not being able to do/continue to do a good job. But we are coming up to our one year anniversary, we have Megan now who can work 1-2 days per week, and it's time. That PLUS the fact that just one day before, I wrote on my To-Do list to call the newspapers (that very day of course) to ask them to run a story for our one-year and you can just imagine the sparkle coming from my heart when I said "Yes!"! But that's the way God works in my life. In fact, that is exactly the way God has always worked in my life

So here it is -- the article that introduced Sally's to a whole bunch of new customers (already) and what I hope will continue to do so. Shannon -- thanks for writing about our sassy little bakery! I, we, appreciate you so much and you honored me with your words!

GENESEE DEPOT BAKER SEEKS TO CHARM SWEET TOOTHS (darn right I do!!) by Shannon Venegas

Things Coming Back to Normal...or whatever that is!

Well, the two week "drought" is past. Life at the bakery is back to normal-ish. I'm glad that I am able to talk to the veterans in the area about business and compare notes. It's helpful (though still yucky) to know that the area businesses also are happy the last two weeks are over. So slow was it in Genesee, that the restaurant across the street did, on a Saturday, what they normally do on a Monday! Buh-Bye last two weeks...hello new week!

I have completed some very big projects this past month and am preparing for the next big steps to grow the bakery. I haven't done one single thing to advertise our business (except my perfect $30 flag) and that needs to be the next steps I take ... slowly and with intention. I want to make sure that our little bakery continues to do a good job and that means that you have to be intentional about how fast and in what direction you go.

I would love to work with more businesses to make their events fantastic. For instance, we have this great Bed & Breakfast in Wales (The Pedlr's Inn) and I need to get in there to chat with Dee about how I could help her make her guest's stays more memorable. Does she need decorated cakes for birthday celebrations? I would love to continue to use the bakery to touch people, cuz I really think that is why I love baking in the first place.

Maybe you have an idea for my growth? I would love to hear it so that I can put it on my Ideas for Possibility list. I have a description under that title that says -- It will require a suspension in your disbelief. I like that! So true and so important to remember!

The Purpose of this Blog

I'm not a "goal" person, but, I do need to be aligned with my mission or vision. With that, my blogs have been suffering because of my lack of said purpose. I think that may becoming a bit clearer for me here, on Sally's blog.

My customers made me think of it really. They are, and always have been, genuinely interested and caring of the success of the bakery. I tell them stories or facts or information. So then why is it that I wonder what purpose my blog serves. Why is my blog not speaking to more folks the way I do in the bakery...frankly, authentically, engaged. And there, all the while, it's right in front of me.

So Day One of serving the mission if this blog........

It's been a slow two weeks in the bakery. Last week I understood why (Ten Chimneys was closed for tours), but this week I haven't a clue why, and since we've not been open a year yet, I don't have any sales records to compare to or possibly find excuses in. I was most thankful this week for the many cake orders and also for a huge dinner roll order (for a wedding). That was our salvation this week. One of the other business owners called me earlier in the week to see how we we're doing because she was so slow. I was pleased to be able to tell her that we we're having a good day, but then, I think that I "jinxed" it! Uggh! We even had one of, if not the, slowest Sunday on record.

Well, here's to brighter and busier tomorrows! And also to finding purpose.

Depot Daze!!

Genesee Depot Daze

Read all about it!! :o) FUN FUN FUN!!

Genesee Depot Daze

Hey! If you're not doing anything...we'd love to see you for our first annual DEPOT DAZE!!! How fun is this?

Lemonade Stand

Scavenger Hunt

Meet the Waukesha Sheriff K-9 unit 1 - 3 pm

Wales-Genesee Fire Truck and Ambulance Display 10 am - 2 pm

Sew a Pillowcase for Tornado Relief

BIG BASKET Giveaway

Sidewalk Sale

Sidewalk-Chalk Drawing Contest

Kettle Korn

Face Painting

Bean Bag Toss

Spicy Burrito Eating Contest @ 1 pm Winner gets (2) front row Brewer tickets!

Grill Out & Live Music 10 am - 2 pm

Event Sponsored by GABE

Genesee Area Business Exchange

For event information, please contact Mary Jo at (262) 617-4209

Good Energy

The community is all a buzz! We haven't been open a full year yet, so I am not used to the ebbs and flows of our community, but I am rapidly being brought up to speed. On a beautiful day, people are all over the community - walking, experiencing, chatting, buzzing. We all send each "guest" to each other's shops and we do so proudly. People keep walking past my big ol' window and I keep noticing them. I need to stop doing that so I can keep baking, but for now, I can't help but notice all the energy.

Speaking of energy...I am a huge Oprah fan. I love her authenticity and her quest and stand for greatness. A guest of hers gave her a quote that she put in her dressing room so that she would notice it before each show. It reminds her to be mindful of the energy she brings to her arena. I have always believed in that exact teaching and even more so now that my stage has expanded. Some days it's easier than others, but overall, I am very mindful of the energy I put out in the world and especially that which can be considered "captured" within my four aqua walls.

There are days that I don't feel that I can possibly bring Sally Sunshine's best out, but it just takes one beautiful customer to help me be mindful of that energy check. Last week, Sunday actually, it was a young lady, about 10 or 11 going to tea with her mom. She was coming to get a little something to hold off their hunger and she said to me "how will choose something...you made so many great looking things"!

I love her energy. :o)

Ten Chimneys...an evening of regality!

Yesterday, my husband and I were the invited guests of Ten Chimneys to take the official tour. I was SO looking forward to doing this. I have lived in this area for most of my entire life including during the time that the home's famous occupants lived there during the 70's and 80's, and NEVER been to see the estate. I have customers that come from literally all over the nation to come do the tour, but I, who lives and has lived a mere 7 miles away has never done "the tour".

Why is it that we struggle to be tourists in our own towns? What a hidden, beautiful gem and right under my nose! Well, THIS YEAR I will NOT be embarrassed to talk to all my customers in the bakery who are going TO or coming FROM the lovely estate tour of the summer and retirement home(s) of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne! Let the story telling begin!

Now this may be just a bit of a problem in the future. You seeeee, I LOVED my tour, the stories, the house(s), the stories, the history, the artifacts, the stories....and NOW I have so much TO talk to my customers about...great. Now I'm never gonna get any baking done! Folks might as well come in and start talking to me about the play Wicked! Dang, I can see it now -- chat, chat, talk, talk.

Still so glad I went....It felt like an afternoon of royalty. It was a regal way to spend an afternoon! And may I just suggest that if you've not done the tour, you spend an afternoon in our backyard and enjoy this glorious piece of history when royalty walked amongst us.

Purpose and Missions

This blog gets harder and harder to write. It often seems like it's just another thing I have to do, and I hate that. Truth is, I wanted to start this blog to keep everyone in the know during the construction and start up and that was easy -- the blog had a purpose and a goal.

Now, not so much. And herein lies the problem. I need focus. I need missions. I need purpose. Otherwise, I'm just flailing. So, I may not be participating much in this blog in the coming months as I need to reflect on the purpose of said blog.

I do know that I would like to share recipes with you and events, and maybe that's enough??? And please do feel free to add your two cents to my investigative process either here or when you come to the bakery. I'd love to see what you see for me. Oh my! I'm a poet now too! :o)

One More Day...Can She Do It People?

OK - so apparently the dreaded "Vacation on the Brain" is NOT a good thing to get when you own and operate a bakery. I guess I've always been OK when the dreaded disease hits when I had a "desk job", but it's gettin' a little dangerous here now people!

I dropped a loaf of our bread today (and my husband wasn't even in town to be able to eat it!), I started frosting my pumpkin cake order like my raspberry cake order and visa versa (who knew they looked so much alike when you have a disease!), I broke a plate I dropped, I spilled sticky lemon goo all over the floor, AND I forgot to vacuum the floors before I left today! Ayy-yiy-yiy-yiy!!

Funny thing though, I never once skipped a beat telling people all about my pending vacation, the position I will be assuming in just a teeny day and a half, or how much I can't wait for Sunday to be over. Huh. Had no problems there.

Let's hope I can get through tomorrow without any more damage and then it's smooth sailing from there....at least for one whole, complete, entire, I can't wait, whoohooo, week!

See "you" in a week! :o)

"Our Bakery"

Last week, a new customer came into the bakery to "check us out" (and if I had a nickel...). While she was looking around, weighing her options, she told me she heard about our little bakery from her coworker that told her she had to "come check out OUR new little bakery". Our?!

Our bakery?!

OMG! I SO love that! I love that so! Our bakery! It's almost as if it's all I've ever wanted..........

Sally's Uniforms!

I'm so excited! The Tshirts I have been wanting to get around to ordering have finally been completed! It's exciting, cute, fun and sassy! And I just love them! Here they are!

OK - are you ready for the punch line....

I know, right?! :o) See! Now you know why I love 'em!!

Blond Brownies by 2 Brunettes!

My mom (Gramma Sara) was helping in the bakery yesterday and I asked her to make some Blond Brownies to sell. Now, Gramma Sara will be the first to tell you that she is no baker, would rather be play in the dirt than making a dirt cake and yet, every Wednesday she comes in to help me get caught up. I love that.

So I gave her that Blond Brownie recipe cuz they really are simpley dimpley! 'Cept, it didn't go just right. And that's OK -- insert your gasp here! I took that mixture that didn't work out right and knew what we could do to fix it simpley dimpley and WAAA-LAAAH -- a FANTASTIC Blond Brownie made fantastically by two Brunettes!

I thought I would share the recipe we created here for you - insert another gasp, right?! A baker giving away her recipes? Why not? Every once and a while, wouldn't it be fun to make some of the yum you have at Sally's? I thought so....

Here is our scrumptious recipe! (And you can add ANYTHING you want to these -- we made ours w/ white chocolate chips THIS time!!)

BLOND BROWNIES anyone can make, no matter what color their hair is

Mix 3/4 c. of SOFTENED or melted butter (or margarine) with
2 c. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla (imitation is best for this recipe) and then add
3 eggs
after that is combined (and you can do this entirely by hand) add
2 cups flour
pinch or two of salt
2 tsp. baking powder and mix all of this until blended together.

Then add whatever treats you would like to: butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, nuts, M&M's, peanut butter chips or mini cups, chopped candy bars, toffee bits -- ANYTHING and everything!

Pour into a GREASED (we used baking SPRAY -- like Pam) 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Then, moan while you enjoy these soft little nibblers of luv'!

You can thank me later............

Sexy Roxy

There's a new addition to our sassy little bakery! It's very exciting! It's also about time, really.

When I was 19, I had a last minute gift to buy for Christmas - literally last minute -- it was Christmas Eve EVE! I was walking through Brookfield Square Mall and ran into my dad and step mom. Couldn't believe it! First of all, my dad hates people (and there are a lot of them in the mall). Secondly, my dad doesn't do malls (what with all the walking and people and crap he doesn't want).

"Hey! What are you doing here?!"

"Getting your Christmas present, that's what."

"Mmmm, whatcha gettin' me, Big Daddy?" :o)

The next day, under the tree, was Ethel. My white, Kitchenaid, 4.5 quart mixer, and I loved her. I mean love her. She's 24 years old and has been working her little grinder off at the bakery since September 1st. She has performed this well for the last 24 years with no whining or complaining...until recently. I can hear her whining a little and, quite frankly, I miss having her at home.

So as of today, Ethel has been put back on my counter, at home, where she belongs and her new bigger, baby sister, Roxy, has moved into the bakery as the new workhorse. She's bright and shiny and big and a little dark with her special Satin Metal finish -- very tough looking.

I will grow to love her, in time. She will just need to prove herself a bit first. Ethel will always be my first love, but I feel very strongly that there is enough room in my heart to love them both. So far, Roxy has proven that she can make my scones with much less effort and mess, so I am already very pleased at her first day performance.

It's so nice to be able to grow, isn't it?! :o)

Life After Holidays

OK - so I have finally figured out TWO things...ONE: people like to fool around in the early summer because February may just be the busiest cake month EVER in the history of recorded time and TWO: all of my customers disappear after a holiday. So, thank God for for the birds and the bees, but the phenomenon of "no" customers is so weird to me. Last week, I could barely keep my head above the water, this week, I'm floating down a lazy river. If someone could explain this second thing I figured out, I would be much obliged!

In the meantime, I took some fun pictures of some of the stuff I made today! Almost makes me wish you could lick your screen! :o)

Valentine's Day

I've been making some fun stuff for Valentine's Day and so I'd thought I would share them here for my "customers" from afar who can't really BE my "customers"...sometimes I talk too much.

Happy Valentine's Day! :o)

The Original Sally's

OK, so I almost didn't want to blog today because now those stinkin' darn cute pictures of the Cake Smash are below my screen when I look at my blog, but I just had to!!

My new "friend" Tom, a local retiree who lives right behind Sally's, is one of my "regulars", an amateur photographer, and life-time Genesee-an, and married to our Town Chairperson (who happens to be the daughter of one of the former Town of Genesee Chairpersons!), gave me THIS picture to hang in my bakery!!

Right now, you are probably asking yourself, what the heck did he give her THAT for? Well, this is the original Ford Dealership and John Deere Tractor Dealership back in the day.

What's more fascinating is that the window all the way to the right.....that's SALLY'S!!! I KNOW RIGHT!!! That is the original function and building and that now houses Sally's Sweet Shoppe!


I'm so touched by his gift and enthralled by having it adorning my walls and all the stories that go with it! I could stare at it forever...well, ok, maybe I would have to stop to look at pictures of Ava during her Cake Smash once and a while, but other than that....... Can you see it hanging on my wall behind the cooler case? How cool is that?!

Cake Smash!

How much fun can one have when eating cake? Well, when one is ONE, the answer is A TON!

Captured Moments Photography just finished doing a Cake Smash session with this precious little girl, Ava, who turned one. Sally's was asked to provide the cake (with EXTRA creamy stuff, of course!!) and I don't think I could have had more fun making a cake. OK, maybe the making of the cake wasn't so much fun, but just thinking of it's inevitable doom, brought a huge smile to my face while frosting it...."let's see, how high CAN I pile on this fluffy stuff?"!!! In fact, I was so excited that I practically stalked Kelly to see the pictures even while she was still taking them! And now you can see why!!

Well, I couldn't be more excited to be a part of this fun event, now and in the future! I hope you will consider calling Captured Moments if your little ONE wants to have a little fun too! Tell her Sally sent you and maybe if there's any cake left, that's edible, you can take it home and enjoy it too!

It all seems so exhausting doesn't it? :o)

Now that picture is worth ten thousand words, don't you think?

Cupcakes....or as I like to call them...

...Mini versions that look less messy in our display cases cakes. It rolls off the tongue don't you think?! Truth is, I don't make a lot of tortes/flavored cake desserts in the bakery because folks just don't come in saying "I'll take that cake". Though I do love to make them! So I take those fun cake/torte/dessert ideas and make them in cupcake form and we sell 'em like hotcakes!

Of course, we've never sold "hotcakes", so is that really what I want to use as a comparison?

Any ol' way, I've been making tons of fun Mini-Cakes :o) for the bakery. I've made Turtle cupcakes, Cinnamon Cupcakes w/ Chocolate Truffle filling and cream cheese butter cream, Boston Cream Cupcakes (this may be our new "best seller"), Twinkie Cupcakes, Creme de Menthe Cupcakes and on and on!

It sure is fun! I think tomorrow, I shall make a coconut cupcake of some sort....OOOO...or maybe lemon....or how 'bout carrot? Mmmmmmm.......

New Pictures

Thought I would share some pictures of some of the yummy stuff we've made lately. Yumminess abounds!

Taking Steps

"Faith is taking the first step even when you can't see the entire staircase." ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Perfect words for so many things in life, but today it struck me that such an important person said words that can apply to even me and to my little bakery. And it dawned on me, that each day of owning this bakery is another step up the staircase and each step is a new renewel in my faith for having done it.

If Dr. MLK were here, I would bake him a birthday cake.

I love Megan.

I know that I haven't formally introduced you to Megan yet, but I will. I just keep forgetting to take my camera to work! Well, maybe you've stopped in and seen someone behind the counter working w/ me (that's not related to me)? That's Megan.

I love Megan.
I love my bakery when Megan is in it.
Sally loves Megan.

I (only) get Megan for a few hours a week, but those are the best few hours of the week. In that time we get so many doughs and batters made that I have stuff to make all week long -- until she comes again.

I love Megan.

Megan is a mule. She just pounds out the work. And folks are noticing. There is tons of stuff in both of my cases and we've been trying new things at breakfast time (today we tried biscuits). Or orders keep coming in and she and I together are able to get them done and say "Thank you Sir may I have another"!

I love Megan. :o)

When Will They Eat Again

Ok, so I wish it was Valentine's Day tomorrow.

Why, you may ask? Is it because I want to show my love and affection to my honey and daughters? NOPE!

It's cuz that's when I hear my customers will be ready to eat again! :o) It's been very slow in the bakery since Christmas. Sure, that's given me lots of time to bake some great stuff, but no-one to buy it. Ok, that's not true, it almost all sold, but I didn't make many of the great things I had time to make. And I was told that this was gonna happen in Genesee, so it's not that I wasn't prepared, I just miss being super busy in the bakery.

Well, Valentine's Day will be here before I know it, so I guess I should go practice my Red Velvet Cupcake recipe and OH! Big Heart Cookies and heart cut-outs and dark chocolate everything...How fun!

We Have a Winner!!

And no, they don't win a Chicken Dinner! It's so much better than that!!

A month ago, for our Christmas in Genesee day, we ran a contest with Captured Moments Photography to win a free photo session! Yup, the whole session - free!! We are pleased to announce to you that the Mike and Julie Ryan family have won this session and are so excited to think of how great the pictures will be since they just recently added a new member to their crew!

We'll be sure to bring show you some of the photos from their shoot when it happens, but for now, we can share this precious face with you as this little guy is one of the Ryans (and I just happened to take his picture when he was making his ornament...'course I took just about every one's pictures, now didn't I?)! :o)

Thanks again to Captured Moments Photography for offering this fun contest to Sally's customers! I for one can't wait to see the winners' pictures!

Anniversary

It's Sally's Sweet Shoppe's FOUR MONTH anniversary today!! Four months! It has been the fastest four months of my life! And it has taken fully four months to start to get a groove going. Even the paperwork side of the business is starting to fall into place (the right place) and we're getting a rhythm by which to stay on top of it. I'm guessing by our one year anniversary, I'll practically be dancing in the bakery w/ all the groove I'll be getting on! :o)