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