Jules-Sweetart online!!!

It has been a mad couple of weeks but a very exciting time - well for me anyway!
After lots of hours researching and working and with lots of advice from my colleagues Tony and Mike, Jules' Sweetart finally went live last Sunday evening. www.jules-sweetart.co.uk
 I wasn't quite sure what to expect and as I have probably taught myself most things to do with IT (not always successfully!) I was a little apprehensive.
The website finally went live and was there for all to see - I was so excited and wanted to celebrate with champagne!
Loading up lots of photos took forever but it's looking ok and enquiries have gone mad!
It's a shame I have a full time job and it's only a hobby!
Still I'll never give up my job - unless I win the lottery - as much as some days are hard work, my girls are very good and work very hard!

Friday was champagne Friday and my girls are so wonderful. Thank you so much to Mo, Elizabeth, Louise, Kim, Tracey and of course Veg (hope you're having fun in Oz!)
Without you all and all of your encouragement, I would never have got this far with my cakes!!!

So with the website up and running, orders came flooding in and my calendar now looks very full.
This week I had chocolate cupcakes, a "new job" cake and some Manchester United cupcakes to do.

The "new job" cake was for Lynette's niece and so I thought I would go to town with their orange theme and one of their planes. It was very orange!

The Man Utd cupcakes were for a birthday and I had to check what their kit was and their sponsor - they change so often!

So now I need to get organised and really plan ahead to keep on top of things. I managed to mark two sets of homework this weekend but would really like to cut down - Mission Impossible me thinks!

I have also made toppers for Nintendo cupcakes, Octonaut figures (am excited as they are so cute!) and an american footballer - all ready for next week and the week after.
It's Burn's Night on Tuesday and am looking forward to having friends over for neaps and tatties. Don't forget your kilts!!!
Well all the excitement has taken it's toll and again am exhausted (but very happy!)
Back to work tomorrow, more meetings, more drama but lovely people!

Cupcakes,Orchids and Converse!

Is it nearly the end of the week yet???
Today has been very long and I am ready to curl up in front of the TV and relax. At the end of last week my voice almost came back and my mouth was a little less sore.Cupcakes were the order of the day for an 18th Birthday. Blue and football themed, they seemed to go down well on Saturday.

The weekend was very busy but I had plenty of time to start on the next cake, a 70th birthday cake for Susan. She loves orchids so sugarpaste orchids were my weekend job!
I haven't made sugarpaste flowers since the summer and all those wedding cakes so I was looking forward to it. I wanted a delicate but sparkly affair for a special birthday.

Sunday's job was to start a 13th birthday cake with a Converse theme. The boots were a challenge and I tried to get all the details right.It was fiddly but I really liked the end result.
They are kind of cute!

We still haven't been to visit our "R" in our hotel themed scrapbooking project so hopefully we'll get to the Ritz this week. I could do with a nice cocktail in a beautiful place!
Talking of beautiful, the girls at work really spoilt me today for my birthday treat: a beautiful cake, a gorgeous bouquet of flowers and some lovely spending money for shopping!
Thank you girls I love you all lots!!!!

Well I am exhausted. Has anyone got any good ideas to help nerves in public speaking?
Put me in front of hundreds of students or parents and I am fine, but in front of other people or teachers I am a nervous wreck before I start- even if I know what I am talking about!
Today I had to do a presentation in front of a delegation of Government officials and businessmen and women from Hong Kong.
I have to keep a pin in my hand and keep digging it in to take my mind off of the nerves!
All ideas welcome!!!!!
I had no sleep last night worrying so am now ready for an early night!
Sweet dreams!

What a start to the new year!

2011 - Will it be a good year?????

I'm glad I can write as at the moment my voice has gone completely!!!
I struggled at work today (although the girls were fab and very sweet!) and teaching is definitely not the best job to do when your voice has gone!
So my new year got off to a rather dreadful start - an interesting New Year's Eve, a dreadful New Year's Day and then my week just deteriorated from there!
It can only get better!!!!!!

Feeling a little stressed out and in a bit of pain with a toothache on New Year's Day I ventured into London. I wanted to avoid the sales and go for a long walk along the Thames and through the parks. Ha ha, got as far as Trafalgar Square and stood and watched the New Year's Day Parade - it was brilliant!
The atmosphere was great and very exciting. When the rain started I dived into The St James Hotel for tea. It was so comfortable I stayed a while avoiding the cold and rain.
The shops were very inviting and feeling a little windswept and frumpy I was enticed by the sound of a free makeover in Selfridges - what is the worst that could happen???

The assistant (although a little hungover) was lovely and started to work her magic and then brought me a Cosmopolitan - it was all going well until the false eyelashes - not sure if I loooked like a model or a drag queen. Still I was convinced by her banter and parted with a rather large sum of money for a concealer (that will hopefully perform miracles!) and yet another lipgloss... oh well.
A glass of champagne later and I was ready to fight the world - apart from my nagging toothache.
Overnight the so-called toothache turned into an abscess and the rest is...painful!
I woke up to find I looked like the elephant man (thought it might have been the make up at first) but the pain was unbearable.
To cut a long story short and several visits to the dentist, armed with anti-biotics I started to feel better. What a great start to the year - and to top it all some idiot has used my paypal account to run up huge bills in the USA. How did that happen???
Not a happy bunny.
Never mind, despite feeling very rough and depending yet again on mum and dad's help I had to make Lynn's retirement cake. Fortunately when the first party was organised (then cancelled due to snow) I had already made the flower pots and watering can - THANK GOODNESS!

The party was great - it was good to see so many old friends and work colleagues and Lynn had a good farewell. By the end of today I had no voice, a sore throat and a very sore mouth still. I need TLC or some good painkillers!!!!
Orders for cakes have been coming in thick and fast and hopefully the website will be up and running soon. I just need a little bit of time - ha ha.
Cupcakes, orchids and converse this weekend!
Well 2011 hasn't started so well but it can only get better from down here!!!
Here's hoping...

Happy New Year 2011!!!!

Wishing all my friends and family a very happy 2011. I've had a lot of ime to think and reflect and hopefully will make lots of changes to my life in 2011- It's time for a new start!!!
Probably fewer cakes and more time at the gym!!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!