Kelley's Kitchen

Celebrating Two Years of Wedded Bliss

2011-12-04T23:16:00.000-08:00

See that photo? ----->This is the photo that peaked my interest in the man who I now proudly call "husband". This photo was one of his profile pics on okcupid, and it made me think, "This man is silly...this is good." It's the photo that made me answer his initial message, and the one I kept peeking at whenever I logged on to see if he'd sent me anything new. Happily, we quickly moved past the friendly banter on the dating site and exchanged actual email addresses. Soon we were talking on the phone (which if you know me, you know I hate doing!) and set up a coffee date. I emailed my friend in Australia to tell how nervous I was to meet him in person. I couldn't figure out why I was nervous... I'd been at this whole dating thing a while, and had pretty much gotten past letting it freak me out. Something about Ames was different, though. We met at Stella's on Pearl on a wonderfully warm and sunny Sept (the 7th) day. I parked about a half a block up and checked myself over to make sure nothing was amok. Deep breath. Concentrate on NOT tripping as I walked towards him. I remember laughing a little because my heart was beating so hard I could feel it in my neck. I managed to make it up the two steps and shake his hand and speak a full sentence without A)giggling like an idiot B)spitting on him C)mucking up the correct order of the words coming out of my mouth. Yay for me! Those hours we sat talking flew by, and suddenly it was time to go and pick up our respective children from their other parental units. He walked me to my car and asked if he could fix dinner for me. No kiss happened then and though I was mighty curious (he has delicious lips), I was happy it didn't happen there on the sidewalk.A couple of never ending/time stood still/what am I going to wear days later, I went to his house for dinner. He gave me the tour and this was in his room. --->

It projects the time on to the ceiling!!I don't know why that goofy Batman clock made me so giddy, but it did. It said a lot about who Ames is. He embraces his inner geek. I quickly grew to love this quirky man- in fact, I fell head over heels watching him recite the lines to The Dark Knight. I looked over at this grown man sitting on the edge of his movie theater seat and sank deep into a rainbows, tweeting birds, butterflies flitting, unicorns and puppy filled love. I didn't tell him for another month, though:)My life since I met Ames has been full of happiness, silliness, long talks, lots of hand holding, laughter and a deep kind of love I really didn't think existed.

2011-10-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

Meet Rosie! Our newest foster pup:)

Isn't she just beautiful?? Her big brown eyes just make you melt, don't they?Rosie is nearly a year old, so she's just about done growing. She's roughly 50lbs. and on the larger side of "medium dog". She's house trained, crate trained, up to date on shots, spayed, pretty decent on a leash, will bring the ball back when playing fetch, knows several commands, doesn't have any issues with people, loves other dogs and thinks the cat is mighty fun. She was well loved by her previous owner, who tried their best to keep her, but couldn't due to their living situation. She came to New Hope about three weeks ago. Rosie will stick right by your side and isn't distracted easily. We think she'll be excellent on hikes off leash. She is very attentive and watching her watch our movements is pretty fascinating. I'm sure that if she had thumbs, she'd figure out how to get the fridge open as she knows that's where the good stuff is!Rosie is incredibly gentle with people and loves to cuddle and have her ears scratched. Her ears are so soft:)! She snores when she sleeps, and sometimes hogs the blankets. Rosie is not afraid of loud noises (ie: kids), will bob for ice cubes in her water dish and enjoys being brushed. She loves to chew and will annihilate a rawhide in mere hours... especially if you put a little peanut butter in it. Give her the tree trimmings and she'll mulch them for you.

When you adopt a dog our family has been fostering, you can expect this: A happy, playful pup who's been cuddled and kissed and spoiled a bit. A pup who sleeps on the bed (or wherever they want) with several other dogs, who has been a pillow for children, and knows that when told to "sit" in the kitchen that there's usually a treat coming.

You'll have peace of mind knowing that your new pal gets along just fine with kids of all ages, other dogs, grown ups, knows what it's like to ride in the car and has passed the "dog park test". Your dog will be healthy, having been thoroughly checked out by the vets who work with New Hope, and will have been fed a high quality food during their time with us (we are dog food snobs... just fyi..) Your pup will know basic commands and will have been rewarded for good behavior. Your pup will not have been scolded for things they may have done but we didn't catch them doing, as we know a dog must be caught in the act in order to understand why you are scolding them. Your pal will never have been hit by us. We will ask you a plethora of questions about your daily activity, living situation, family members and other pets. Our job is to make sure everyone will be happy. We will visit your home if possible. We will turn you away should you say things like, "We want a puppy, but have you trained her to not chew on things?". We might tear up a bit saying "goodbye", but that's because part of us has fallen in love with your new pal. The joy of knowing we've just made you and a dog very happy is rewarding beyond words.Rosie, along with many other wonderful Cattle Dogs, will be at an Adoption Fair this Saturday (the 8th) at Petco in Golden--- address is--17132 West Colfax Ave., CO 80401 from 9am until 3pm. Even if you're not looking for a new pup, please share this info with others. Thank you!http://www.nhcdrescuecolorado.com/

How to Not Be a Jerk On the Road

2011-08-14T16:26:00.000-07:00

I drive A LOT for my job. I've driven up and down I-70 22 times so far this summer. I feel the need to share my rules for not being a jack ass while operating a motor vehicle.
1- Merging onto the highway. You see those cars you're about to shove yourself in between? Chances are they're all going at least 65. No one really goes the speed limit. Your job is to successfully put your vehicle in the mix, and to do so you need to A)realize that the "Yield" sign is for you, not them and B)accelerate up to that speed! Yes, move faster! Merging while going 32 miles per hour forces others to slam on their brakes, swerve, smash into the back of you. None of these create a positive outcome. The good folks speeding by on the highway should not have to do any of these things. They are busy driving very fast. Let them concentrate on that.
2- Roundabouts. One lane? Signal your off; meaning let people know you're exiting. Two or more lanes? THE OUTER LANE is the off lane! This means you do not cut over into it hoping the car there already knows what you're doing. If you miss your off, CIRCLE BACK AROUND. This is the cool thing about roundabouts... take you about eight seconds, maybe. Merging into a roundabout means you WAIT for an opening and go. Not just go. Those stop and yield signs are for you.
3-Slow moving semis. Chances are if you're on a mountain highway you'll see dozens of semis and other large vehicles with their hazards on going REALLY slow as they are not able to cruise along at 70 while going up an 8% grade. If you are in the lane behind them and want to pass them, DO NOT race up behind them, slam on your brakes and cut over. This is guaranteed to A)piss many people off and B) make you an ass. Get over early! Why wait?? You know you're going to pass them, so do so when you have an opening. Plan on accelerating to match the speed of the lane you're moving in to.
4- Signaling. NO ONE CAN READ YOUR MIND. Turns signals are there for this reason. Use them. We won't think any less of you. If you see someone signaling to get over into your lane, let them! Seriously, is slowing down a touch to give them room going to wreck your day? What is that, like, 1.8 seconds for you? Chances are pretty good they have a reason to be doing so, and you might even get "the wave"!
5- Motorcyclists... I have a lot for you.. Helmets hung on the side of your bike make us all laugh at you. It's not sexy; it's stupidity in one of the highest forms. Lack of proper protective gear is equally lame. We secretly hope you wreck and become one big scab.
Do not expect the two ton minivan you just cut off and stopped abruptly in front of to be able to stop as abruptly as you did. It's not physically possible.
Do not take turns wide on blind curvy mountain roads. This is not a race track. I came upon a wreck of motorcycle vs. boat on the pass to Winterpark... who do you think won? I'm sure when Mr. Motorcyclist started his day he didn't picture it ending with the Hazmat guys hosing down his remnants from the roadway.
Do not ride the center lane if traffic is moving swiftly along. It's okay if we're all at a slow crawl or stand still... 99% of us will be jealous of your ingenuity. If you try to do this when we're cruising along at 85mph, chances are someone will stop you because you're being an ass. Come upon a vehicle switching lanes that isn't using their trusty turn signal and you're one big smear.
Vehicle drivers, you are not to turn in front of a motorcycle unless you have a safe distance to do so! You can kill them! You cannot merge into their lane if they are next to you, either. You can kill them! Do not try to race them up the on-ramp, then cut them off, either. You can kill them! Figure this... anyone who puts their person onto a piece of machinery that offers no protection and can quickly accelerate to over 200mph.. well, they are not like you. They have a bit of an edge to them. They like to jump out of planes and get tattoos and enjoy mosh pits. It's okay to be different from them. Differences are what make us interesting. Just don't hold it against them. Also figure that some of these motorcyclists will not hesitate to beat the crap out of your car door with their armored fist should you have just risked killing them.
6- Texting while driving. NO ONE can safely text and drive. NO ONE. If it's that damned important, wait until you are stopped, or pull over into a parking lot or onto the side of the road. But you trying to text while you drive causes you to swerve, suddenly slow down, not see what is right in front of you... like the tree you're headed towards, or the pedestrian crossing the road in one of those tourist town crosswalks. Tourists don't wait for you to stop... they just go. All sense of reason left them at the airport.
what else...
7-Driving in snow/ice. You have four wheel or all wheel drive... hooray for you! This doesn't mean you won't go sliding off the road into a ravine like the rest of us. Slow the hell down. You hit a patch of ice and your tires lose traction just like ours do. This also doesn't give you the ability to stop on a dime.
8-Your car is fast, right? Do not expect that minivan you come racing up on that's trying to pass the semi going up the 8% grade to be as fast as you. Riding up their ass will cause two things to happen. They will slow down because you are annoying, or they will continue to work at trying to pass the semi and you will become annoyed and start honking or flashing your lights. Neither works at all to help you get your way. Just accept the fact that we know your Porsche engine is far superior to the V6 in the minivan and get over it. They'll be out of your way as soon as they can be, I promise.
9- Slower drivers on curvy roads usually have a reason to be going slow. Perhaps they're not used to the curves and are nervous, or perhaps their vehicle isn't great at cornering, or perhaps they are transporting something fragile such as children or a wedding cake. Leave them be. Go around when you safely can and accept the fact that curvy roads are not everyone's cup of tea. If you happen to be the slow driver, be courteous and pull onto the shoulder or into the slower traffic lane to let others pass you. This is the nice thing to do. Less swearing will happen.
10- Tourists- Colorado is a beautiful state and our mountains are breathtaking. Please pull off of the road entirely and come to a complete stop to take your pictures. Please wait for a safe break in traffic to get out of your vehicle if your car door is close to oncoming lanes. We don't blame you for taking pictures, but we shouldn't have to swerve around your ass sticking out of your door because you are looking for spare batteries. In addition to this, DO NOT hold your camera out of the car window and try to take pictures while going 78mph. This is as stupid as texting while driving, and your pictures will most likely suck.
11- Vehicle on fire? You automatically get the right of way! We will all gladly move for you! DO NOT continue to drive. Exploding is bad. Pull over to the right hand emergency lane asap. We'll help you get there!

if you have anything to add to this list, please feel free to comment!

Kelley's Kitchen: Bear (the Magnificent) the foster dog

2011-07-17T15:51:00.000-07:00

Kelley's Kitchen: Bear (the Magnificent) the foster dog

Bear (the Magnificent) the foster dog

2011-07-17T15:35:00.000-07:00

We're on foster number five, and so far it's been a wonderful experience for us! A lot of people ask how we can let them go... it's hard, but to be able to place a pup in a loving home is incredibly rewarding. I also facebook stalk the new family:)

So this is Bear, and he's awesome:) He's about a year old, up to date on shots, neutered, crate trained, house trained, excellent on a leash, and not a runner. I'm willing to bet he'll be amazing off leash as well. He's full of energy and very sociable. No issues come with this dog! Like most cattle dogs, he's very cuddly and will happily curl up next to you and rest his head on your shoulder.

Bear gets along great with other dogs and doesn't exert the need to dominate. We now have three permanent furry pals and Bear very quickly bonded with them. He LOVES to play. He's fine with kids, too... our four think he's quite fab!

The general consensus is Bear is part Border Collie, which has made him very soft and fluffy. He has the most beautiful brown eyes, doesn't he?

If you're thinking about adopting one of these wonderful creatures, please feel free to contact me at kelleyinco@gmail.com or peruse the many fabulous furry folk on the New Hope website www.nhcdrescuecolorado.com

From Sketch to Reality

2011-04-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

I just completed one of the more elaborate cakes to date--- going from a flat sketch to the sides of a cake is joyous for me, as all of the thoughts jumping around in my head finally come together. Up to the time it's being created I have been known to say to clients, "Bear with me... I can see it in my head!"
This is the sketch:

And this is what it looked like when all was said and done:

Congrats to Melissa and Jeff:) Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to be a part of your wedding day!

Meet Lacey! Our newest foster dog!

2011-04-09T18:46:00.000-07:00

Isn't she beautiful? She knows it, too:) Lacey is one heck of a terrific dog! She's roughly one and a half years old and is current on all shots and has been spayed. She's incredibly intelligent, super cuddly, most excellent on a leash and loves to play. She's all of the great things about a cattle dog, and BONUS, she's super mellow about you leaving her alone! No crate needed! Down side of this dog-- she won't hear the doorbell.
Lacey is completely deaf, but you certainly wouldn't know it if we didn't tell you. We were a bit concerned she'd be skittish or hard to work with when they asked us to foster her, but I'm so glad we said "yes", because she is truly incredible. I've done a lot of research on deaf dogs and have found out it's very common for them to be far more focused than most dogs. Makes sense since they can't rely on their hearing, right? Lacey is constantly looking at our face to read our reactions, and our hands to see what we'd like for her to do. Lacey knows several hand commands like 'come', 'sit', 'stay' and 'leave it'. A simple thumbs up and a smile from you and she knows she's a good dog:)
If you think about it, you probably use your hands when training a hearing dog, so it's no different at all when training a deaf dog. Lacey will frequently turn and look to see where we are at. I about fell over the first time I took her for a walk and noticed that not only was she looking up at me to make sure she stayed right at my heel, but she also watched our shadows and slowed down to stay where she was supposed to stay! Crazy!

Another bonus---she's quiet. Like, no crazy barking and whining. We have several small yapper dogs in the area and sometimes they get our Radar going a little bananas. Lacey just looks at him like, "What the heck, man?" She visits other dogs, but there's no freaking out at all. It is awesome!

The first day we tested her a lot to see if she would startle if you just came up and touched her. I think we were all thinking about how you never walk up behind a horse and touch them, because you will most likely get kicked right square in the chest. Lacey has yet to act startled, despite all of the random surprise touching and nudging we've done. I felt kind of silly even thinking this was a concern after I gave it some thought. This is what she knows, so why would it bother her?

If you're looking for a fabulous dog who will love curling up on the couch with you as much as taking a hike, consider Lacey.
You can find out more about her by contacting me personally at kelleyinco@gmail.com

Check out New Hope Cattle Dog Rescue of Colorado, too. There are so many wonderful dogs waiting for a forever home!
http://www.nhcdrescuecolorado.com/

When Grooms get involved....

2011-03-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

Recently I had a second meeting with a lovely couple to discuss some changes to the cake design, and to my surprise, the groom had sketched out the cake. His sketch is so awesome, I had to blog it:) I love this.. when couples get excited over the design of their cake. They had even considered how this cake would look up against the beautiful, rich wood tones inside The Villa Parker:) I think they nailed it... a vibrant purple cake with shimmery champagne toned details is going to look stunning in there!

They asked if it bothered me that they made a sketch, and I told them not even the tiniest bit... this cake isn't about me. It's YOUR cake. I just get the extreme pleasure of creating for you. It's YOUR day. I am lucky enough to be a small part of it.

Okay, who decided this?!

2011-02-23T06:44:00.000-08:00

I'm getting calls and emails right now for wedding cakes needed during May through July. This is not good. I figured some big wedding blog or magazine had written a wedding planning time-line and so I did a little digging, and lo and behold, this is what I found: The WeddingChannel.com says pick your baker and cake in the 4 to 5 month range. Contemporary Bride says 5 to 6 months. Real Simple (never heard of this) also says 4 to 5 months... I read nine different lists before I came across only one that was fairly realistic (at least six months out) and mentioned that you must consider what time of year you're getting married as part of your planning.

If you're getting married during prime wedding season, which is May through September, waiting until NOW to think about cake is not a great idea and will severely limit your choices out there. Not many bakeries do a ton of cakes in a weekend like they do on Cake Boss. Most of us limit the amount of cakes we'll do to just a few. If your wedding is up in the mountains and you're looking at bakeries in Denver, you've got to factor in the five to six hours of delivery time... which means your cake is quite possibly be all that a bakery will take on that day and waiting until now to order it for your June wedding is not a good decision.

I'm really frustrated with these wedding planning time lines that have clients waiting so long to book certain vendors, and I wish there was a way to educate the writers.

An addition... after posting this blog on my Facebook and Twitter pages, I received several comments regarding florists and musicians. These are folks you don't want to wait to book either. Musicians in particular are limited to what they can do in a day. Florists can usually handle a little bigger load but they still need to factor in assembly and how long delivery will take for orders and A)they need to sleep at some point and B)cannot fly.
We all get busy during those prime months, and we dread having to turn anyone down. It's stressful for you and that's no good! So plan early and save yourself a lot of headache and freaking out:)

Our Love Story Contest Winners!

2011-02-14T08:21:00.000-08:00

It was truly difficult to pick one winner, but this one just stood out. The chance meeting, that zinging sensation someone truly special gives you, the wish come true, the logistics of a long distance romance... Nicole and David experienced it all, and it's just incredible!

Nicole sent me their story, and it was so terrific I had a hard time shortening it... so I didn't:)

You Don’t Find Love, It Finds You

Most love stories start with “Once upon a time”, and while I assure you the following is a love story, I find it too cliché to start with this famous line. It has no fairy godmothers, no magic spells, no fire breathing dragons or princes on white stallions. Ours is a story of two simple people who met by chance, and by fate, fell in love and have made it work against all odds. And while being in love feels like magic most days, I refuse to let this love story start with a “once upon a time” like some Disney fantasy. No sir – because this is a “real life” love story, and everything I’m about to tell you actually happened to two very real people.
Our story starts with a coin.

Chapter 1: Coins in the Trevi
I am Italian. I had my first glass of wine in third grade, grew up listening to Sinatra instead of Madonna, and was taught it was a sacrilege to eat spaghetti if the sauce came from a jar. I’ve grown up in the Littleton/Highlands Ranch area my whole life, but was lucky enough to get to visit Italy – “the motherland” – with my family when I was 15 years old. On a whirlwind midnight tour of Rome, our group stopped at the Trevi Fountain to toss in a coin. For those of you who don’t know, there is a legend associated with the Trevi. They say if you turn your back and throw a coin in with your right hand, you will return to Rome one day. I’m usually not a big believer in those kinds of things, but I tossed a coin in anyway.
It must have been one powerful coin I threw in that night… because low and behold, 5 years later, I found myself making a return trip to Rome to study abroad for a semester in college! Now, upon this second trip to Rome, I made sure I paid tribute to the fountain that brought me such great luck the first time around! As I sat there eating my afternoon gelato, watching all the tourists come and go, I flipped through my pocket tourist book. In the footnotes on the entry on the Trevi Fountain I found something that caught my eye – it turns out there was even more to the legend of the Trevi than I was told the first time! The legend says throwing one coin in will ensure a return to Rome, a second coin leads to a new romance, and a third coin leads to marriage. Thinking about the power my first coin had had on my last trip, and the “young and single” stage of life I was in, I shuffled through my purse and pulled out two rusty old pennies. I turned around, mumbled “here’s to fate,” tossed the coins over my shoulder, wondering what I had just gotten myself into!

Chapter 2: Someone To Be Thankful For
I have always considered myself to be a planner. Seriously, I love organizing calendars with to-do’s weeks in advance, and I don’t go anywhere without my day timer! But there was one night in October in Rome when I acted way out of my usual “planner” character. One of my roommates came running into my room and told me she had just found this awesome deal where we could fly to Dublin and London round trip for our Thanksgiving break for only 100 Euro total for all 3 of us—that’s like $40 a person! But if I wanted to go, we had to book it before midnight. I looked at the clock…it was a little after 11pm. Now, the planner in me had already made plans two weeks earlier to go to Milan with a couple of other friends for the break, but something inside me acted WAAYYYY out of character and blurted out “Heck yes!” without even thinking and I booked my ticket on the spot.

Thanksgiving came, and I found myself in Dublin, carving a chicken (we couldn’t find a turkey) with my roommates in our hostel for dinner. After stuffing ourselves in true Thanksgiving tradition, we decided to embrace the local Irish culture and continue our celebration at one of the most famous pubs in all of Dublin, Temple Bar.
When we walked in, it was super crowded. By chance, we ended up being able to snag a table. Not wanting to lose it, we sent one of our friends up to the bar to get some drinks. A few minutes later she came back empty handed and explained she had met Mike, a fighter pilot in the US Air Force, at the bar and that he had offered to buy us a round.

I was enjoying my free Guinness, chatting with Mike about how he and his buddies were here visiting for Thanksgiving when one of his very attractive pilot friends came over and started talking to my roommate, Danielle. Not even two minutes later she was grabbing my arm saying, “Hey, you’ve got to talk to this guy…he’s from Littleton too!” Astonished that I was halfway around the world and could run into someone from my same home town, I shook his hand as he said, “Hi, I’m David.” Now, I KNOW this is going to sound cliché, but the moment we shook hands, I felt something funny inside me. Something I had never felt before – it was tingly, exciting and brand new. I didn’t know what it was, but all I knew was that I should keep talking to this guy! We chatted the whole night, and I found out that he wasn’t stationed in Dublin, but in Sacile, Italy!…Italy!...Of all places!...
Before we knew it, it was closing time. He knew I was going to be in town for one more night and asked if he could have my number and get together tomorrow night. I was so excited he asked! But trying to play it cool (even though I’m sure I was smiling like a buffoon), I nonchalantly took out a small piece of paper from my purse and wrote down my Italian cell number. In our course of conversation, had mentioned he was coming back to Colorado for Christmas (as was I), so I also “conveniently” gave him my Denver number, and told him to also give me a call when he got back to town.

Chapter 3: The “Fake” Number
The next day I was still on a high from meeting David. I had butterflies, was all smiles, and couldn’t get him out of my head. I couldn’t wait for him to call me so I could see him again! Only problem was, my phone was running low on battery and in my packing flurry in Rome I had forgotten to bring my charger.
Then the worst happened – my phone went dead just before dinner!
Worse still – since it was a foreign cell phone, I hadn’t figured out how to set up my voicemail because the instructions were all in another language. So if David DID end up calling when my phone was off, he’d get a the recorded voice of some random lady telling him in another language that my voicemail had not been set up yet and that he couldn’t leave a message.

I was so sad when I never got a call from him. Here I was in Dublin, halfway across the world, and by total chance I met this great guy that was from my same home town, who happened to walk into the same pub on the same night, and even lived in the same country in Europe…and now we had no way of connecting. I didn’t asked for his number the night before, so there was no way for me to get in touch with him either! I was crushed.

The next day I headed off to London and saw the sites of the city. After a whirlwind couple of days, my roommates and I returned to Rome. I unpacked, plugged in my cell phone to charge, and like any college student, logged right on to Facebook. To my surprise, I had a message waiting for me…a friend request from David! I immediately accepted and was so happy he had managed to look me up. The next day when I woke up, David had the following message waiting for me:
“So there I was…in Dublin, and I met this girl. She was the cutest girl I’ve ever met. Unfortunately, this is where the story turns sad because she pulled the old un-callable fake Italian cell phone trick. But alas, the hero of the story was clever and still tracked her down… Sorry that I couldn’t meet up with you again in Dublin. I had a great time hanging out with you. Hope you have a great rest of your trip!” I was so happy to hear that he had tried calling me, and that he had a good time. I was even happier that he took the effort to track me down another way than by my silly phone. I wrote him back and explained what had happened to my phone, and how it had gone dead and that I had not given him a fake number (despite what he still says about it). We messaged back and forth several times over the course of the next few weeks and he asked if I’d want to get together when he came back to the states for Christmas. I of course said yes, and knew I officially had the biggest crush I had ever had in my whole life!

Chapter 4: Third Time’s The Charm
As promised, David called me when he got back in town. He took me out for dinner and a movie on our first date. We both had a great time, and I was swept off my feet by his humor and charm. We met up once more for an afternoon Starbucks before he had to go back to Italy. We both felt the chemistry, and knew we really liked each other, but didn’t know what to do with our situation. I would be staying here in Colorado to finish school, and he had to go back to Italy to resume his post. So we just left it open ended and said, fate has taken us this far, let’s just play it out and see where the rest of the journey takes us. We used email and Skype to talk over the next few months, and wanted to see one another again.

In March, David came back to the states to be a groomsman in his friend’s wedding. He flew me out to Pittsburgh to be his date at the wedding. My family and friends thought I was crazy to fly across the country to spend the weekend with a guy who I had seen in person a grand total of 5 times! But I didn’t care. We said “I love you” for the first time on that trip, and suddenly the realization of what was happening between the two of us in this long distance relationship was becoming clearer.

In August, David had booked a trip to go on a cruise around the Mediterranean with a few families from his squadron in Italy. He invited me to come along, and of course I couldn’t turn down an offer like that! And guess where it was scheduled to start…in Rome! So, I found myself headed to Italy for a third time!
The night before the cruise departed, we found ourselves wandering through the streets of Rome, hand in hand to make our way to the Trevi fountain to toss in our coins for good luck. But this time, I knew exactly how many coins I needed to throw over my shoulder.I looked at David and knew with 100% certainty what I wanted for my future. This time I was throwing three coins in. I rubbed the coins together in my hand as we counted down “3…2..1” and tossed them over our shoulders. I knew it was silly to wish that the legend of the Trevi would come true just because I threw in 3 coins this time, but I really hoped it would!

The cruise was amazing, and we went all over – Italy, Greece, Turkey, Egypt – the sites were incredible and we had the time of our lives! But then I had to go back to start classes, and he had to go back to work in Italy. David flew home for Thanksgiving and Christmas as we celebrated the 1 year mark of our relationship. Soon after, he found out his next assignment was going to be in South Carolina. I was so happy because even though we’d still have to continue a long distance relationship while I finished out school, at least we’d be in the same country again! It meant we could see each other a lot more (even if it still wasn’t as much as we’d like) and actually get to call each other on the phone when we wanted and not have to deal with an 8 hour time difference!

Only a few weeks after he got settled in to his new home in South Carolina, he found out he would have to be deployed to Iraq for 5 months. He took a week of leave to come back to Colorado and spend time with his family before he left. And while it was a pill no one wanted to swallow, we watched him head off to Iraq to help wrap up the war. I wrote him letters and we emailed fairly frequently. We got to Skype about once a week if we were lucky enough to get a good connection, but we managed to keep our relationship blossoming and our devotion for each other grew deeper every day. I graduated college, and got a real job, and he sent his love and support from overseas as we both hit major milestones in our lives.

Chapter 5: And Then He Asked Me a Question
When David got back from Iraq, I took some time off work to fly out and see him. It was like no time at all had passed, and it was as if we had never been apart at all. You know that saying, “distance makes the heart grow fonder”? It’s so true – spending time apart, especially in a long distance relationship, really makes us both appreciate the little time we do get to spend together – and we definitely make the most of it! We did some traveling around South Carolina and Georgia, and finally unpacked the last of the boxes in his house, and then I had to come back home.
David came home again to be with his family and friends in Littleton for the holidays. We were amazed that it had already been two years since that crazy fate-filled day we met in Dublin. I thought about how Thanksgiving was such a special day to have met, and how thankful I was for the gift of him in my life, and how I couldn’t have predicted the way I had fallen head-over-heels in love with him. I was more sure than ever that he was “the one”, and I knew he was feeling the same way.

On New Year’s Eve, he decided to make those feelings a reality. Seconds before midnight, in front of our friends and family, he got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife! I of course said yes, and have never felt more elated in my life!

It has been two years, countless hours on the phone and hundreds of thousands of miles back and forth to see each other, but we’ve made it! We’ve made it through college, military assignments, separate continents, stress, frustration, joy, excitement, and even through war…but here we are…getting ready to tie the knot! I guess we’re living proof that you CAN meet someone in a bar!
Our love story may not be of the same caliber as Cinderella or Romeo and Juliet, but it is a story of true love nonetheless. A story of a boy who met a girl completely by chance, managed to sweep each other off their feet from across the ocean, and now get to love each other the rest of their lives together as man and wife.
The End

See? Told you it was pretty amazing! I'm honored to help them move into the next phase of their lives together on their wedding day.

Our second place winners! We picked two, because choosing one was an impossible task.

Brittany and Daniel:
How we met…
… Brittany has always been the type to be working and keeping herself busy, so while she was in school, she started working for an event security company. The job was fun, so she continued working for that company even after graduating college. It was October 2008, at a Buffaloes home game (she was working it, of course), and Brittany was stationed in a section where she had to watch the patrons carefully. She noticed this handsome, blond haired, blue eyed guy was making his way towards her. Yes!!! He was stationed in the same section as she was! Brittany was pumped!!!
Brittany and Daniel started talking and kind of hit it off from the beginning, but nothing took off just yet. Brittany went home and told her roommates, "OMG I just met the cutest guy ever!" One asked if she got his number and she said, "No, it was just a friendly thing". Well the next game came and went, and this time a bunch of them went out afterward and got a drink. Again, nothing happened. However, they did exchange phone numbers due to work related things.

They were both in/ coming out of a bad relationship and their connection was put on hold until February 2009. Brittany received several texts from Daniel, but didn't think anything of it until a few weeks later; She just thought he was being friendly. On March 28th, 2009 they had to work another event together and this time there was more than just friendship in the air. This was an all-night event, which they finished around 6am. Daniel asked her if she wanted to go to breakfast with JUST HIM. Of course she said yes, but she was not hungry and just ordered water. Brittany said she was sorry, and that he could take her out again another time when she was hungrier...she had just wanted to be with him. Well by the time she got home it was close to 8am. Brittany fell asleep for a few hours and woke up, text messaged Daniel and said, "I’m hungry now". They met for a late lunch early dinner and hooray, the FIRST KISS happened!! She knew right then that he was the one...

According to Brittany, Daniel is the most NON-romantic guy ever! They had gone back to his mom's house in Lexington, NE for the weekend. During the four hour drive back Brittany called her mom and talked for a bit. Brittany's mom was telling her about her brother's wedding and when she hung up, Brittany started telling Daniel how her mom was excited and got to see the dress, the invitations, the party favors, etc... Daniel was just driving along when all of a sudden Brittany looked and him and told him she loved him and he was wonderful. He looked over at her and said, "No, you are more wonderful and I love you more". She came right back with, "No way I love you more"... After playing their little cheesy game a while, she threw out the words, "PROVE IT". Daniel started reaching into his pocket and pulled out a ring and looked (as much as he could, since he was driving), at Brittany and said, "You are the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me. I love you more than anything else in the world. WILL YOU MARRY ME??" She was confused at first, thinking to herself; really you are doing this while driving?? Then Brittany said, "YES OF COURSE, I LOVE YOU!"

They were just outside of Sterling CO when this happened, now every time they drive to NE she will always remember this event!! :)

Daniel proposed to Brittany with his Grandmother's ring, a symbol of everlasting love. He told her that his grandmother and grandfather were married for over 55 years and he wants that to be the symbol between them.

Our last, but not least, couple are Simone and Andy, and this is their story:)

Our story - April 2004:

Her Story: We were college students, and were joining friends in volunteering at the American Cancer Society Walk for the Cure. These events involve raising funds for research and walking around a track for 24 hours to support the raised funds. After so many laps around the track, they become a bit mundane. Simone decided to change it up a bit & walk backwards, to add comedy to the walk, if nothing else. Fortunately, she never tripped over herself. However, she did trip over a cute guy in her path. Enter, Andy. As it turns out, they had common friends. Simone inquired about this cute boy, and they were soon introduced. They wound up spending the entire night walking around the track, wrapped together in a blanket talking about everything and anything. They struggled to part ways in the morning, and after a first date for ice cream sundaes, the romance began.

His Story: While walking for countless hours at the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, Andy spotted a cute brunette walking backwards. Being the stone cold stud he is, he decided to step into her path, and quite literally let Simone just bump into him (pretty sweet move, huh). The rest of the night was spent getting to know each other and Andy realized that he had met someone special. After hours of talking and walking, they went their separate ways, although Andy forgot to get her phone number (details, right?). Thankfully, a friend was able to reunite the two for a first date for ice cream sundaes and six years of friendship, adventure, and love.

The proposal: On a cold Halloween night, Simone came home for lunch and Andy told her he wanted to build a snowman in the backyard after an unexpected snowstorm. They ate lunch, went out back and built a giant 6 foot snowman. Later that night, Simone came home to carve pumpkins, part of our Halloween tradition. These were no ordinary pumpkins, however. Andy had cleverly cut tiny holes in the bottom of the pumpkins and inserted two envelopes into two pumpkins. The first pumpkin, when cut open, revealed two plane tickets to San Francisco for a vacation a week later. Just as Andy had planned, Simone became very nervous thinking that Andy would pop the question in San Francisco. It was very amusing to watch Simone squirm inside with anticipation. Just then, Simone’s friend Jamie called as planned, giving Andy the distraction he was looking for to carry out the rest of his devious plan. When Simone finally got off the phone, she cut open her second pumpkin and began carving it, only to find a second mysterious letter. The letter simply said to go outside. Outside, the snowman they had built earlier was standing next to a glowing campfire, decorated as a waiter in a tuxedo and holding two dozen roses and a bottle of champagne. Simone, to say the least, was surprised, but confused as to what was happening. Just then Andy got down on a knee, pulled out a ring, and asked her to marry him………

For me, I couldn't resist certain aspects of both of these stories... the "I love you more" exchange between Brittany and Daniel really got to me because Ames and I do this. I will always win the "I love you more" battle, due to the fact that I told Ames I loved him a good two months before he said the words to me, and this gives me what... 60 some odd days advance on him? He says that because he is taller he now has the advantage. I think not.

With Simone and Andy, I loved his planned surprise and that he used a snowman to carry it out! I have a small (heh!) snowman fixation, and imagining one all dressed up as a proposal prop I found adorable. I also love that he teased her a bit with the plane tickets:) I hope Andy never loses that urge to keep surprising Simone!

Introducing Minnie! Our newest foster dog!

2011-02-05T17:13:00.000-08:00

Meet Minnie! She's a whole lot of fun and cute rolled into one! The good folks of New Hope Cattle Dog Rescue saved her from being put down for having a rash in her armpits. Seriously.
Minnie has been with us for a few days now and is settling in nicely. She LOVES to play with our other pups, and is very sweet to the humans. She is most excellent at Tug-O-War.

Minnie's the one with the bright orange collar... she looks a lot like our Radar, but she's got some of the red heeler color mixed in there. She's a beautiful dog! Her coat is so soft:)

The New Hope folks figure she's about eleven months old, so she might have a bit of growing left to do. Right now she's right at what you'd call a medium sized dog... she's roughly 40lbs, spayed, chipped, healthy, up to date on all of her shots and her teeth are fabulous. She LOVES to play outside and run around the yard... actually, it's more like leaping and bounding around the yard. Perhaps she's part gazelle?

Minnie doesn't mind being in her crate as long as she has something to chew. I've never seen a dog unroll a rolled rawhide before, but she does and will demolish a large one of those pretty quick. Currently, she has hidden at least five around the house and yard.

Minnie is very cuddly and gentle and will gladly curl up with you (or on you) and let you scratch her ears or tummy until the sun rises.

She's quick to learn new commands and has mastered "sit" and "lay down". She knows "stay" but if you get too much distance she'll get up and move closer. This breed is made up of a mix of pretty smart dogs, and I have no doubt Minnie will quickly figure out new commands and games.

She's great in the car, but isn't obsessed with going for a ride every time you grab the keys. I've left her out of her crate a couple of times now when I ran a quick errand and happily have come back to no surprises or destroyed shoes.

If you'd like to know more about Minnie, or cattle dogs or the great and amazing people of New Hope, feel free to contact me at kelleyinco@gmail.com

Check out New Hope's website at http://www.nhcdrescuecolorado.com

You can also find them on facebook at www.facebook.com/#!/pages/New-Hope-Cattle-Dogs-Rescue-of-Colorado/176914999010640

Our cake give-away contest!

2011-01-31T08:38:00.000-08:00

Our contest has come to an end, and we thank you all for the terrific stories you've shared! Our winners will be announced on Valentine's Day:)

Kelley Kakes is giving away a wedding cake in 2011!!!

2011-01-10T08:48:00.001-08:00

That's right... we're giving away a wedding cake! I'm in search of a couple out there with a fantastic love story to tell. Did you meet in a really "this never should have happened" way? What odds did your relationship overcome to get to the point of saying "I do"? Maybe you've got children from a previous relationship and (like me) you just find yourself wandering around in a daze over the realization that you've found someone who accepts you as a package deal? Whatever it is, if you think you've got a story to tell, then email me at kelleykakes@comcast.net and lay it on me!

Now the rules- I'm keeping these at a minimum because rules are no fun....

*Your wedding can take place any time during 2011.

*Your reception must take place within 30 miles of metro Denver to qualify for free delivery (you can certainly enter if you're outside of this area, but a delivery fee will be necessary)

*The cake can serve up to 100 guests. I'm pretty willing to fudge the numbers on this one if there is a fantastic design that requires a little more cake. Additional servings can be added at a very discounted rate.

*The cake can be more than one flavor and will be iced in buttercream. No limit to colors used, detailing and whatnot. Free cake does not have to be boring cake! Although I have nothing against the classic white wedding cake:)

That's about it, folks! Again, email me personally at kelleykakes@comcast.net your fabulous tale. The contest ends January 21st. The winner will be notified January 22nd. We'll blog and rave about them on Valentine's Day.

Due to the plethora of stories we've already received we've decided to create a 2nd place winner, and they will receive 50% off their cake! We'll notify those lucky folks on January 22nd as well.

Thanks everyone! Keep em coming! We love reading your true love stories!

We're Foster Parents!

2010-12-23T07:11:00.000-08:00

Meet Hank! Or, "Hankadoodle, The Hankster, Hankaroni, Hankalicious..." don't judge me... I grew up being referred to as Beastfish:) And "Roo", and....

So let's chat about Hank, shall we? Hank is somewhere between a year and a year and a half old, so he's fully grown and I'd classify him as "a medium sized dog on the small end of the spectrum". He's 30lbsish. He's all muscle and cute.

Hank is a mix of Cattle Dog and something... that something I personally would swear is Jack Russell Terrier. His build, the shape of his head, his ears, his determination to catch the squirrels... So if I'm correct, this makes Hank a mix of two incredibly wonderful dogs! That's pretty awesome:) Being a mix of these two also puts Hank on the smart end of the spectrum. He is quick to learn new tricks and commands. He is also quite cunning and very much like the kid you see studying the playground equipment trying to figure out how to get on the roof at the top of the slide. Dogs are like kids in many ways (in my opinion), and Hank would be the one that takes apart the remote to see how it works.

Hank is very gentle and plays well with others. He is currently running amok with our two boneheads (the dogs, not the kids... we have four of those) in the back yard with one ginormous stick between them. It's an interesting game of tug-o-war going on. Hank even likes our cat. He's not sure what to do with her, but knows that she is soft and if he sits on her, she makes a soft seat.
Hank LOVES to just sit and cuddle with anyone who will pet him. He totally zens out; eyes closed as he leans into you. It is adorable:)

Hank will be an excellent hiking and camping dog as Cattle Dogs are bred to be on the move. He's great on a leash and loves to go for walks.

Hank is house-broken and crate-trained and only chews on things he's supposed to chew on. He does like to hide socks, though! He doesn't chew them... just moves them around.

If you'd like to know more about Hank or think he's the dog for you, contact me at kelleyinco@gmail.com

Hank is available for adoption through New Hope at http://www.nhcdrescuecolorado.com/
There is an easy application process to go through. Check out their site as they have a lot of really great dogs up for adoption! All of their dogs are in foster homes, which we think is great. No scary shelters, lots of love:)

Birdsong Photography.... cool and talented all rolled into one!

2010-11-29T11:30:00.000-08:00

You're thinking about photographers for your wedding. This is good. Mull it over a great deal, because in the end, the cake is eaten, the flowers wilt, your guests go back home and you're left with two things: a ton of wrapping paper to dispose of and your photos.

Picking your photographer is one of those crucial decisions you make for your big day. Think about what your style is, your personalities, what you want photographed. Read up on your choices, read their blogs, check out their work, ask about them on local chat boards.

When you meet with them, ponder how you felt during the meeting... and after. Are you and your future spouse chatting excitedly in the car about how much fun that was? How incredible the pictures you just viewed were? How at ease you felt? Can you imagine spending an entire day with this person?

Your photographer doesn't have to be local. Most professional photographers travel and here's an advantage to that you might not have considered; A fresh set of eyes! We live in a beautiful state and how awesome would it be to see the wonderment of Colorado captured by someone who doesn't get up and stare out the window at the mountains every day? I think that sounds pretty cool!

Last year I had the pleasure of "meeting" this amazingly cool photographer on Twitter who tweeted a message to me (in 140 characters or less) regarding my website and it's catchy opening tune. He basically wanted to steal it for his own, and I, being of a sharing nature and happy that someone else found that goofy jazz song equally entertaining, sent him the file. Since then we've struck up a friendship and bonded over raising kids, relationships and the joys of having a job that truly fulfills us. This past August Brett visited our fine state, and my husband and I spent an evening dorking out in front of his camera where we got hitched. It was an absolute blast and as we chatted about it later we both felt energized and excited and we would have jumped right into the sack, but we had lunches to pack for the kids first:).

<----husband's fav shot

Brett Birdsong travels all over. He typically drives, as he likes to take in the sites and folks as he's headed towards his destination. Despite the travel, Brett is very fairly priced. I won't say cheap, because I hate that term and don't think anyone likes to be referred to as "cheap", especially when they work so hard. Brett loves Colorado and will be here in the spring to shoot a mountain wedding. Brett would like to make Colorado one of his frequent stops.

One of mine... I laugh so much with my husband! ---->

Read his blog, check out his pictures and mull him over. Imagine the pictures he'll take of you and your nearest and dearest in a setting that is still powerful and exciting to him.

http://birdsongphotography.com

Blogging about one of my favorite people!

2010-11-15T17:09:00.000-08:00

Meet Dawn Ackerman, owner of Hillside Consultants, Inc. based in Colorado Springs, CO. Dawn is an amazing artist using flowers as her medium. Dawn is also one of the coolest people I have ever met:)

Dawn has been bringing floral joy to folks for well over a decade, and loves every moment of doing so. I have met a lot of people in this biz, and Dawn never ceases to amaze me; not only with her flowers, but with her personality. You cannot help but grin and laugh around this woman.

(love these, Dawn!)

I got married last December and Dawn stepped in and took care of the flowers for us. She asked me a ton of questions about colors and favorite flowers and theme... and then kept it all a surprise! You brides out there, imagine this... not knowing what your bouquet is going to look like. I had no idea what she was going to do, but I can honestly say that there was not a single moment I was worried about it!

This is my reaction when I walked into the room------>

Because Dawn had done this on the tables!

And, oh my, our bouquets!!!

She had twisted wire all through them (and out of the centers of some!) and on these wires were lots of little Steampunk-ish elements! Our girls and I felt like princesses:)

You can find out all about Dawn and her company here:
www.hillside-consultants.com
In addition to savvy business owner and florist extraordinaire, Dawn is also the wedding flower expert for the Colorado Springs Examiner. You can read her tips here:
www.examiner.com/wedding-flowers-in-colorado-springs/dawn-ackerman

Fabulous photo of Dawn is courtesy of Real Photography: www.realphotography.com
My wedding photos are courtesy of JasonG Photography: www.jason-g.com

New Hope Cattle Dog Rescue of Colorado

2010-09-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share with you all some info on New Hope, because they are truly an amazing group of people. New Hope rescues Australian Cattle Dogs (also known as heelers), fosters and rehabilitates them and finds them a forever home. We were blessed to come upon this organization when looking for a second dog earlier this year. I had adopted Rufus, a red heeler, a couple years prior. I had done a lot of research on this type of dog and recommend you do so the same if you're thinking about adopting a pal. Rufus is an absolute joy, but we felt he needed a furry buddy. We adopted Radar after filling out New Hope's application form (on their website) and receiving a phone call from PJ, the gal running the show. PJ works very hard to find the perfect home for their dogs. She thinks it's incredibly important to know your lifestyle and the home environment your new dog will be living in. We loved all of information she was able to give us about Radar's life - we felt like we knew him before we even met him.
After the phone interview it was time for Radar to meet us (and typically the dog stays with you from this moment). Radar's foster mom and her daughter, along with PJ, came to our home with Radar. We chose to do this when our own kids weren't home to not only keep the chaos level to a minimum, but just in case things didn't go well. Rufus greeted Radar with wagging tail and within minutes they were bounding around the back yard. While we watched the dogs play, Radar's foster family filled us in on his personality, his toys, his favorite activities, how he sleeps... again, this made the process so wonderful because we knew what to expect with Radar. We all stood out back watching these two furry goofballs get to know one another and were in agreement that Radar was going to stay. New Hope gives you time to make this decision permanent with a one month grace period of sorts. All dogs WILL change once they get settled in and feeling comfortable-this you can count on. This month of time allows everyone to make sure things are going well. If they don't, New Hope will take the dog back and try again. None of their dogs are destroyed. New Hope will keep trying until everyone is happy... dogs included in this, of course!
Our kids came home a few hours after everyone had left and Radar had time to sniff around and get to know the lay of the land a bit. Radar is an incredibly easy going pup and quickly found himself surrounded by four kids who all wanted to hug and kiss him at once. He loved it:) Radar was blessed with a fantastic foster family and loving and caring folks at New Hope and it shows in his personality and temperament. For us, the decision to make him a permanent family member was quick and easy. We fell in love with this little guy immediately:)
It's been about six months since Radar joined our family and we can't imagine life without him. Last weekend New Hope had a picnic to celebrate their 5th anniversary and placement of over five hundred dogs. We took our pups and kids to join in the fun. Radar's foster family was there and since this spring, they've fostered four other dogs.:) What wonderful people they are! We met dozens of other folks and we shared stories and laughs while watching all of our silly spotted dogs attempt to herd one another and bounce around with glee. It was great fun! Congrats to New Hope!

A bit about Cattle Dogs, if after reading this you're thinking you might want one of your own (which I am hoping you will!). The Australian Cattle Dog originates, of course, from Australia, and is the result of cross breeding between dogs including, Australian Kelpies, Scottish Highland collies, dalmatians, and wild dingo. Developed in the early nineteenth century, this dog, as the name suggests, was bred for herding cattle, often over long distances. Cattle Dogs thus have a natural herding instinct and you can pretty much count on them nipping or licking your heels and finger tips as they attempt to herd you! We personally don't mind this because our dogs are gentle about it, but if this bothers you then it is your job to establish that you are the alpha in the pack.
Cattle Dogs are incredibly intelligent and eager to learn. They need jobs, they need to stay physically and mentally active beyond just throwing a ball for them in the yard. Long walks, teaching them tricks and commands, taking them jogging, hiking and backpacking are wonderful activities to do with Cattle Dogs. They LOVE dog parks and if you're lucky you'll get to see them herd the other dogs by running in circles around them to close them in.
Cattle Dogs are very loyal and protective and do well with older children and outgoing owners. Meek owners, apartment dwellers, those that work long hours.. skip this breed. Cattle Dogs LOVE to chew, and when frustrated or bored they WILL chew things you probably don't want chewed. I lost a fabulous pair of Oxford pumps to Rufus when he was a puppy. Our dogs mulch branches we cut from the trees in mere hours and go through raw-hides like they were going out of style.
Generally Cattle Dogs are very loving and affectionate. Our dogs will sit in your lap, curl up against you on the couch (or on you, really), beg for hugs and belly rubs and follow you from room to room to stay close by. Radar drags his pillow into whichever room I'm in. Rufus likes to sleep on the kids' beds when they're at school. Radar will also spoon you when sleeping... yes, we let the dogs on the bed. Don't judge us, they're irresistible!
Cattle Dogs are medium weight and height, very muscular and shed like mad a couple of times a year. They have a double coat of hair since they're bred to be outdoors in extreme temp changes. They like to be brushed, though:)

Please take the time to look at New Hope's website and read about this fabulous organization. They're looking for foster parents and volunteers as well:)
(picture at top: Radar McGrowl, with pack on, and Rufus McRuff on a backpacking excursion. Picture below: Rufus McRuff working the cute while camping. He REALLY likes MRE's!

www.nhcdrescuecolorado.com

Bishop's Castle

2010-08-16T22:05:00.000-07:00

If you haven't been to Bishop's Castle, you're missing out! Right here in our very lovely state we have this amazing castle that one man has been building for over 40 years. By hand. Stone by stone. And... he lets you just wander wherever you please free of charge.
Now, Jim Bishop...he's fascinating. He's a welder and master of iron work. The railings and beams and stairways are incredible and so delicate looking. Watching him climb with ease up his homemade scaffolding to work on some upper windows is incredible. As you make your way up and around the different floors and balconies, you can't help but touch the rocks and wonder just how in the world he got all of those in place... by himself.
Jim is not a fan of the government. At times he can be heard bellowing his contempt for all things mandated. Over the years special folks have tried to charge him for the rocks he's collected on the mountainsides, among other things. Very ridiculous and Jim will let you know he thinks so, too. More people should make a small donation, or purchase one of the lovely handmade necklaces a sweet gal sells on site. Perhaps bring Jim some cookies and congratulate him on his achievement. I think more people should do this.
This is Ames... aka the Hot Husband of DOOM... clambering out onto an unfinished bridge...because he just HAD to:
Bishop's Castle is in Rye, CO... gorgeous area. Take a little road trip and go check out Jim and his castle.

Bishop's Castle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop_Castle

Custom Cake Toppers... are so fun!

2010-07-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

I'm having such a blast this year creating custom cake toppers for my clients:) I LOVE to sculpt! Typically I use Sculpey clay and then hand paint them once I've baked it all. The result is a lightweight cute and quirky memento from your wedding day!
My toppers are simple-- no realistic faces, nor tiny fingernails... honestly those toppers that look just like you kinda freak me out.

(this one I love... I get to see it every day and it reminds me of how very lucky I am!)

Inspiration For Your Wedding Cake

2010-05-06T09:55:00.000-07:00

Wedding cakes... oh so many wonderful options when it comes to designing your wedding cake:) I love it! No more must they be all white with swags of flowers!! No more! Of course, this is entirely acceptable if that's your thing...:)
With the advances in products available to we cake artistes and the plethora of cake shows to inspire on t.v., there really is no limit to what your wedding cake can look like.

Some of my clients this year are going all out; one couple is embracing their love of four-wheeling with a topsy turvy cake featuring desert colors and their Jeep on top. Another couple loves to snowmobile with their dogs and their cake will be shaped like a mountain, with chocolate trees and glittery icing snow. Another is taken with the gorgeous gate back-drop in the theater room at the Oxford Hotel and I'll pipe some details from it onto their cake. There's the couple that loves to travel and for them I'll make a stack of suitcases with edible travel stickers to represent their favorite places. And, I cannot leave out the groom who is known for his queso dip, and for him a groom's cake shaped like a crock pot of cheesy goodness. I'll make chips out of colored white chocolate!

So when you're thinking about your cake, it's okay to think outside of the white cake box. Do your invitations feature aspen leaves? Why not have some made out of sugar for your cake to tie in the theme?
Love, love, love the color combination of teal blue and royal purple? How about big loopy swirls and polka dots in those colors? Having a luau? Chocolate palm trees and sugar coral it is! Dig art deco? How about taking the patterns from the Chrysler building's lobby?

Your wedding cake should be an extension of your personality and taste, so don't be afraid to express yourself!

Jane and Erin.... a love story:)

2010-03-18T08:52:00.000-07:00

Where to begin? I've started this blog a few times and it just sounded weird, so I deleted it... but their story is so darned wonderful I have to post something about it!
Jane and Erin are getting married soon! Jane and Erin have known each other since 7th grade, though didn't start dating until our 20th high school reunion in 2007. I've known them just as long as we all went to the same schools. Jane and Erin were alphabetically next to one another in all of the yearbooks... this story just went up a notch on the cute meter, didn't it:)
I knew Erin well in high school as we ran with the same crowd of oddballs. We were theater and music folks, and one of my most favorite memories of Erin was when he and my boyfriend would trade one Converse shoe and wear ties around their heads. I loved how silly they were! I didn't know Jane as well back then--- she was gorgeous (still is!), popular, athletic and very sweet.
Jane and Erin are all grown up now, with children from previous marriages and careers they love. Jane is an interior designer and founded Snob Interior Design in Colorado Springs, CO. She works out of What's In Store with her sister on Tejon St.
Erin is a jack of all trades... I recently blogged about his page-a-day novel (which you should all be checking out!). Alongside the writing, Erin paints, develops websites, created "The Dating Code" blog and wrote "Emotion: The Energy of Romance."
Recently Erin asked me to make a cake for their combined birthday party, but wanted me to focus on Jane, so we decided on an edible Chanel purse. Jane LOVES all things Chanel. Chanel, if you're listening, you should seek out Jane:) I wanted to add a special element to their cake and thought of the yearbook pictures... and this is where the story gets a little crazy for me....
I burned my junior high yearbooks back in 88 in a bonfire my roommates and I set on the sidewalk out in front of the house we were renting. At the time it seemed like a good idea, though I regret it now, as I think my kids would get a big kick out of how dorky I was.
I needed to find pictures, though, and after running into dead ends with old friends, I wrote to the junior high (Horace Mann... aka HELL)librarian. I told her about Erin and Jane and how I'd set my own books ablaze and asked if there was any way she could scan and email their pictures to me. She wrote back promptly and was more than happy to help out! Yay! Then she wrote me again and said she found something odd... MY 1984 yearbook on their shelf! MINE? No way... it's a cinder. She says, "No, I am positive it's yours and she emails me a scan of the inner front cover." Jaw drops here... how can this be?? I SET IT ON FIRE! Crazy! Unfortunately my odd luck did not carry over to a winning lotto ticket, but hey...
Back to Erin and Jane-- I made a black forest cake and turned it into a quilted Chanel bag, then added a little edible charm bracelet with their yearbook pictures in the charms. It was so darned cute, if I do say so myself!
Their birthday party was a lovely gathering of old friends and new: Kellee (my best pal since age 11)and her fabulous girlfriend, Kim, Leslie and Rob (high school sweethearts who have been married for 22 years)and Pete (one of Erin's good pals from h.s.). For me, it was such a treat to introduce the hot husband to some wonderful people I've known since the days of button down Levi's and big feathered hair. For all of us, seeing Erin and Jane together and so blissfully happy was the best part of the evening. We all wish you a plethora of delightful years together. Erin, you need to hurry up and lock that down already! Jane, you're just fantastic, and it has been such a pleasure getting to know you:)!!!

Fun and fancy wedding and groom's cake for a Breckenridge wedding!

2010-03-02T15:38:00.001-08:00

Last Saturday I had the honor of making Jenny and George's wedding and groom's cakes. What an absolute joy they were to work with! Jenny and George were planning their wedding long distance, and there was a whole lotta emailing going on. Jenny sent me some fabric samples and sketches she created and I got to let my imagination run wild. She wanted a "watercolory" look with a mountain theme for the wedding cake. This is what we came up with:) (the flower girl was keeping an eye on the progress)

The groom's cake was a surprise for George-- it's his favorite red truck and all of their pets and was entirely edible. Jupiter is the pup on top, who recently died.

Announcing the Winner of the Kelley Kakes wedding cake giveaway....

2010-01-30T20:32:00.000-08:00

First, I want to thank everyone who sent in their "love story," their "how we met" story, their "wow how the heck did we manage to pull this one off" story. We received so many wonderful emails, thank you, thank you, thank you! It was quite difficult to choose just one, so we've decided to add a 2nd and 3rd place and those folks will be emailed today.

We have chosen Christen Simon and Mark Marabate to receive a wedding cake for their September 4th wedding at the lovely Villa Parker in Parker, CO! What a truly wonderful couple these two are! This is their story:

It was the fall of 2007 and a little independent musical called "Boy in the Bathroom" was all the rage in New York City. Mark's best friend, childhood chum, and soon-to-be Best Man, Michael Lluberes, was hosting a party in honor of his successful show, at an upscale restaurant near 42nd Street. It was here that Mark and Christen first crossed paths.
Mark, the guy from Los Angeles who wrote "movies," was the odd one out in a room full of theater artists, so he was happy when Christen happened to sit down across from him and introduced herself as a close friend of Michael Lluberes. What Mark didn't know was that Christen was actually Michael's closest female friend and someone whom he had spent a great deal of time with as actors while touring around the country. Both Christen and Mark had heard about each other from Michael for over four years but never met nor saw a picture of each other. So although they had a close friend in common, Mark and Christen meeting was fairly coincidental (or maybe a bit of fate).
Due to Micheal's success he had very little time to spend with his friend Mark so he pawned Mark off onto his other friend, Christen. This selfless act by Michael allowed his two best friends to become friends on their own. As Christen and Mark spent the next three days walking through New York City talking, laughing, and trying to avoid angry New York taxi drivers it was clear something was blossoming. And by the end of Mark's trip it was also clear that having a relationship would be difficult when one lived in New York and the other Los Angeles. There could almost be no greater distance in the United States. They soon found out that they had quite a few differences to overcome. Mark was a young, caucasian, Jewish man who was raised in Michigan. Christen was African American, Catholic and was raised across the country as an Air Force Brat.
But fate dealt a lucky hand when Mark was hired to do Travel Channel work, thus often bringing him to New York, where he was able to have time to visit Christen. But whether they were together, or utilizing Skype phone services on the internet, they began a very untraditional form of dating. They found that no matter how many seemingly differences they had or someone else may have noticed they had they never saw nor felt that way. Those "differences" are the perfect formula to their happiness! Those differences have never come close to what the deep love and instant connection that they felt since night one. Then, after a year of several dozen flights, Christen made a big choice to move to Los Angeles so that Mark and she could be closer together and see where their relationship could go. She hasn't looked back. And a year and a half later they were engaged!

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting Christen and Mark recently during their whirlwind visit to Denver to get some wedding tasks done. Despite the pressure of trying to cram so much into a few short days, they were so at ease and seemed to truly enjoy being able to do this together. They have overcome some serious hurdles to be together and their joy is contagious. I am so thankful to them for sharing their story with me and allowing me to share it with you.

Why does wedding cake cost what it does?!

2010-01-21T08:55:00.001-08:00

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As wedding season gears up for 2010, so do the articles on how to save money on your wedding. Now some of these actually offer legitimate advice, however there are more than a few that are so beyond ridiculous I want to call up the editor and ask them if they did ANY research. I figured I'd attempt to explain why wedding cake costs more than a grocery store sheet cake.
Wedding cake should be fresh, baked with the very best ingredients and stunning enough in appearance to have your guests oohing and aaaahing. Right now, this moment… forget that nonsense about how you say the word “Wedding” and we vendors triple the cost. Not true. In fact, that’s insulting!! You probably would think nothing of paying $5 to $7 to a yummy slice of chocolate molten lava cake at the restaurant, correct? But why would you expect fresh baked cake laden with high quality ingredients, delivered and set up at your location to stun and entice 100 plus of your nearest and dearest without a worry to you to cost any less? A cake your baker spent anywhere between 8 and 40 hours on? For real! It takes a lot to make a cake that deserves a top spot at your reception!
Let me explain how much time and how much stuff goes into a typical wedding cake:
Look at the cake pictured. Before any baking and prettifying happens, there is a free tasting. A tasting involves several kinds of cake (about $35.00 worth of ingredients in your samples) and sometimes up to three hours of time... and, if you're familiar with how I do meetings, I'm driving to you. After the meeting, sketching happens. This particular cake was a little easier and took about an hour.

In preparation for the cake, there's the shopping for ingredients. More driving and usually a trip to three locations. One for the bulk stuff, one for the fresh stuff and one for the supplies needed to support the cake upon stacking. At least three hours here. Sometimes it really is like Ace of Cakes and so toss in a trip to Home Depot as well. Back to the kitchen (rent and possibly an assistant or two to pay)...

This cake served 150 and each layer was a different shape and a different flavor. The different layers (the layers are made up of either two thick layers or three thinner ones) took roughly 8 hours to bake and had (I'm going to round out here) 35 pounds of sugar, flour, butter, eggs (oh my lord the amount of eggs used!), cream, vanilla, fresh lemon juice and zest, dark chocolate, fresh raspberries and blackberries, white chocolate mousse and half a bottle of Bailey's Irish Whiskey. After the layers are baked, they need to cool and settle. We’re at a high altitude here and the cakes need time to compress so you don’t end up with that very unprofessional looking bulge around the middle of your layers. I let mine do their thing overnight while wrapped tightly in plastic wrap to keep moisture in.

Fresh icing is made, and this cake took eight batches of it. That's more butter (1 lb per batch), more sugar (2 pounds per batch), vanilla bean and cream and a good hour or two of listening to the mixers whir as each batch takes 15 solid minutes of mixing to get it to the right consistency. Sometimes, I swear, I hear that noise in my sleep! Icing it smooth and all of the detailing took roughly four hours. Each pristine layer is placed upon its own cake board and the last thing I do is cut the supports that go into each layer. These keep your cake from doing a Poltergeist house on you. We've all seen videos of it... pretty funny when it's someone else, but imagine the horror if it was your cake imploding!! Not cool.

So the cake is finally ready to go! The cake was delivered to an outdoor venue in late summer and was set up on site, whereupon I also added the flowers provided by the florist. This particular delivery was pushed to the last possible moment because it was pushing 95 degrees out and was humid to top it off. The bride was actually walking down the aisle when I started doing my thing. We quickly unloaded all of the layers, stacked them and then the last little border was added. We placed the flowers on and took a few quick pictures and were out of there as their guests were clapping and cheering the end of the ceremony. Phew! Yes, there was a little high-fiving in the parking lot... this was one that tested the typical time line of things, however delivering earlier was simply not an option in order to keep that cake from melting!
I hope this helps explain all that goes into the creating of your wedding cake. The cake has become such an important and expected part of a wedding. Sharing a piece with your newly beloved symbolizes the beginning of great things to come. Imagine the smile the photos of this magical moment will induce when you and your sweetie are reminiscing. And how fabulous does a piece of lavender infused lemon cake filled with layers of fluffy white chocolate mousse and fresh blueberries, raspberries and blackberries sound after dancing your tush off all night? Yeah, it sounds fabulous!

Kelley Kakes is giving away a wedding cake in 2011!!!

2010-01-05T06:28:00.000-08:00

That's right... we're giving away a wedding cake! I'm in search of a couple out there with a fantastic love story to tell. Did you meet in a really "this never should have happened" way? What odds did your relationship overcome to get to the point of saying "I do"? Maybe you've got children from a previous relationship and (like me) you just find yourself wandering around in a daze over the realization that you've found someone who accepts you as a package deal? Whatever it is, if you think you've got a story to tell, then email me at kelleykakes@comcast.net and lay it on me!

Now the rules- I'm keeping these at a minimum because rules are no fun....

*Your wedding can take place any time during 2010.

*Your reception must take place within 30 miles of metro Denver to qualify for free delivery (you can certainly enter if you're outside of this area, but a delivery fee will be necessary)

*The cake can serve up to 100 guests. I'm pretty willing to fudge the numbers on this one if there is a fantastic design that requires a little more cake. Additional servings can be added at a very discounted rate.

*The cake can be more than one flavor and will be iced in buttercream. No limit to colors used, detailing and whatnot. Free cake does not have to be boring cake! Although I have nothing against the classic white wedding cake:)

That's about it, folks! Again, email me personally at kelleykakes@comcast.net your fabulous tale. The contest ends February 12th. The winner will be picked, emailed, blogged and raved about on Valentine's Day.

The cake gal got married!

2009-12-06T18:19:00.000-08:00

Surprise!!!
Somehow we managed to pull off a sneak attack wedding yesterday (Dec. 5th) in front of the ginormous dancing aliens along Speer Blvd. It was epic!

Last month we sent out invites to an engagement party at The Curtis Hotel. Be there at 1pm sharp and be ready for some silliness! In on the plan were our fabulous friends/wedding vendors: TC (wedding planner OF DOOM!) of www.museevents.com, Dawn (florist extraordinaire!) www.hillside-consultants.com and Jason and Gina (amazing photographers!) www.jason-g.com, as well as our pal and officiant, Marsh (aka GimpyChinaMan).

The Plan: Get people there and have them wait in the lobby with Ames while he paces nervously and spouts off stuff like, "Kelley had a delivery time change and is on the way with the kids". Once everyone gets there, he tells them I've arrived and he's going to help me unload the car. He jets across the street (the Curtis is about a block from the dancing aliens), and runs through the Denver Performing Arts Center changing his clothes Superman style. During this time the kids and I have been over there taking pictures with Gina. All went well thus far... hooray!
So...
Ames gets into place. The kids and I try to stay hidden. TC tells our crowd at the hotel to follow her and leads them over to the aliens. This was sooo cool because as they came out of the performing arts center area they see Ames standing there with those silly aliens in the background. Our crowd gathers around Ames and Dawn turns to Marsh and pins a boutonniere on him. Marsh walks up to Ames and announces that RIGHT NOW we're gathered for our wedding. We figure about now is when at least two of our friends say, "You bastards!" Ames picks up a boombox and holds it over his head and plays "Book of Love" by Peter Gabriel. The boys walk out all handsome in their suits and brand new pocket watches. The girls walk out in their spiffy steam punk inspired outfits, complete with lime green boots on Kiera and combat boots and goggles on Tasha. Awesomeness:) I'm trying not to cry watching them walk out there to that song (which I love). TC tells me it's my turn... I concentrate on not tripping on the stairs in my very long dress (which I made because I am insane) I wore some extremely bitchin boots under it!
The weather was perfect during our ceremony. The sun was shining, the wind was not blowing and there was just enough snow on the ground to make things interesting. Marsh did a bang up job of things for us and our ceremony went off without a hitch. The boys were so cute handing us the rings and the girls just looked stunning with their gorgeous Dawn bouquets! She steampunked them with twirly wires and little charms.
Speaking of our rings, we got them off of Etsy. We wanted mokume and found this beautiful copper and silver bands. Fantastic stuff on Etsy!
Afterwards we headed back over to The Curtis for our reception. Jason and Gina had set up this terrifically fun photo corner where we had a trunk full of silly hats and whatnot. A camera was set up with all of the cool lighting and such and folks could go over and take whatever pictures they wanted of themselves. We had a lot of kids and I have a feeling Jason and Gina are going to have to sort through a few thousand shots because those kids were having a blast with things!
I made our cake with help from the kids and Ames. I love that it was a group project. The roller coaster actually has a lot of meaning to me:) Think of the movie Parenthood.

We danced, we ate cake, we presented Amy with a ginormous fruit basket because she is responsible for us meeting. She told Ames when he was looking at my profile on the online dating site that he should, "Go out with her!".
The flowers Dawn surprised us with were drop dead gorgeous. She didn't tell us what she was doing, and just WOW. TC kept us calm and our guests happy and the party moving along. Jason and Gina made us feel comfortable in front of the camera and made posing for pictures FUN.
Thank you Bunny for the wonderful framed print of our Maroon Bells experience, and for the precious book. What you said to me makes me cry every time I think of it. I can't thank you and Cheryl enough for the warm welcome to the Prather family. What a wonderful bunch you are!

I'm a wife!! And I have the most perfect husband a gal could ask for:)

Some fun new cakey stuff

2009-11-09T17:00:00.000-08:00

I recently made this ginormous candy corn looking cake with a sculpted topper for a Halloween wedding. That was fun:) I adore couples that think outside the box and go a little silly with their cake.

And just because I love them so... my favorite zombies:) I took this of Tasha and Ames (my hot fiance) at the Zombie Walk last month. If you haven't been to a Zombie Walk, you must go next year. What a riot!!!
If you want to see more zombie shots, friend me on Facebook. Look up Kelley Farrell or Kelley Kakes and send me a note!

I finally have sky diving pictures!

2009-11-01T19:43:00.001-08:00

Oh man... looking at these, I want to do it again!

This is so cool it's worth mentioning

2009-09-30T13:16:00.000-07:00

I get along really well with my ex husband. Like we're pals even. I know, odd right? When we split it was incredibly important to us that we remain civil for our children's sake. Why should they suffer because we screwed up? At first it was awkward, sure... feelings were hurt and whatnot. But we always put our kids first and we got over the nonsense and we've reached a point where my fiance and my ex went to a ball game together with our boys. How frikkin cool is that?? I swear, we should write a "how to" guide for those stupid parents out there that let their personal b.s. get in the way of what's important. Kids come first, no matter what. It's that easy. Get over yourself and you will be amazed at how simpler life can be!
Now I'm not naive... some folks out there don't seem capable of remembering that there are more important things in life than attempting to make your ex's life miserable. (Karma is a bitch- remember that.) What blows my mind is that they seem to be oblivious to the damage it is doing to their children. Kids have enough crap to deal with in life... they shouldn't have to deal with yours as well.

It's Official! The Cake Gal is getting married!

2009-09-29T12:34:00.001-07:00

So I have to blog about last Friday and its awesomeness! Ames and I were scheduled for our first sky diving experience. I have always said I'm doing this before I turn 40 and there was no way I was going to let that goal slip by. We made a reservation with Mile High Skydiving (they ROCK! Go there!) and got there a little before our 10am appt. I was a bit nervous about take off in such a small plane, but overall just thrilled to finally be doing this. Having Ames with me made it even more incredible. Insert "aaawwwww" here.
We were suited up and introduced to our professional tandem guys. Yay tandem guys! I'm with Eric, who is laid back and all smiles. We hired a guy to film us as well, so we're answering silly questions and posing and whatnot. We get in the plane... I realize I'm seated closest to the door. This means first out. Okay, no problem. I can handle that. Like being in the first car on the roller coaster, right? Totally! Camera guy is filming my reaction to tandem guy's altimeter. I am watching the mountains get smaller and all is well in the world. Can we open the door now? BTW, the door is nothing more than a clear roll up garage type door. One good lean on it and you're outta there! In the plane with us are two sisters and their tandem guys. There's lots of nervous giggling. I get to put on the silly hat and goggles because of my out of control curly hair. Don't want it whipping my tandem guy in the face!
We hit 17,000ft and Eric slides the door open. Camera guy is watching me, taking still shots and filming me at the same time. He had this cool remote for his camera that he operates with his teeth. It's all mounted to his helmet. Camera guy climbs out and hangs on the side of the plane to film my jump and tandem guy scoots us in a crouch to the door. I'm looking out over the mountains and recalling Ames mouthing "I love you" a few minutes prior. It is an amazing site and I am so ready to fall into it! Tandem guy starts counting back from four loudly. He has to holler... the wind is deafening! Next thing I know we're leaning forward and falling. I'm grinning from ear to ear while my face flaps in the wind and my teeth instantly dry out. I'm watching the ground rush towards us and Eric starts spinning us. That was SO COOL! He taps me on the shoulder and points for me to look forward and there a few feet in front of me is camera guy. I give him a big whooping holler and a double thumbs up! I already wanna go again! Tandem guy pulls the chute and there is this gentle slowing. Not at all what I expected. Suddenly it's so quiet! He spins us around and around and I continue to holler dorky stuff like, "This is SO AWESOME! I WANT YOUR JOB!!" I'm looking for Ames. I see the two gals far off, but not him. Tandem guy releases some straps and I'm just hanging there. I don't really want to think about what was still attaching me, but that feeling of just floating was incredible. We spin around towards the landing zone and he points to Ames far below us quickly rushing towards the ground. I ask, "How in the heck did he get there before us?!" Tandem guy just laughs and says we are taking our time so I have a great video to watch later. Camera guy is already on the ground filming Ames' landing. I see Ames quickly get released from his shoot and hurry towards the camera guy... and take this large white thing out of his jacket. Right then I think my heart wanted to come out of my chest. He unfolds it and it says what I am hoping it says..."Will You Marry Me?" Holy crap! As we float towards him I can see his smile and I'm yelling, "Are you serious?! Oh My God, really??" I do believe there was some giggling as well... I tend to do that A LOT when nervous. I remember Eric telling me to put my feet out and sit down and that's all I recall. I'm trying to find Ames behind the billowing parachute. Eric quickly gets it out of the way and Ames walks over to me and helps me up. I'm still giggling as he drops to one knee and asks me in person. I say, "Of course I'll marry you!" More giggling. He puts the ring on my finger and I see camera guy out of the corner of my eye snapping away. There was much kissing and hugging. My knees and hands were shaking like mad. I totally did not see that coming! Just WOW!
Ames had asked our kids the week before how they felt about this. I believe his daughter said something like, "It's about time". He had the ring ordered and hidden. He called my mom the night before and asked her permission. My mom absolutely adores this man... even more so now. Smooth move Mr. Prather:)
So I am engaged! And I jumped out of a plane! I'm still grinning from ear to ear, though the giggling has subsided. At least until my fiance:) tickles me to make the dog go nuts.
We eagerly await our video and pictures... they will be plastered all over facebook and here I'm sure. I might even Twitter them:)

We don't have a date set yet, but we're thinking spring. I already have the cake idea picked out, though!

AAARG! A Pirate ship wedding cake on "talk like a pirate day"! How cool!!!

2009-09-23T06:52:00.001-07:00

Okay, okay, okay... I SOOO loved making this cake! I had never made a pirate ship before and I only met them a couple of weeks before their wedding last weekend... I went into this sort of frantic mode while mulling over how to make this cake. They wanted the entire bridal party on there, and there was a lot of em!
Jere and Jes just like pirates... no particular reason beyond that for the pirate themed cake. They thought it would be fun and make their guests laugh. THEN they found out it was national "Talk Like A Pirate" day and we knew for certain their decision was meant to be!
I covered the ship in strips of fondant to resemble old planks. The people are sculpted out of clay and kept simple (they're only an inch an a half high). Jere and Jes wanted a fake bride and groom walking the plank while "they" looked on in pirate versions of their wedding attire. Oh, and let's put a big open shark mouth under the plank walking couple! Yeah! Ha! The cake was surrounded by 160ish cupcakes adorned with Wilson's (from Cast Away), squid, shark fins, casks of rum, messages in a bottle and sea turtles. There were some random cupcakes that looked like little islands with chocolate palm trees and "sand" done in glittery sugar.
I owe many, many thanks to my girls for their fine help on this cake.

Tasha and Kiera are both so very creative and talented I HAD to have them help out! Their creations were fantastic and were well received by the wedding attendants. I was told those cupcakes featuring little edible things were devoured first! I like imagining grown men fighting over the last squid cupcake:)

Cupcakes and tractors!

2009-09-14T22:06:00.000-07:00

I had fun couples this past weekend! I created a nifty tractor to go on top of a simply detailed cake for a wedding at Raccoon Creek Golf Course (BTW, nice venue! Loved all of the trees and the tent). The following day was yummy cupcakes going to Devil's Thumb Ranch in Winter Park. Yellow edible glitter, fresh raspberries and crushed heath bars and chocolate distinguished each flavor.

Neat Cake To Show You

2009-09-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

This was a recent cake for a really wonderful couple:) I just love the flowers, though, and this is mainly why I wanted to blog it. Alicia (Bella Fiori) never ceases to amaze me with her work. The colors and the selection were gorgeous! Spring greens, yellows and creamy whites... such a lovely change from chocolate brown and pale something or other. She left me a huge fresh selection to work with for the cake and I had to stop myself from using every single bloom. This was one of those cakes where I stood back and had a big grin. The design wasn't over the top or anything, but it was fun and lively and completely reflected the couple's attitude. Melded with the flowers, lighting, linens... just gorgeous. I didn't want to leave!

ONE YEAR!!!!!

2009-09-07T21:24:00.001-07:00

Today the Hot Boyfriend of Doom (tm) and I celebrated one year of nauseatingly blissful happiness together. We went to Stella's on Pearl to make those around us jealous:) Stella's is where we first met. I was incredibly nervous that day; I changed twice and straightened my hair (which is a serious undertaking). I knew this guy was going to be worth it. He told me today he changed three times:)

Why Sprint and Comcast annoy me!

2009-09-07T21:10:00.000-07:00

I'm certain I am not the only one who finds both of these companies so fantastically frustrating you almost have to laugh.....
I moved recently. I stopped Comcast over the phone. I was told a specific amount due and when I went in to return the equipment that amount was confirmed by two employees at the Comcast center off of Broadway. I paid it and was told I was done. Guess what I got.... not only did they NOT turn off my service and have billed me for another month, but they also say I have an unpaid balance due beyond that additional month. I call... again. I am told by a very nice guy that "they must do things differently in Denver" and that he would call me back in a few days (after his days off) and let me know "what I still owe". I informed him that I would be paying nothing more to his fine company and that this is their mistake. I never heard back from him, and I just got another bill. They can bite me.
Sprint... ah Sprint. I guess you just can't let me go. I paid off Sprint and got a nifty letter and confirmation number stating so even. Guess what. Yep, they say I owe them more money as well. I call... again. I get someone who is confused and transfers me to another dept. That person is also confused but at least can see on his screen that yes, I have paid it off. He says he's sending me another copy of the same letter and that should do it. I say, "How so? Your company doesn't acknowledge the letter they sent me stating I had paid in full." He says, "Well, it makes no sense to me either." BTW he is the supervisor....
I swear to God if either company sends me another bill you will hear my fit of anger in space.

I LOVE my G1!

2009-09-02T08:34:00.000-07:00

How I ever managed without the internet on my phone is beyond me. Since getting the G1, I have shaved hours off of having to sit in front of the computer to answer business emails.

I LOVE the "find me" map. I was seriously lost in Golden recently and my phone tracked me and led me to my location... and even found a short-cut the original printed map I had didn't mention. Sweeeeeet.

I dig the free apps and whatnot. There are more than enough for me to choose from. I'm not one to sit and play games on my phone, but my kids dig the Abduction game. Cows and martians I believe. My phone syncs to my Gmail... way cool.

I think I am most thrilled to be done with Sprint. I had issues with them from day one. Calls dropped daily, their billing is ridiculous, they'd turn my phone off despite a zero balance due, they renewed my contract without my permission.... Major suckage.

About My Uber Spiffy Website

2009-08-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

A couple of years back I went to my high school reunion ( yes I am THAT OLD, however I refuse to act as such) and I was lucky enough to reconnect with my good pal, Geoffrey Hawley. Now Geoffrey made it clear pretty quickly that he thought my website "sucked" and he graciously offered to create a new one for me. My previous site was this pathetic Front Page nonsense that just screamed "bored housewife" (although I was neither). I said, "Heck yeah!" and he went to work manifesting a site that just blew me away. Geoffrey works in flash and was doing something fairly unfamiliar to him. He had built sites before, but for mine he tried new things and made it a site I could manage myself as well... and I can despite being computer illiterate! Geoffrey also drew the little cartoon me, and I wish you all could have seen the huge grin on my face when I first saw it. Everything about my website makes me smile.
I will never be able to thank Geoffrey enough for all of the hard work and endless hours he spent on it. What it has done for my business, how it immediately portrays who I am and what I am all about, how easy it is to navigate through.... Geoffrey is an amazing, incredibly creative, generous, selfless person and I hope he knows how much he has helped further my company with this site. I hope he knows how much I appreciate all that he has done for me and will always be grateful.

He also creates comics:)

http://www.popmatters.com/comics/nepotism.shtml

You know that stuff I wrote about moving next summer?

2009-07-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

The hot boyfriend of doom (tm) and I trekked up to Crater and Mirror lakes last week. We spent several fabulous days together in a very small tent we had to share with a Rufus (the wondermutt). I kinda wish we were still there, although I very much enjoy sleeping in a regular bed...with the Rufus underneath it instead of sprawled across our legs.
So that whole "hey let's wait until next summer to build on" plan got modified a bit. We're still building and it'll still take place then, but we've decided to completely test our sanity by moving in together now. This means six people and one bathroom. Oh yeah baby! I think I've mentioned two of this six are teen girls? A constant hot water heater has just bumped itself up to first place on the priority list.
I have been wandering around my house trying to think of what to move first, what I can get rid of, how we will manage to do this in less than a month and how thrilled Tasha is going to be now that there will be a cat under her roof. I am certain Oreo (the cat who at least makes an attempt to like people) will totally dig all of the attention she's about to receive.
We're hoping to be done before school starts (August 19th) and I'm a bit nervous. I've got a lot of cakes to create this coming month and there's one in particular that's going to take some serious engineering and a couple of trips to the hardware store. I work well under pressure, though.... always have. Which is why I'm sitting here blogging instead of packing or baking:)
I'm rather giddy... nervous, but giddy. I keep thinking I should pinch myself. Is this really happening? I have a feeling this boyfriend of mine will continue to surprise and thrill me for many, many years to come. He's just that kind of guy... which as I've stated before, makes me one very lucky gal!

New stuff!

2009-07-20T17:52:00.001-07:00

I thought I'd share a bit of what I've been up to lately. It's been busy! These are now on my "favs" list. I really love the chocolate circles! The groom's cake was a blast to make.... even has edible coins to represent the change that falls out of his pockets whenever he sits down:) Cute!!!!

More camping please!

2009-06-19T23:48:00.000-07:00

I'm kinda digging taking cakes up into the mountains now... I can get a little camping trip out of the deal as well now that I have someone fun to go with:)
Last weekend we were in Snowmass delivering a cake to a lovely wedding organized by the ever wonderful TC (Muse Events). After work came play, and an overnight excursion to the Maroon Bells area seemed a must. Now I get what all of the hype is about. Gorgeous!!!

Ronin Is NINE!

2009-06-01T00:17:00.000-07:00

Ronin (Ames' younger spawn) turned nine recently. I made him a themed cake after he informed me that "he totally trusted me to do a good job on his cake".:) He's a big Ben 10 fan... and I had no idea what in the heck Ben 10 was, so I subjected myself to youtube videos to learn more about one particular character Ben 10 changes into. Cannonbolt was made of fondant and then handpainted. The boys devoured him after the essential wish over the candles. All of them looked fab with black lips from the coloring!

There be changes on the horizon!

2009-05-31T21:53:00.000-07:00

The hot boyfriend and I are nearing the 10 month mark. Big changes have taken place recently as Ames surprised me with home expansion plans to make room for the three of us... another bathroom is a must, as well as one of those spiffy endless water heaters. Two teen girls equals a lot of showering:) The plan is to expand the second floor of his house over the entire first floor. I'm elated to say the least!

This isn't something that's happening tomorrow, but soon. We are in the beginning planning stage whereupon we are thinking of all of the clever and cool things we'd like to add; drawers in the wall instead of needing a dresser, skylights, recycled wood floors, etc. The kids are all on board with the idea as well, which is fantastic. That they feel comfortable with living together is an absolute must.
Tasha is excited that our cat Oreo will live there as she's been bugging her dad for one for just about forever. She says on the first official day she plans to announce, "I win...bwa-ha-ha!". But ssshhhh, he's not supposed to know this:)

To spend the rest of my life with this fabulous man who rides carts in the parking lot and reaches for my hand whenever we're out and about... I can't imagine it getting any better than this.

Pictured is my latest cake--- Traditional wedding cake on the front, sculpted mountainy looking on the back. Ames helped out by adding icing snow to the trees. AND carried all of these massive layers up to the third floor of the history museum where the party was. What a guy!

My Awesome Kids

2009-05-14T15:49:00.000-07:00

My daughter is about to turn 13... THIRTEEN! Where did the time go?? I always teased my mom for saying that. Now I get it.
Kiera is finishing up the 7th grade. This fall she switches over to Morey Middle School (right by Wax Trax---cool!) and enters their HG program....cuz she's "smrt":) I won't miss the lengthy commute to the old schools, but am glad I chose to keep them there.
After Morey, Kiera heads to East H.S., which is an amazing school by Tattered Cover (lucky kid!) off of Colfax. I did my research--- that school rocks! She'll benefit from having Tasha there (Tasha is Ames' daughter and she'll be a Junior then) to pal around with. Nothing like having an "in" when hitting high school!
I hope Kiera discovers theater like I did. I think she'd love it as she's so creative. I didn't act; I built and painted and ran the lights. I loved every second of it and made some incredible lifetime friends.

Joshua (now 9) also starts a new school-- he'll be entering the 4th grade at Edison, which is up near the 32nd and Lowell stuff. I see many a trip to Happy Cakes and House of Commons in my future. He'll go to school with Ronin (Ames' other spawn, who happens to be in the same grade and age as Joshua). I can only imagine the havoc those two will wreak if put into the same class. Oh Lord.
I'm debating whether to keep Joshua on his beloved soccer team out in Aurora or switch him to a new team in Denver. His current team and coach are just wonderful. Not only did they kick butt this past season (undefeated baby!!) but the boys have really come together and play as a cohesive unit now. Joshua LOVES soccer. Right now it seems totally worth the drive a couple times a week to take him over there for practice.
Joshua is now 4 1/2 feet tall and thrilled he can finally ride the big rollercoasters. This boy has no fear.

I had a deal with my kids that if they got A's and B's at the end of the year, Joshua would get an Xbox 360 and Kiera would get an Ipod Nano... I've had the Xbox stashed for about a month now--- along with several games and extras. The jury is still out on the Ipod, but I think she's gonna make it. I wonder what color she'll choose? I'm betting purple or hot pink:)

I am quite blessed to have such wonderful children. Watching them become more independent is a thrilling ride... I just hope it doesn't go by too fast.

Nine Months! WOOHOO!

2009-04-27T06:02:00.000-07:00

The hot boyfriend and I have reached the nine month mark... our relationship continues down the awesomeness path:)
Congrats to Ames for tenure...and for the position AP English teacher next fall. I'm so very proud of you:)!!

Two Very Different Cakes

2009-04-27T05:54:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we delivered these--- the polka dots went to the Magnolia, the elegant one down to Manitou Springs. It was fun working on two very different styles; the personalities of the couples came through for sure!

Newest cake by Kiera!

2009-04-16T16:12:00.000-07:00

Kiera made this for her Dad, who is an Ironman:) Great job kiddo!!!

A very fun birthday cake

2009-04-16T15:58:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of making this fun birthday cake for a woman who has survived cancer. Her friends and family had planned a big "5-0" party last year, but her diagnosis changed all that. This year she's doing great and it was party time!
The cake featured 51 chocolate candles, lots of funky swirls around the pink ribbon and a couple of furry pals; she works with animal rescue.
I hope she had a wonderful party!

My Broadmoor cake... AKA The GINORMOUS CAKE

2009-03-15T20:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I delivered the largest cake... or should I say cakes... I've ever created. If these were served up entirely, it'd come close to 1000 wedding size servings. Wow.
The cakes went to the Broadmoor hotel in Colorado Springs--- gorgeous location. The groom's cake was in the lower dining room by the head table and featured it's own up-lights and ice sculpture. I put close to 150 dipped berries on this two foot wide cake. It smelled heavenly; the cake was chocolate Bailey's with nearly a gallon of dark chocolate ganache inside and out.
The bride's cake was equally massive and was iced in fondant with glittery highlights. A plethora of pink roses were left by the florist for me to play with.

Pam Drennan, owner of Sapphire Events, put it all together; it was amazing! But Pam always does an incredible job:) I love to see what she comes up with.

New Food Network Challenge in Denver!

2009-03-11T11:29:00.000-07:00

Food Network Challenge Fans,

Food Network Challenge will be shooting four episodes here at Comcast Media Center in Denver, CO in two weeks and you are invited to attend! We will have a limited audience of 50 people for all four shows. In order to gain admittance into the studio, you will need to RSVP and be on our RSVP list.
You will not be able to enter the studio if you are not on the RSVP list.
You will receive a confirmation e-mail stating that you are on this list.
You may come and go as you please as long as your name is on the list.
Attached you will find an overview for all four shows with all of the details that you will need to know.

The episodes we will be shooting are:
· Tuesday March 24, 2009 Ice Age Cakes 8:30am 6:30pm · Wednesday March 25, 2009 Sesame Street Cakes 8:30am 6:30pm · Thursday March 26, 2009 Fashion Cakes 8:30am 7:30pm · Friday March 27, 2009 Chocolate Wonders of the World 8:30am 6:30pm

TO RSVP, PLEASE SEND AN E-MAIL TO: challengeaudience@gmail.com WITH YOUR NAME AND THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO WILL BE ATTENDING WITH YOU. BE SURE TO INCLUDE WHICH DAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND. YOU WILL RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION E-MAIL WITHIN 48 BUSINESS HOURS.

**DUE TO THE LIMITED NUMBER OF AUDIENCE SEATS, EACH PERSON OR GROUP MAY ONLY SELECT ONE DAY TO ATTEND FROM THIS BATCH OF SHOWS SO THAT WE CAN GIVE AS MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A TAPING.

Please note that no tickets are necessary. You will simply need to show up and give your name, which will be on our RSVP list. You are welcome to bring any family or friends who are also interested in attending, as long as you provide their names for the RSVP list. Also, complimentary valet parking will be provided.

We thank you for your interest in the show and look forward to seeing you next week at the Comcast Media Center!

--
Kim Nyhus
Event Producer | Food Network Challenge
High Noon Entertainment
4100 East Dry Creek Road
Centennial, CO 80122
Ph:303.712.3203 | Fax:303.486.3881

and here's an overview of what's taking place:

Ice Age Cakes
Tuesday – March 24, 2009 Time: 8:30am – 6:30pm
Theme: Four cake decorators, each working with an assistant, will create a cake
celebrating a character from the Ice Age movie franchise.
Competitors: Anna Ellison – Baltimore, MD – Sid
Vinny Garcia – Chicago, IL – Diego
Elizabeth Hodes – New York, NY – Manny
Richard Ruskell – Los Angeles, CA – Scrat
Judges: Patrick Coston, Kerry Vincent and one judge TBD
Sesame Street Cakes
Wednesday – March 25, 2009 Time: 8:30am – 6:30pm
Theme: Four cake decorators, each working with an assistant, will create a cake
celebrating a character from the long running children’s television program, Sesame
Street.
Competitors: Marianne Carroll – Cleveland, OH – Cookie Monster
Lauren Kitchens – Dallas, TX – Elmo
Mike McCarey – Redmond, WA – Big Bird
Roland Winbeckler – Redding, CA – Oscar the Grouch
Judges: Patrick Coston, Kerry Vincent and Carol-Lynn Parente (Executive Producer of
Sesame Street)
Fashion Cakes
Thursday – March 26, 2009 Time: 8:30am – 7:30pm
Theme: Four cake decorators will be working with a mystery assistant to create a cake
inspired by the fall collection from the fashion line, Alice + Olivia.
Competitors: Michelle Doll – Brooklyn, NY
Jennifer Matsubara – Springdale, AR
Alexandria Pellegrino – Thornhill, Ontario, Canada
Joshua John Russell – Atlanta, GA
Judges: Patrick Coston, Kerry Vincent and Stacy Bendet Eisner (fashion designer)
Chocolate Wonders of the World
Friday – March 27, 2009 Time: 8:30am – 6:30pm
Theme: Four professional chocolatiers will create a showpiece inspired by one of the
Wonders of the World.
Competitors: Chris Hamner – Las Vegas, NV – Aurora Borealis
Lucy Martin – Orlando, FL – The Lighthouse of Alexandria
Omar Martinez – Chicago, IL – The Colosseum
Vincent Pilon – Las Vegas, NV – Gardens of Babylon
Judges: Norman Love, Jacques Torres and Sheila Buckmaster (Senior Editor of National
Geographic Traveler Magazine)
Where: The competition will take place at:
Studio West One at Comcast Media Center
4100 East Dry Creek Road
Centennial, CO 80122
*Complimentary valet parking will be provided.
Prize: There will be a prize of $10,000, winner takes all, for first place. Gold and silver
medals will be awarded to competitors placing first and second respectively.
Event Emcee: Keegan Gerhard

THE OXFORD HOTEL BRIDAL SHOWCASE

2009-03-05T11:14:00.000-08:00

The Oxford Hotel Bridal Showcase

Please come and visit us and other great vendors this month at The Oxford Bridal Showcase! This is a unique event in that each room will be set up as though an actual wedding reception were taking place. The vendors participating will be available to chat and answer all of your questions... plus there will be cake samples!! Come get some ideas and see the lovely Oxford Hotel in all it's glory!

McCormick's Catering at The Oxford Hotel

2nd Annual Open House Showcase

Thursday, March 26, 2009

5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Please RSVP by March 23, 2009 to

Erin Browning @ 303.628.5567

ebrowning@msmg.com

1600 17th Street . Denver, CO . 80202

Theater Room

Decorating Design - T'DA Design

Floral Design - Bella Fiori Events

Cake Design - Kelley Kakes

Fun cake!

2009-03-02T11:27:00.000-08:00

This was recently done up in Winterpark for a Mardi Gras themed wedding. The cake topper was a custom scuplting job of the Queen and King of the Rex Ball. Fun!!!

My daughter's cake creations!

2009-02-17T07:56:00.001-08:00

Recently Kiera entered the Springtime in the Rockies cake show (the holiday theme category) and was honored with 2nd place in her age group and 1st place for the People's Choice category. I'm so proud of her! She worked very hard on this cake, and having never covered a cake in fondant before, I'm quite impressed! I can't tell you how hard it was to keep my hands off and let her do it all herself.
There were moments of frustration--- one that will stick with me was when she looked over and said, "I don't know why the hell you do this for a living! This sucks!" It was truly hard not to smile (or lecture on language), but having shed tears over a cake or two in the past I understood where she was coming from.
In the end Kiera was so happy she chose to enter and is already planning out the cake for next year. Her brother wants to get in on the action as well and is thinking something with a skateboard.

Baby Shower Cakes

2009-02-09T17:53:00.000-08:00

Tis the season... for baby shower cakes.

I really love that past clients are calling for baby shower cakes. It's wonderful to continue a relationship with them, as so often those brides and grooms become quite special to me.
I recently had the pleasure of making shower cakes for Lanie-- who is just uber cool. Lanie and Shane (and Sugar and Spice)--- may you continued to be blessed with good health and fortune.

Hugs!!

Happy Birthday Ames!!!

2009-02-09T14:48:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Ames!!!

That was a lot of fun:) You're awesome-- I love you bunches!

XOXO

Happy 2009!!

2009-01-04T22:43:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! What a terrific year 2008 was for Kelley Kakes! Immense thanks to Margaret and Brides.com, TC, Debbie, Lanie, Nicole, Erin, Pam and Angela, Erika and Heather for all of your support and the incredible opportunities! Without wonderful people like you spreading the word, we wouldn't be where we are:)

Thanks to all of our fabulous brides and grooms who made this year so much fun! I wish you much happiness in your new life as Mr. and Mrs.

Kelley

Christmas!

2008-12-25T16:35:00.001-08:00

This Christmas beat the pants off of last year for sure. Last year was tumultuous and I am eternally grateful that I no longer have that crap in my life... though I would like my scarf back. The kids had a blast attacking each other with their Nerf guns; Rufus was too worn out from a long night of helping Santa wrap stuff to try to eat any of them. I received a few new additions to the snowman army that made me giggle... I'm partial to the one holding a martini....???

This year was a fresh start. New house, new friends, new memories. Personally I'm often wandering around in a daze with a goofy grin on my face trying to figure out how I managed to score such an amazing boyfriend. Along with said boyfriend come two equally amazing kids and his and mine are bonding nicely. Great kids... it's obvious they are a treasure to their Dad.

My own kids are adjusting quickly to the change in scenery. A change in schools will come next fall, but neither kiddo seems bothered by the idea.

The business is full steam ahead and we're busily booking next year. At this time we're keeping our prices and menu the same... as the old saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". The prices of our supplies haven't fluctuated and that's always a good thing. Here's hoping gas prices stay low as well!

Thank you all for a terrific year!

Kelley

--- oh and Ames... I LOVE my gift!!!! You are wonderful!!!! lasagna

The Great Cookie Party!

2008-12-22T17:31:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we had the Great Cookie Party of Doom (as it has been dubbed by Ames). My sister, Robin, came up from Colorado Springs to join in the fun and we spent the day baking and decorating and torturing our spawn. I'm particularly proud of Ames for creating his own masterpiece--- and you say you're not creative. Puleeze.

Four Months and Counting! -- Mooshy post----

2008-12-07T10:10:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling rather blessed; I have an amazing boyfriend. I like that he's aware he's different from most men but doesn't know just how awesome he is. I think it's adorable when he wonders if I'm weirded about by his vast domestic skills. I don't know what's hotter: the fact that yesterday he spent a good chunk of his day making sure his daughter made it to the birthday party or that he will stop in the middle of making a fabulous meal to walk over and kiss me as I'm watching him do all of the work. That he makes sure his kids always have a healthy lunch for school, points out how a certain shade of green makes my eyes stand out, curls up with his kids on the ginormous beanbag to watch cartoons or can confidently walk into an auto parts salvage yard and know what the hell he needs and how to install it. Amidst flying foam darts, hollering boys jumping over furniture and off of the stairs, a whining preteen girl, the terrible script that is Home Alone 3.... I can look over at him and see the same sense of contentment and joy in his eyes that comes over me in waves. He smiles with his whole face and it is the most lovely site to behold. Lucky me:)

Having difficulty reaching us via email? @*#&@ Comcast!

2008-12-07T09:54:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we discovered the lovely folks at Comcast did not switch my account from my old address to the new. This makes no sense to me since it's been working since we moved in and the install guys sat here and did this same task with me. The first online tech support person insisted I should be happy that there were no "health problems" with my account and that my email seemed to be fine. Uh... no... not fine. Not working. Not receiving nor sending... just idle. Bad. The second tech support person said it was because they were upgrading something. Really?? For a day and a half? Huh... The third try managed to figure it out. Someone simply forgot to notate the address change they said. So it's working (hooray!) but anything that was sent to us over the weekend never made it and is lost somewhere in cyberspace. Please send again:)

I'm rather frustrated with Comcast. Getting an actual human on the phone is impossible. Live tech support takes at least an hour. I frequently am dealing with a connection that has slowed to a crawl or times out. The install guys mangled the brick wall around our crawl space and I had to replace a bunch of bricks that were broken in half. But hey, they were able to send out the first bill in just one day! No problems in the billing dept. *insert eye rolling emoticon here*

I'm done whining now!

2008-12-06T00:30:00.001-08:00

It's Christmas time! Time to dig out the plethora of snowmen I own... and add more, of course. I don't think I'll find one that can beat him in the coolness factor, though. He is my absolute favorite!

Today I delivered a rather unique cake to Winterpark and was graced with the most amazing scenery. I love it when the pine trees are covered in snow and it looks like an Ansel Adams shot. I stopped on my way back to Denver to take these. As much as I whine about not liking the cold I can't imagine living anywhere else. We are some lucky folk.

The cake went to Devil's Thumb, which is a fantastic facility set back in a gorgeous valley. This particular cake was out in the glass enclosed room on the deck--- amazing view they will have while saying "I do"! I'd highly recommend checking this place out if you're looking for a mountain setting.

Today was a good day:)

Why is moving so expensive?!

2008-11-11T18:41:00.000-08:00

Is it just me, or is moving a crazy expense??? I mean, we're only moving eighteen miles away and I find myself spending a small fortune on things like ice trays (those who know me know this annoys the crap out of me... I will miss my ice maker), garbage cans, paint (I cannot live with white walls. It's like living in an institution!), cleaning supplies, etc... It's fun though, I must admit. Today my spawn saw the new pad for the first time and christened it by sliding down the long wood floor hall in their socks. Joshua was very happy. Kiera figured out how to climb on top of her closet into the little triangular open space I knew she'd love. She intends on making it her reading nook and she's already got plans for it's decor. We picked out paint colors and the hot teacher and I are going to attack it before the big move in date. He totally rocks for volunteering to help me with this:) He's just awesome in general.

I'm looking forward to the first snow, to baking cookies with the kids in all of that glorious granite countertopped space, to a warm fire and a good book, meeting the neighbors, making them wonder when we recreate a Calvin and Hobbes-esc snowman in the front yard, finding new playmates for the kids and taking Rufus for walks around the lake. New memories:) It's lovely.

Holiday Parties... what to bring??

2008-11-03T09:04:00.000-08:00

Are you in need of a gift for an upcoming holiday party? I don't think one can ever go wrong with decorated cookies or cake truffles!
Wait... what are cake truffles you ask? Bites of cake that have been blended together with something yummy like Bailey's Irish Creme, raspberries or fluffy orange mousse; then rolled into a ball and dipped in chocolate ganache. What you have then is a bite size bit of heaven and I dare you to eat only three!
We can also whip up a batch of yummy snowman cupcakes, dipped pretzels or cookies on a stick... or heck, why not combine a few things and really WOW someone?!

If you're in need of a special gift, give us a call or drop an email to kelleycakes@comcast.net
303-317-5260.

We're moving!

2008-10-26T10:13:00.000-07:00

Well.... the business isn't moving, but my children and myself are. We are getting the heck out of Aurora! Now my apologies if you live in Aurora and happen to like it... I don't. I feel like I'm far, far away in a distant land of beige. I look forward to being close to the shop and fun things to do with the kids. Our new digs are centrally located so client meetings will take place there once we're organized.
I'm excited about this move! It's a fresh start for the kids and I and that's been much needed. Living here has been difficult. Too many memories that have not been allowed to fade as they should. Our new home is older and has lots of trees and a cozy cabin-like feel to it. Quirky wall switches and neat hideout spaces over the closets for the kids, tons of windows and wood floors. Ahhhh... wood floors. I can't tell you how happy this makes me. There's a long hallway that I can't wait to slide down in my socks!
It's closer to the people that mean the most to me as well. Being able to meet up with mom and have a cup of coffee on a cold morning sounds delightful. My kid's dad is just a hop and a skip away so less time spent driving, more time spent playing..... and the uber wonderful boyfriend is mere minutes up the road. Now that's a lovely thought!
Being able to move before the holidays excites me. The tree doesn't have to go by the stairs because of the outlet placement any longer. The kids can hang their stockings over an actual fireplace we can roast marshmallows on. My sister and I have twice the kitchen space for our annual weekend of baking cookies and drinking vodka and coke. Yeah, you should see the last batch.... we get a little silly with the decorating! The gingerbread men from last year were quite entertaining:)
Here's to new possibilities! Now back to packing....

I love this picture....

2008-10-17T01:57:00.000-07:00

It's the reason I decided to go out with him. Not many men can pull off this look:) I wonder what he'll do if he discovers I've blogged it???

Sculpey clay is my friend!

2008-10-17T01:18:00.001-07:00

I totally dig sculpting stuff for cakes! It just makes it so personal and fun:) This couple trains guide dogs and their first one didn't quite make the cut; but has become their wonderful pet instead. They went rather whimsical.

Dogs seem to a be a theme lately. Dog bone cookies, paw prints in the icing, dogs in the ceremony.... wait till you see what I'm doing this weekend! This one coming up honors a certain little guy named Dunkin. You'll see:)

How did I get to be 39?!

2008-10-09T13:01:00.000-07:00

I've got a lot of stuff to cram into this coming year... skydiving, bungee jumping, fourteener tackling, moving... I'll start with lunch with some wonderful friends of mine:) Thanks Gretch and Jenn for a fab time! It was so great to see you-- shopping!!!!!

What a fun weekend!

2008-10-05T18:24:00.000-07:00

This weekend I made a really fun cake for a couple that works with dogs. Chocolate dog prints and purple sugar flowers were a nice change of pace for me! Thank you Ames for going along:) It means a great deal.

Some of my favorite vendors

2008-09-30T15:22:00.001-07:00

There are certain wedding vendors I absolutely love to work with and I thought I'd tell you a little bit about them:)
Wedding coordinators--- TC of TC Muse Events. When I first met TC she was underneath a table chasing a power cord. TC is one of the most bubbly and creative people I know. I love that when I walk into a reception she's designed I can't tell it's her who's done it because they never look the same. She dressed this room up at the Stanley a couple of weeks ago that was so amazing the folks that worked there were bringing in guests to show it off. I normally don't take pictures of the decor but this was just too gorgeous not to. A nice change from chocolate brown and pink!

Debbie with Save the Date Events. Talk about patience... Debbie is one of those quiet women who will surprise you with how organized she is. She's got a great eye for detail as does her staff. If you're looking for a very patient yet creative planner seek out Debbie!

The Sapphire Event gals--- just wow! I've had the pleasure of working with Pam and Angela for years and never once have I been disappointed! A good planner makes life so easy for the other vendors and they can put together an event that will astound!

Florists:
Alicia with Bella Fiori--- Alicia is one of those quiet creative types who's designs are always beyond lovely. She's one of the sweetest gals I've had the pleasure of meeting in this biz and her attention to detail always impresses!

Erin with Plum Sage-- love her! Just love her! Great personality, great creative brain a churning, great at what she does.

Dawn with Hillside Consultants--- Dawn always makes me laugh. I don't think I've ever seen this woman without a huge smile on her face. Dawn is that best girlfriend we all wish we had. And, of course, her work is awesome!

Photographers:
Kevin and Jessica B of Kevin B Photography. Cool, cool, cool people! Their pictures astound me. I'm a stickler when it comes to photographers and I'm just blown away by their talent. I love their personalities as well--- laid back and cool man... they put the room at ease.

Autumn Burke Photography--- Another super talented photographer. I love the colors in her work.

Melissa Rich Photography--- Way awesome gal with loads of talent! I recently met Melissa at a vendor deal and just loved her! A photographer's personality is so important... it's fantastic when they're not only terrific at what they do but you really like them as well!

Places I love:
The Oxford Hotel-- just gorgeous and an incredible location. Erin Browning does a fantastic job of pulling together all of the details.

Boettcher Mansion-- Beautiful inside and outside and not too far off the beaten path.

Grant Humphrey's--- How can you beat a historical setting smack in the middle of Denver? The gardens are fantastic and the inside is fabulous!

The Stanley Hotel--- specifically the Music Room. LOVE IT! What a view, what a room! Your guests won't know where to look it's all so lovely.

The Sanctuary--- Perfection with a stunning view. I'm a Colorado Springs girl and I can't get enough of the view of Pikes Peak from the main room. It's a huge room but the wood and stone make it feel intimate and warm. The staff is wonderful and friendly.

Parker Villa--- Who woulda thought an Italian style Villa would be right there in Parker?! Erika and Wendy have done an incredible job of creating one of the most inviting and unique locations for a wedding. And they're not done... they have big and fabulous plans! How can you beat that and so close to everything?!

Thank you all for making this past year a truly wonderful time. I'm blessed to know so many talented and terrific people!

K

Brides.com party!

2008-09-25T23:09:00.000-07:00

Wow that was fun! We were asked to be the cake folks for the big Brides.com bash on Wed. evening. This is an annual gathering the Conde Naste crew holds in appreciation of the vendors. TC of TC Muse Events did a fantastic job with the decor! Great food, drinks, company:) Thanks to Brides.com for allowing Kelley Kakes to be a part of the grand event!
And thank you to my fabulous arm candy for going along with me despite having nothing to do with weddings and all of that girly stuff. You made the evening quite wonderful!

The joys of online dating sites!!

2008-09-21T16:14:00.001-07:00

I'm feeling rather giddy today.... I've met the coolest man! A big thank you to okcupid! I can't stop grinning:) He's hot, too! Yep, still grinning:)
Dating has been an interesting experience for me. After a lengthy marriage, the thought of throwing myself out there was beyond frightening. Online dating sites seemed a good solution. It eliminated the bar scene and allowed me the ability to weed out those men who can't spell and lacked a sense of humor. I'm big on spelling... and humor. I'm sort of a dork. I was lucky enough in the beginning to meet some rather lovely individuals, thus quelling my fear of being a lonely and bitter old spinster. I had a lot of fun getting to know these people; and myself for that matter. I had forgotten how much fun I am!
Today I was commenting to this fabulous man how interesting I find it that so many of my clients have met via the wonders of the internet. It's no longer a bad thing to admit to and I love to hear their stories. One of my favorites was of Amy and Kevin. They met on match.com and spent six months chatting back and forth before she was comfortable enough to meet him in person. Amy had gone through a rather tumultuous divorce a year or so prior. She was a bit gun-shy but knew that somewhere out there was the perfect creature. Kevin was beyond patient and understanding. When they finally met he said he felt like fireworks were going off in his head. He told me (with this gleam in his eye that darn near made me tear up!) that to hear her voice for the first time made his knees weak. He had pictured how she sounded for all of those months and to finally have her standing before him and hear her say his name turned him into a puddle. Three weeks after their first meeting Kevin asked Amy to marry him. They had a fantastic ceremony in the mountains; just close friends and family. I remember watching Amy pose for pictures... she had this smile on her face that literally could have lit a city. Her head held high, shoulders up, that woman was on cloud nine. There was no fretting, no worries, just absolute joy. I caught Kevin cheating; he was watching her from a doorway. I stopped to watch him watching her and he caught me doing so. He turned to me and quietly whispered, "I had no idea I could be this in love." Okay, then I cried:) Amy and Kevin have been contently married for four years now. They can be seen regularly holding hands and kissing during football games at their favorite bar.

I'd love to hear your stories as well! Please share!

Dinosaurs!!!

2008-09-05T19:39:00.001-07:00

I had a blast making this cake! I enlisted the help of my mom for the sculpting (she's an amazing artist!) and we spent a couple evenings creating all sorts of beings from the past.
When I met Rebecca and John she had created this cool sketch depicting the layers of the earth and the creatures that lived during those periods. It was so fun to see their eyes light up when we started talking details! I love that! I think my favorite layer was the second one up --we got to make some mighty alien looking swimmers. At the last minute I decided to sculpt a Cryolophosaurus to stand behind them. Rebecca had once mentioned that she had spent several years studying this particular fellow and I thought he needed to join the party! Thanks guys for allowing me to be a part of your big day! And thanks mom for all of your help! You rock!!!

I LOVE THIS CAKE!

2008-08-23T18:28:00.001-07:00

Now I love a traditional wedding cake, but when I get to stray outside the white icing box and play, boy do I enjoy myself! This cake was a mystery up until about midnight Friday before the Sat. wedding. It was baked and iced red, mind you.. but the design was still a toss-up. I was given free reign by the couple. I googled Mehindi designs, Hindu inspired cakes, etc... and started to play. It makes me want to go out and Henna myself! I just love it-- so intricate and feminine. Thank you Autumn Burke for the wonderful picture. Check out Autumn's site at autumnburke.com

New Fabulous Stationary Store To Check Out!

2008-08-23T18:21:00.001-07:00

Today I discovered Scribbles, a new custom stationary store on 15th, right near my favorite REI and sandwich joint. (Paris on the Platte--- chicken pesto on focaccia... fantastic!). I'm looking personally to upgrade my business cards and that's what led me in their door. I asked about wedding invitations and was informed they have a plethora of designs, and the ability to customize for you. Their website is not quite up and running but I found this very informative blog on them:
http://livedowntowndenver.com/blog/?p=906

Check this place out! I love that it's locally owned and small and personal. The way it should be:) I wish the Scribbles gals much success!

Chocolate branches and lovely brides

2008-08-14T14:03:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of making a wedding cake for Lisa and Justin recently... I had so much fun making this cake because it challenged me to think outside the box a bit. I'd never done a chocolate branch, let alone make one appear as though it's drifting up the side of all three layers. The branch had to be done in sections as I don't like to deliver my cakes already assembled. I think there's too much room for error and I don't like having to drive a dowel through the whole thing to keep it from shifting...so the branch had to be finished on site.
Their reception was at Kevin Taylor's--- a lovely location you'd never expect to see in a basement. Just lovely. The staff... wonderful. I had the pleasure of seeing Lisa in her dress, and she was stunning! Even better, I got to see her reaction to her cake and that made me grin for the rest of the day. I typically don't see the happy couple the day of, as they're off getting married:)...
Lisa had provided me with a gorgeous ribbon to use on the cake--- it went so perfectly with the little sugar flowers and chocolate branch. This was a cake I didn't want to leave.
Thank you Lisa and Justin for allowing me to be a part of your happiest day. I sincerely appreciate it!

Kelley

cupcakes

2008-07-10T10:58:00.000-07:00

I never really thought I'd jump on the cupcake bandwagon... I like them, I've always liked them, but they didn't seem as special to me as a big centerpiece wedding cake. They were more about birthday parties and kids. But, I've had a couple of really interesting orders recently and I've changed my mind about them... chartreuse colored icing with chocolate monarch butterflies--- that was so much fun to make and visually stunning! After that I had a couple that said, "just do anything fun and colorful!" :) I made chocolate smiley faces, hearts, hippy daisies, etc... the end result was a tower of whimsical confections topped by a giant cupcake (I love my new giant cupcake pan!) adorned with a big red Gerbera daisy. It just made all of us grin. I can imagine the wedding guests looking over all of the different patterns trying to pick just one. That particular day they had six delicious flavors to choose from... and a very smart bride that ordered plenty of extra little cakes so her guests could try them all if they chose to.

Now these will never replace my love for the grand wedding cake, but I've got lots of ideas rolling around in my head for cupcakes now..... one shop that has been a great inspiration is www.cupcakeenvy.com (I LOVE that name!). Someone out there wants to have little purse cakes, don't you? Yeah? Okay call me! Let's do it! FUN!!!!!

The way things work here at Kelley Kakes

2008-06-16T13:57:00.000-07:00

Boy are we busy, and boy are we loving it! Making cakes for you all makes us very happy. I feel privileged:) Back in my early 20's I would never have imagined I'd have such a fantastic job! It's hard work, it's long hours, but is the most rewarding thing I've done in life aside from raising my kids.

Since we're a small company we don't have group tastings at a shop or the ability to have potential clients just drop in. We don't have a storefront (yet!!!) and no place to sit and chat at our workspace. You'd probably end up with flour in your hair:) So that's why we come to you for meetings and this works well for us because we believe your cake is special and deserves a sit down one- on- one chat. We don't do air-brushed sheet cakes you pick out of a book here.

We're in the midst of wedding season and it's frantic and fun! However it makes scheduling meetings a bit of a challenge. At the moment we're scheduling meetings two weeks out and getting one on a weekend is darned near impossible. But please be patient with us! Once you call or email us and set up an appt. we keep your event date penciled in. You can be assured that when our meeting happens we are still available. Currently most of our meetings take place early in the week as things kick into high gear as we get closer to the weekends. Since we bake everything fresh for events, we need to leave Wed. through Fridays open for that.

Thank you all for helping make Kelley Kakes happen!

Kelley

Wedding Season Has Begun!!!

2008-05-09T22:38:00.000-07:00

It's wedding season! It's officially here.. know how I can tell? I'm in the midst of my first all-nighter Friday spent with baked goods. Ah.... there is a thin layer of powdered sugar covering a five foot radius around my blenders from making sixteen batches of icing. I wonder how much of that stuff I've breathed in over the years? I'm literally waiting for paint to dry at the moment... edible gold paint. I've got another three coats to go and if you don't let it dry in between it streaks and looks awful. The gold is for a 50th anniversary cake. The wedding cake will get pearl dust painted onto it's detailing. It's going to be a cool multi-shaped number.

I work well at night. I get this burst of energy about 9pm and I'm good till sun-up if need be. I have the "single mom" work hours. It does, however, making dating rather interesting.

I can't work without music...tonight I'm dialed in to www.pandora.com and listening to Feist, Depeche Mode, Bjork, Nicole Atkins, Prodigy, Kidneytheives, Spoon and David Bowie... if you've never heard of pandora check it out...You put in the type of bands you like and they play stuff that is similar to your choices. And if you're really bored go to Utube and search for "Keepon dances to Spoon". I want a Keepon. Anyone? so cute!

Have a great weekend!

K

Learn how to make a cake!

2008-03-28T22:32:00.001-07:00

Have you always wanted to try your hand at cake decorating? Do you have visions of fun and funky birthday cakes you can WOW your family and friends with? Come on down to Cake Crafts and take a class in cake decorating! Classes are offered in the evenings and on Saturdays. In addition to that you can also learn all about making your own decorated cookies, fun cupcakes, gumpaste flowers... Cake Crafts is down on the corner of Oxford and Broadway.