Monday, April 26, 2010

about that cupcake..........

When you make cakes that look like everything except cake, it's really hard to convey that in a symbol, or in this case a logo. When I first started DDC I struggled with this. At that time simply stating "sculpted cakes" was often met with quizzical looks and the inevitable "just WHAT is a sculpted cake anyway??" Should I select an image of a cake as my branding? Which one? Baked ham cake? No, I learned from having that image on one of my business cards that that just leads people to ask "Oh you do catering too?" What then? perhaps one of my animal cakes? Then I might get pigeonholed as only making animal cakes (see? "pigeon-holed:animal cakes? get it?)
That wouldn't do either. In fact no single image would accurately convey what I do . Hence the "cupcake" in my logo. Not entirely sold on it OR cupcakes in general (but more about that in a bit) but it'll do. Close but no cigar.Anyway, that cupcake logo has been used on my website, my business cards, my sign and on my first delivery vehicle.
Over time I grew to despise cupcakes. My mission in starting DDC was to offer things you could not get just anywhere. I need not point out that every town has a cupcake shop and every city has many multiples of them. I have been trying to phase out cupcakes for the longest time now because of this plus the fact that they are such a pain in the ass, at least the ones I make. I guess I could just make simple toppers that are cute and decorative but you know I'd never take the easy road.......nope, If there's a way to make something complicated and time consuming I'll find it. Despite finding the production quite tedious, I will (just this one time) admit that it's cool to see lots of little things in groupings. I do love miniature stuff =)
We recently got a second delivery vehicle and again the "cupcake" debate arose again. If I stuck with the logo then I'm stuck with cupcakes, right? Answer is a qualified "yes". As of now I still will take on the occasional cupcake order if , and only if, I think it's something that is unique enough to warrant my doing them vs. a cupcake specialty shop. So here are a few DDC cupcakes/ toppers that I can now admit are some of my faves, you know , now that the memory of the pain of making them has faded.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

News of the World

.....not just a great song by The very awesome group "The Jam" but also an apt title for my life lately.OK, the word "news" might be stretching it a bit, but I have been experiencing a lot of world press the past few months. Those of you who know me , know that I spend much of my life online, so naturally I appreciate any online recognition that I am fortunate to get, but those who have known me for a long time know that I used to be obsessed with magazines and newspapers.
I think I have always been an information junkie.Growing up in a small town there wasn't much to entertain a precocious terror like myself.When I grew tired of watching the 3-5 channels of TV we got, I devoured everything in print.Now, my parents weren't exactly book collectors so my pickings were slim.I may be one of only a handful of people who actually read the World Book Encyclopedia and one of an even smaller group of people who read the dictionary. For. Fun. Yep! a popular kid was I!
Anyway, since the internet has exploded I'm afraid I've done more than my part hammering the final nail in print media's coffin. I just need my information faster these days, New, now, next!
It makes me kind of sad, though. There's nothing like having something of substance to hold on to, the tactile feeling of the glossy page.Here's where I finally get around to the topic.....
much of my latest press has been actually in print, real paper! So, from magazines and newspapers around the world here are a few:
The New york Daily News 1/2 page article!
A fun dutch kids magazine called "7 Days" =)


The Sun UK(Thanks to Christine for posting it to me!)



And I can now die happy..... Just thumbing through the mags at the counter today at wally world and lo and behold! I'm here too! I was asked to be in this mag months ago but I never saw it and actually the copy I found was one from last week. It was kismet, I tell you!Just what every mother dreams of for her child, tabloid trash!