Sunday, March 25, 2012

Ready, Set, ENTER!


"Week 1" giveaway (March 26 - March 31) is over, but... 
Come enter our "Week 2" giveaway (April 2 - April 7) HERE.

FINALLY!  It's time to enter for Week 1 of our month-long giveaway!
This week's sponsors!


WHAT YOU CAN WIN:

This week's drawing will take place on Sunday, April 1st. Two (2) winners will be drawn for the following two (2) prizes:

Prize Package #1 - “This Aint No April Fool’s Day” prize package (Sorry, this prize package is open to U.S. residents only, must be 18 at time of entry):


*Custom cookies by Casey's Confections will be awarded as her schedule allows. Final design and delivery date will be determined by Casey at her sole discretion.

Prize Package #2 - “Cakey Bakey” prize package (YAY, open to anyone, anywhere in the world, must be 18 at time of entry):

Win this hedgehog cutter and you could make your very own cookies to look just like our sponsor'sSweet Tweets!

SAMPLE - NOT A PRIZE
HOW YOU ENTER:


CONTEST IS OVER!  
Congratulations to our winners:

  1. Colleen Saylor of Indiana
  2. Virginia Ogilvie of Oshawa, Ontario

It’s SUPER easy to enter! This week you will have seven (7) chances to win! Just follow the simple directions using the Rafflecopter widget at the end of this post.  Good luck!

~ Peggy

BORING STUFF (Contest Details):
  • Winners will be chosen randomly and will be contacted via email on April 1st.
  • If any winner doesn't respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen.
  • See Terms and Conditions HERE.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

521 comments:

  1. I have been baking for over 30+ years but when I was going to give my son and his wife a baby shower (I was expecting my first grand child) I wanted something very special. After seeing what certain people were charging to make cupcakes, I thought, "I can do that" so I did and 15 months later...here I am! :)

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    1. I failed to mention that I baked but didn't do ANY decorating until 15 months ago LOL

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  2. I baked cakes for family occasions. Friends saw my cakes and asked me to bake for their birthdays, anniversaries, etc. One cake lead to another cake then another and another! I love baking and decorating!

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  3. I started with my daughters first birthday cake and never looked back =) it's my "therapy" when everything goes right =)

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  4. I have always loved looking at pictures of cakes, and so i started to make my own instead of just admiring other's work.

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  5. Replies
    1. okay, just realized what I was SUPPOSED to say- uhm, b-day cakes for my kidlettes was what got me started actually doing them.

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  6. Yay for the contest! too bad the other one is only open to US residents...

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    1. oops, forgot to add:

      seeing all the beautiful cakes online, books, bakeries...I decided to try it out and I loved it!!

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    2. Sorry both prize packages can't be open to everyone world-wide. The shipping would be outrageous on some of these prizes - like the $120 fondant supplies. But I'm happy that we worked out a way to let everyone, no matter where they are, be eligible all 5 weeks for at least one prize package worth about $25 per week!

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  7. I loved watching my mom make cakes as a kid..so when I had children I started making cakes for them then friends started asking me to do their kids and its snowballed from there! LOL

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  8. My hubbs, i think he got tired of spending so much money on our kids birthday cakes :) -Claudia Javier

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  9. Love the contest. Thank you....

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  10. My friend who is a wedding planner suggested it, because in our small town we didn't have any specialty cake designers. I am ever to thankful for her because now I make so many others happy on their special day!

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  11. In junior high school I was in a home ed class. I was amazed wih the baking. Been in love with baking ever since.

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  12. My aunt and my family. I started baking and decorating about 5 years ago. My aunt own a bakery shop back in my foreign country. While I was still there she teach me a lot of things, from baking to decorating but I never toke it seriously :). but now having a family (my husband and my kids) inspired me to bake, especially making birthday cakes on their birthday :)

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  13. I have been in the kitchen since I was young and helping my Mom. It wasn't until I had my own kids that I got the bug to try out the cake world. I started with a Wilton Pony pan and never looked back! Completely self taught, I love to create and make people smile! :)

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  14. My inspiration was and is my daughter, I wanted to do something nice and special for her birthday and I started buying a small package of fondant for testing!

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  15. My inspiration to decorate cookies was through several ladies online and my family loved my cookies so here we are

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  16. I've always baked as far back as I can remember. My decision to try my hand at decorating came when wally world screwed up my daughter's birthday cake 3 times in ONE DAY. I thought to myself....sheesh...I can do this! So I set out on a mission to learn how. Thank God for FB, YouTube and books! Thanks so much for the opportunity and congrats on all of your success!!!

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  17. I never liked cakes and never was an artist. I prayed to God to give me some kind of a job that can keep me home and attend to my daughter, care for my sick mother and manage the home altogether. I baked with my girlfriends over weekends and feed it to my family. They like the taste and suggested I go into business. No trainings whatsoever but with the help of cake bloggers, the business is in full swing.

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  18. I got inspired by a friend of mine from PR that has her own little business at home. I told me If u cook u could do this baking.

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  19. What inspires me baking and decorating is seeing all those pretty cakes that take my breath away.

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  20. Seeing all the beautiful cupcakes pictures on different Facebook pages is what inspired me to make cupcakes :)

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  21. My inspiration come from my kids. I wanted to have a nice cake for my baby shower, so almost 9 month pregnant I made my own baby shower cake and that was how I found my passion.;)

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  22. I have always loved baking but my true push came after hosting my best friends baby shower. I realized at that moment how much I enjoyed and truly loved it. i am now enjoying the journey of growing my business Sweetest Moments :)

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  23. As a child, my mom made "cut-out" cakes & eventually I started making them too. I always wanted to learn how to make a "real" decorated cake (ie: piping, etc with buttercream) & in the past few years have been dabbling in cake decorating.
    I love to try new products & techniques.
    Thanks for doing this give away! They are always fun to enter!

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  24. mariam abdulrehmanMarch 26, 2012 at 1:01 AM

    My Daughter inspired me! i wanted to make her first birthday cake and so i started experimenting..little did i know i got hooked!

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  25. I started doing cakes about 13 years ago. My mom made wedding cakes when I was little and I loved watching her. I began baking and decorating for my kids and coworkers. Since moving to NC I have been baking and decorating away....and I love it!! Gina Duncan

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  26. The Whats Up Cupcake inspired me to start baking. I have always loved art so decorating cakes was just another way to go about it. I took classes to learn the basics and went from there!

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  27. My daughter was the one that inspired me. I made her first birthday cake and been doing it for almost 5 years.

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  28. I started decorating because my work colleagues kept needing cakes for the childrens' birthdays so I started making them. And got addicted!

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  29. I started decorating, because I thought it would be a fun hobby. I never knew I would enjoy it so much!

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  30. I always as a little girl loved backing. When I got older I came across the most beautifull cakes decorated with fondant and I was impressed. So I looked up where I could learn how to decorate cakes like that and never stop making cakes again. I am still learning. About the decoration but also trying new recepies and finding out how to make the most tastefull cakes. My newest adddiction is decorating cake pops and cookies. They are so much fun to make!

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  31. I've been a hobbiest for many years. A few months ago I made a cake for a friends 40th birthday that got so many praises and I just so much support, I decided that I would start doing this as a business. A few months later, I got my biz license found a kitchen to work out of and here I am - only a few months into it and I'm consistantly busy and have gotten really good support and response. I needed a change and it's sooooo nice to do something I love.

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  32. One random episode of Cake boss inspired me to get into cake decorating. Before then I never knew who he was. I was so facinated by what he could make out of all edible products and it made me want to learn more. Now I am hooked and there is no turning back :)

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  33. I am so excited! I started decorating as a way to cope with my husband being deployed the first time. 6 yrs later and 4 more deployments, I found something that I love! When he gets out of the Army we plan on opening a bakery!

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  34. I was definitly inspired to make cakes by my kids! My boys always seemed to want a theme that wasn't easily found in a bakery or store so I just started making their cakes myself. It started with just cake decorated with buttercream stars and has progressed to buttercream, fondant, gumpaste, modeling chocolate, etc...it's sooo much fun to do now I do for all family members not just my kids now!

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  35. I always enjoyed cooking so I took some baking classes in High School, my Chefs had a major impact in my teenage life and it set me on the right track to keep baking. I love cake decorating and hope to pass it on to my kids someday. It's my art and usually when it's my cakes (nonorders) it's a reflection of my mood at that moment.

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  36. I started decorating cakes just 1 year ago. I saw cakes with fondant in the Internet and tried to figure out what's this amazing stuff :-) my first cake was a disaster but then I went on with doing cakes for my family and I put my pictures on Facebook. There my cakes started to become popular and I had my first real order :-) I've learned everything online from YouTube and tutorials of other fantastic and generous cake designers. Thanks god I started with this beautiful art. It fills my life with something special.

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  37. I have been baking since I was 11 years old. My mother was a great baker. She didn't decorate though. But my scrapbooking skills come in handy for cake decorating! lol

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  38. I have been baking since I was a child mainly with my mother and my fantastic Nana. I am now 40.... My mother learnt to cake decorate and have been given her decorating tips but have only been decorating cookies and cakes since I needed to bake a cake for my sons first birthday, 5 years ago.

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  39. Love the contest! Thanks for having it

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  40. My daughter inspired me to begin cake decorating. I wanted a special cake for her third birthday party and tried it myself. When it didn't turn out too bad, I was hooked!

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  41. My son wanted a NASCAR cake for his birthday. I searched locally and couldn't find anyone to make it. I researched online and my very first cake was in the shape of a car. It wasn't great but it tasted delicious. I've been baking/designing my kids' cakes ever since.

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  42. I have always baked for my children but never really decorated very much. When the real estate market fell, my income with it, my youngest son (almost 4) was diagnosed with severe Autism. With the therapy appts for him and having no one to care for him, it is near impossible to have a job with a schedule. You know we work at night, LOL. So little by little, after the urging of all my friends and family, here I am, Miami Party Cakes. I have to add that my little guy is my #1 fan and I am his.

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  43. My kids. I have 4. So 6 years ago I made my first fondant covered cake and have been going ever since.

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  44. I started baking since i was 10 yrs old by watching my grandmother. She inspired me to do it since then. Loved watching her, helping her, asking her questions on how to do cute and unique stuff. I learned to bake without measuring, just by an eye,which can be rare, but it works for me.

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  45. I started baking 5 yrs ago, after so many trial and errors i decided to stop coz i got frustrated everytime i baked, failed. Then a year ago my friend asked me to bake cake for his son, Everybody loves it, so i said to myself i can do this, since then ive been baking for my family and friends on their bdays and events. Thank you to those cakers who shares their talent, imstill learning and hopefully someday i can have my own business. Thank you peggy for this youre amazing! God bless!

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  46. I always wanted to take a cake class so this past summer with encouragement from my mom, The biggest factor may be that I Love Sweets!! Sherry Baird mssherry48@hotmail.com

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  47. My mum got me started, 1st I helped her as a child to do cakes, then we did them together, an now she has arthritis an cant, I do them an she supports me xxxx

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  48. Hi. I've been baking for family and friends for awhile now. I've always wanted to make a career out of it so when I got laid off this past October I took it as a sign. Being self taught I turn to pages like yours for inspiration. So thank you for sharing your talents so others, like me, can continue to learn and get better.

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  49. Oops! Just realized my comment didn't post correctly! I starting decorating cakes back in June 2011, because I wanted a specific themed cake for my son Alexander's 1st birthday. No one I talked to was able to deliver a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cake the way I wanted! So I decided to make my own, and my passion was born! :)

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  50. When my kids were young, I needed to get out of the house for some "me" time. So, I took a few classes and my husband would take the cakes to work. Someone asked if I could do a bday cake for them and would pay me. That one order eventually led to me starting Kitti's Kakes in 2007 and I've been going strong since

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  51. I've been loving baking since I was in middle school but have only recently (about 2 years) got into cake and cookie decorating. About 2 years ago I wanted to make a special cake for my boys (then ages 10 and 12) birthdays. Their birthdays are 2 weeks apart. So I made a basketball cake and everyone thought it was great. I look back at it and cringe but that's where it really began. Next my friend Nina and I tried fondant and we were hooked. Thus Pam and Nina's Crafty Cakes was born.

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  52. I grew up with an allergy to peanuts and soy so my mom was always baking and cooking everything from scratch. Helping her in the kitchen was fun for me, and when my own kids came along, I enjoyed baking for them also. The cake decorating started on my son's second birthday, when I made a 3D Lightning McQueen, and I haven't stopped since :)

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  53. Artfully Delicious CookiesMarch 26, 2012 at 6:56 AM

    Just found your site from Sweet Tweets, love it!!

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  54. I started years ago baking and decorating cakes and cookies when my kids were little for holidays and birthdays. As time went on I realized cookies were my thing and over the last year I have really gotten so much better at it.

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  55. I started decorating for my little girl her 1st Birthdayparty..
    Since then I keep on baking :-)
    How much fun!!

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  56. I started baking about a year ago because I wanted to bake nice birthday cakes for my young boy.

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  57. I've always loved baking since I was little. I remember playing with play doh and making braided loaves of bread and put them out in the sun to bake :)

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  58. I have been learning about cookies and cakes thanks to your FB post. Use the opportunity to thank you.
    PS: I am in Puerto Rico, even thou there is issues about political status, we have US zip code, shipping wont be a problem. Thanks! Maria Reina maryangeles_reina@yahoo.com

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  59. When my daughter turned 1, I decided I was going to be one of the moms that baked their kid's bithday cakes. Each year I try to learn a new technique for thier birthday parties. I've come a long way since that first lopsided, paper-plate cut out decorated, my mom did most of the work cake :)

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  60. I moved to a small town and didn't know anyone. I took some classes with a couple of girls I met for fun and fell in love with cake decorating. Now I do it whenever I get a chance.

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  61. I have always loved cooking and baking. I was the one my friends and family called when they needed anything 'sweet'! I was able to get years of practice this way and everyone kept telling me that I should be making money doing cakes! I finally listened and about two years ago started building a clientele and haven't looked back. I just wish I hadn't waited so long! So my friends and family inspired me!

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  62. Growing up with a family of bakers, Learning to decorate them was just a way to take the baked goods to the next level!!

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  63. My inspiration for baking is my Grandma. We grew up going to Grandma's for every occasion and we loved baking with her. We would start in September getting cookies ready for Christmas. I miss her so much.

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  64. Since I was a kid I loved to bake cookies and every dessert recipe I found. Every Christmas I've made cookies and brownies to give to my family. Finally, a few years ago I decided to go to Culinary School and here I am a Pastry Chef.

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  65. My Mom took a baking course when I was little. I loved helping her bake. After marriage and two kids in quick succession , baking took a back seat but when my girls grew up a bit I saw them admiring fancy cakes which led me to join the Wilton decorating classes. I rediscovered my love for baking and decorating.

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  66. Well, I started baking because I was looking for a new hobby and I like being creative, plus I wanted to see if I could make better cupcakes than my mum!!! lol. Anyway, roll on about 18 months and here I am, loving every minute of it :)

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  67. I started cake decorating over 25 years ago when I took a class thhrough community education. It was fun. Although I'm no cake artist, I can bake with love and do at least as well at decorating as a grocery store cake that costs lots of money!

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  68. I started decorating because my niece wanted a Powerpuff Girls cake and we couldn't find one anywhere. Over the years just made cakes for my nieces/nephews/kids. Worked as a bakery manager and after having my daughter decided I just couldn't leave her to go back to work, so here we are today. :)

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  69. I remember baking an apple pie at 4. Called grandma to ask how and she only would tell me if I used just a butterknife to cut the apples. She was a great baker and always made gingersnaps too.My aunt also taught me well!! :)

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  70. I started decorating in earnest when I started to make cakes for my little girl! We would have themed parties - Space, Grease the Movie etc. - and the cake would be themed with it always including a little figure of my daughter on it! Well she recognised herself on those early ones.... :o)

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  71. I started baking as a little girl with mom's help and now baking is my passion and stress reliever. I love designing cake and trying new recipes. Cookies are so fun too and I "play " while decorating.

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  72. My baking & decorating obsession began when I received a Wilton Wonder Mold and a set of tips for my 12th birthday along with the 1975 Wilton Yearbook!

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  73. I have always loved trying to decorate a cake. When I was 16 I decorated my boyfriend a cake for his birthday. Then later on after I was married and had my first daughter. She was probably 4yrs old I took some cake classes and decorated for her as well as her other 2 sisters. Then I started doing it for other ppl as well. Love it so much to this day. I am now taking a gumpaste class for flowers. Have enjoyed it too. I will have my last class this week.

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  74. What inspired me?? My daughter!! I've only just been making cakes (for friends,family, etc.) for about two years. Our daughter's first birthday was coming up and I wanted something different; not a typical sheet cake. So I decided to give it a go myself; and I went for a big three tiered jungle themed cake. It wasn't awesome but it was fun!! :) I've been doing them ever since. :)

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  75. I have always loved to bake but after seeing so many creative, talented people online I got inspired

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  76. I've been baking for as long as I can remember, but I really got into cake decorating when my daughter was born almost 6 years ago!

    Thanks for the great giveaway!
    Maria @ Love & Sugar Kisses

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  77. I've baked since I was about 8 years old. It was something fun to do with my grandparents. As I got older I kept doing it (for family and friends). I also found a passion for art in high school and attended college on an art scholarship. I hadn't dabbled in the art world for a while. Friends kept suggesting I pursue this has more than a hobby, so I did. Now I can combine my love for baking with my art skills!

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  78. The reason I started baking was for my sister's graduation! I wanted her to have a special day and felt that was on of the things I could do to help. Every since then... I have been baking!

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  79. I have always loved to bake, but didn't start decorating cakes until my oldest daughter was turning 4 (she's 6 now.) She wanted yet another Mickey/Minnie Mouse cake and we had already utilized the local grocery store for the past 2 cakes, so I decided to make one myself...Then I was in hook, line and sinker! That was 2 years ago and I am 100% completely self taught!

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  80. My inspiration to start baking was my daughter's Godmother. She invited me to take a class with her because she could bring a friend for free! Also my best friend decorated cakes and she was moving away to Texas so I needed to make my own now since I couldn't get them from her... I fell in love with decorating and here I am today, 6 years later...
    Sheila sjmoral@hotmail.com

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  81. My inspiration to get started decorating cakes and cookies was my daughter. Her first birthday was approaching and I really wanted to be able to make her cake. A friend and I decided to take a cake decorating class and it just grew from there. Fast forward almost 8 years and I am starting my own home based custom cake and cookie shop! So grateful that my kids brought out more of my creative side and that it is something I can share with them for a lifetime!

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  82. I have been baking on and off for quite a few years, but recently got into more when I became unemployed as a way to try and earn some money!

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  83. since i was a lil girl my mom would bake dominican cakes, and i would love to help her and lick the left over batter. so since then i enjoy baking myself

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  84. Five years ago I bacame very ill after having my daughter. I am unable to work outside of the home now do to my illness. I always worked in restraunts and loved it very much. After making a cake for my daughters birthday I had people ask me if I could make them one. Now, I do them for everyone. :-) <3
    pcosden@embarqmail.com

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  85. Kim Wilgeroth HoneycuttMarch 26, 2012 at 8:39 AM

    My inspiration to start baking started with spending time with my mom. She loved to be in the kitchen and surprise her family with great food and desserts. Each birthday she would create a masterpiece cake for my birthday. My mom passed away 3 years ago, but I take great pride in carrying out her tradition. Each year, I have my kids pick out a themed cake and party that they would like for their birthday. They look forward to it every year. I am still learning, and have never taken a class. This is why II love sites like yours...helps with all kinds of ideas and tips! My kids appreciate it too!

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  86. My kids and my husband,im always make cake for him but i didn't know anything about decorations so i took a class 8months ago and now im starting to sell my cakes the first cake a made for my husband was a Jordan shoe and he love it!!!

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  87. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  88. I've always been fascinated by those who bring their imagination and creativity to cake decorating. About a year ago, I decided to give it a whirl. One year later and teaching myself as I go, I'm amazed at what I have accomplished. I absolutely love it! Now I'm obsessed and I'm always looking forward to the next challenge! Thanks for the chance to win some great prizes!

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  89. I had an interest so I purchased the items and began to teach myself. That was almost twenty years ago and I haven't looked back since. I love decorating, it is a passion.

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  90. I have always baked from a little girl, what started as a hobby became a request at birthdays. I did not know i had a flaire i just loved it and when my kids were born i found it away to start a business and stay at home to cherish them.
    Kelly
    sweetsfromtheheart@hotmail.com

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  91. I have only been really baking for about 2 years I first started cakes for my second daughters baptism. I saw cakes online and on tv and wanted to give it a try. I designed it to match her dress =) Now I have 7 weddings to do this year!

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  92. My boyfriend inspired me. He went to watch his son play college football for his first game and I decided to surprise him. I went out n got me fondant and about $100 worth of tools n just dove right in. Every cake I make he's inspired me. Thats what best friends are for.

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  93. My mom was my inspiration. I loved making cakes and cupcakes for holidays and special occasions. Now I do it for fun for family and friends.

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  94. I LOVE to bake! It's a stress relief. I don't really know what inspired me to start?? I wanted to make my sister's baby shower cake in 2008, and just fell in love with it and haven't stopped since!

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  95. I used to watch my Aunt decorate when I was younger and love it so I started making cakes for school while in High School and have been making cakes for fun since. I don't have or fun a business, just baking cakes to make people happy!

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  96. I started when my daughter turn 4. She wanted a Cinderella Party and wanted a princess cake. So I decided I could do it. Since then (she is 10) I baked and decorated almost all of my kids' cakes. Last year when I started to get more informed and tested tons of recipes felt that could bake and decorate for my family and friends and now this month I sold my first cake :-)

    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  97. I started baking alongside my mother when I was a small child. I have always enjoyed it and as I grew up, I enjoyed giving away baked goods and seeing the joy a small baked good surprise would bring to people. I started decorating my own birthday cakes when I was a teenager and have just dabbled in decorating ever since. In the last 5 years I have branched out and tried new techniques and recipes. I love it...it is so relaxing and such a creative outlet for me!

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  98. I wanted to be able to make my son's birthday cakes and i did! (those and lot more) I love baking and decorate cakes, cookies... I can not stop

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  99. Simply put...my kids. There is nothing like watching their faces when they see their birthday cakes. I have to admit at first I was horrible, but that didn't matter to my boys they always thought what I did was amazing. After searching for blogs like this and watching videos on You Tube I gained ideas and confidence. My 2 boys love to be my assistants and have taught me that it is ok to be silly and make mistakes (which is not affordable in the Operating Room where I work). My cake baking/decorating has become my hobby, my stress relief, and my time to just be me with my kids.
    Jina nemnich_1@charter.net

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  100. When I was younger, my mother wasn't around much. She moved us in with my grandmother who worked long hours to support all of us kids. I started cooking simple meals when I was about 10 and baked my first cake at 11 - it was a wreck!! :D I eventually got the hang of it and started baking for all my siblings' class functions as an effort to help my grandmother who never had enough time. I've been doing it ever since.

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  101. I made my first cake when I was 10 after being given a sesame street cookbook lol .Ive only made them for family & friends until recently. Three years ago I had my son , he is Autistic and I am now a full time stay at home mum caring for him , creating cakes & treats has become my only outlet. I love looking at all your pages for inspiration :)

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  102. My grandmother was my inspiration. She had me in the kitchen since I was about 5 years old and I have been cooking/baking ever since. I now have two children of my own that love to bake as well! (Michelle Slay)

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  103. I took the Wilton classes and decided I wanted to start doing cakes for my family and friends. So I started Heavenly Sweets.

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  104. Just seeing all the wonderful cakes on the internet,...and wondering If I could make something so beautiful.

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  105. I always loved to bake but wanted to make cakes for my kids and family so I took classes to learn how to do more.

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  106. I have been baking and decorating cakes since I was a little girl, I got serious about it though after I had kids. I will say that watching Ace of Cakes was what pushed me to try fondant, I remember saying 'I can do that!" and my husband betting me I could'nt so of course I showed him!

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  107. Baking cookies with my dad since I was 12 years old- I've just recently started doing it more frequently!

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  108. I was inspired to make cakes and other goodies by my grandmother. It wasn't a party without her cakes.

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  109. What got me interested in cakes? Two very special little reasons...my kids! :) Couldn't be simpler! My Son's 1st Birthday cake was the very first "decorated" cake I ever attempted, humble as it may have been, it started a love that just keeps on growing!

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  110. I grew up helping my parents and grandparents in the kitchen and it led to a love of cooking and baking. Anytime I thought of wanting a new hobby, I always thought about cake decorating but never had the chance to devote my time and energy until I started staying home with my kids. Love it and wouldn't change it for the world!

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  111. My fiancé and I were trying to have children, it took us about 4 years. During that time I was in total mommy mode and decided to take a baking course so I could bake their birthday cakes :)

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  112. BlueFairyConfectionsMarch 26, 2012 at 9:17 AM

    I have always baked since the age of 12.And I decided last yr to take some decorating classes to improve on that part & I LOVE it!!. I've always watched the cake shows on tv & love to see all the beautiful cake pics on fb & online.Now I can proudly call myself a cake decorator...lol

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  113. I was inspired to start baking when I was 10 years old. I baked batches of cookies every week and loved it! Last year I tried to decorate a cake, and although it wasn't my best work, everyone loved it! Since then I've been watching tutorials and learning so much and I can't get enough!

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  114. I tok the Wilton classes and was hooked on decorating. Since that time it was been a HUGE passin for me and always will be.

    jujumakescakes@aol.com

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  115. I have always loved to bake as long as I can remember. I started decorating cakes and experimenting with fondant for my first baby's first birthday almost 3 years ago. I have been addicted ever since and everything I know is from all the wonderful women like Peggy on the internet.

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  116. while i was growing up my mother tried really hard to give us the best decorated cakes and cupcakes ,cookies etc ...using canned frosting lol ..i give her credit though ...i was always by her side holding the butter knife waiting for my turn !! when she passed ...and i started my own family i really wanted to pass those memories on to my 3 daughters ...took the wilton courses ...but taught myself alot of what i know ...i love cake decorating cookie making etc ...getting lost in ur own creativity and seeing ur creation is the best feeling !!! when you make cake ,cookies ,cupcakes whatever it may b for someone and they r thankful and apprecitive for what u have created it makes it all worth it !!!

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  117. My aunt was very arts and craftsy when I was little. She wasn't a cake artist or anything like that, but she had a couple of cake decorating books that I would sit with for hours! I loved seeing all the creative ways with cakes. As I got older, my mom would receive offers for cookbooks or recipe kits and I finally convinced her to subscribe to a recipe card service for a little while. The cheapest things for me to start with were baked goods! That is where my love began. I would make cakes and other desserts that would come in the recipe cards and my family got to reap the rewards of testing!

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  118. As a child I would alway, and I mean ALWAYS, volunteer my mom to bake cupcakes or cookies for our class parties so after a while she got fed up with doing it all on her own so she told me if I was gonna volunteer I had to help; that started my baking bug. In highschool whenever we had to do presentations if you did something food related and did a demo or brought something regional you got extra points, so how could I pass that up. Then I just found that I loved being in the kitchen and loved the attention from my friends and family, especially their faces when they ate and liked something I prepared. It was destiny!! Chris

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  119. My grandmother has been decorating and baking cakes since before i was born in Tanzania, Africa. My mother also baked, and whenever my grandmother would visit(which i recall as often), i would love to watch her pipe and mold and decorate! Then in my teen yrs, she started to let me join her, and taught me different techniques....now after making many cakes for family and friends, i took a big leap to make some extra money at home while i can be around for my beautiful 3 children....and so came about: The Cake Stop!

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  120. I always loved baking so started decorating cakes as a way to make extra money many years ago. My finances got better, but I liked decorating so much that I now volunteer to make special occation cakes, cookies, and cupcakes.

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  121. I announced when I was 8 years old that i was going to be a chef when I grew up. After a 4 year career as a professional ice skater I went to culinary school, and became hooked on making cakes and pastries. After several years as a pastry chef I decided to open my own business, specializing in wedding and event cakes. It's been over 10 years and now besides making fabulous cakes I've spent the past year teaching classes. I love sharing my knowledge and helping others perfect their cake decorating skills!

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  122. My twin boys' 1st birthday was my inspiration to start baking/decorating. I had a cake in mind, went to the bakery and couldn't afford to have someone make it for me ... so I did it myself! I've been taking classes ever since and am just starting to make cakes for friends & family :) Little did I know, the bakery had a pretty good price!! LOL

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  123. I started baking and decorating cakes just a year ago for my sons 6th birthday, it has been a joy for me and my 2 sons since now i feel i can make them anything they want for their birthday and know that it would not only be a beautiful cake but made with so much love! ;)

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  124. Thanks for the giveaway! I started baking and decorating when my oldest son turned one. My mom always made fancy birthday cakes when we were kids, so I thought I should try it, too! I now have a part-time business while staying home with my kids. The best of both worlds!

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  125. Love decorating cakes and cupcakes, it's fun and you get to help other people with there special day. I also like to see other decorators designs to get ideas and get inspired. there is so many talented people out there. Thanks.

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  126. My inspiration for baking all started when I decided after my first baby girl was born that I wanted to be the one to make my kiddos bday cakes!

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  127. My sister and I decided to take a cake class at our local Michael's store and we were hooked after one class. That was 4 years ago.

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  128. I remember helping my mom, a couple of times, when I was little and enjoyed so much! It was always at the back of my mind growing up, I started baking for family and friends and now I can't stop, I truly enjoy making me happy with my baking.

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  129. Last year I decided to make my son's birthday cake because my nephew has food allergies and since then I've been loving it. I even took courses and now that's all I want to do!!!

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  130. What inspired you to start baking or decorating? I've always been a baker, but decorating cakes had always been one of those things that left me saying, "I wish I could do that!" For my son's birthday about 3 years ago I'd asked a friend to bake a cake, but she wasn't available. I told myself that it couldn't be that hard, so I did it myself and I haven't looked back since!

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  131. I've always enjoyed baking and decorating, ever since I was a kid. My mother-in-law encouraged me to take up cake decorating.

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  132. my granparents inspired me..First my Moms dad who could only see out of one eye would make the most delisious things from the kitchen.Then Id have to say my Gran mother on my dads side.Memaw cooked for the Borger Lions club for over 25 years..hand making pies,chicken fried steak,cakes that looked like a bakery made them etc.
    I decided long ago when i started having kids...if "they could do it" so could I.And i did...started out making my kids birthday cakes..then cakes for friends. eventually i worked in a cookie store as a baker.
    Coming home smelling like sugar and vanilla Isnt a bad day in my book.

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  133. I've always played around with decorating cakes for my family and friends but I decided to get serious about it this year. I am going to start a cupcake business, selling at my local farmers market this summer. I am busy learning to make new flavors and use new forms of decorating like fondant and edible glitters. I am so excited to improve!

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  134. i LOVE LOVE LOVE watching cupcake wars. but after watching it always left me with sores on my tongue wanting to taste all the cupcakes so i decided to start making them myself. so now when i see a cupcake that looks yummy i go to my kitchen and whip them up. yes my husband and kids love me for this ;)

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  135. My son's first birthday cake and I never looked back!

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  136. I was determined to learn how to bake and decorate cakes for my children when my first attempt for my daughter's first birthday was a mess. My husband was so sweet and supportive on how ugly that cake came out, so I enrolled in a few cake classes locally and then attended all of Wilton's cake decorating classes. I am new to cookie decorating and I am still figuring out what the best recipe there is for royal icing.

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  137. I have enjoyed baking all my life. My mom inspired me with her baking and decorating for us kids when we were young.

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  138. Sculpture and painting classes are what inspired me to use cake and cookies as my medium. Oh and play dough. =)

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  139. I've always enjoyed baking and 'trying' lol!! Winning sure would help in getting more things to work better and be more equiped!

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  140. After I had my daughter, I wanted to make her an awesome first birthday cake, so I just got online, and started teaching myself.

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  141. I started 2 years ago because of my daughters 16th birthday. She wanted a special cake and I took the challenge and have not stopped since. I love decorating and making the people who get one of my cakes smile.

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  142. I started baking because everyday i see cake boss on tlc and he inspire me to start baking and it's fun!! :)

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  143. I have always loved to bake things since I was very young, as I got older I realized it helped me to escape to a beautiful place and showed me another way to concentrate and focus myself.

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  144. I wanted my kids to have amazing cakes!!

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  145. I got inspired when sister in law ask me to take a class with her. We had lots of fun and have started a small side business at home.

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  146. My Inspiration is since I was 8, but not that much that I could make just basis....now I do it with passion, love and fight .... she responds to Valeria's name, from the moment I was expecting her to be born I took my time to try in a more professsional way, study in my local art school, and when she was born I keep on it... now everyday I bake, mold or create focus on making happy faces, impressions that pastry is not just bread + chantilly, it is a moment of families, friends to get together and enjoy someone dedication, artwork, with a piece of cake +coffee ... best moment ever ....

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  147. I spent a long time admiring other people's work, then decided to have a go myself.. never looked back i am absolutely ADDICTED!

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  148. I am so excited! I started baking when I was in high school and from then on I baked and baked and baked. My hobby became a business 2 yrs ago and thanks to people like you who served as my inspiration to continue what I love doing and improve my skill. Keep it up!

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  149. I made a cake for fun, for a function at my son's school, and people started calling me with orders! They thought I was a professional, so I just went for it!

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  150. My passion for art and design. I have always loved baking and drawing, once browsing online I found cake decorating and decided to put both of my hobbies together in one.

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  151. My sister inspired me to start baking taking classes at a local Cake Decorating shop. I fell in love with it simply because it is PRICELESS to see the looks on my kiddies faces! It's like I've made all their little hearts dreams come true!

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  152. My fiance' and mom encouraged me to get into cake decorating! I had never baked or decorated a cake until I took a cake class and fell in love with it! I have never had so much fun with something before. I love seeing people reactions to their cakes and ultimately that's the best part! Being able to use my creativity and talent in this way is a blast!

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  153. I have been started cake decorating when I was 11. I started up again when I worked at a school and taught the kids how to make basic cakes, mainly butter cream transfers. It wasn't until I had my little girl that I thought of all the cakes that I could make for her, so I finally took time for myself and took the Wilton Cake decorating courses. Now I am really hooked!

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  154. I started a year ago. I kept watching all the amazing work people did that made me jealous! I had to give it a try! And here I am, learning everyday from all of you ^^

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  155. I am so excited about baking cookies. I just started baking cookies and having a blast. Of course, decorating them is the really the fun part.

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  156. My Grandma started me baking before I can even remember. I'm 35 now and bake for her when I'm home. I'm obsessed with making things that look and taste great. I owe it all to my Grandma and her endless supply of patience!
    Kacy.Chambers@gmail.com

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  157. oh the obsession/love for baking started with what else my daughters birthday cake, it came out so ugly and I thought, I can do better so i got a cake n=book and got on the internet and read all i could read and just started! I have come a long way but still have a long way to go. Thank you for all your inspiration!

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  158. i started baking cakes for my now 24 year old son, he wanted a cake with dinosaurs on top and i could not find one i could afford so my husbands grandmother and classes at jcpenney taught me and i have been learning since then
    kimberly e barnes @ yahoo.com

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  159. After escaping DV with my 3 young children last may and having to move 5 times in 10 months with one more move before we get our forever home baking and decorating has become my distraction for our current unsettled lifestyle. It is something which is familiar to me and something other than my children I can take with me with every move we make. It's a lifeline for me and a great therapy. It has kept me sane! :)

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  160. a very dear friend was excited about turning 50. i thought her great attitude deserved a very special cake and while i had never done such a cake for some reason i decided i could. this was a year ago and i've been having fun learning and growing. i thank Peggy and all the others who have such loving and giving hearts that help guide and teach us along this wonderful cake journey. :)

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  161. My reason for baking... his name is Evan, my grandson! He was the only reason in the world and then came Becky, Luis and James! Can't think of any greater joy them watching them enjoy what I bake them!

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  162. I started decorating cakes, when at my daughter's 3rd birthday, I realized I Was more excited about making her cake than anything else! So I decided to take some classes and here I am!

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  163. I think I started baking cakes because of the wonderful smells coming from the oven and the feeling I was creating something special to be enjoyed by my friends and family.
    lclee59@centurylink.net

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  164. I started at 18 working at Albertsons- I was decorating for a while before I realized it was fun, at first it was too challenging and scary being thrown into the position without a lot of training.

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  165. Thank you for all your helpful hints. I love to bake & your ideas & tips are a great help!!

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  166. I wanted to make extra cute cakes for my girls.

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  167. My third child inspired me in this world of cake decorating...he's my number one fan!!

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  168. I love crafts, and I thought cakes and cookies would be something fun to share with my children.

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  169. I was asked to decorate a 21st cake for a school friend, 25yrs ago......I didn't think I could possibly do anything like that, but I have to say I amazed myself! As I had my daughters, their birthday cakes were the envy of their friends, then my Nephews came along and I decorated cakes for them too! I have recently been diagnosed with Fybromyalgia, and had to give up work....my friend asked me if I would make and decorated a giant cupcake for her boyfriend, this led to me making a Thomas the Tank cake for her son's 2nd birthday a few weeks later, I have since done 2 more cakes for this friend, plus from word of mouth, friends of friend, I have decorated about 15 cakes of various shapes and sizes in the last 2 months! I struggle a bit with the standing around in one spot for a while, but it keeps me occupied and stops me dwelling on my illness......I LOVE DECORATING CAKES, BUT MORE-SO SEEING PEOPLES FACES WHEN THEY COME TO COLLECT THEM :)

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  170. Much like so many others here I started out while on maternity leave ... bit of spare time, bit bored, my baby girls' first and an event with friends and outlaws LOL. I thought I would make individual bee cakes - how hard can that be? OMG Getting 20 cakes covered (having never done that before), then getting the yellow right (where do you get yellow anyway - figured that out in the end) and then finding black (another mission when liquorice didn't work) ... I thought it was a disaster and to this day is the cake job that has taken me the longest by a long way! But no one else seemed to notice how crap they were and thought they were amazing! Became hooked, have learned enough to cover 2 TAFE courses at least and and have made probably 100 cakes in the last year and a bit! We are all just humble bakers bursting with creativity at heart! Good luck to us all!

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  171. I was the only kid out of five who would sit and watch my mom in the kitchen as she would bake. My mother was the hostess with the mostest and I wanted to be just like her! I would start to assist her with baking. And of course I got to lick the spoons as a reward. Lol. I recognized her patience and focus in the kitchen and I am pleased to say I have acquired these senses as well. I attended culinary school to help me with me passion. I want to learn as much as I possibly can. And one day soon I will own my bakery.

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  172. I started making cakes as an artistic outlet. I have always been into art, and sort of lost my way for a while, until I discovered cake decorating.

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  173. It became my therapy ...a world away from the corporate world....i love being judge on my work and not on my appearance!

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  174. My kids :) They have nut allergies so I love making sweet treats that are safe for them to eat!

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  175. Seeing all the amazingly talented people have inspired me.
    amandarwest atgmaildotcom

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  176. My free time after loosing my full time job allowed me to start making treats for my daughters classroom events. It just took off and I've been baking ever since!

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  177. My Mom was my inspiration to bake! She got me started at the age of 12 baking Chocolate Pound cakes for the family! She baked a 3 tiered Sweet 16 cake for me and made all the roses by hand. I lost my Mom on April 15, 2009 but the memories of the two of us cooking and baking will always be with me!We burnt the midnight oil together many nights! She helped me put together a cookbook in 1997 and next week my second cookbook will be ready! Her sugar cookie recipe is the best and is gonna be in the new book! I miss her so much but thanks to her...I am where I am today with my little business!

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  178. I've always wanted to try, but a friend signed me up for decorating classes as a gift and I've never looked back.

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  179. My son's 1st birthday! I wanted a cake that was well decorated AND delicious as well.

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  180. My entire world changed when I gave birth to my first daughter. I went back to work after maternity leave only to be let go. At the time, I was devastated but have come to realize it has been a huge Blessing in disguise. I took some cake decorating classes and got my Mrs. Degree. My baking and decorating is what is allowing me to be a stay-at-home mommy to my two beautiful children!

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  181. my mom. she decorated mine and my sisters bday cakes until 5 yrs ago and then i took over. i am now decorating a cake almost every week and i also teach cake decorating. i find it very relaxing.

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  182. My grandmother taught me to bake when my parents where divorcing and ever since I have had a passion for baking. My husband has encouraged me to do my own thing and I started last year. I still have a lot to learn but I really enjoy watching others and see their ideas come to life and be happy with the results. It's also inspiring to see others work, like yourself and I think one day I want to create something so beautiful like that. I know I can achieve it as long as I keep working hard.

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  183. I have a few reasons why I bake and decorate. I grew up in my grandmother's house and had a super sweet tooth, I loved watching her make swirls on cakes with her butter knife. She was by no means a professional but I thought her swirls were amazing. Then I got my first job in a bakery and went on to art school for illustration. My ultimate goal in life is to have a place where I can teach the skills I've learned and am still learning to inspire others to decorate and do what they love. xo

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    Replies
    1. I inherited the baking gene from my grandmother. Every Christmas would be dozens and dozens of cookies and cakes and pies. Now, I bake with my own kids and they love it. I hope to own my own shop one day ;)

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  184. I started out doing it for fun with a friend of mine and now it's my favorite hobby :-)

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  185. Seeing and browsing sites like yours inspire me to bake and decorate cakes.I hope i will also inspire some to make their own cakes...a smile on their face makes my day complete.

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  186. What inspired me to star baking was actually my 6th grade science fair project. My project investigated the effect of the amount of baking powder on the height of cake. Ever since then, baking has been one of my biggest hobbies!

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  187. i became a stay at home mom after quitting my job due to my boss' mistreatment and disrespect. i was always online looking for recipes and came across lots of amazing food bloggers. then i started stumbling on bakers food blogs and became interested. i had decent baking skills so became more and more passionate about it. now friends and family make requests for my goodies. it's so much fun and i enjoy learning new things from baker bloggers. congratulations peggy!

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  188. My cousin's son was turning 4 and wanted a fire engine cake. . . . I had been baking before that, but that was the first big project and it was a lot of fun so just kept going.

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  189. I love the joy decorated cookies and cakes bring to people and the way eyes light up (mine included) when they see simple decorating touches, as well as the more elaborate artistic creations. I still remember well my grandmother's sugar cookies, cut into holiday shapes and decorated with red and green icing. One of my earliest memories is seeing a lamb cake; that must have been pure magic to have imprinted itself in my memory the way it did.

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  190. For the love of art. Decorating cookies is just another outlet for me to be creative. The bonus is I can eat my art ;)

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  191. Jan Ritchie (Scotland)March 27, 2012 at 11:55 AM

    I started baking when my kids were small, developed onto their birthday cakes for a short while, made my then sister-in-laws wedding cake following the instructions in a magazine, then put my skills to bed for over 20 years when after a really horrible personal experience I found cake decorating very therapeutic. I've been baking and decorating cakes while studying for my degree and so haven't taken it as far as I could, but love it none the less, and love trying new things:)

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  192. Betti Rippentrop-Pridmore (Little Rock)March 27, 2012 at 12:13 PM

    I've always loved baking but never got into the decorating part of it. About two years ago I decided to take a cake decorating class and my new passion took off! I have become obsessed and so love the joy in people's faces when I give them their decorated item. I plan on taking some college courses in baking this fall and can't wait!

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