I'm so excited! I've known this was going to happen for a couple of weeks now, but kept it all under wraps so I didn't jinx it. Well, I told a couple of people as I get very excited and couldn't keep it to myself. Anyway, now I can! And I am so, so proud to tell you that Cirencester Cupcakes is venturing out into the big wide world! Ok, so it's Cirencester town centre, but it is a huge step!!

It's something I've always dreamed of, and in the back of my mind, since I set up Cirencester Cupcakes, something I really wanted to achieve with the business. I remember sitting in a cafe in Stratford Upon Avon with my Mum talking about what I would do if my second time round A-levels weren't enough to be accepted onto the university course I wanted to do. I was 23, a mature student apparently, and was dreading what I would do if the return to full-time education didn't pay off. I needn't have been worried, I passed with flying colour and headed off to study Human Psychology, an achievement I am also very proud of. However, if things hadn't turned out that way, I told Mum I really wanted a cake or ice-cream deli-style shop, and the thought never ever left me. So I suppose you could say that things have come full circle. I had the opportunity to study what I wanted to, and work in the defence industry studying human performance and error under pressure (my specialist area) and now I following my redundancy, I can live my other dream.

So then...

I give you my lovely new shop.... Cirencester Cupcakes of Swan Yard, Cirencester!

All being well, and we run on time I'll be opening in time for Easter, with a big launch on Easter Saturday! So if you're in the Cirencester area, do come along and say 'Hi'! In the meantime, why not keep up to date with the refit on Facebook and Twitter

Until next time...Lou x

... It's time to light the lightsIt's time to meet the Muppets on the Muppet Show tonight!"I was contacted by a lovely lady to see if I could bake something completely different to 'pink and pretty' cupcakes, but cupcakes that her guest would just 'Wow' at, for her birthday this weekend. We had a great conversation about different things I could do; thinking retro-ish children's characters such as The Hungry Caterpillar, Garfield, Rainbow etc. I sent over some thoughts, and she loved the idea of the Muppets and Sesame Street character cupcakes.

I was so nervous about how these would work out, creating characters is also daunting as you already have an image of how they should look, especially well known characters like the Muppets. But Christel's fantastic reaction and the feedback I'd had from twitter and facebook, means I had nothing to worry about. Yay!

Well the snow came and went, but whilst it was here it brought a few things to a stand still. The sheet ice in the road meant getting out was a little of the tricky side, so all the walking was a welcome chance at exercise and burning off some of the Christmas calories. Anyway, I'm not one for being sat around, being at the mercy of the weather, so off I went to the kitchen and surrounded myself with buttercream, fondant and cupcakes, and set to work on my Valentine's designs. I also managed to squeeze in some time to update the website for ordering.

They are available as either an individually gift boxed 'Bouquet Cupcake' or as regular (multiples of 6) or bite-size cupcakes (multiples of 12), for collection or delivery within 25 miles of Cirencester, on Valentine's Day. I've already had a number of enquiries since I first posted up the designs on the Cirencester Cupcakes Twitter and Facebook pages, so get in quick!

I'll be adding sugar-fondant topped designs in the next couple of days, that will enable me to send a box of 6 regular cupcakes by post. Stay tuned for more information. In the meantime, take a look at my Valentine's page and then flick to the Special Order page to order yours.

So for your delectation here they are...

For further information please view the Cirencester Cupcakes Valentine's Press Release or contact Louise on 07792 261 230, or email cakes@cirencestercupcakes.co.uk

I'm really pleased to say that they are also going to be available over Valentine's Weekend in individual, 4 or 6 cupcake gift boxes within the Burford Garden Company Food Hall. Stocks will be limited so get in there quick!

Lou x

Yay, we made it to 2010! Another year, another decade and lots more new adventures for Cirencester Cupcakes!

I hope that you all had a fantastic Christmas and a very happy New Year! We had a fabulous time with family, friends and of course... cupcakes. With no rest for the wicked, we baked Christmas gifts, self-indulgences, party treats and birthday cupcakes. In between everything, we have had some time to plan for the year ahead and work on proposals for this year's wedding couples, as well as our Valentine and Easter designs.I'm incredibly excited about the next 12 months, I've lots of new exciting things planned; big and little, but all exciting! My two main plans for the Spring are:

• Wedding Fayres - I'll be exhibiting at wedding fayres across Gloucestershire throughout the Spring. I'll post up the details on here, the website and the Cirencester Cupcakes Facebook page. In the meantime, if you would like to chat about your requirements or 'Save the Date' before then, please drop me an email at cakes@cirencestercupcakes.co.uk.
• Cupcake Parties - Following on from their success last year, I will be officially launching my Cupcake Decorating Parties this Spring! Everything you can imagine to create beautiful cupcakes yourself. Whether it's for a birthday celebration, a hen weekend, or a group of friends doing something different, drop me a line on 07792 261 230 or email cakes@cirencestercupcakes.co.uk

One last thing, Valentine's Day is only 6 weeks away... yes, only 6 weeks! I've already been working on designs and you can have a sneaky peek at them on my Flickr Photostream. I'll be offering special Valentine's Day giftboxes and special individual cupcakes, so why not say 'I Love You' with a beautiful bouquet of sugar-fondant flowers and a delicious cupcake. Keep an eye on the website and Twitter for ordering information.

Thank you again for all your help and support last year, and here's to an incredibly successful 2010!

Sorry for the non-food related post. Snow arrived in Cirencester last night, putting pay to my deliveries and meetings today, s every conceivable route I need to take is closed.So we started off at lunchtime with not a drop of snow in sight!

Then I opened my big mouth and it started...

And it kept going... Other Half tried to get home from work, turned round and went back to office. Eventually decided office no place to be so gave it a go, and ended up home safely!

But, it hadn't stopped... In fact it kept going! And we woke up this morning to 11cm and it was still snowing!

Admittedly it does look very pretty out there, but whilst I like the snow, when you're running your own business, it becomes annoying after a while. I've had to cancel an important meeting and deliveries today as the roads are closed around us.

There's plenty to do, but I've run out of eggs and can't get to the farm! At times like these there's nothing better than a cup of coffee and a cupcake :o)

So then, if you are snowed in or have bad weather... remember a cupcake makes it all better! No really, if you are take care, keep warm and if you have elderly neighbours or friends, please can you make sure they are ok and warm...

Lou x

The last month or so has been manic with Christmas, but the birthday's still keep coming! Here's some pictures of the cupcakes I did for one special little lady to celebrate her 5th birthday with her party friends.

A selection of chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting and handmade toppers. I hope she enjoyed them as much as I enjoyed making them.

Happy Birthday Ella!

Lou x 

A few weeks back I had a very special order for Ruby Wedding Anniversary cupcakes for a very special couple Marion and Brian.

With a hearts and flowers theme, simple and pretty; these are the cupcakes we baked and decorated for their family celebration.

Congratulations Both!

Lou x 

Here's some lovely cupcakes that I did this weekend for a delightful couple's grandchildren for Christmas. They had a mixed box of Vanilla, Lemon, Chocolate, Mint-Choc-Chip, Strawberry and Red Velvets, and of course all topped off with lashing of buttercream frosting, sprinkles and hand-made toppers.

They absolutely loved them, and that alway's makes me happy! 

I still have a couple of slots for Christmas giftboxes available for collection or hand-delivery in time for Christmas day, so why not get in touch and order yours. 

I suppose it's time to explain to you about were I've disappeared to over the last couple of months. I'd love to say that I was on a beach somewhere far away, but I haven't, so I won't. In fact, I've been here, where I've always been, just not blogging. It's not because I didn't want to, it was that I hadn't the time. 

As you know, I started the blog as a sort of diary for my brother and his fiancee (now wife) so that they could see the how I was getting on, on the road to making their wedding cake; and as a spin of to that, and also as practice I was baking for everyone, family, friends, colleagues etc. The more I was baking the less time I had to blog. But on this little journey of mine, I discovered the wonder of the cupcake! I know that sounds a bit twee and corny, but trust me the humble cupcake is probably the best thing to happen to me recently, except for my other half. So, during all the this practice, I started to perfect my cupcakes: flavours, decorations, combinations, as birthday gifts or 'just becauses', and things just got bigger and better

It was a sort of sideline that I decided to build myself another website, one for my cupcakes. I never expected it to take off like it did. But it did! It went crazy, and to cut a relatively long story short, Cirencester Cupcakes was born! It was always only meant for me to do something in the evening every now and then. But within the first two weeks, I'd received an order for 300 corporate cupcakes, on top of orders from all over the county as well as the USA. It was pretty clear, that this was going to be a full-time 5-9 business, on top of my normal working day, but I loved it (and I still do!). 

So back to blogging and my life, a couple of weeks ago I was made redundant completely out of the blue! I can honestly say that it was and still is a complete shock, but there is no point being a victim and sitting around waiting for life to come to you. I'm one of life's pro-activists. I can't sit twiddling my thumbs all day, so I started the job hunt, but professional roles for redundant research psychologists with IT knowledge, are few and far between. Even going for more normal roles, that admittedly I relish, have so far been 'sorry you're far to over-qualified'. So, the cupcakes have been keeping me busy, as well as the fabulous wedding cake. In fact they've been keeping me more than busy, so I've made everything official and I'm now self-employed! Cirencester Cupcakes is well and truly here! on the map and bringing fabulous cupcakes from my own little home-cupcakery. And I don't intend to stop there, a bakery somewhere in town would be nice, but I need to learn to walk before I run.

So that's what I've been doing in a very roundabout way, and I promise that the blog won't become commercial or purely business; but I would love to share some of the things that I have done or am doing with you. And maybe you'll decide to try my cupcakes out sometime...

 Why not click the links below to see our fabulous new business!