After some deep and prolonged soul searching, I have come to the decision to close my at home baking business. I will not be doing my usual Christmas baking (cookie boxes) or valentines offerings. I will not be doing random cakes and cookies for special occasions or butter tarts or pies. I also will not be sewing for others or altering clothes or whatever. I will not be decorating anything outside of the home. These skills or talents have served me well over the years of being laid off work (multiple times) and through the pandemic. For over 40 years I have been using my creative skills as a side hustle in all sorts of way.
As most of you that know me are aware, my health has taken a hit over the last few years and one of the important things I need to do to take care of my health is to eliminate as much stress as possible. Turns out my body and mind are not that good at dealing with stress. Even good stress. The body doesn’t know the difference between good and bad stress. SO….in the interests of being in the best possible health at this stage of my life I am on a quest to eliminate stress. There are many stresses in life we can’t just toss out the window…we have to learn to deal with them but this creative side hustle is definitely something I am going to learn to live without.
I am looking forward to not having to invent transport boxes for cakes. Not having to run around and find the best price on butter. Its gotten SO expensive. Last Christmas I had to navigate a sugar shortage. Or burning a batch of butter tarts and having to make a new batch to make up the numbers. Waiting at home for clients to pick up baking. Keep the dog from going ballistic when the doorbells rings. Staying up too late and ending up with a cold. I don’t seem to have the patience to perfect my icing consistency so cookies look their best. Yes I have loved being tucked away in my cozy kitchen in December, in the middle of snowstorm, while others are out navigating traffic, baking up a storm inside but I guess I just don’t appreciate that like I used to. Now I actually have an outside job – that is perfect for me – and that’s about all I want to take on these days.
Thank you for all your support and orders when I got on the gram with my pictures and advertising Every order made me jump for joy. The confidence you had in me to bake and deliver a quality product. I have loved being a part of your Christmases and special occasions. But its time for this baker to move on. I will still bake I just won’t be baking more than fits in my freezer and the belly’s of my people.
The Red Plaid Apron 