Blog and Spotlight

Sugar Artist Spotlight: Blaque Shelton

Anna Weisend
22 May 2019

Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, Maurice Shelton, who would later commonly known as "Chef Blaque Shelton", always had a passion for food and an eye for creativity. Hailing form a diverse background in retail, management and programming, Maurice began exploring his culinary passion in 2006, when he enrolled in Chicago's Le Cordon Bleu School for Baking and Patisserie, building on the influences of his mom and grandmother. In 2007, he decided to take his passion to the next level and started his bakery, Black Rose Pastries! A skilled baker and sugar artist, Chef Blaque has traveled...

ideas

Play With Your Food- The Benefits of Tinkering

Anna Weisend
08 May 2019

When was the last time you just played? Research has already shown that tinkering aids a child's education by offering benefits such as hands-on learning, skill development, critical thinking skills, team development, learning how to fail, and that there are endless possibilities. Research has also shown that life long learning is profitable for adults. It offers a better chance at career success, helps maintain brain health, it can help stay current and connected, it can help stave off depression and increase happiness, and it can be a source of fulfillment. So, if tinkering is good for education and lifelong education...

Sugar Artist Spotlight: Porsha Kimble

Anna Weisend
19 Apr 2019

"Cake decorating literally saved my life," explains Your Cake Diva, Porsha Kimble, when sharing her cake journey. Your Cake Diva has been able to create a superior cake making home business by implementing the tactics she learned from her prior background in sales. Now, she travels the U.S. sharing her story with entertaining jokes, and teaching other home bakers how to price, decorate, and master the business aspect of running a home-based business. She also speaks on how to increase business and achieve much needed work/life balance as an entrepreneur. You've seen her on the Food Network, competing on...

business

Sugar Pro or Hobby?

Anna Weisend
10 Apr 2019

Cakes, cookies, candy… OH MY! Sugar work is fascinating. It is a great creative outlet and a fabulous way to make new friends. After all, most people are not going to turn away a tasty treat. Many people in this business were drawn in from other areas of life. There are artists, engineers, accountants, IT people, and even lawyers (a shocking amount of lawyers- what is up with that?). They start playing around in the kitchen and BOOM! they are sucked in by the deliciousness of it all and leave their professions to follow their passion. While all that sounds...

Spotlight

Sugar Artist Spotlight: Vanessa Greeley

Anna Weisend
27 Mar 2019

Chef Vanessa Greeley is a graduate of French Culinary Institute in New York. Her accolades include winning top places at some of the most prestigious cake competitions in the country. Her work has also been featured in numerous magazines and newspapers as well as on CBS News, NY1, Fox News, CNN, Reuters, and CNBC to name a few. Vanessa made her TV debut competing in a live challenge for Wedding Cake Wars on WEtv. She has been a guest chef on Telemundo’s “Cooking with Susso” and on Univision’s “Housewives of Connecticut”. She has also designed and created a chocolate dress...

business

Taking Care of Business with Cydni Mitchell

Anna Weisend
13 Mar 2019

Many creatives are very good at what they do. In pastry and sugar art world there is a great pool of individuals who make sure that their products both look and taste amazing. Yet these same creatives struggle to turn it into a profitable business. This can be for many reasons. Many are so dedicated in the perfecting of their craft that it is hard to put the time into learning business techniques as well. Marketing strategies change very quickly in our technological world and can be hard to stay on top of. Sometimes, it is just not knowing where...