1 of 5 – The Story Begins – C’est La Vie
So, I have the best friends in the entire world…each time I see them, I usually leave with bags, boxes, purse full of treasures they have found and decided I could use to create something very special. Flip side, can you imagine the organizational challenge? If you ever wonder why I turn product so quickly…it is simply me keeping up with what is coming in. A girl could get lost in this studio!
So back to the story, Ms Delaine, who is one of the very first people ever to get a VIP trunk show in the parking lot of the Belle Mead Mansion, decided to bring me a bag of 5 unique cigar boxes. Along with the cigar boxes she had tile that she had left over from a project…and some other crazy things. She said “I want to see what you can do with these” – that’s what they all say! LORDIE!
So the Cigar 5 were born. I decided to make each one unique and tell a little story, or honor someone that has influenced, inspired me to be better.
The first bag that came to mind is called “C’est La Vie” translated “Such as life” and Ms Nancy Rhodes Harper ( http://www.nancyrhodesharper.com ) is one of the most creative, funny, smart, silly, caring, loving, crazy people I know. One day soon you will find her on the streets of Paris painting away a moment in time – just her way of capturing it and sharing it with the world.
“Nancy has studied with many of the finest artists in the world today, Quang Ho, Kim English, Ken Auster, Nancy Chaboun, Karin Jurick, Carol Marine, Anne Blair Brown, Elio Camacho and The Cumberland Socity Painters (Dawn Whitelaw-Roger Dale Brown-Michael Shane Neal-Paula Frisbee- Pam Padgett).
Nancy’s love of portraying people while they go about their daily lives while capturing a small moment in time is what keeps her excited as an artist. Using bold color, lush descriptive brushstrokes and very often whimsy Nancy sets about doing what she loves. Painting everyday!”
Each one will be numbered and signed, this one was made with all vintage components – they are great to use as a purse, but just as beautiful sitting on a side table or shelf in a very special place.
Fiddle-ganache Chocolate Macaroons better than a cupcake?
Fiddlecakes has done it again! They keep making things outside my cupcake comfort zone…and keep blowing me away! Velvety chocolate ganache filling was to die for. The whole thing just melted in my mouth! This is a weekly special this week. I almost like it better than a cupcake…just look at it. omg
If you haven’t been in a while..you must stop in http://fiddlecakes.com/
I don’t trick or treat…unless you are givin out CUPCAKES
It’s just not worth it…candy that is. I would rather have a big ol frosting topped circle of LOVE BABY…the CUPCAKE!
SO instead …I scrapped Halloween and decided I would set up shop at Monells Germantown in the garden and share my lovely personalized gifts with the world! Thank you world for making that a profitable choice! Love you all.
I tweeted Saturday night, there would be no trick or treating for me unless you gave out cupcakes…seems I picked up a cupcake chat with Nashville’s @christnemaddela (Christine Maddela, Weekend Anchor/ Reporter WKRN- TV, News 2 in Nashville, TN; Also, founder of CM Consulting, Media management media training and consulting) and @bigjoeonthego (Joe Dubin 8 Time Emmy Nominated Reporter in Nashville, who is completely badass!! <-ha, his bio) I decided we should share Nashville’s finest cupcakes from Fiddlecakes for Halloweenie with the channel 2 news team!
SO…I picked up the cupcake bat phone and of course Fiddlecakes was happy to help…at the very last possible moment, on a Sunday…when they were about to close…ha! I love those Fiddlecakes peeps, they get the importance of the CUPCAKE…so they made a special order and had them waiting there for me! MUAH….
SO….I have decided I will now share cupcakes with others on halloweenie instead of trick or treating. It’s a new rule and SOOOOO much fun!!! Thank you Fiddlecakes for making my new tradition PERFECT in every way!
GueSS WHO TURNED 1 TODAY? Only the BEST cupcake in Nashville FIDDLECAKES!
SO I was so very excited to be invited to Fiddlecakes 1st Birthday PARTY…and you know what else I heard? Fiddlecakes is opening location #2 – January 10th across from Cummins Station…WHOOT twice the fun!
So here’s what was on the menu today…all sorts of goodies today. Pumpkin cheesecake, gingersnap cookies, red velvet cupcakes, almond cupcakes, chocolate chip cupcakes, and so much more!
Soups are Roasted Red Pepper and Smoked Gouda and Tomato Basil (GF). Below are some pics from the beginning of the party…
How to Make Jewelry AND EAT CUPCAKES…and sell JEWELRY!
So I did it today…I got to work, eat cupcakes, sell, and eat more cupcakes! So here’s what you do, go to Fiddlecakes, have a fiddlenick, bring a book, hobby, whateva…and DO IT!
That right there is a CUPCAKE to bow down and thank GOD for creating! It’s Tiramisu cupcake and boy howdy was it great! I think you all should RUN OUT RIGHT NOW AND GET THEM…before I eat them all!
DO IT..report back..tell me what you think of it…GO!
I BROKE IT – FIDDLE-NIC
SO…I went 50 days without a cupcake….get off the floor, I know, it’s SOOOO crazy! So today I was determined to stop and enjoy a Fiddlecakes Cupcake…I walked in and of course there were others there having lunch! If you haven’t tried Fiddlecakes, you are missing out….They are a bakery/cafe with coffee and other beverage offerings. They also offer vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and GFCF options. They are a great option for corporate celebration or catered event.
So I picked the key lime cupcake and it was light, fluffy, and moist all at the same time, with a tart flavor from the frosting that gave my face just the right amount of pucker. It was also the perfect size- big enough for multiple heavenly bites. It was the perfect choice…so today I think I will go back for the Weekly special: Coconut Cream Pie and they have a GF version!!! Vegan snickerdoodle cookies, brownies, carrot and vanilla cupcakes. GF cranberry almond muffins, brownies, chocolate chip pecan cookies and cupcakes! In case you were wondering… it is a perfect day for a fiddle-nic!
WHAT? YoGuRt & CUPCAKES? Oh LorDie! (oh and a cause…)
So…I’m VIP, wait…maybe not but a girl can pretend! Well did YOU get the memo? You know the one…about the GRAND OPENING of Nati*Creme? I know I know…all I talk about is Nati this and Nati that but when you have some Naticakes Cupcakes then you understand the Nati-chat!
So…back to this cupcake yogurt stuff…have you ever heard of this? How many of you have wanted a little treat YOUR WAY? Well Nati-cake-creme is ALL ABOUT YOU BABY! So where is this Nati*Creme place? 4115 Mallory Lane, Cool Springs, TN (yes, they keep getting closer to my house – love them) they are in this brand new little shopping center across from a high school (brilliant thinking) next to Garlic Jims (so perfect date place..kill the garlic with a Nati-Treat after dinner) and they have seating outdoors, indoors, lots of room for parties and I hear they cater too! I bet they have a Nati-Van and could you imagine a Nati-Party? You would be the talk of the town for sure..and this town talks as we all KNOW!
What is it all about? (don’t tell but there’s a cause – I’m just pretending it’s about a naked cupcake) for me it’s about a “Naked Cupcake” yes, I get to dress it however I want to dress it. SO, if I’m in charge of my “Naked Cupcake” then I’m going to dress it with frozen yogurt, fruit loops (cause I’m a fruit loop), fresh fruit, a few m&m’s, some chocolate chips, and top it with a shot of BUTTERCREAM ICING BABY! Now how brilliant is this whole Nati-Creme concept?
I want to know HOW WOULD YOU BUILD YOUR “Naked Cupcake”?
**naticakes + nati*creme exist to generate revenue and awareness for the natalie wynn carter foundation, in memory of our owner’s niece, natalie. visit: www.nataliewynn.com
the foundation is currently building a playground at a special needs orphanage in china for “maria’s big house of hope,” created in memory of maria chapman, through “show hope.” visit: www.showhope.org **
YoGuRt & CupCakes! I DECLARE!
So I thought I had heard of it all…until I got a call from Nicole Sloane owner of Naticakes located in Downtown Franklin, TN. She called to invite me to a sneak peek opening of a NEW LOCATION…HELLO ARE YOU LISTENING? NEWWWWWWWWW LOOCCCAAATIOOOOONNNNNNNN!!! See, that’s what happens when you love you some cupcakes…you get the skinny…no not SKINNY – THE SKINNY.
So she tells me this new location is not going to be called Naticakes but Naticreme…what do you think I asked her next? duh! I was about to go into a long speech about how Naticakes is the best cupcake in town and why in the world would she change the name….she stopped me in my tracks, girl must have known what was coming. She said this was a yogurt & cupcake place….and it is still with the Nati-mission http://www.naticakes.com/mission.html whew!
She wouldn’t share any other information with me except the address and time to be there. They are officially opening up to the public Tuesday June 16th at 4115 Mallory Lane, Cool Springs, TN. I will be there Monday night and have a full review for you WITH PICTURES Tuesday. This is something I’ve never heard of before….I just can’t wait!
I cheated – Fiddle-me-silly!
Fiddlecakes…you know the one, http://www.fiddlecakes.com/ on 8th. So yesterday there was something they posted on facebook http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/FiddleCakesBakery?ref=ts —- if you aren’t a fan yet DO IT…anyway the fiddle-team posted something about Strawberry Key Lime Pie…so I went in this am for some fiddle-coffee and had to ask about the Strawberry Key Lime Fiddle-Pie…there was 1 pc left. I bought it…then a customer came in asking about it…I told Lindsay to go ahead and let her have it. Well just so happened she magically found another piece for me in the kitchen! WHOOHOOOOOO
Fiddlecakes makes a unique strawberry key lime pie, that almost has cheesecake consistency. It has a key lime flavor, tart, but also the right amount of sweetness. The pie is very flaky, and even crumbled when it was cut, and crumbles some more when eaten. This crumbliness is a good quality, in my opinion. This was my favorite key lime pie eva….so much they inspired me to make a Strawberry Key Lime Fiddle-Ring!
Oh I DeCLarE…I did some digging! Naticakes in the News?
SO…woke up to my cupcake alarm clock “ding ding” it was time for anotha cupcake adventure. I decided to head down to good ol downtown Franklin, TN and see what sort of trouble I could get into.
Tweeted the usual “ ”sounds alarms* let’s roll” and all of twitterville seemed to be needing a cupcake fix along with me. First stop…Naticakes for some Nati-Chino and Nati-bites. Hold onto your skirts ladies and gentlemen…I walked in and right in the middle of Naticakes was News 2 my Fav Julie Kroenig, WKRN Anchor/Reporter with her crew interviewing owner Nicole Sloane! Lordie, I know how to sniff out cupcake FUN!
You all know me…always have my camera handy…so as she was interviewing her I whipped out my big girl camera and started shooting! This was like heaven for me! I tried not to be a distraction..as I stood right there next the camera and Photojournalist Mr Ken Wilson and listened quietly..sort of while snapping pictures and smelling all the cupcakes!
As I listened what I heard wasn’t about cupcakes…it was all about Naticakes story and mission Look at Nicole Sloanes face…tell me that woman is NOT on a freakin mission! Lordie…someone give that girl a cupcake…she’s got passion flowing out of her ears ” Whether it’s cupcakes, coffee or conversation, we hope to “make your life a little sweeter” at Naticakes! In honor of my niece (Nati), our mission at Naticakes is to generate awareness and funds for the Natalie Wynn Carter Foundation.” http://www.nataliewynn.com/
So of course after the interview I sat down and broke cupcake with Julie Kroenig, WKRN Anchor/Reporter it turns out she is a cupcakeluva too *poof* we were instant cupcake friends! As you all know I love makin new cupcake friends!! Well it seems Julie had been on a similar path as I..except her path was Positively Tennessee – ish sharing the coolest most positive stories of Tennessee businesses…she and I talked cupcake about all the great cupcake stories and missions of our local businesses.
So…I got to thinkin and I came up with the GREATEST IDEA IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD…however, you will have to wait to hear about it in my next cupcake adventure blog. Until then click here to see the interview and meet my new cupcake friends!
CLICK LINK TO VIEW STORY:
MUAH..my cupcake luvah friends!
S
Dear CuPiD…Shoot me some of these!
So here I was feeling a little under the weather when I get the memo…NATICAKES ROLLED OUT THE NATIBITE just in time for Valentines Day! If you have bought your special someone chocolates..TOSS THEM NOW and call Naticakes. I’m telling you there’s nothing like them..and I’ve had my fair share of cake balls, cake pops, cake whateva but these are melt in your mouth awesome! Did I mention these can be shipped! DID YOU HEAR ME? ORDER NOW BEFORE I EAT THEM ALL!
Remember this is the cupcake with the mission so it’s in your best interest to eat as many as you can! from the words of Auntie-Nati herself ”Mission is to generate revenue and awareness for the Natalie Wynn Carter Foundation (NWCF), in order to impact the lives of children throughout the world. From our sweet products to our mission, we strive to “make life a little sweeter.” Whether you’re catering an outside event, or throwing a party in our shop, we hope that Naticakes will be an extension of your sweet experience!”
“Enjoy an elegant collection of our most popular flavors in a delicate, bite size portion! Our Chocolate Collection features Caramel, Coconut, Peanut Butter, Cookies ‘n Cream, and Opera. The Fruit Collection showcases Orange, Cherry, Strawberry, Raspberry, and Lemon. You may also select a favorite flavor that will be elegantly boxed in groups of 5 or 15. The perfect collection of sweets…for your sweet!” <-more Auntie -Nati
Join Facebook Naticakes Follow on Twitter
Thank you Cupid!
Say it ain’t so…a brownie?
So I thought I was going to FiddleCakes today for lunch..was thinking warm soup…when I walked in the guy in front of me ordered a brownie…so the soup idea flew out the door! I found myself standing in front of the display case drooling over all the great looking treats…then decided I was having a brownie and hot chocolate…a girl can neva have enough chocolate. Did I mention the brownie was the size of my head? oh yes..this was a BBBRRRROOOOOWWNNIIIEEEE baby.
So I decided to have a seat and enjoy my brownie the size of my head and hot chocolate while I tweeted “na nah nana” out to 17, 000 followers on twitter. I just love rubbing it in that I’m running around having fun yapping about brownies and cupcakes!
So the low down, the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had. I have no idea what’s in it but it is sooooo good and not too much chocolate. The brownie..so good I swear I almost had to start a new blog fortheloveofbrownies and maybe that’s the next step in my cupcake filled fun life!
SO if you have a chance go by and visit Fiddle Cakes on Eighth Avenue South, between Douglas and Bradford. If you have a party coming up be sure to swing by and order a cake!
*sounds alarms* FiDDLe CaKes *NeW BaKerY – CaFe – CoFFee*
So there I was reading my Nashville Scene cover to cover..have to keep up with everything as you know…when there is was…an ad for Fiddle Cakes. First thought, I laughed..what a silly name then I saw the picture of 2 cupcakes….HIT THE BRAKES LORDIE THERE’S A NEW KID IN TOWN!
Well as you all know I take my cupcake crown VERY seriously here in NashVegas and heck if I was going to let this one go for too long. SO I hopped in the baby benzo and headed for 8th AVE SOUTH baby! Really easy to find and in a cute house…yes the first thing I did was check the door knob – it was original hardware VERY IMPRESSED. Walked in not a cupcake in site…however, I wanted to dive head first into the display case of yummies!
Of course my first question was “where are you hiding the cupcakes” I’m sure the look on my face was priceless..she let me know they keep them in the fridge to keep the butter cream fresh…oh lordie BuTTeR CreAm. She then offered me a mini Red Velvet delight and I took 1 of each of the cupcakes they offered yesterday. Of course she just had to tell me about all the other great things they offered in addition to cupcakes (I was really standing there with my fingers in my ears saying lalalalalalalalal) it’s a European Cafe with anything and everything you would want shi shi as well as CoFFee!
Here’s a link about the chef http://www.tennessean.com/article/20091125/FEATURES0202/911250355/1004/FEATURES/Butter+is+a+baker+s+best+friend
Customer Review “Lindsay Beckner and Tasha Ross opened Fiddle Cakes as a Melrose bakery and cafe. Yummy gourmet cupcakes and big cakes are flavored with common flavors like carrot, strawberry, chocolate and apple. A half dozen cookie varieties are baked as well as brownies. Baked goods are mostly desserts. Cafe paninis, sandwiches, salads and soups are good for lunch. If you come in weekdays at 7am for a breakfast snack try the quiche or yogurt parfait.”
What you really want to know is what did I think? VERY GOOD – and they deliver in Nashville! They are also working on shipping cupcakes – they do ship cookies and other for the holidays for gifts. I will be headed back to try some…but I have a feeling you might be needing to order some if the other yummies are as good as the cupcakes! More soon…promise!
*sounds alarms* Figured it out..THE MInI CuPCake!
So I went back to review the history of the cupcake (pls see below..you’re welcome) really wanting to understand if the Mini. My first thought was some skinny person decided they would create the Mini to limit themselves – shorely they haven’t had a Naticake, downtown Franklin, TN.. today I discovered the Mini Nati.
NOW WAS THE TIME – I HAD to figure this Mini out…drum roll please….the Mini was created so you can have a selection of MANY cupcakes all at once! NOW THATS GENIUS..now you aren’t limited to 1 cupcake or the cupcake split (I will neva understand this one) the Mini allows everyone to have many cupcakes and nobody has to share! YIPPPPIEEEEEEE!!
Eat on my little cupcake friends!
A Little CupCakE HiStOry!
The term ‘cupcake’ is first mentioned in E. Leslie’s ‘Receipts’ of 1828. Breaking with tradition of weighing ingredients at this time they ingredients began to be measured in cups. According to “Baking in America” by Greg Patent, this was revolutionary because of the tremendous time it saved in the kitchen. “The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America.” explains that the cup name had a double meaning because of the practice of baking in small containers — including tea cups.
Cups were convenient because hearth ovens took a long time to bake large cakes. Gem pans, early muffin tins, were common in households around the turn of the 20th Century and cupcakes were baked directly in these. Throughout the 1900′s cupcakes became popular kids treats partly due to their ease in baking. In the early 1900′s Hostess introduced the snack cupcake, but it didn’t become the Hostess Cupcake we know today until the 1950′s.
Many people associate cupcakes with the popularity of homemaking of the 1950′s and 60′s although this is an myth. Cupcakes were no more popular during that time period then they are today. More likely is that adults associate cupcakes with memories from their childhood. What is different today is that cupcakes have gone crazy. Traditionally they have been made for children in basic flavors. Today the cupcake has gone gourmet and is playful, hip and glamorous. This craze is here to stay.
How In The World…JUST EAT ALREADY!
So..been working on the books..in fact so much I’ve not been as good getting my cupcakes in as I should. Today I decided to be a GOOD CUPCAKE LADY..so I headed out in the baby benzo to my FAV cupcake location in Franklin, TN Naticakes (makes my mouth water just to type this blog).
Of course I open the Nati-door and whooooosssshhhhhhh the smell of fresh baked cupcakes…it’s like that cartoon with the snake eyes that go all silly..that’s what the smell does to me when I open the Nati-door. Who’s with me on this one? Lordie, we need to bottle that smell and make Nati-home spray and Nati-candles. I bet they would fly off the shelf! OK, back to the story….
I usually get my Naticake to go however, I decided to plant my rear and people watch. OH OH lordie can’t believe I didn’t mention….hello Chocolate Peanut Butter dreamiest cupcake yet. New flavor..and it has GOO! Huge fan of the GOO in the middle Naticakes HUGE….however, before I could dig in a huge group of younger less exp cupcake fans came in…one claimed the line of tables on the left…I knew they were here for a long while. They were having a little Naticake love time togetha…I just love that. THEN…4 more exp Nati-lova’s came in – these were the fully decked, big huge bling, vuitton, dior sporting SKINNYYYY Nati-lova’s (we come in all shapes and sizes).
As I was listening to the orders…they all ordered Nati-chinno’s and then they were all deciding which cupcake they were going to SPLIT..STOP RIGHT THERE..did you hear me? SPLIT? a NATICAKE? how do you split a Naticake 4 ways? are they nuts? right then I decided they were nuts! Then I decided I would rather be fat and have my OWN NATICAKE thank you…and then I felt sorry for the skinny Nati-lova’s…I can’t imagine having that kind of control! If Nati-team would let me…I would dive head first into the cupcakes and I wouldn’t come up for air..who needs air when you have Naticakes cupcakes? So I thought…JUST EAT ALREADY SKINNY NATI-LOVA’s! FREE YO-SELF..
NATICAKES – Making life a little sweeter through cupcakes, cakes, and compassion.
With Downtown Franklin Square buzzing again after the summer lull, I popped into Naticakes, one of the square’s newest tenants, to check out its highly-acclaimed cupcakes.
Greeted warmly by the staff, I was eager to sample some cupcake delish. Presented in a white display case
the little cakes looked more like Louboutins at Neiman Marcus than the staple food of children’s birthday parties. In lieu of a nutritional dinner I opted for a cupcake dinner – it’s a real diet people I have proof!
The shop itself is quite charming, white tables, chairs, and counters, and pale blue and yellow accents dotting the boutique. The story of how Naticakes all began and pictures of cupcakes fill the wall space, making the place an idyllic backdrop to a post-dinner (or movie) date stop. To actually grab one of its tables requires a combination of fortuitous timing and sharp elbows. If you do land a seat you could be entertained for hours by the people watching Downtown Franklin.
I couldn’t wait to dig in. Each cupcake was gorgeous; the highly-stylized confections complemented the equally beautiful setting in which they were served.
I thoroughly enjoy every moment when visiting Naticakes.
And the shop is adorable, it is worth the trip to charming Downtown Franklin!
http://www.naticakes.com/main.html
CONTACT INFORMATION:
info@naticakes.com
328 Main Street
Franklin, TN 37064
615.807.1133
