All the things…

I had, well maybe not completely forgotten - but forgot a LOT of what’s involved in starting up a business. Yes, I’ve done cookies before, but it’s been a four year and 968 mile gap between the last batch I baked in Hermosa Beach and the first one I baked here, in Oregon.

Food handlers’ permit? Easy. Local city approval? Easy. Only baking and decorating between 10am and 2pm so I can clear the kitchen for the rest of the day? A little less easy, but okay. Realizing I need to buy another custom stencil maker because I sold the last one because “I can’t imagine I’ll ever need it again”. Oh! and I sold or donated 80% of my baking and decorating supplies in 2020 because “I can’t imagine I’ll ever need 18 baking sheets or the Christmas Story Leg Lamp cookie cutter again.”

I’ll just say it - my imagination really lacks.

And little stuff, like making sure I place my Instagram QR code on my business cards. And that my labels have an allergen note warning that there’s eggs and wheat product in the cookies (in a separate line from the ingredient list which includes… well, you know, eggs and flour).

But I also forgot how absolutely sweet people are when they are handed a box of the cookies I baked and designed. How complimentary they are about the way the cookies both look and taste. I mean, each day I hear, “They’re too pretty to eat.”

Yet, somehow, my friends, family, and clients manage to power through that instinct and eat them anyway. And I am flattered and thankful.

I really am.

So Thank You

Now I need to figure out how to lay out and merchandise a 6’x6’ booth for the Mothers’ Day weekend Unique Market. I imagine (ooh, look, I’m imagining again!) I’ll get into detail about that in my next post.