It’s very cold and snowy outside, so it’s good to keep snug close to the ovens!
My Christmas break was fantastic, although it feels like an age ago already! It reminded me how much I would love to be a lady of leisure! I’ve said it to friends before, when they ask what I would like to do if I wasn’t an award-winning cake maker (!!) … I would genuinely choose to be a lady of leisure! They don’t believe me as they think I would get bored — I tell them no way, there are far too many things I like to do, I wouldn’t get bored! Hey, but tell me, what’s better than caking?
The Christmas break was super-relaxing, with lots of rest and family time. I didn’t completely switch off from O’Caykx, I did some admin and some work on the website, including adding some fabulous new designs for wedding cakes — take a look! Also, our new postable treats – choose our delicious Shortbread Cream Biscuits or a variety of different Loaf Cakes (Fruited or Plain … although ‘plain’ just doesn’t cover our 7 delicious flavours!! From Lemon Drizzle to Cream Vanilla, Coconut to Chocolate Marble, Toffee, Red Velvet or Cookies & Cream, there really is something for everyone, delivered direct to your door!
I was pretty good over Christmas, I didn’t go crazy and stuff my face, mainly because — believe it or not — I am still not over my blowout in Houston! I am usually quite good with food and exercise but after falling (more like jumping tbh!) off the wagon in Houston I am still feeling the effects! If I put on weight, I find it REALLY hard to lose it again, which is why I usually exercise like a mad thing every day! It’s the only way I can keep it under control — I got me a lotta fat genes!
We were back at the Cakery with a bang last week, with a surprisingly (but very welcome) full- on to-do list. We made some amazing bespoke cakes, with some lovely designs — I think my favourites were the pint of Tennent’s lager and the Christian Dior handbag.
We also had 2 cupcake parties — these parties have been a huge hit over the last year, and we are already rapidly filling the diary for 2024 — if you have been thinking of booking a cupcake party, get on the (cupcake) case asap!
Here’s to 2024! I hope it will be an exceptional year for you all, and for us here at O’Caykx, as we bake to ‘cake you happy’!
]]>I had an absolutely amazing time in Houston, it was so good to be back together with my family to celebrate my brother’s 50th birthday. Even better as it was the first time my Mum, my siblings and I have got together since before Covid. It’s been much longer than our usual attempt to meet up every two years (which is already waaay too long).
We ate a LOT of food! I went on the trip with the intention of just switching off and enjoying myself, eating and relaxing. I certainly lived up to that! My brother owns restaurants in Houston, so they always brought food to the house. By the end of the two weeks, I was ‘fooded out’, and I got back to Aberdeen feeling like a beached whale.
Just a small green salad for me this Christmas Day, I think!
It’s taken me a while to get back into going to the gym and, to be perfectly honest, I am still not back into the swing of working out! Two weeks of doing nothing — well, I say nothing — I did go on a couple of runs and to the gym a couple of times, but it wasn’t the same. So, two weeks off from my normal routine — oh my goodness, I am never doing that again! Still, it was good while it lasted!
I got to see some of Houston, which was cool — but they don't have pavements and walking routes, you simply cannot go for a walk! People just drive EVERYWHERE!
I could not but visit the famous Lakewood Church pastored by Joel Osteen! We got to chat with him after the service. We had a cracker of a laugh with him too. He’s pretty cool.
I had a Thai message (well, 2!), a luxury pedicure that was totally out of this world among a few indulgences. I could have stayed in Houston forever! The weather was gorgeous! Beautiful sunshine, with an average temperature of 18-20°C everyday — it was nice, nice, nice ... and then back to cold Aberdeen!
So, here at The Cakery it’s our BUSIEST week of the year! By the time you are reading this, we will be head down in the thick of it! Working frantically to get all the orders ready and out in time for Christmas! Crrrrrazy crazy busy! It’s all hands on deck, and once the kids finish school, they come in and help with various odd jobs.
The Cakery over the next few days is really a sight to behold, think of us like the elves in Santa’s workshop, making sure everything is ready and perfect for the big day!
We are open between 8am-10am on Christmas Eve for final collections before Christmas, and then we are taking a well-earned break to rest and recalibrate, ready for an exciting 2024.
Here’s wishing everyone a beautiful Christmas and may you experience the peace and joy that comes with the birth of Christ — see you on the 9th of January!
Click here to read past entries https://ocaykx.com/all-in-the-life-of-a-cake-maker/
]]>There was a 1st Anniversary cake for the fabulous Gidi Grill restaurant here in Aberdeen, and a celebration cake to mark the impressive 120-year partnership between Munro’s Travel and KLM. I’m not sure we’ve made too many other ‘120th’ “birthday” cakes before!! (That would be a lot of candles!)
We also made a cake to celebrate 5 years of the awesome charity Paws on Plastic. They’ve spent the last five years encouraging dog walkers to pick up a few pieces of litter every time they are out and about. Of course, this not only makes the area safer for their furry friends but makes the environment far more pleasant for everyone. Great job guys!
By far the biggest order this week was the epic chocolate chip cookie extravaganza! We made 500 branded cookies for Tax Assist Aberdeen and Northwood Aberdeen to take to the Big Christmas Light Switch On in Inverurie. When you make cookies there is not much you can do in advance, and the final packaging is the real work! We had all hands on deck and had a lot of fun with our cookie production line. Oven, cool, package, box, repeat! There were a loooot of cookies!
I went to a First Aid training course on Saturday; it was really really good! I must admit that when I’ve done first aid courses in the past, it all makes sense in the room but as soon as I set foot outside of the door, I just can’t remember any of it. This session, run by Forrest Training, was really fun and, more importantly, memorable! Now you know who to call if you need CPR
After the training, I went for one of my regular ‘wanders’ around the city centre. I’m not sure what it is that I love so much about these walks, maybe it’s because we live on the outskirts, so I like to see what is going on in town. There always seems to be something happening.
No shopping this time, except I did treat myself to some stick-on nails for my holidays. I always keep them short and unpainted for work — so thought I would try these for a change.
Im winding down ready for my trip, (let’s not talk about the fact that I am taking off at a rather busy time of year! It’s an unavoidable trip. Thank goodness for the fantastic team!) so I’ll be taking a break from the diary for a week or two.
See ya later y’all!
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I spent a fun day at TAQA Group last week. They were holding an event for their employees, aimed at empowering them for life after TAQA wraps up oil exploration in the UK. The idea is to give their employees the opportunity to explore new careers, find a new passion and potentially retrain.
I have to say I was super-impressed with the whole initiative — they had training companies, Universities and representatives from different industries to open up possibilities for exciting careers outside of Oil and Gas.
We had been asked along to help people explore their more creative side, so we held a drop-in session for people to come and give cupcake decorating a whirl! We’ve never done a drop-in before, as opposed to an organised workshop, it was great fun! We had a steady stream of budding cakers, it was kind of like an open audition for The Great British Bake Off!
I had to whizz back to the Cakery afterwards as we had lots of orders going out the next day — perhaps I should have taken back some of the more promising TAQA guys to help me out!
We had a kids’ birthday party on Saturday, which are always a lot of fun! 15 kids, 90 cupcakes — a recipe for chaos and lots of laughs and, in fairness, some rather tasty looking treats at the end!
After the class on Saturday, I went to a Worship Conference at The Music Hall organised by Glorious. The conference was nice … but … I got locked in a car park!!! It was in the city centre, and I didn’t really want to pay for 7 hours of parking, so I cheekily parked in a church carpark. When I came out of the venue, I discovered my car was locked in It was funny, but safe to say lesson learned, and I won’t park there again! Thankfully, after an hour of waiting, I got out! Hey! Don’t judge me, city center parking costs a fortune!!!
I’m heading off to see my brother in warm climates (keep guessing where lol!) next week and I wanted to buy some Scottish souvenirs to take with me. There’s a lovely little shop in The Trinity Centre I popped into while I was out walking on Sunday, and bought a few bits — the shop was also rather handily placed so I could grab a cheeky cinnamon roll from Shots n roll on the way out!
Ooh, and I haven’t given up my plan to be active every day — I’ve been for walks and played tennis 4 times this week (definitely back in the game – yay!) and been to the gym. I think I might be eating more too
I’ve decided to kickstart my days by doing something active every morning before work — a run or a walk or the gym — just some physical activity to get the blood pumping and set me up both physically and mentally for the day ahead. I managed it most days last week, and it definitely helped.
Somebody said to me recently (after reading the diary — it’s good to know someone is reading it! A big thank you to all of you who read these musings regularly) that they don’t know how I manage to do all that I do! For those of you who know me, you will know that I have a lot of energy and sometimes I just have to let it all out! It really affects me mentally if I don’t, all these activities help keep me sane! I guess I’m like an excitable puppy when they have the ‘Zoomies’ — just got to release all that happy energy!
It’s not always as easy as me springing out of bed (and wagging my tail) sometimes I do need a little help to get me motivated.
Take Saturday for example … there I am, sitting by the front door in my running gear, but I just can’t quite get myself up and out. My son walks past, and then comes back a couple of minutes later and I’m still there. He gives me ‘that look’, and I say that I need motivation to get out the door! Once, when I was loitering in the same way, he tricked me and said there was something wrong with my car. We stepped outside, and then he ran back in and locked the door! So, I say, smugly, you can’t trick me this time, it won’t work. His response? He opens the door and half- lifts, half-shoves me out the door and locks it behind me! My kids know that if they want a sane Mum then I have to get out and release my energy! Sometimes I just need a shove in the right direction. Literally.
We had a busy week in the Cakery, lots of orders going out and a delicious new product! The team and I have lots of fun getting together and brainstorming and trying out new concepts. Some work well, some not so much. Our latest idea is a definite winner, they taste amazing! Introducing Shortbread Creams — rich shortbread biscuits filled with a white chocolate ganache, they are absolutely delicious. Get them on your Christmas list!
We’ve also been busy fine-tuning our corporate cake subscription, Cakescription. It’s an employee benefit package that is an affordable way for employers to boost morale and transform the atmosphere in the workplace — a monthly delivery of cake! – staff year round discounts too.
I’m looking forward to another great week. We are heading off to one of our Oil and Gas company’s Activities Day today— where we will be running cupcake decorating sessions with their employees — and we have some interesting cakes to make too… watch this space!
]]>As usual the week started with a LOT of meetings! People sometimes ask me why, as a cake maker, I have so many meetings! Aside from my newly blossoming coaching business, the main reason I have meetings, meetings, meetings is simple — a large part of the Cakery’s business is from corporate clients.
We like to maintain our relationships by either meeting with our existing or prospective clients or by networking so we can continue to build that aspect of the business.
Ooh, on the subject of networking, I went to an event with one of our clients io IT Services, and it was so much fun! I had a great time making an absolute fool of myself! They had a football stand — usually I can’t kick a ball to save my life — but I thought I would give it a go! Well, I almost took the ceiling off with my first kick of the ball, so embarrassing but hilarious!
Eventually, after a few more tries, you know what? I kind of nailed it! I felt so good about myself!
Now we are in November, wedding season is tapering off — our usual peak wedding season is April to October — so for the next few months we will have fewer wedding cakes to do. We had 2 last week, 2 this coming week and a few more before the end of the year and that is it!
That means we can head full swing into the Christmas season! Yay! We did a few video shots last week, in preparation for our ‘big birthday’. The retail side of the business is turning 10 in December! That’s when O’Caykx moved into commercial premises and really launched, rather than just baking loads of cakes in my kitchen at home!
No one really knows this, but I really didn’t like the smell of cake in my house (I generally don’t like the smell of food in the house period). For our anniversary, we are giving away a free cupcake for everyone to help us celebrate our special milestone!
Take a look on the website for our special giveaway. Be sure to get your order in before 1 December so you don’t miss out!
Lewis did the deliveries and set up for the two weddings cakes we had at the weekend, as I was away! I was staying in Pitlochry — it is the most beautiful town. If you have never been before, I highly recommend you go, it is so worth a visit.
We stayed at Faskally House for a church weekend – it was really refreshing. Lots of walking in the stunning grounds and looking around the lovely town … just perfect! It was almost a shame to come home on Sunday evening!
I’m raring to go now after such a relaxing weekend, Christmas orders I’m ready for you!
]]>We were busy in the Cakery on Wednesday and Thursday — although I did have to duck out for a short while to collect my kids after their trip to Canada. There was just time for a quick hug (each!) and then I had to dash off to the Cakery. So, they are back! After 10 whole days away!
Obviously, it is great to have them home — but I really did enjoy the peace and quiet, and the fact that the house stayed clean. Clean! CLEAN! I had pretty much decided to give up on a clean house after having kids, so it was a rare treat!
Before this trip, I had been a bit apprehensive about being an empty nester when they get older, but you know what? I can handle it! It has been so nice to spend some rare quality time with my husband, so I think we’ve got this! Just as long as it is not anytime too soon, OK?!
I got back from work at teatime and the kids were both asleep already!
I had to pop out to a rehearsal for my upcoming worship event, so I left them having a snooze. I supposed I could be patient and wait a few more hours to have a proper catch up! When I got home later, they were still asleep! I figured they must be really jet lagged so begrudgingly left them to it.
In the morning I hung around at home until 11am waiting to see them, but … yep, you guessed it! STILL asleep! I had been feeling a teensy bit guilty at enjoying some child-free time, but I needn’t have worried! Clearly, they hadn’t missed me too much, well, not enough to force themselves out of bed to see me! Haha! I gave up and went off to work. I came back a little later to check on them and — hurrah! They were finally awake and we had a lovely catch up. It was so great to hear how everything went on their amazing trip.
I played tennis three times last week, my hand is definitely back in the game! I also went to the gym with my son for the first time EVER on Saturday morning. He started going while I was out injured, so this was the first time we could actually work out and spend some quality mother and son time together. I really enjoyed it.
That evening was the Worship Event, I think all our practice sessions paid off. It was an amazing evening.
After church on Sunday, I had my usual wander about the city centre while my daughter was playing table tennis. I love to amble the streets and take in all the different sights and sounds as the seasons change.
That afternoon I set to work braiding my niece’s and my daughter’s hair … Let me tell you, people, it is a total labour of love! It took me five and a half hours in total! If you are a regular reader of this diary, you may remember that my daughter is desperate to get her hair done in a ‘proper salon’ — as she has never been before. Well, after that marathon session, I am sorely tempted to take her up on the idea! Sorely being the operative word, my arms were aching!
The things we do for the ones we love, eh?
]]>I took all of Tuesday and some of Wednesday off — well, when I say ‘off’, I mean away from the Cakery. I actually got on with quite a lot of admin and business development stuff, it can be really useful to be away from work and see things from the outside in. Then I had some meetings and headed to the Cakery for a while.
On Thursday Storm Babet hit! It was not fun, the door of the Cakery was blowing in and out like billy-o, and it was pretty wild outside. We decided it was best for everyone to leave early that day to get home safely, and that it would be safer to stay closed on Friday too. That said, I had a wedding delivery on Friday! I wasn’t too keen to drive in the horrible weather … so Lewis said he would come with me — what a lovely guy!
We drove to Ballater and, to be honest, the journey was better than I thought it would be. We stuck to the main roads and – apart from a few small floods here and there – it wasn’t too bad. On our way back we stopped at Banchory for lunch (which was lovely, it’s not often we take ‘time out’ to do something like that) and then headed home. It was a slow drive, but still nowhere near as bad as I’d feared.
On Saturday I did not step foot outside of my house for the whole day! I hunkered down indoors where it was dry and cosy! It has been a lovely quiet week — don’t get me wrong, I do miss the kids of course (they are away on holiday), but a bit of peace and quiet never did anyone any harm! After church on Sunday my husband and I went out for a meal, which was great, we haven’t done that in a long, long time.
My friend invited me to play tennis on Sunday (which helped to burn off the calories from my lunch out!) as a test for my hand injury. It’s been 88 days since I held a racquet, and it felt good! I couldn’t believe I could physically do it; my hand is healed — hurrah! 88 Days (yes, I admit it, I have been counting!) and I’m finally back! I am going to have to work out a plan now that I’m back to tennis — how to fit in running and tennis! I think I might just stick to tennis in the mornings. I have liked having more time at home in the evenings plus, with my life coaching taking off, there just aren’t enough evenings for tennis too. I’ll see if I can find a way to fit tennis in before work in the mornings — sleep is overrated anyway!
]]>Here we are again, the weeks just seem to fly past, don’t they?!
Thankfully, with time flying, it means that Lewis has been back in the Cakery this week. Hurrah! When I saw him, I thought ‘Aah, I can breathe again!’ Don’t tell him, but I did rather miss him being around these last few weeks.
We were back to the ‘usual’ level of busy this week — so still nice and busy but no mega-orders with cupcakes coming out of our ears! We had a couple of weddings, some corporate orders, and a big 50-year Anniversary celebration cake for the charity Parkinsons UK.
It was probably just as well things were a little more relaxed cake-wise as my coaching sessions have really been picking up and keeping me busy!
On Friday I went for dinner at a restaurant called Six by Nico. I’d heard quite a bit about it but hadn’t been myself yet, and It is a very interesting restaurant. They have a six-course tasting menu – which changes every six weeks – that they say is inspired by a different memory, place or idea. Ours was Catalonia, Spain. And each little dish was served with an accompanying little story from our waiter. The creations were both beautiful to behold AND really flavoursome.
I must admit that I was very pleasantly surprised. Beforehand I wasn’t sure it was going to be my sort of thing — but I was impressed!
It’s begining to look like Christmas at the cakery as we working on the designs for Christmas treat. We launched our Christmas shop on Sunday.
Saturday evening, I went to rehearsals with a friend as we are going to be singing at an upcoming worship event and on Sunday I went to a place called Dinnet to take part in the Loch Kinord 10k run. It was a good run, with some absolutely beautiful scenery
. After that, I did make sure to got a bit of a rest in preparation for getting up at 3am on Monday morning! What was I doing up at such an unsociable hour? Not baking – I know bakers have a reputation for getting up very early, but 3am …?
No, it was to take my kids to Edinburgh Airport as they are jetted off for the school holidays. I’m sure they will have an amazing time, although it is a bit strange for my husband and me — it’s the first time since we started a family that we have ever been without them! So, I’ll have more free and quite time to fill with caking or running or resting, or maybe all three!
We shall see ...
]]>Last week’s plan to take Tuesday afternoon off didn’t quite work out as I’d hoped! We had a couple of last-minute corporate orders to complete for Wednesday, so it was all hands to the pump (or more accurately all hands to the piping bag)!
I said to my (fabulous) team that after working 8 days straight, my brain was not functioning at full capacity, so I would take Wednesday off instead.
It wasn’t a full day off — I had some meetings in the morning — so I got home for some rest and to recharge my batteries at about lunchtime.
I went to bed for a while and watched some TV. I’m not really a ‘series’ kind of person, but I have stumbled on The Good Doctor which I like. I also don’t really do binge watching, I like to have screen time in bite-sized chunks — 3 episodes at a time is the maximum I can handle and that is a real push!
After some R&R I felt like I needed to get out and about. I went for a walk and then a run and then another run! I’m built for the outdoors! That really did the job to make me feel back in the game and re-energised.
Some wonderful kids and their teachers from International School Aberdeen came to the Cakery on Friday as the final day of their Activities Week. It was a busy, buzzy day. 2 groups visited us over the course of the day, and it was so much fun to work with them.
As Saturday was relatively quiet, I took the opportunity to do everyone’s favourite job (NOT!) and give the kitchen and the ovens a deep clean. After that I’d earned some down time so went out with a friend and then home to chill with the family.
On Sunday I went for a run in the icy cold rain! I had originally intended to go on Saturday, but it was raining so I put it off. When it was still pouring on Sunday, I thought to myself ‘I’m just going to go for it anyway’. It was very cold and wet, but I felt great afterwards!
My husband asked me when I was going to return to tennis, and I said I just don’t know. My hand is about 90% healed, so I could probably go back, but I have totally fallen in love with running! I would run every day if I could, I love, love, LOVE it! So, now there is some stiff competition between my love for tennis and my love for running!
Here's to a great week.
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