Oh what a week it has been. I have spent so much time working on the website that I haven’t had time to bake but as I haven’t had any orders this week it has been a productive week. The website was down for a few days as I decided it was time to change website hosting provider because financially I just felt as thought the website provider I was with were charging a lot for my small business so I went looking elsewhere and found another hosting provider whom I am hoping to be happy with. So far, so good, as everything has moved over fairly smoothly even though I had to enlist my husband for the transferring of the website. It is a positive that he works in IT and knows his way around a computer 🙂
I feel like I haven’t really been pushing the webshop this last couple of weeks and I am putting that down to my need to find a regular job which has been my main focus over the last few weeks. Love-to-bake.uk is being put on the back burner, as it were, as the cost of living has a lot to answer for. 🙁 Part of me feels like a failure for not making Love-to-bake.uk work but I think when you realise that it isn’t getting any better and it is time to cut your losses before it becomes worse then it is time to let go or rather change course. I have seen so many of my small business friends whom I follow on social media having to close due to the cost of living crisis and it is a very worrying time for everyone. I’m not saying that I will give up baking and blogging all together as I still have so much to say but I may have to close the webshop, if and when, a job comes along so I can focus elsewhere and then the homebaking will no longer be my main priority I’m afraid.
Well, what can I say but after a baking session yesterday to make a sweet treat for my husband I want to continue baking (as I have missed it this week) and then I received a few orders in my messages and emails. Last night turned into a busy night which I am pleased about and even more so one of the orders is for something a bit outside my comfort zone but I am glad to have the chance to try something different. It is funny how everything can just change in an instant. 🙂 My plan is too keep pushing and working on Love-to-bake.uk but keep searching for the job that will fit in with my family life and maybe just maybe I can have the best of both worlds. 🙂
For my husband I made a Giant Cookie and decorated it with vanilla buttercream, some leftover pieces of homemade fudge (from the “Father’s Day” bakes) and some pieces of Mini Choc Chip Cookies (a trial bake for my children as they love the Mini Cookies in their packed lunches and I feel like I can bake them better). I will write more about the Mini Cookies another time though.
It is Sunday afternoon and the orders for “Father’s Day” have been baked and collected plus the two postal deliveries have arrived safely to the customers. Unfortunately I didn’t manage to take photos of all of the bakes which I made but I will share those photos which I have. All the school stuff is ready and the children are all chilling in their rooms. It is still looking nice outside so maybe I will get to enjoy a cuppa in the garden before the rain comes.
The week ahead looks like I have a Mini Corned Beef Pies to bake and an order for “Baby Shower” Cupcakes to complete which I am really looking forward to doing. This week is going to be a fairly busy week as I have lots of other things to do but it will make the week fly by which is all good 🙂 and then the weekend will be here again and I can’t wait!!