It’s safe to announce it now:Β I’ve handed in my letter, hung up my poison pen, polished my KitchenAid, and am finally going into business! YES!
Three years ago, I — and practically half of the baking fraternity around the globe — dreamt of opening a home bakery selling cupcakes, because they’re easy to do and oh-so trendy. But a friend urged me to aim higher. So thanks, Jenny, for putting the idea in my head. I am now a bona fide wedding cake maker!
I don’t just do weddings though. Birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, proposals — any occasion that calls for a special cake with hand-made sugarpaste work. I’ll work from home as a one-woman show (two-women if you include my maid who will help with the washing) so even though I can’t stand the word, this makes me an ‘artisan’. Ahem.
I’m now serving one month’s notice (three weeks left!) before I quit the newspaper for good. If you’ve been wondering why I’ve suddenly gone all silent over the past few months, it’s because I’ve been busy preparing my cake portfolio for my business website. It’s still a work in progress but you can see some of my work here. Oh, the bakery is called Crumb with a single ‘m’ now. The double ‘m’ was cute for a blog, but I reckon proper spelling is essential if I wanna be taken seriously. Would you spend $700 bucks on a birthday cake made by a bakery that couldn’t spell? Ah don’t think so.
It’s been one helluva ride getting here so thank-yous are in order:
Jenny Tan, for planting the seed
Christopher Tan, for being a 24-hour helpline when I was (and still am) navigating the mysterious seas of baking
Lynn Ng, Jessica Tan, Charmayne Yap and Clarissa Oon for having sheer courage in letting this total novice make your wedding cakes
Suzanne Sng, Charmayne Yap (again!), Linda Jim, Tan Hsueh Yun, Weylin Liew for not laughing
My husband Z, for surviving on delivery pizza and showing unquestioning support while I baked, even though you were motivated by the money I’m gonna make so you can quit your job and hang out with skaters full-time.
I love you all! And now it’s time to bake.
Hi there.. This is exciting news! Happy for you! May I post about your new business and use these photos of yours on my post?
yes please! thanks v much π
Oh.. I’ve done it. Thanks for letting me use your pics.. http://openkitchenconcept.blogspot.com/2010/07/crumb-with-one-m.html
Wow !! Yes definitely good news for all of us !! All the best for your business !! Post ur hotline number or email so when our friends get married they can contact you !!
hello ah pei! my email is crumbshop@gmail.com. spread the word!
Woah…Congrats!!
thanks, jac π
yay so exciting!! the last photo looks truly amazing!
shot on my humble balcony! hehe π
Well congratulations to you- that is fantastic! I haven’t been following long but you have such talent I couldn’t help but scroll through your archives. I wish you much success with Crumb…with one ‘m’. π
thanks monica, all the way from Texas too! π
Hey, congrats!! Here’s wishing you best of luck for your latest venture! =)
thank you, joy π
Ummmm… you have cakes that are cheaper than $700? Like birthday ones? Happy day ones? I love someone cakes?
hi petunia, er, yes! minimum charge is $450 per cake. because i’m a one-woman show, i can take only biggish orders for this business to be worthwhile (i do have 2 kids to feed!). so i’m expecting to make lots of tiered cakes with lots of hand-made sugarcraft work.
Oh ok. Thanks for replying. I think they’re beautiful and will think of you when I have a very special day.
please do! i’ll only be able to do smaller cakes if i start a commercial kitchen — but that’s many years away i think. starting very very small first π
Congrats! All the best π
thank you!
you go girl!!!
My constant checking of your blog paid off this morning!! Welcome back!
All the best!! I’ll come to you for cakes for sure, getting married or not!!
at the rate you’re going, i have a feeling i’ll have to deliver the wedding cake to london? π
Hey, congratulations! they cakes are stunning – classy and elegant as usual. For the amount of effort that goes into creating them, the price tag is more than justified. All the best and God bless!
thanks very much! am glad you approve of the price, hahaha!
wow congrats! will spread the word π
lea lea! yes please tell everyone π
Darling Cousin,
Congratulations! The cakes look amazing and am looking forward to providing you with slave labour (happy to lick beaters, etc etc) when the Australian contingent fly over in December. Can’t wait! Lots of love and kisses to you and family!
Wouahhh !
Congratulations, you’ve certainly shown that you have the talent for it.
Don’t worry about the word artisan, it’s really a compliment since it means someone who uses his art on behalf of someone else. It has the same root as artist and was in fact used instead of that word for a long time.
So long live Teo Pau Lin the artisan.
;o)
Laurence, from France
thank you laurence. am so happy i have someone in france reading my blog! π
Can I just say that you and Z have simply outdone yourselves with the beautiful cakes and photographs in this and the following post. All God’s best to you in your new venture! Hou exciting!
i still remember telling you and jenny over steamboat at my place that this is what i want to do one day. the day is HERE!!! thanks for all your help, Pa!
ah!!! I just read the blog (as you prompted me to) and just saw the post! New phase of life; so exciting! Same rules though…let God lead, and all will fall in place (paraphrase of the verse about how a man can plan but God decides the steps….maybe chris can help).
When are we having a kek party to celebrate? π
ps: dining table is arriving tomorrow! come over soon with en en, kate and chris π
this is great news – congratulations! i vote for crummb – much cuter, more oomph
Hey Artisan, your cakes look fabulous! I think I want an end-of-bond cake too! But that’s still some time away.
Regarding the vote, I say Crummb. You’re not just a business, you’re a personality!
for saying i am a personality, you get a huge discount off your end-of-bond cake π