A baking weekend for the DC Grey Market!

I need to admit something...I am a serious over thinker about everything.  This is probably one of my biggest flaws.  I dwell on little things sometimes, well a lot of the time.  I replay events over and over wondering what if? or what just happened? or how did that happen that way?  or why? why? why?

Its the times I am left thinking and dwelling, that I need to be remembering that its not always about the small things.  There are BIG things happening here, real life...have there BIG impact kind of things.  The things that make the future, that shape and mold dreams.

Its amazing how much can happen in a year.  How different things can be.  People have moved a away...across the country and the ocean, and people have moved here.  There was a flight lesson, I ran my first big meeting for work, I catered my first event with tarts and cakes and toffee, there were ups and down in "relationshipland", I ran in two triathlon relays, and a half marathon.

But, this blog has been my first toe in the water towards my dream of opening a bakery...in 20 years that is...I really want to be secretly be planning weddings, while baking confections on the side.  I was actually asked this questions almost 4 years ago in my job interview.  James: What is your dream job? As in if you could do anything?  Me:  I want to be a wedding /event planner, then when I am around 55, I want to open a bakery.

I really thought I was taking a leap when I started this blog at the end of 2010.  I get really worried about what other people will think....like people actually care...and in the beginning I only sent it to my closest friends to get there opinions.  I think I might have even only mentioned it in passing to my boyfriend.  Kind of like "I think I am going to try doing a baking blog...So, what would you like for dinner tonight? Wanna go out?"  I am not a self marketer.  I hate being the center of attention.  I don't like being sang to on my birthday because then all eyes are on me.  Its kind of weird...I know.  But this has been such an adventure so far and I have had so much fun trying out all of these different recipes, and now having my friends do their guest posts.  Plus with the help of friends I have a super fun new logo and am linked to a .com.

This weekend was a truly awesome experience doing the DC Grey Market.  I have NEVER baked so much in less than 48 hours!  BUT it was totally all worth it, because I had so much fun talking to and meeting all of the people at the market.  It is such a wonderful experience to have all of the hard work pay off when people think something you whisked together is delicious.  Thank you to everyone who came!  I truly appreciate the encouraging words and all of the support!  I could not do it without you all!

The baking started Friday night and with Molly's help we knocked out a batch of Red Velvet Beet Brownies and a batch of S'mores Brownies...

Then I got up early Saturday and started baking Carrot Cake and Milky Way cookies...lots and lots of cookies...

While the cookies baked I put together boxes...P.S. I kind of love how these boxes look...

They were for the brownies and cupcakes...Salted Caramel Cupcakes and Vegan Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes...

Just a few of the Salted Caramel Cupcakes...

Did I ever tell you I am completely OCD and way into details?

...yes I definitely did do a diagram for the table.

The left side of the set up...

The front cake stand was totes my grandmother's and it was so nice to have a piece of her with me at the market.

The right side of the table with menu...

I could not have done it with out James!  He was the perfect helper and we had so much fun talking with everyone!  (Yes, I know my arm looks weird in this picture, but I was excited and I was definitely describing what everything was at this point.)

The Grey Market was an amazing experience and definitely gets me excited to one day open a bakery!  As tiring as it was, it was totally worth it...I think I just might need a bigger oven next time.