creative coping

You're a cakepopper. You sell your cake pops? You make beautiful cake pops? You charge what your work is worth? You should. But could you afford your work? Could you pay $3, $4 or $5 a cake pop for your kid's birthday party? Your bridal shower? Your mom's retirement? Some of us can, some of us can't. I would never try to low ball someone for something I wanted/needed for an event. So if I can't afford it, I go without. I've heard it many times. "I couldn't pay that price for cake pops." I TOTALLY get it, and at the same time no one should have to work an all-nighter for an order for less than minimum wage. I'll meet you in the middle. Let me show you how. Let me show you my favorite thing to do, my pass time, my happy place. You can check in here and my YouTube channel and my Instagram for tips, tricks and tutorials. I'm not your personal cake pop assistant, lol. I'll try to help when I can. But if I can at least make a place where you can check out what I'm doing and you can learn from it, I will. And I am.

So now I started a blog. Yes. But I've actually had it like two years and NEVER took the steps to get to know it (ps - I still don't know it) and use it. I wanted to do it. I always said... I'll get around to it. But why did I HAVE TO get around to it? Why did I have to do it at all?? Right? Why do I have to make YouTube videos? Why do I have to share tips, tricks and pictorials on my Instagram? Why do I have to answer questions on "how'd ya do that or where'd you get that or why is this happening?" I'm sure people wonder why. Real quick let's go back a few years...

Four years ago this Mother's Day weekend my daughter won Bakerella's famous book Cake Pops at our church's annual mother daughter banquet. She could care less for the book. But I cared! I fell in love with those tiny, adorable cake creations! I read it front to back. And then, on a mission I had to make them! I've always been a "creative" person and these seemed to spark my interest...

I've always loved creating. For my children I loved doing big birthday parties with decorations and balloons and favors and attempted to make the cake a few times (ughh) but wasn't the best at that part. I even hand-made a few piñatas! I just loved getting crazy on their birthdays. But having four kids it only happened well, four times a year. I always wanted something to do, whether hobby or side job, that allowed me to be creative and let my ideas flow. And that was hard ... even four years ago, my older kids were young teenagers and my younger kids were still kinda little and my job was full-time and I was busy being a room mom and attending school functions and sports activities....

Seeing these cake pops in this book was like a calling. The first event I could, I made them. Remembering that, was just so funny. I remember loving/hating it! I had the typical issues : falling off the stick, thick chocolate, too much frosting, etc. You know. But when I was done and all the survivors were displayed in the so cool Wilton's cardboard cake pop display at my "Never Say Never" Justin Bieber movie party ( lol such a dork ) I was HAPPY. People loved them. I had so many that batch I gave the rest to my daughter's friends who also loved them. From then on, I looked for a reason to make them. I brought them to church for the Father's Day bake sale (wow omg uglyyyy), to work for my coworkers to try new flavors and also our July 4th party. In no time, I started my Facebook page so my friends and family could see what I was creating and experimenting with.

I'm sure this sounds like everyone's typical "how I got started" story.

I remember back then in the beginning being kinda...selfish. When people I knew would ask me questions, I'd be like . . . (rolling the eyes) this is MY thing . . . wow, how could you ask me how I'm doing MY thing. I'm trying to do MY thing here and I don't want YOU doing MY thing... how rude right? Oh I was so rude! I mean I never actually spoke to people like that, but I thought it of them. And I avoided their questions. I mean really get your own book! JK I didn't want them doing that either! MEMEME! Come to me for cake pops! HAHA.

I'm sure you have heard numerous times, whether it's you or from others "I'll never make cake pops (again)!" They are hard and time consuming and frustrating! I know...but it was something I was not willing to give up on. It was my thing. And I loved it. And I had NO IDEA where it would take me and how much it would help me.

One day I felt the threat was gone. I was pretty busy with my family's and friend's events. People knew I made them and knew how well I made them. And people had tried to make them and failed ( insert evil laugh ) and people were gonna come to me anyway. I started to let people into my world, but still they were turned off by the work and frustration. Was this a win?? I guess a little... I mean like I said, people tried and didn't care for them soooo... but did I play fairly?? I don't know. Back then I, myself, was still learning. I shouldn't have wanted people to have this love/hate with cake pops. Just love, all the love, for all the cake pops. K.

One day my daughter said mom, I'm making you an Instagram so you can post the pictures of your cake pops. Um, ok. I need another place? I posted...one, two maybe. I mean it wasn't my Facebook where I uploaded albums of pics. lol.... but crazy, only a couple months later the battle began. Our family took a turn I wasn't prepared for and even though looking back to that time in our lives it is nothing compared to the hell it is right now,  it was just the beginning, the foreshadow of what was to come. I can't explain, at least not here, not now, hopefully in another place eventually. When I can tell the world how far God has brought my family. I will say the events that began concerned my daughter and if you are a parent, you know your children are your life. This was an incident that lead to so much more. I remember feeling like the worst thing that could ever happen is happening right now! I had no idea what was coming...

In the midst of this incident, I had someone depending on me. It was a birthday, an order of snowmen and snowflake cake pops. Really??? I'm really gonna pull myself together and do this?? nononono. Just cancel. How could I do that either?? I know this person. What would I say?? I have to tell them what's happening?? Ok... ok, I just can't cancel. I have to do this order. I did it. I went to my place, which I have called my happy place for years now. I made the cake pops. I left the world I was dealing with for a little and created something for someone else that would put a smile on their face. I smiled too when they were done and I could give them their order instead of an explanation of why I couldn't. They would never know where my heart was when I created those adorable little treats...

A couple months later when things started feeling better, I posted some more pics on Instagram. I was busy but always uploaded on my Facebook.  Then again a couple months later, some more pics on Instagram. It had finally been about a year since I started my Instagram that I noticed other "cakepoppers" commenting on my pictures. Oh hey friends! You guys get me. Instagram started to seem like a place where I found people who did what I did and understood the struggles! Cool. It also started to be a q&a for things like techniques and tips. I didn't mind talking cake pops with other cake poppers. It was like a relief, like talking teenagers to other moms! Yeah. I'm letting go! and I like it...

Over time I had gotten so many questions, I just decided to show people what I was doing and how I was doing it when I was doing it through my pictures. Then Vine. That lasted just a little until Instagram added video. Thanks Instagram! Some things can be shared on Instagram. But some things cannot be. So YouTube. I was being asked about my Jordan cake pops so much and I really wanted to just put it out there so finally after several months I made my first, YouTube video. Very strange. But I was relieved to have one down. It has actually been a year since my first and I have had a hard time getting them going between a husband working at home, kids home in the summer, doggy interuptions #lilytheresamarievelez. Not to mention, the last year and a half in my family. We have been dealing with so much. So so so much. It has honestly been the worst year and a half of my life. But my God is good. I trust Him to turn this mess into a message. I was finding myself in the last year and half running to create when I didn't even have a reason. Because I was seeing joy in it. An idea, I would just do it. Or write it down for later. You should see the list. I wanna make videos! I wanna blog! I wanna just MAKE! Stuff. I AM starting this blog. But I realized what I was doing. I knew it for a while.

Coping. THIS is why I am doing all this. Every time I wrote down, drew out, shaped cake, melted the chocolate, I was coping. Is this ok? Is this acceptable? Is it fair to escape my life for a little in this way? Well I am not hurting anyone. Just let me cope in my way. You have no idea the highs and lows I am going through. Just let me cope. So when I'm on a roll, I'm just riding my roller coaster...

Thank you creativity. My blog, my YouTube, my Instagram, are some of my outlets. Positive ones. I rely on and trust solely in God, He alone has brought me through and keeps me stable. But I do believe this coping mechanism and outlet has been a gift from Him. So we both benefit. I hope to continue to create and post and I hope you get to learn something you didn't before. This is why I do it. This is why I love to pour out what I know and share it whenever, where ever I can. We both win.

And for you, when you are dealing with your situation and your feelings, go to your creativity. Use it to make something. Make anything. And make someone feel better. You. It works. Let your creativity be your cure, even if it's only for a little. It will keep you sane. And your heart happier.

I hope you like my little Easter parade of goodies I have coming up this week! Have a great spring break :)