Getting ready for October

I can almost feel fall in the air. What an exciting time of year this is for us Texans. We love the cooler weather, probably even more-so this year after a long, dry, hot summer.

I was reminded last week how important October is for women over 40. The pink ribbons and ads are everywhere. Even the pro football teams are already sporting pink ribbons on their uniforms. We've decided to jump on the bandwagon and support this great cause too!

Please remind the women in your family to make and keep their mammogram appointments. It is a small sacrifice to stay healthy!

Fall just can't get here soon enough

IT IS HOT!! For all of our Texas followers I know you are feeling the heat. Fall is just around the corner. I'm not sure about you guys but Fall is one of my favorite seasons. Autumn colors, weather, and smells just make me smile. I spent a little more time perusing the Fall-themed aisles at Hobby Lobby the other day (I'm sorry but the thought of Christmas is pushing it just a liiiiiiittle too much for me) and got some great ideas for cake pops. Check out an arrangement we threw together last night:

Now my little bat friend in the middle had a twin for a good 45 minutes. I was just pulling his twin out of the fridge to work on his fangs (yes, I am skilled in bakery dentistry now!) when SPLAT--he fell face first onto the floor. Certainly wasn't what I was expecting but I got a good laugh out of it anyway. This twin proved to be the stronger one and he pulled through--fangs and all. What do you guys think?? I'm thinking the bats would be a good centerpiece on a table of cake pops to keep watch over the other treats.

We have a couple of other pops that made the round up. They are in different containers to give you a feel of how versatile they are. The acorns, pumpkins, and chocolate ball arrangement is good for a fall set up while the second arrangement with the sprinkle ball in the middle may be good for a childrens Halloween bash.

Can't wait to be churning out tons of fall cake pops over the next few months. Don't forget we are officially selling our pops SEPTEMBER 1ST !!  We already have 3 orders in the works so if you guys are interested in placing a Fall themed order let us know soon, especially if it's a big one! 

-Christina

Adventures in Cake Pops

We are so excited to launch our cake pop business right here in Cypress, Texas! As a mother and daughter duo we have struggled to come up with a product that we could master together. This spring we stumbled upon a very delicious surprise. Barb and her youngest daughter Cassie were invited to a family friend's Easter celebration and she wanted to bring a hostess gift. After years of baking and cooking Barb wanted to bring something unique, creative, and most importantly -- delicious. A few internet searches for unique dessert ideas introduced her to the world of cake pops.

Several hours later our very first Pretty Pop was created.

Later that evening Christina came to the house to see what Barb and Cassie had been working on and was instantly amazed. Not only were the pops cute and fun, they were also DELICIOUS. The three of us knew immediately that this was it. The business we had been searching for all along - something we loved to do, knew we could share with others, and brought out our creative side. Each one of us could bring something unique to the table. In that moment Pretty Pops was born.

Since then we have had many bumps in the road. The biggest obstacle we faced was that at the time Texas laws prohibited the sale of baked goods from one's own home kitchen. After weeks of research and developing new techniques for perfecting our pops we had hit a wall -- legally, we could not sell them as long as they were made in our kitchen. We looked into renting oven space at local restaurants and tea houses but the costs were too prohibitive. 

While we continued developing and practicing our techniques and making pops for friends and our own parties our signature chocolate dipped pops gained popularity. After a conversation with an old high school friend about home bakery businesses Christina decided to look deeper into current Texas home bakery laws. To her surprise she learned that in the recent legislative session Texas lawmakers had finally approved what is known as the Texas Cottage Food Law after YEARS of rejection. This gave new life to Pretty Pops.

As of September 1, 2011 it will be legal for Texans to run a bakery business out of their homes. We have used the weeks prior to September 1st to stock  up on supplies, attend seminars, and try new baking techniques. We are excited about the change in law which allows us the opportunity to have our own business. We are taking this time to get our name out there to family and friends. Please like us on facebook.com/prettypops for your chance to win a free Pretty Pops gift similar to this arrangement:

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Our goal is to reach 91 fans by Sept 1st in honor of our first official day of business. Please help us spread the word to your family and friends on Facebook and Twitter. We are currently accepting orders for any occasion -- birthdays, back to school, football season, fall festivals, you name it! Pretty Pops is here to help!