Sweetheart Bakes

Most of the people I know find it hard to resist the temptation of sweet sticky confections, but some have the willpower to resist, at least some of the time.  I am one of those people.  Last Wednesday evening I walked into a kitchen in Knockbridge, half knowing my own will power would be challenged and I certainly didn't expect that I'd give in to temptation so easily.  The sweet smell of melted chocolate along with a visual feast of colour assaulted me immediately and I simply gave in.

Launch

Annemarie McNamee was expecting around 50 invitees for the official launch of Sweetheart Bakes and I arrived early to capture some photographs of herself and her fayre before she and they, all disappeared.

"Baking was something I always enjoyed and growing up I loved to bake with my Mum whenever I could so my love of baking came from her". 

Annemarie worked in a pharmacy for almost 10 years before settling down and having twin girls and during that time found that baking has always helped to relax and relieve the tensions of everyday life.  Always willing to try something new, Annemarie bought every new baking book that was printed and read it cover to cover, before trying her hand at the new recipes they contained.

"Family and friends enjoyed my baking and often suggested that I should try and make a living from it.  So with my girls a little older now and at school, I had plenty of time to perfect my own ideas and recipes and I took my first steps at setting up my own business in home baking -  so "SWEETHEARTBAKES" was born!  Having a passion for baking makes it all so enjoyable". 

Specialities

Annemarie specialises in Cupcakes, rich Chocolate Brownies and chunky Rocky Road as well as mini Cup Cakes.  Each of these are all personal favourites.  A fresh batch are baked daily with the finest quality ingredients and are hand crafted every morning to ensure they are beautiful and delicious.

Occasion Confection

Whether it's a birthday or christening, it's always nice to celebrate a special occasion with a cake.  Is there anybody who can resist a cake?  A Chocolate Celebration cake could be the answer ! A rich chocolate cake with frosting surrounded with chocolate cigarellos and topped with fresh raspberries. Maybe a light vanilla cake with frosting with white chocolate cigarellos, perfect for a christening, communion or even a wedding.

Sweetheart Bakes can take care of the sweet treats for any upcoming party or event.  Annemarie also has a selection of cupcake and cake stands that also can hold 'cake pops' (cake dipped in chocolate on a stick) for you to display these sweet treats to your guests, these can be colour co-ordinated to suit your party theme.

Certainly the display of colour and taste that greeted the guests at the Sweetheart Bakes launch during the week was impressive.  As well as the displays, there were sample trays of bite sized treats that didn't last too long.

Contact

If you are interested in contacting Annemarie, she would be delighted to receive a call from you.  Sweetheart Bakes can be contacted by calling 086-2934116 or on her Facebook Page.

More pictures of delicious confectionery from the Sweetheart Bakes range can be found by clicking on any of the photographs above or by clicking here to bring you to the LoCo Happening FlickR stream.

If you would like your business to feature on the 

LoCo Happening blog, kindly contact us by phone 

087 2557754 or email locohappenings@yahoo.com
Remember this is a Free Service - No Catches !!

Caroline Duffy Designs

Introduction

I had the pleasure of visiting the home and workplace of Caroline Duffy of Caroline Duffy Designs.  I asked Caroline what if any motto she lived her life by and her answer was immediate and simple. 
"Love what you do".

She feels that by spending time every day doing what she loves, she will live a long and happy life.  The fact that Caroline works from home allows her to combine the things she loves in life, her family and her work.  To that end Caroline has converted her attic space into a bright and airy office, allowing her to use her time more effectively.

Origins

The passion for art and design started at an early age, sitting at the kitchen table drawing with her Mother and looking at her whipping up beautiful creations on the sewing machine. 

After studying Printed Textiles in N.C.A.D in Dublin, Caroline worked in the fashion industry in New York, London and Australia. While there I designed fabric prints for high end designers like, Louis Vuitton, Raulph Lauren and David Lawrence, Also high streets labels like Monsoon, River Island and Top Shop.

If you have shopped in and are wearing clothes from any of these labels, you could very well be wearing clothes adorned with Caroline's patterns.

Going It Alone

The love of an Irish man brought Caroline back to Irish shores in 2006 and Caroline decided to establish her own customer base.  Caroline Duffy Designs was born.

Caroline says, "I have specialised in textile design for the last 10 years, but ever since designing my own wedding invitations three years ago I have a huge passion for everything ‘Weddingy’. So now after the birth of my son and daughter I am excited to be launching ‘Caroline Duffy Stationery Boutique’. Here I offer chic, contemporary and classic, couture wedding stationery. My aim is to lovingly design stationery that is easy on the purse and envious to the eye. The stationery designs are very trend driven from whats happening in the fashion and interior design world".

Wedding Stationery

Planning the perfect day can be exciting, fun and hectic, so Caroline provides an elegant and contemporary, hassle free service for you. All the stationery comes in various colour-ways and co-ordinating designs, Save the dates, Invites, Mass booklets/Order of Service, Table Plans, Table numbers, Thank you's and more.

Customers can submit their own photographs, pictures of venues, maps or anything else they think of, to Caroline for inclusion on their stationery, making this service as unique and bespoke as is possible.

The Stationery Boutique is also filled with very cute personalised Baby Illustrations and beautiful invites for babies, parties and life.

Wedding stationery has had a tendency to be expensive, especially if sourced from traditional suppliers, but Caroline's range of uniquely designed stationery is very competitively priced and affordable.

Range of Designs

If you would like to view more of Caroline's designs and new range of stationery please click here to view the range on her FlickR gallery.

Contact

Caroline can be contacted 

by phone on 087 9603753

by email: info@carolineduffydesigns.com
on the web: www.carolineduffydesigns.com
or visit her Facebook page

www.facebook.com/carolineduffystationeryboutique

If you would like your business featured here on 
LoCo Happenings, kindly contact 

us on 087 2557754 or you can find us on Facebook

Remember.  This is a Free Service.  No catches

Featherhead Designs

I recently visited the home of Elizabeth Tumilty, founder of Featherhead Designs, a company that specialises in unique feather hair accessories and unusual hats, where each creation is totally unique and handmade from beginning to end.  Featherhead Designs is a complete one-stop shop for all ladies' hair accessories.

Background

Elizabeth Tumilty set up her millinery business outside Ardee, County Louth in 2005. She studied millinery initially at the Janey Lashford school of Millinary in Evesham, England and then took private tuition in London from the most renowned milliner in the business Marie O Regan. Marie has been making hats for HRH the Queen of England for years and has designed for the largest fashion houses in London, Paris (including the House of Dior) and many celebrities. She has taught at the London College of Fashion and the Royal College of Art and Design, London where Irish designer Philip Tracey was one of her students.  

Bespoke Service

Elizabeth has also studied tiara making in England and can design beautiful custom made pieces for your special day. Elizabeth designs, hand makes and hand dyes a wide range of stylish feather hair accessories, fascinators and unusual hats. She will custom make your headdress to suit any colour of outfit for any occasion including weddings, race days, formals and debs balls.

She caters for brides, bridesmaids, flower girls, mother of the bride / bridegroom, guests and debutants. She can also create feather arrangements for bridal bouquets and wedding cakes.

Feather hair accessories and specialised hats are ideal for special events including 'Ladies Day' at the races and the annual Dublin Horse Show. Speak to Elizabeth regarding new and tailored designs to suit your outfit.

Winning Designs

Elizabeths pieces have been worn by many well known celebrities, on catwalks and at Ladies Day competitions at the races.  Her hats have won numerous prizes for her customers at many race meetings including, Bellewstown, Dundalk, Leopardstown, Galway, Dublin Horse Show and Dubai.

Birdcage Headwear

Elizabeth is now specialising in Bird Cage bridal head wear and vintage pieces as well as Swarsky crystal and pearl headpieces and these can be customised to compliment dresses.

Contact

Elizabeth can be contacted for an appointment by telephone on 086 - 841 2851 

or by email at elizabeth@featherheaddesigns.com

For more information you may visit www.featherheaddesigns.com 

Click here to view more photographs of Elizabeths work on 

the LoCo Happenings FlickR photopage.

If you would like your business featured here on LoCo Happenings, kindly contact 

us on 087 2557754 or you can find us on Facebook

Remember.  This is a Free Service.  No catches

Chapel Cross Cakes

Location

Based in Dromiskin and specialising in handcrafted and bespoke Wedding, Celebration and Novelty Cakes.  Martina Morrow has been involved in Sugarcraft for several years now, starting off as a hobby before training professionally at Belfast Metropolitan College and finally establishing Chapel Cross Cakes.

Personal Service 

Offering a personal professional service, all her cakes are baked to order and are available in a variety of flavours.  Using her own special recipes and taking great care to ensure each cake is fresh, mouth-watering and delicious, they are both visually striking and taste as good as they look!  

Large Range

The range of flavours and fillings is impressive so there is something for everyone, something different to tempt, tantalize and excite your guests.  A cake makes every occasion special and Chapel Cross Cakes is delighted to be able to help make your occasions memorable and fun! As Martina makes all her Cake Decorations by hand, from delicate Flowers to Novelty Character Toppers, she can deliver a service to match the theme of your celebration.    Whether it is a Engagement, Wedding, Civil Partnership, Anniversary, Birthday, Christening, Hen Party, Corporate Event or Seasonal Holiday, indulge yourself with one of their amazing cakes.

New Trends

As cake trends change each year, Martin likes to keep up with the new styles and flavours, such as Red Velvet Cake and “Wonky Cakes” with their colourful decoration.   Ever popular though is the speciality Belgian Chocolate Biscuit Cake or signature Lemon Cake with home-made Lemon Curd Filling and of course a traditional Rum Soaked Fruit Cake, amongst others.   Cupcake Cakes are also still very much on trend and again Martina can provide a variety of delicious flavours ranging from traditional Vanilla, exotic Coconut & Lime, right through to Belgian Chocolate. 

Novelty Cake Toppers

Novelty Caricature Toppers are also a very popular way to personalize your cake, whether that is The Bride and Groom or the Birthday Boy or Girl all decked out for their favourite passtime.   A Novelty Cake can be a tasty talking point as a centrepiece for your celebration.

Chapel Cross Cakes professional Wedding Cake service runs from an initial consultation right through to personal delivery and set up at your venue.

Contact

Martina can be contacted by phone at 086 6005306 at www.chapelcrosscakes.ie or on Facebook “Chapel Cross Cakes”.

  If you would like your business to appear here just drop us an email at locohappenings@yahoo.com 
or call us at 087-2557754