Faux Cakes, Faux Calories

When i saw Jenni from Jenni B's shoppe, my 1st two thoughts were "Hey she has my name!" and "Aww cherry cupcakes!!" so why wouldn't those two facts give me enough reason to blog about her? The funny part is that i never realized how large of a fan base Jenni has. Martha Stewart herself asked Jenni to come and show her audience how to make faux treats. Isn't that amazing?



I've been crafting for a long, long time! My mom ran a seasonal craft fair when I was young and she would let my sister and I make crafts to sell. We thought it was a good deal because she would buy the supplies and we'd keep the money! I think my grandma really bought all of our items because she'd feel bad if we didn't sell anything. As far as faux food goes, I've been making it for less than a year.



I get my inspiration from lots of things! I try to get new ideas every day. My mom and I love to look at magazines together and get fun ideas. I've been looking at a lot of cookbooks to find pictures of yummy desserts. I also love shopping and going to craft stores so I just keep and open and creative mind when I'm out and about. My mom also comes up with new and fun ideas once in awhile that she'll share with me.



Selling your products can be so intimidating!! I think because you make them you have a personal attachment to them. And when someone says something critical about something you've made, you definitely take it to heart! After I finished making my first batch of faux chocolate truffles and cream tarts, I thought they were the cutest things in the world! I thought they belonged in every store! I thought up a list of some of my favorite local stores and set out to sell my wares. My mom was even nice enough to come with me for encouragement. We were out all day. And we weren't getting any takers! I was turned down time and time again. But guess what? The last store I went to (as it was closing up) had the nicest owner. She loved it all and bought every sample I had with me and I walked away with a $200 order for more! You never know what's going to happen.




My advice for anyone starting out with new products is to just believe in yourself and what you have to offer others. Make it a great product.

Back in October I had some items listed in my Etsy shop. Nothing fancy and photographs that were, well....lacking. But I thought my products were cute, even though I didn't have any buyers. Then I got an email from a producer of The Martha Stewart Show. I was sooo ecstatic! That was the biggest compliment I could ever receive for my product. She requested that I call her. Two months later I was on the set of the Martha Stewart Show, meeting Martha herself, and showing her how to make my products on LIVE National Television. Wow! I now have my own local crafting show and have been requested to teach some educational classes next Fall.

You really do never know where your path will take you. Carpe Diem (Sieze the Day)! That's my favorite saying right now. Take the gifts your God has blessed you with and use them.





Your are more then welcome to contact Jenni via her Etsy side or her personal website, www.jenniboriginals.com. :)