Little Preacher

John Merritt, our 4 year old, sits in service with me 3 times a week. I think he's been listening quite a bit.
Samuel, our 1 year old, sits with me in service 2 times a week. He's more interested in crackers at this point, but he does shout "Amen" anytime we finish praying.
This is a lengthy video, but well worth the watch. If your video is choppy, pause it and let it load, then watch it without interruption. If someone can tell me how to keep it from doing that, please do!

Peace Sign Cake and Cookie Favors

Here's a cute cake I did this weekend for a 12th birthday party. Again I was able combine cake and cookies! Love, love, love doing that. I think it is so cute. I just now realized that the #1 is taller than the #2. The perfectionist in me is screaming! I SO would have stayed up all night making another #1 cookie.
I made these cute little cookies on a stick for party favors. Thanks again Meredith! I really enjoyed working on this one. You are such a sweet person, I was glad to FINALLY be able to make a cake for one of your kids!

Thanksgiving Cookies

This year, I only had time for a 1 Thanksgiving order due to our traveling out of town. I would have loved to have been able to do more (especially for a sweet person named Katy) but I guess they'll have to wait until next year. But with the way these turned out, I can't wait to start creating cookies for the Christmas season! The only cookie cutter I had for these was the flower. The others were hand cut from clip art I found on the internet. These were ordered by a nice young lady to be auctioned off to help a family in need. Thanks again Craig!



I baked all of the cookies on sticks and made a cookie arrangement. Won't these look cute on someone's table?

Stay tuned for Christmas cookies in a week or two!

Monster Truck Cake

For some reason, this is one of my favorite cakes I've made. I don't know why. Maybe it's the mud, or maybe it's because I used twix to build up little walls for the trucks to drive over. Or maybe it's because I was able to combine my decorated cookies with a yummy cake. I just really like it. PLUS, it's one of the few decorated cakes I've been able to do with chocolate icing. YUM! I like doing free formed carved cakes where you get to hack into the nice round cake and build with other pieces of cake. It's really fun, except for the mess it makes! So anytime you need a mountain or a mud pit or anything of that nature, give me a call and I'll squeeze you into my schedule!
:)
Meredith

Shark Cookies, Cupcakes and a Big Bake Sale

It's been a busy week at the Sweet Manna Bakeshop! Our church had a HUGE bake sale this past weekend at a bluegrass festival. We were able to raise $450 that will go to our Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Thanks again Lorraine Jordan and Carolina Road for letting us set up. We sold massive amounts of coffee and goodies!
Here's a picture of our tables.

Thanks to Kevin, Paula and Burke who helped us man the table on Saturday morning. Kevin can sure make a good cup of coffee!


Donna, Paula and myself cut up while Kevin made coffee.
One of the reasons I love having a table at the festival is that we get to hear all the "jamming" that goes on. And I even get to sneak away from the table to play a few songs. See me with the guitar?
AND I get to talk with some great people. I really enjoyed talking with Christy Reid. Here I am with Lou and Christy Reid of Lou Reid and Carolina.
It was a great weekend and we hope to be back next year!
I did manage to squeeze in a few outside orders this week. Here's a monogram cake for a birthday party. Thanks Julie!
And these are chocolate caramel crunch cupcakes for another birthday party. Don't they look fancy! Thanks Brandy!
These shark cookies were for a cute little boy's birthday party at his school. Thanks Jodi!
Whew! what a week. No wonder my house looks like a tornado blew through!

Cookie Giveaway Winners Announced!

Yes, it's not a typo. I waited anxiously until midnight to hold my little drawing. The first name I pulled out of my bucket was KATY!!! Congrats Katy. But then I started feeling sad for all of you who didn't win. I would love to send each and every one of you cookies, but I just can't. I did decided, however, to draw a second name out of my bucket. And the 2nd place winner is Kandis!! Woo Hoo. Here is what Katy and Kandis had to share about their favorite kind of cookie.
Katy said
My Grandmama's shortbread cookies! Our family is Scottish, and these were the real deal. The only time she made them was at Christmas, and each family got a tin. They were rationed at our house, even getting down to splitting cookies and licking our fingers to get every last crumb. My cousin sent me Grandmama's prized recipe after she died. I haven't had the heart to make them, fearing it was the heart that she put into them that made them so special! Maybe I'll give it a go this Christmas!
Did it make you catch a tear? So sweet.
and Kandis said
Oh, Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, Sugar, Molasses Chew, Shortbread, White Chocolate and Macadamia, White Chocolate and Cherry, Triple Chocolate, M&M, Peanut Butter with Hershey Kisses pressed in the middle, Ginger Snap, Lemon, Oatmeal Raisin, Chocolate Mint...just to name a few. I got my sweet tooth from my Daddy's side of the family, it's not secret. But I guess my sweetest memory of making cookies is with Judy King, which ultimately makes my favorite cookie the Snickerdoodle, since that is what we made. Anyone who knew Judy will agree, to spend time with her was always special. She made everything extraordinary and beautiful. It was her gift. I don't know why I had the privilege of getting her all to myself this particular day, but I did! And we went to her house and made Snickerdoodle cookies to take to church for a fellowship function later that evening (back when we used to fellowship in the basement!) I got to measure and pour and mix, and then lick the beaters! She was so encouraging and uplifting, and she always made me feel like I did a great job, as if no other 7 year old in the whole world could ever do it better! That night, as each person placed a Snickerdoodle on their plate, I prowled the room, watching everyone eat my cookies and I remember feeling so important and grown, and, well, part of something. I guess that's when I fell in love with cookies and making them for other people. Judy had a way of making impressions like that.
Life can be hard, full of complications and disappointments. But cookies are such a simple joy--for one moment there is nothing but you, the sweet taste of sugar and butter, and the beautiful gift of taste God gave us. That's why I always give cookies (or other decadent treats)to anyone who needs a little lift. A prayer and a cookie is good for the soul!

Kandis is a sweet young lady that grew up in the church my husband now pastors. Judy King, who she mentions in her comment was a dear member who passed away last summer. I only knew her for a short time, but she was a very special person and could put Martha to shame in the kitchen!
Such neat stories, Katy and Kandis, and all the ladies that entered. I think I'll be doing this again soon!
Meredith