Validating...

I felt the necessity to share my last experience (the Farmer's Market Cupcake Wars) in order to share my newest experience...On March 13th I joined an amazing group of local restaurants for the Taste of Coastal Carolina
http://www.neuseriver.org/events/tasteofcoastalcarolina.html
which is an annual event that benefits the Neuse River Keeper's Foundation. The NRF is a foundation that helps keep the Neuse River clean and functioning...pretty big deal.

The participating restaurants were to bring samples and tastes of what their menu has to offer for the 550 attendees to try (imagine a vast smorgasbord of every type of dish your favorite local restaurants serve). Each attendee was also given a ballot upon entering the event to vote for their favorite restaurants...with categories that included; favorite overall restaurant, best new restaurant, best soup, best appetizer, best dessert, best entree and best a la carte.

After the Farmer's Market "Pride Squashing" cupcake war...the thought of being entered into any type of competition or judging...made my heart beat real fast...
Instead of stressing the judging and voting portion of the evening I chose to concentrate on making 2,000 teeny cupcakes in a variety of flavors...I don't know what was going through my mind thinking that the goal I had set for myself would even be obtainable...but then I realized...I wasn't alone in all of this...

I would like to introduce to you my very good friend, Amy.

The Taste was on a Tuesday and I had to start the cupcake baking process Monday morning...she showed up at my door with a smile on her face and absolutely no fear in her eyes in regards to the challenge that lay ahead...she single handedly cored 1,000 mini cupcakes (the final cupcake count was right at 1,300) and not once did she complain...after 8 hours of grueling back breaking baking ;)...she left for the night and promised me she'd return the next morning...and return she did...I love you, Amy

Up next, April...

Until that fateful day I had handmade each and every card...I printed them off at home, hand cut them, made cupcake stickers and stuck those to each individual card...needless to say...it was a time consuming process (they were adorable, but took forever)...I had nothing to give to potential clients or future customers at the Taste
(I had run out of hand made cards)...April volunteered to make cards for me using the logo that The Courtesy Press (which she co-owns) had created for me months before...she showed up Tuesday afternoon as promised and showed me the finished product...

<------peep that...it's the official logo of The Wild Cupcake

Not only did April create like 250 cards for me...but she walked in my house and began the cleaning process...you can imagine the type of mayhem 1,300 cupcakes generates...I left for the Taste with a sparkling clean kitchen because of April...thank you...for everything.

And then there's Tereza...my amazing sister in law...

She's an RN and she works alot...she rearranged her schedule and her life...just to be present for me during such an event (recap my anxiety in regards to tasting...Bear Harvest Cupcake Wars really bummed me out...poor me)...she showed up in her awesome Honda Element...and we transported 1,300 teeny cupcakes in the back of her vehicle...I mentioned to her that the temperature should remain cool...because I didn't want the cupcakes to melt in transit...ummm...we arrived at the convention center and she gets out of her car...shivering...she kept it cold alright...ice cold...Thanks Tereza...I love you always..."   ".

lizmarieblog.com...as I call her

She is an inspirational DIY genius and I asked her to set my table for me...I believe that you eat with your eyes first...and if you win a potential client over with a first impression...then you've won 1/2 the battle...she came prepared with a a giant bin of table setting goods...burlap, books, lemons, pete moss, doilies...all things synonymous with lizmarieblog.com...I had quite a few compliments on my table setting...and I must admit that it looked phenomenol, but I really can't take credit for anything except the edible treats (and even that's shared credit)...thanks Liz...Pinned...

After our scheduled set up time we went home and got all dolled up...

Here we are after the 48 hour fiasco...no one needs to know that I was sweating like a man or that I hadn't slept in days...everyone looks better with a smile...and a shower...the whole event was kind of a blur...there was alot of talking, people, people talking, eating...lots of eating...and voting...

 <-------This is the final set up...this is the set up Liz created, the cupcakes that Amy and I created, the cards that April made and the bricks that are holding up each of my signs (thanks Tereza)...there it is...an entire team's worth of work...in one picture...I love each of you in different ways...thank you for being there for me when I needed you...thank you for allowing me the opportunity to realize my dream...without y'all...that night would not have been as successful as it was...mad love

P.S. I think it should be known that The Wild Cupcake won 3rd in the overall best new restaurant category and 1st in the desserts category...yes...that feels more than amazing to say...but this victory wouldn't feel nearly as good as it does without my friends to bask in the victory with...take it in girls...I love you all...

Word!!!