a beautiful cake

2010 Bride's Choice Awards

2010-01-20T19:16:00.000-06:00

Lewisville, TX – 01/20/2010 - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced Tracy's Cakes has been selected to receive the WeddingWire 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards™ for Wedding Cakes!

The annual Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and celebrates excellence in quality and service within the wedding industry, as determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 500,000 newlyweds.

Tracy's Cakes is among the top five percent of all vendors in the WeddingWire community, which includes over 100,000 wedding professionals across the US and Canada. Awards were given to winners across 19 different service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers.

“We are excited to recognize and honor the success of the top wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “The annual Bride’s Choice Awards program has given us the unique opportunity to highlight the best wedding professionals in each region as reviewed by brides and grooms who have utilized their services in the past year.”

We are happy to announce that Tracy's Cakes is among the very best Wedding Cakes within the WeddingWire Network, which includes WeddingWire and Martha Stewart Weddings. We would like to thank our past newlyweds for nominating us for the 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at www.weddingwire.com/tracyscakes

Thank You

2010-01-20T18:51:00.000-06:00

Thank you to all our customers for your business. I would like to encourage you to try Sweet Expressions Bakery. Selina, the owner is wonderful to work with.
I have personally know Selina since 2000 and she is very talented. I have had the honor to have her as an instructor when I started my career, a friend and she even came to the bakery to work and help Jess out when I traveled!
It has been wonderful working with all of you and watching your families grow. I know you will be in wonderful hands with Selina and Sweet Expressions Bakery.

This will be my last post. I will miss you all!
Best Wishes,
Tracy

YEA! Our phone lines are working!!!

2010-01-10T18:36:00.000-06:00

Our phone line has been fixed and is set up as a transfer, so it might take a few extra rings to reach us. Please keep in mind that we are not taking any new orders. We continue to highly recommend Sweet Expressions Bakery for all your "sugar fixes".

If you are a cliet that has already booked, please leave us a messages if you don't reach us. We will contact you asap!
Thanks!!!
Tracy

NO PHONE RIGHT NOW

2010-01-07T14:35:00.000-06:00

ATTENTION CUSTOMERS

If you are trying to reach us at 469-322-4408 you will receive a disconnect message. We transfered our number November 1st. AT&T said it was not a problem. Only now we have no phone. They are unable to transfer our number because of our area is out of their disctrict. You may email me for now, until we can figure out something with AT&T. We will keep our number, it just might take a few weeks to find a location to have it connected.

Thank you for your understanding.
Tracy

2010

2010-01-06T13:02:00.002-06:00

Welcome 2010!!!
I hope everyone enjoyed the Holidays with family and friends. We had a great time in Savannah and an even better time with family in Missiouri. Now it's back to work!
We have some great brides this year!!!
Check back throughout this year to see the last of our designs and edible creations.
As you know - we are not taking any additional orders for 2010. Soooo....if you need to place an order - we HIGHLY recommend Sweet Expressions bakery as the place to go. Selina, the owner is delightful to work with and her work is flawless!
Best wishes this New Year!
Tracy

Lots of Changes

2009-12-15T19:24:00.005-06:00

2009 is whizzing by so fast!

Thanksgiving was so cruel this year! (laughing)
I had lap band surgery the Monday prior Thanksgiving, November 23rd, and was only able to have liquids. So while I sip protein shakes at the table with my family scarfing down cornbread dressing, turkey and gravy and momma's creamy mashed potatoes, I had to listen to them rave about how delicious the food was and what I was missing. Oh, well my body will be Thanking me this summer!

With Christmas just around the corner, I have found myself lost some days with no direction. I am been sewing so much with this extra time on my hands. I've made a ton of aprons in an array of styles. So much has happened in such a short amount of time, with so many changes taking place instantly, I feel sluggish and blah. So today, I am working on new daily goals to keep me busy.

If you have missed me and didn't know, I'll give ya' the highlights! October 31st, I closed our retail store in Old Town Lewisville. I moved my wedding cake business to a co-op kitchen in Fort Worth, a nonstore front location that is budget friendly!

Then my husband accepted a promotion which requires a move! So after much reluctance, I put by bakery up for sale and it sold in 3 days! We closed on November 10th. I was so shocked, I didn't expect it to happen so soon.

So that means as of November 10th, I stoped taking new Bridal contracts for wedding cakes. I will only be making the currnet booked wedding cakes for 2010. All my brides that have already booked, paid their deposit and signed their contracts get me still! I am going out in "sweet" style with some stella upcoming wedding cake designs and all of my brides are adorable! This next year, being my last will be wonderful and in just weeks it will be here!

My last wedding will be September 29th, I know that will come quickly! Every year, time slips by faster than the last. I will miss Texas, all of my clients, friends and family. But I look forward to the new adventor that awaits me. I will be leaving in October 2010. I think I should have a packing party! So all of you can be a part of my journey, hehehe, okay not really, but who wants to pack alone. Can't blame me for trying.

WOW! I need a break. I'm tired, just thinking about it all, again.

So, with all of that I'm in Savannah for vacation and I am going to enjoy the Christmas and New Years with my family for a nice change. I will be returning on January 5, 2010 to gear up for my final year in the Wedding industry. (and I will have a ton of photos to share!)

Then I'm retiring! LOL!!! We are going work on increasing our family size! : ) And taking time to enjoy life...a little traveling sounds good too! (Maybe somewhere sunny, I need to work on my tan).

I will miss the Sugar Life I had, but not the 80 hour work weeks that went with it. SO kick back, put your feet up and enjoy a break from a crazy week. I know I will!

Wish all of you the very Merriest Christmas and Happiest New Year!

Tracy Perkins
Tracy's Cakes

Tracy Perkins behind bars for "GOOD"

2009-10-16T09:20:00.003-05:00

Tracy Perkins
MDA's MOST WANTED CITIZEN!

Hey, I'm making headlines -- click here to watch!

I NEED YOUR HELP!
I'm going behind bars for "GOOD"
PLEASE HELP BAIL ME OUT!

Your donation is my key to freedom! Be proud of the fact that together we're providing help and hope to kids and adults served by MDA in our community.

Thanks for making a difference!

Tracy Perkins
Tracy's Cakes

The 3/50 project

2009-10-01T11:38:00.002-05:00

This is great and I am so thankful for all of the supporters. I found out about the 3/50 project from a friend and local business owner, Amanda of nest, floral studio.

I hope that you will join me in supporting our local business in Lewisville!

2009 Women in Business Conference and Expo

2009-09-29T11:29:00.005-05:00

Special THANK YOU!!! to the Lewisville Area Chamber of Commerce for hosting the first 2009 Denton County Women in Business Conference and Expo. It was a great event. I learned a lot about marketing my business, Getting my Tweets out and the Art of Communication from many great guest speakers. The expo was held at the Lewisville Hilton Garden Inn, one of my favorite places for events. The continental breakfast was delicious! Senator Jane Nelson kicked off the morning by introducing Deborah King, the queen of communication, which covered "Art of Communication". My favorite thing Deborah discussed was introductions and HAND SHAKES. Deborah made us all turn to our neighbor and practice proper handshaking. I LOVED this, as it is a pet peeve of mine; I can't stand when someone doesn't give you a firm handshake. I don't mean breaking bones with the death squeeze, but a nice firm handshake. I shake hands with everyone I meet, men and women and even young adults and after meeting them, the first thing I think about is not what their name was or what they do for a living, but what their handshake was like!
The second presenter was Damian Skinner with "Get Your Twit Together". Damian was funny and kept my attention with great tips and stories...but I had a hand cramp when he was done. And I can't remember what company he even represented. He had no handouts, or prepared material for the event. He left all of his material, so he drew on a wipe off board that was nearly impossible to see from where I sat, which was close to the front, so I feel bad for those that sat on the sides of the stage. Our next presenter was very motivating and I was overwhelmed with information, so I bought Andrew Szabo's "The Marketing Chef" marketing kit. I can't wait to sit and listen to all the great advise he has to share. I have already made of list of friends to share it with, once I'm done. Lunch was served with the last speaker presenting during our meal. Well the best was saved for last! The Keynote speaker was the first lady of real estate, Ebby Halliday! I was in aww listening to her. She said she was 98 years old, and it was hard to believe. She shared a lot of funny stories from the 30's and 40's about getting into the business and her road blocks she faced. Ebby closed the conference with a Thank You song, she sung in dedications to Mary with the Chamber (the one that booked her for the event). It was funny and everyone rose sending Ebby off stage with a standing room applause. It was a very sucessful conference and I am looking forward to another one next year.

LEF Gala

2009-09-08T17:20:00.002-05:00

LEF = Lewisville Education Foundation
Evening for Education
A Culinary Experience

September 12, 2009
Location: Hilton Garden Inn Dallas/Lewisville
Over 22 vendors will be in attendance to serve you delicous dinner and desserts! Come find our table and sample our signature flavors.

There is still time to purchase tickets online.

About LEF
MISSION STATEMENT
Our Mission is to enrich the quality of public education in the thirteen communities served by the Lewisville Independent School District by being a vehicle for securing private funding benefiting LISD teachers and students.

HISTORY
The Lewisville Education Foundation, founded in 1990, is a public, non-profit corporation with 501(c)(3) tax status. It is governed by a 22 member Board of Trustees, who represent a cross-section of the community served by Lewisville Independent School District (LISD), but all voting members are independent of LISD. District administrators serve as ex-officio Board members.

PURPOSE
The Foundation was created to support excellence in education by establishing and distributing supplemental funds for enrichment purposes in designated program areas not otherwise funded by LISD. Funding does not replace or alter use of funds from traditional tax-base sources.

Three Great Weddings

2009-09-07T18:31:00.010-05:00

We had some more amazing brides to work with! Here are a few photos of the cakes we made this past weekend.

Miller Wedding - Royal Affairs Ballroom in Old Town Lewisville

(cake photo taken before florist added fresh flowers)
Stacy was wonderful to work with. She wanted something different and I really enjoyed working with her to create a one of a kind custom hexagonal wedding cake. I am calling it "Vintage Modern", it is three tiers of muliple shades of ivory and brown lines stacked on a fourth tier of dark chocolate swirls with a few pearls randomly placed. I loved making this cake! Thanks Stacy.

German Chocolate cake with Detroit Lions for the grooms cake.

Vazequez Wedding - Addison, TX

Linda brought in a design she liked and then we changed up the tiers, to alternate square and round cakes, with fresh red roses between the tiers. Each tier had dark chocolate ribbon at the bottom and swiss dots, piped.

Linda had a firetruck grooms cake made too.

Allen Wedding - Hurst, TX

Nancy choose a design we had recently done - a three tiered square cake with romantic fresh rose petals and votie candles. Each tier with swiss dots, piped.

Lidster Wedding

2009-08-31T10:32:00.004-05:00

Here are some great photos from Mary, the mother of the bride.

More Open House photos...

2009-08-21T22:44:00.010-05:00

Here are some photos that were taken at the Open House, Friday, August 14th by Brandi Thompson Photography.

I love all the cake art!

Delicious handmade "Back To School" sugar cookies made by Jessica. YUM! These are great personalized with your teachers name, for the first day of school. Start off on your teachers "Sweet" side!

To die for desserts available every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

We were all working really hard making delicious sweet treats for all of our loyal customers and new ones, too!

Open House a Hit

2009-08-17T15:57:00.009-05:00

The Open House was such a great hit - we had over 200 customers between Friday and Saturday. Everyone loved our expansions and the new decor. Not to mention all of the delicious samples. We sold out of our Gluten Free Lemon bars, cheesecakes and brownies. It was a great way for us to connect with new customers and spread the word, while sharing our growth with our loyal oldies. I loved it and really enjoyed talking with everyone. If you didn't get a chance to come to the open house, you can come visit us in Old Town any time, we would love to have you. Here are some photos from the open house...Enjoy!

Designing a custom event cake.

Shelley talking with customers about our delicious cheesecakes and more!

Our exciting new menu wall, with all our cakes, cheesecakes, and new gluten free goodies. Yum!!!

Just a few of the yummy treats we had for our customers to try.

Too hard to pick just one...I'll take one of everything, please!

Our future customers. (What great parents they have, raising them right...on Tracy's Cakes, delicious cupcakes!)

Open House Reminder

2009-08-11T17:39:00.001-05:00

More Bloggers...

2009-08-10T19:44:00.002-05:00

So my husband and Chef (while at home), Ray has jumped on the Blogging Ban wagon, the same one he made fun of me for jumping on...all beacuse he was inspired by a movie, Julie & Julia. I love it! Ray has always really enjoyed writing. When trying to create and find an available blog name - it took some effort. After breaking down my husband for who he is, a writer, chef and bitter human that likes to bitch about everything, because certain people and things make him angry and bitter; so it was only logical, the perfect title..."Bitter, Bored and Bitchin". I nailed it! And it was available - so now you can read all about his daily rants, exciting and creative recipes he makes and whatever else makes him tic. It should be funny and quite entertaining to say the least. So check out Bitter Bored and Bitchin and see what my other half is up to.

Rock Stars

2009-08-09T12:00:00.004-05:00

We had an Rockin' photo shoot at the bakery with Brandi of Brandi Thompson Photography. Brandi shot some fun photos of all the cake girls at Tracy's Cakes. We dressed up and wore some funny wedding ring sun glasses. We were able to let loose and enjoyed goofing off, which we do often. Brandi was great to work with, we really felt like she was just one of the girls we had known for years.

You can check out all of these fun and wonderful photos on Brandi's blog.

If you need a photographer for weddings, senior photos, family photos, or just for fun - be sure to contact Brandi Thompson Photography.

Her tag line "everybody is a rockstar" says it all.
Thanks Brandi for making us all Rock Stars for the day!

National Cheesecake Day - Thursday, July 30th

2009-07-29T22:34:00.002-05:00

Come celebrate National Cheesecake Day at Tracy's Cakes, Thursday, July 30th, from 10am to 4pm. We will have several cheesecake flavors by the slice in additional to mini cheesecake bites, cookies, brownies and our new gluten free cookies and brownies.

Stars and Stripes...Red, White and Blue...July 4th will be here soon

2009-06-12T20:49:00.001-05:00

We are making some delicious cookies to help you celebrate July 4th with your friends and family! Place your order today!

Vote Today

2009-05-11T09:46:00.000-05:00

WFAA-List

2009-05-05T09:35:00.000-05:00

Tracy's Cakes was nominated for the A-List by WFAA. In order for us to win - you must vote for our bakery starting May 11, 2009.

Vote Tracy's Cakes for the A-List!

Thank you for supporting us!
Tracy

Saturday Cakes

2009-04-27T11:49:00.000-05:00

Here are a few pics of this last weeks cakes. We had two weddings, several event cakes and a cake for photoshoot at the new Royal Affairs Ballroom. (Which is so beautiful!)

Race Shirt Design

2009-04-16T12:00:00.000-05:00

Yea!! Our logo for our race shirts has arrived. Jill, designer and owner of Freshly Squeezed Designs has re-created our Tracy's Cakes logo, I loved it so much - she has been designing all sorts of things for us. Recently I told her our bakery "Tracy's Cakes" had a team participating in Relay for Life. I wanted to make really cool shirts for everyone - so Jill created an awesome running logo. Here it is...

Run On! 101 class

2009-04-15T15:22:00.000-05:00

Last night was the first night for the April/May running classes at Run On! Coppell. This will be my second class, I've graduated to 101b. : ) Jess has joined me and will be taking her first class of the season. I am excited to see her blossom, and can't wait to see what a runner she is.
We are still raising money for our Realy for Life team- and are short (a lot) from our goal of $1,000. SO Please donate to a great cause and help us fund the fight against cancer. You can make donations online at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/tracyperkins

Realy for life is May 15th 7pm to 7am. If you would like to join our team or learn more about Relay for Life, please contact me.

IMG00735.jpg

2009-03-28T12:19:00.000-05:00

Today we made the cutest cake truffles for Easter!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

IMG00664.jpg

2009-03-24T21:31:00.000-05:00

Look at that! A fine group of Cake girls (and my hubby) washing up. They are my sanitation queens (and king) even outside the bakery. They make me so proud. I wish others washed there hands as often as we do!
Short, but true story...
Something that disgusted me while eating out recently at a nice (really nice) restaurant. Seeing your waitress walk away from your table, then picking her butt while at the drink station getting your tables drinks and water.
(No thank you lady- you just convinced me to give up liquids at dinner for lent!)
Lol...
Hope everyone has a "clean" week!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Testing out Blogger mobile

2009-03-24T21:16:00.000-05:00

Per blogger I can blog from my blackberry! So let's give it a test and see.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Spring Break

2009-03-21T23:43:00.000-05:00

We took the week off at Tracy's Cakes and had a bit of fun for Spring Break!
I took the cake girls to Glen Rose, Texas to a very exciting (and my favorite) place...Fossil Rim.

We had SO much fun feeding the zebra and all the animals at Fossil Rim. We had lunch at the Cafe on the top of the "mountain" (hehehehe...it a Texas hill) and the girls played in the petting zoo with the goat, before heading back down the other side.

It was a much deserved break and the girls can't wait to go back.

Kimble-Hall Wedding

2009-03-15T22:35:00.000-05:00

This week we had a really awesome wedding! Kara Kimble really wanted to surprise her husband to be, Chris... and I think we were able to help her accomplish this.

Site Updates

2009-03-13T09:01:00.000-05:00

We are every where now!

Facebook - see our Facebook Badge for the link

Twitter - http://twitter.com/tracyscakes

MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/tracyscakesboutiquebakery

Wedding Wire -

The Knot - http://www.theknot.com/vs_DALLAS-FORT_WORTH_CCA.shtml

So PLEASE add us, follow us, be-friend us and review us if you have used us!
We are spreading the word and can't do it with our the support of our fans and loyal customers.

THANK YOU!
The cake girls at Tracy's Cakes

Peter Cotton Tail is visiting Tracy's Cakes

2009-03-12T01:16:00.000-05:00

We just made some Swiss Milk Chocolate rabbits for Easter. We are anxiously awaiting for them to set - yum!!
We are making a few differnt sizes and designs to photograph for our Easter marketing. Then we can eat them......my favorite part.
Will post some photos soon...

Go Green!

2009-03-11T23:57:00.000-05:00

We'll have everyone shaking their shamrocks for these delicious hand decorated sugar cookies!

Green Shamrock cookies available now - while supplies last!

Each cookie is individually wrapped and tied with green satin ribbon, making it the perfect gift to spread some Irish love!

We had such a great time making this delicious cookies and can't wait to share them with you. Stop in or call today to place your order.

Who We Are

2009-02-23T20:53:00.000-06:00

Hey You!
Thanks for checking out our blog.
We're new to the blogging but not to creating delicious cakes!

So let me introduce you to Tracy's Cake and tell you who we are...
I'm, Tracy Perkins the Executive pastry chef at Tracy's Cakes. (Or to the kids I'm the cupcake lady).
After attending culinary school, I moved back to my home town of Lewisville, Texas. I open a boutique cake studio, and since it was just me, named it Tracy's Cakes, which got its start in 2006 in the back of a tea room. After Lewisville residents got taste of my handmade cakes and word spread through out DFW, I received the Star Community reader’s choice award for 1st place as the Best Bakery in Lewisville/Flower Mound.
Well Tracy's Cakes has out grown its name since its start in the back kitchen of a tea room and opened a store front in downtown, Old Town Lewisville on Main Street. In addition I have added four lovely and talented ladies to my team, (A.K.A. "The Cake Girls"). In 2009 I separated our wedding cake business from our special occasion cakes by updating the name to "a beautiful cake" by Tracy's Cakes. It is still the same business - we are just expanding quickly and this helps with our advertising and tracking. We like to know what is working and what isn't - you know - like how did you find us...so we know where to focus our goals, etc...
So we have two web sites now, www.tracyscakes.com our original website which will still contain photos and information about all of our services. And our new recently launched web site www.abeautifulcake.com which features our wedding and grooms cakes and wedding favors, bridal shower and anniversary cakes. We are excited to launch a new designer line of wedding cakes, so check back often to see these new designs which are being added often.

So enough about me - what about my peeps - the "Cake Girls"....

So there's Jessica (Jess) and her official title is "Operations Manager". Her specialty is fondant figures. That and she is my left hand no pun intended, since she is our only left hander in the bakery. Jess works part time now, while she is attending culinary school, at El Centro. Guess what her major is??? You got it - Baking and Pastry. I know - who would have guessed!
Jess does a bit of everything; she can bake, ice, decorate and complete a consultation, all while being my personal assistant. Everybody needs a Jess. On Mondays the bakery is closed & I sometimes wonder how I get through the day without Jess telling what to do next! lol...

Then there is the Assistant Baker - and sister-in-law extraordinaire, Elizabeth (Lizzy). She came to us all the way from BYU in Hawaii. Right - Texas over Hawaii - all I can say is that we are that good!! She is the only skinny baker we trust. She will be attending college in Denton at UNT this summer. Did I mention she is single, very attractive, loves long runs on the beach, surfing or hanging out with friends (on skype). She is the only one I know that was a state champion wrestler in High School and only a few hours from receiving a captain’s license for charter boat fishing, all while remaining girly!

Our Assistant Decorator for now is Jenny; she is looking for a job in her degree field, and works for us two days a week. She is learning a lot about scratch made cakes, fillings and how to ice and decorate with our signature buttercream. We enjoy having Jenny as a part of our team and will miss her when she finds her place in the corporate world.

Lauren is our youngest cake girl and my sister. Lauren is our official Customer Relations rep and handles all our walk-in customers. She is also in training to take over when I retire. lol... (Do you still get to retire when you turn 65? I have a long way to go still....)

That is it- that is my team, my peeps, my girls - "The Cake Girls". So come by and see us and taste our delicious cakes for your self.

See you soon,
Tracy