[Stephanie] I started baking for my work colleagues, friends and family. From there, it was a combination of positive feedback on my baked goods, and knowing that there were no other cupcakeries in Mississauga– this pushed me to start my business.

[M] I’ve heard that by day, you’re a teacher. Does this ever interfere with your alter ego?

[S] I think my alter ego and I are at a crossroad. I need to decide whether I want to be a teacher, or whether I want to pursue baking full time. This decision isn’t easy because the journey to becoming a teacher was long and tedious, and it’s always tough leaving a sure career for something more risky. At the same time, being a full-time teacher doesn’t allow me to fully dive into the baking business.

[M] How do you juggle the two?

[S] Outside of working, making cupcakes and spending time with my boyfriend, I don’t really do much else. It was a lot tougher at first, but I love it so much that I’ve managed to find time for it. I love it so much, that its quite easy for me to blog and keep up with the business.

[M] What is your favorite flavor?

[S] Do I have to pick one? In the summer my favorite flavor is angel food cake with strawberry frosting. Its one of those desserts that when you take a bite, and everything just melts in your mouth. In the winter, I love the peanut butter colossal brownie, with peanut butter chips and peanut butter ice cream.

[M] How did you come up with the name of your shop?

[S] I was flipping through the dictionary, and I came across ‘sundry’, which is an old English word that describes a variety or an assortment of things… sort of like the fixings. I thought it would best describe what I wanted to get across—cupcakes and everything else.

[M] What’s next for Cupcakes and Sundry?

[S] The focus right now is to get my name out there, and expanding my business ventures. I just teamed up with a PR company, and I’m designing custom logo cookies for companies and events. Hopefully this will expand to something more. I also started Goodie’s Gourmet Soaps– a handmade soap company that makes dessert looking soaps.

To find out more about Cupcakes and Sundry, visit her website at: http://www.cupcakesandsundry.com … and check Goodie’s Gourmet Soaps here: http://www.goodiesgourmetsoaps.com/ … and check out Stephanie’s Flickr photo stream; you can find her amazing photos, including the ones posted here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cupcakesandsundry/