Is There a Better Gift than Cookies?

Well, this year I FINALLY decided to do what other companies do: capitalize off of the Holidays...
(not really - you know Baker Babe is not a capitalist).
In actual fact - I decided to create a product that is the anti-thesis of the typical xmas gift.
I don't know about you - but I feel grossed out by how much waste is created in one single month of the year. Wrapping paper alone is enough to make any environmentalist balk.
So here at New Moon we are offering a gift that leaves no trace. That's right... eat the cookies and compost the container.
Guilt-free on so many levels - and since it's the New Year and all, we need to have as little guilt as possible riding on our coattails.

For those of you who are new to my posts - I will let you in on a little secret: I love creative projects! So these STARS cookies have been fun all-around.
First off - after I got the idea, I asked my baking team (the AMAZING Courtney & Helen duo) to do the R&D on the product. So they got busy baking and testing.
Then the lovely Toni at the order desk was offered a commission on every case she sells.
AND THEN - I decided that we would donate a portion of the profits (10%) to a local neighbourhood charity (the Stop Community Food Centre).

Not to be a total cornball - but this is actually a gift that gives. I think it's so cool that at this point in the game I can do stuff like this with the company, that it's not just about "making money" to get by or pay the rent, but about involving the team, being creative, and giving back to our community.

Did I mention that these are really yummy cookies too?? cute little chocolate and vanilla stars - spelt, dairy-free - you know the drill.
YUM.

Now go get some.

Signed,
Capitalist Extraordinare
xo

The Irony of Freedom

I have worked my b-tt off for years and years. And not just my b-tt; my mind, my heart, my awareness - everything has been working overtime for New Moon Kitchen.

And I always said - "I want to build up the business so I can be an artist". And now here I am - with of course,  always growth to be had, but with the freedom to truly design it the way I want to.

For years I was a technician in my business - baker/bookkeeper/delivery girl/manager/sales rep/quality control/head of marketing. I did all jobs, all the time.  While my friends were in university or travelling, I was building the business, hoping that my investment would one day make sense.  And it has - but here I am, sitting atop an actualized goal and I don't know what the heck to do with myself!!!!

There is a beautiful story in the book called "the book of embraces" (Eduardo Galeano) about a hamster who had been in its cage all its life, and one day the cage was opened, but the hamster stayed in the cage trembling with the "fear of freedom".

I wonder now if the idea of "being free" (and what is that anyway?!) was what drove me all those years to bust a--. There has never been a moment where I wanted to give up on the business, even when I was down to the last drop of energy and something had broken and some baker had quit and I just couldn't do anymore. I knew I was doing it for something special, and I never resented the business.  

It makes sense now - as I look around at the amazing staff that I have, at the awesome products we make every day, the harmony that is inherent to New Moon. It's a beautiful, successful business!! 

So now what??

Now - oh now - I'm still wearing lots of hats - but they are a different kind. In fact, I'm wearing hats I've never worn before; singer, writer, entrepreneur. These hats make me nervous - I don't "know" what to do next. Does anyone have any idea what it's like for a Type A person to "not know"?! 

To be honest - I think the business is offering me some time to figure it out, to maybe even acknowledge what I have achieved, maybe rest this wild mind of mine...

Not sure yet. On the edge of my seat though.... will keep you posted.