Thursday, January 13, 2011

Reality TV Star Interview & Fantastic Giveaway!

Reality TV Star Interview ~ 
Fantastic Giveaway ~ The Twinery



I am so excited to share this post with you today!  Being this blog mostly about scrumptious baking, I think it is very appropriate to bring you my first one-on-one interview with Reality TV Star & Baker/Pastry Chef Corina Elgart owner of Cakes by Taste  from the TLC show Next Great Baker with the one and only Buddy Valestro The Cake Boss ! Along with a very gracious giveaway from The Twinery!

 The Twine Lover's Pack
The bakers twine from The Twinery is so fun & & colorful and can be used in so many ways, maybe you will win & you can use it to share what you bake with the scrumptious recipe that Corina shares with us here today!  This giveaway is for Twiner’s Love Pack!  You will receive 8 full spools in 8 different fun and bright colors worth $98 (more details at the end of the post)
image courtesy of The Purple Pug


If you have been watching the The Next Great Baker you know that Corina isn’t shy & is very passionate!  I have my favorites of the show one being Corina, I give her all the credit in the world for following a dream by doing this show and having the strength to leave her family to do what a girl needs to do……Bake with the boss the Cake Boss!

Let read what she has to say….

Filming has been over for some time what has been your main focus in the last few months?
Keeping my head above water, lol.  It’s been such a whirlwind.  As soon as I returned from filming I had cake orders to fill that were booked prior to me leaving…that was my priority, after all, I had just opened a month prior to filming.  I needed to focus on building my business.  Fortunately we were not able to speak to much about  the show when we returned so it made it easy for me to keep the priority on the business.
What was your biggest challenge personally in the weeks of taping? 
The biggest challenge was being away from my husband and children.   Keith (my husband) is such a support system and he’s an incredible sounding board.  I missed hearing his voice-he is usually the voice of reason for me.  My children are my little meatballs…I missed their voices and faces terribly.
What did you "take away" from the whole over-all experience of The Next Great Baker? 
What DIDN’T I take away from this….I wouldn’t even know where to begin.  I took away amazing friendships and colleagues; I took away priceless tricks of the trade, and most of all I took away the best experience I could have asked for.

Do you have any regrets from the show after watching it? 
It’s funny, initially I would say yes, my fight with joe, etc…but in reality, if I drive myself crazy with regret and shoulda-woulda-coulda’s I will lose sight of the experience I HAD.  I can’t change anything that happened, I cannot change the way the show was edited.  All I can do is move forward, continue to have people get to know me and what I do and enjoy my life and job.

How has Next Great Baker helped you personally or from a business standpoint? 
I helped me learn humility and acceptance.  After seeing what people say and post and seeing yourself on national television you need to pull back a little and take it all in, the good and the bad and just learn to accept it for what it is.  From a business standpoint I was able to use the platform to be featured in newspapers, Newsday, The New York Times (Sunday edition) and many local papers.  This was terrific because it brought attention to my shop.  Also, being on television I receive many calls for people who are booking cakes over the phone because of the show.  It’s truly been a blessing.

Would you do a reality TV show again? 
I’m sure I would!   However,  It would depend of course…would Joe be there?!   I’m KIDDING….had to throw that in there!
What is your favorite sweet that you create.....would you share the recipe with us? 
I have many favorites…it’s hard to choose….my pumpkin recipe is up there. If I could sell this all year round I would..it’s scrumptious and also makes great cupcakes with a cinnamon buttercream.

Corina's Pumpkin Cake Recipe
Preheat to 375
15 oz canned pure pumpkin
1C  oil
4 eggs
2t Baking soda
1 ½ salt
3 ½ c Flour
3c sugar
1t of allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg
½ t mace
2/3 cold water
Add ingredients to mixer in order…bake @ 375 for 35 minutes then lower temp to 350 for 15 additional minutes

I love a good pumpkin recipe for sure....it is one of my favorite things to bake in the fall especially to give as gifts to people!  Thank you so much Corina for sharing more about you and your recipe!!  We are all pulling for you, especially Nicole from The Twinery!  She was so excited when I asked her to be apart of this because Corina is her fav to win the show!  Would you like to win the giveaway?!

Here is what you need to do~

1) Like our fan pages on Facebook ! Leave a comment on each of  their pages that you are visiting from Scrumptious Swirls!  Leave a comment on my page that you visited and liked our pages!


2) Stop by The Twinery blog, come back let us know here on this post how you will use all of your new twine! 

Winner will be chosen on Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 9pm EST. Any entries received after this time will not be considered. Open to US residents only. Winner will be chosen using random.org.


Good luck!  Good luck Corina in the upcoming weeks of Next Great Baker!!  

54 comments:

  1. I visited all three and "liked" the FB pages. I love the twine. I would like to use it to wrap gifts in brown paper packages, like the song in Sound of Music.
    :D

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  2. i would use the twine for my business card 'hang tags' in my shop!

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  3. I visited all three pages. I love The Twinery! I would use the twine on cards and other crafty projects.

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  4. Was already a fan of twinery, but added other two. Love using the twine on cards and home deco.

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  5. I too am already a Twinery FB peeps but now with all 3 of you now! I'm am seriously addicted to baker's twine, I'm working on several parties and love using it for party decor!

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  6. Really love their twine. I am a papercrafter so i would use it for my scrapbooking, card making and altered projects. Also would come in handy for gift wrapping

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  7. I would use this twine in so many ways! I love to scrapbook, so that's a no-brainer for me. But recently I've also gotten into baking, so I would use it when I give my treats away... presentation is everything!!

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  8. visited and liked all 3 ...love the twine !!!
    priscillas2000@aol.com

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  9. If I had the opportunity to win, I would be using the twine for a variety of projects including cards, scrapbooking, and packaging up all sorts of goodies (baked goods, soaps, candles, etc.) for sale and for donations to shelters, retirement homes, and other places that would love to receive homemade/handmade gifts. Thank you for the chance of winning :)

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  10. I'd use all those twine for my card making, scrabooking, gift-wrapping, etc. There's so many use for the twine. Thank you for such generous giveaway.

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  11. OH MY GOSH I just about fell off my chair when I saw your blog post today! I LOVE Next Great Baker and am seriously addicted!! It is the ONLY show I look forward to and hate when each episode is over. I am of course already a fan of all three places! Love the Twinery and have some of their product and of course can ALWAYS use more!!
    Thanks for such a fun and out of the blue post! You made my day!! Now pick me to win!!! LOL

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  12. I have explored and liked all 3 pages. If I won the twine it would come in handy for my sister's upcoming wedding. I could see so many uses for it from the flowers to the cupcake boxes. Thanks for the chance to win!

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  13. i would use my twine on cardmaking, scrapbook pages, tying tags to gifts, wrapping up cute litle boxes.

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  14. oh gosh! this show is amazing! i think i am intrigued by it b/c i am a terrible, terrible baker, LOL. loooove the twinery, their twine is gorgeous. I would def use it on crafty projects

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  15. I like all 3 on Facebook :) What a great giveaway!!
    ARFuller@cfl.rr.com

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  16. I would use the twine for som many things, baking, cooking, scrapbooking, wrapping..I could go on and on. LOL

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  17. HMMMM I can't pick one reason to use the twine... I want it for LOADS of crafts.... card making, invites and cupcake topper add ons.... I could keep on going.

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  18. Cards, cards, and more cards =). I'm a new follower / fan.

    stacy at mycraftingtime dot com
    www.mycraftingtime.com

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  19. i would love to use the twine to wrap all my baked goodies that i'm constantly giving as gifts... with this huge collection, i won't have to be stingy with my twine! Ü
    kristinmik at gmail

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  20. Loving up all three pages and LOVING up Scrumptious Swirls blog!!! I would use The Twinery for many craft like, knitting, hand sewing... and of course baking packaging!

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  21. So glad I found your blog.. Love it!
    Facebook fan of Twinery!

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  22. I would use this beautiful twine in some new package wrapping for my orders! :)

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  23. I like all 3 fan pages. A few months ago I bought a spool of the hot pink twine from The Twinery and I love it. I have so many things I am working on in my brain and in my little craft space that I am dying to do with all these other colors. Some are still in the "how can I make this work" stages. Some of the things I already have planned are for gifts, cards and decorations for the upcoming holidays. I also have a plan to use some for my son's first birthday.

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  24. Love The Twinery for all my crafts! I use it in cardmaking. Great colors!
    DeniseB

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  25. oooh!! Liked all three and I've already purchased from the twinery; used in some special Christmas cards I sent to the dearest of friends. Would love to win....but with all the fun things I've already done with it, I'm already winning with fun!!

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  26. I'll use my twine for our wedding invitations and for our cupcakes we're using in the wedding!

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  27. I like all three already but if I won the wonderful twine, I would use the twine on all the cards I make this year and would blog all the different ways that I use it.

    Thanks for the chance to win!

    Holly

    hollyshobbie at gmail dot com

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  28. I liked/commented on everyone's pages. I plan on using it as part of the packaging on the items in my shop and also to help showcase the paper goods/party items I sell!

    Anitria @ Green With Envy Studios

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  29. If there was a LOVE button on all three pages, I would have clicked on that. But I did click the Like button for all three, and am so happy I did! If I won that delicious twine, I'd use in my card making. Thanks for the chance!!

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  30. I will use my twine for my Valentine's Day my kids upcoming birthday parties, and end of the yr teacher gifts! :)

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  31. I am the newest fan of all the pages! With that much twine, what wouldn't I do?! I'd love to use it for wrapping and creating new gifts!

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  32. i am a facebook fan of all three!!
    *kelly
    kelly-tillotson@hotmail.com

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  33. i am a mommy, crafter, treat-maker and party-thrower! I will excitedly use that SCRUMPTIOUS twine in all of my activities!!!
    thank you!!!
    *kelly
    kelly-tillotson@hotmail.com

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  34. Thank you for the opportunity! I LOVE your twine! I would use it for all of my client packaging and more! I left comments on all fb pages. :)

    Tracy
    tracy@simplystateddesigns.com

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  35. Love this twine! I design custom invitations and paper goods and would incorporate the twine into my designs. (I already have the green and white twine earmarked for a St. Paddy's Day themed invite I'm working on!) Thanks for the great giveaway opportunity!

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  36. Congratulations on so many levels here! I am a member of The Twinery's Design Team, so I am not eligible to win, but I will certainly spread the word!

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  37. I "liked" all three! Was already a Twinery fan and glad to find you. Thanks for the giveaway!
    Thanks, Crystal McConnell

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  38. I have visited the the Twinery page and love every color. The new colors are so awesome. I would use the twine prize so many ways. To wrap items, in scrapbooking, in card making and in my paintings. LOVE it. Thanks for the awesome giveaway! Crystal McConnell

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  39. I already use the twine and LOVE it! I use it mostly for cardmaking. Thanks for the giveaway!

    Karen Lee

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  40. My husband and I own Have It Sweet LLC and we make handmade, artisan confections. We would be using your awesome twine on our caramel and nougat bars and our marshmallows. I can just see how cute they'd be now.

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  41. forgot to add that I liked all 3 pages.....thanks!

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  42. I have liked all the pages :) I use my twine for making little banners, wrapping presents and decorating cards, thanks for the chance to win!

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  43. Liked and commented each of the fan pages.
    I'm designing a hair bow with the twine.

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  44. I visited all three and liked each of them :-)

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  45. I would use the twine for all my Valentine lollipops and baked cookies.... the decorate the package .... I love all the colors the twine comes in!

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  46. I have visited all the pages and left comments too! I would love to be the lucky stamper to when this sweet giveaway. I would this fun and colorful twine for cards, altered items, gifts, tags, and maybe even add some to my scissors. Thanks so much for a chance.

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  47. I would use the twine on all of my Scrapbook pages!! I love the vibrant colors and with a stash like this I could go crazy with twine!!

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  48. I love this twine! I would use it for some Valentine tags to hang on treat bags! Got Valentine's Day on my mind!

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  49. The giveaway is now closed we will be announcing the winner shortly! Thank you!

    Stacy~ Scrumptious Swirls!

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