The East Tennessee community has raised more than $3,000 for families with  sick children who need services at Knoxville's Ronald McDonald House!  Dollops of donations added up from visitors who satisfied their sweet tooth at the first East Tennessee's Biggest Bake Sale.  Visitors to The Lighthouse found seasonally decorated cakes, sampled several variations of professional pastries, and shared their love of baking in fun demonstrations.


Flour Sack Mama reminded everyone to keep eating our vegetables, even when baking sweet treats.  We baked muffins with pumpkin and Stonyfield Organic yogurt, plus cookies with frozen summer squash.  Thanks to Stonyfield for the FREE yogurt coupons we were able to give away.  

At our table we shared food-related consumer information for the Healthy Families Day of Action.  My oldest daughter turned out to be the best assistant I could ask for.


We met so many small, family business owners, who devoted their time and talents to support a good cause.  We wanted to tell you about a few of them here.

TLC's Next Great Baker contestant Heather Grubb shared a festive cupcake decorating demonstration and spent lots of time chatting with guests.  Grubb balances motherhood with her own baking company called Cake of Knoxville.

Mother-daughter team Chandra and Charisma Taylor shared sweets from MerMers Bakery & Catering, which has been a downtown Knoxville bakery for 14 years.  An old family recipe for pound cake is popular, but so are special event cakes and cookies.  Now a college student studying psychology, Charisma inherited her mother's knack for working with people.

Jo Ellis makes the candy, while her 84-year-old mother, Juanita Cantrell sews aprons and crochets potholders.  Together the Seymour family shares handcrafted creations at RockIsland Treasures.

Olga Martin and daughter Alaina McGhee make more than Greek Girl Cakes for humans.  They're baking the perfect gourmet treats for your dogs, too.

Family support was also the recipe for the popular SprinkleBakes table, where we met the acclaimed Heather Baird.  This confectionery artist wowed us with her homemade salted caramel frosting shots and chocolate balloon bowls.  More in November about our special gift from Heather...