Interview #17: Ana Remígio

My name is Ana Remígio and my home is in the Algarve- Portugal. I’m the second of three kids raised by a wonderful mum from whom I have acquired so many passions…one of those was my passion for everything that is sweet. It was only after finished University, getting married and having children that I had my first contact with cake decorating, three years ago. I don´t have any formal training in cake decorating (not even a workshop) I am only a self taught cake designer wannabe.

Ana’s: CakesDecor Profile | Website | Facebook Page

Interview

How did you first get started with cake decorating?
I should say, that I have tried the several strands of sweets, and from all of them, one has absolutely conquered me… The Conventual Sweets. I am a staunch advocate of this art, which in my humble opinion has a unique richness. In this context, it didn´t take much more to come up with the cupcakes…what began with a mere curiosity, somehow became a passion/obsession with creating small works of art and at the same time little bites of delight…
From cupcakes to cake design was a natural step, maybe because, for me, cake design is above all a form of art. I love to study, create, choose forms and colours, apply materials and techniques that allows me, most of the times, bold and amazing results.
From the first cake that I decorated 3 years ago to date, I have been able to express myself through my creations and by that way obtaining great joy and pleasure. I love Cake Decorating!

What has been your greatest challenge?
I love challenges…lol That’s why I’m in Cake Decorating… but I would have to say that my greatest challenge is to overcome my limitations by always trying to do better and better. In each and every new project I try to raise the bar to a new level…I do have a huge tendency to be a perfectionist and that sometimes doesn’t help much but have to admit that contributes a lot for the final result. And my hubby says: “You have the patience of a saint…”

What is the most rewarding part of cake decorating?
Completely became cake decorating addict I would say without a doubt that there’s nothing more rewarding than faces of joy, specially the ones of children, when they see their cakes.

Could you give some tips to people who have just started decorating cakes or would love to start?
As I said, I’m not qualified cake decorator, I’m a self taught cake decorator…but the best tip that I can give you is: Challenge yourself!! Never say that you can’t do it. You have to try…cake decorating is above all a form of art…and art is not a straight line…you will amaze yourself.

How did you find CakesDecor.com and what is it that keeps you coming back?
Honestly I’m not sure…but I think it was when looking at some cakes on Google. In the beginning I though that it was a website that you need pay to have access to. So I entered, I saw that you needed to fill the information and load the photos and I said to myself…not now…I’ll do it later…and I only came back more than 3 months later…lol
My very first cake submited to CakesDecor, was my Classic Piano…and it went to the Top3 in no time!! That was the beginning of a true Love Story!! lol
From that day forward I moved to CakesDecor…this is my second home!!
Love to see all the new creations…and old…it doesn’t matter. Just love to see everybody evolution, and love to feel the support and encouraging atmosphere. Love to share my work with all of you and mostly I love to find new decorators to support and encourage just as I was.
CakesDecor is part of me it’s not just a website, it’s a place where you can find great cake decorators but also a place with wonderful land lovely people…friends!!

Do you have any rituals or habits while you’re working on cakes?
HO!!! YES!!!lol
First and last of all: “I’ll have to clean the kitchen before I make it dirty(I don’t know if that’s the right word)”. Everything has to be in place and all the space clean. After baking…clean again…lol

Do you Bake…Do you like to bake?
Yes, I do like to bake. I have to say that it’s not my favorite part of the process…but I do like to try new recipes and I still love to “lick the pots” as a little child, it always takes me back in time…when my mum baked.

Which one of your cakes is your favorite?
That’s a hard one!!! They are all so special…for different reasons. But my favorite would have to be, for sentimental and emotional reasons my tribute to my Mum: “MÃE”. It was a cake that when I started I didn’t had a project and didn’t know what I was going to do. i just followed her love for beautiful things. And the result was truly Beautiful, for me.

But I’ll have to say that “MY WORLD…MY REEF” has a special place in my heart…not just because I wanted to do it for some time but because I’m in love with the final result.

What’s been the biggest surprise in all of this for you?
The biggest surprise in all of this is the reach & recognition achieved by my creations. I would never imagined that one day there would be people from all over the world interested in my creations, in my activity or for that matter that I would be asked to do this interview…
I love to bake & decorate cakes, it’s something natural and instinctive that I do with all my heart and soul.
Like Calli once said: “…it has been the most fulfilling, satisfying joyful and creative thing I have ever done”.

Thank you Michal once again for all the joy and happiness that you and CakesDecor have been given me. THANK YOU!!

Thank you so much for your time Ana and for the support you are giving to all our members!

Some of Ana’s Cakes

“See all cakes here>”:http://cakesdecor.com/AnaRemigio/cakes