Everyone here has such good ideas, I thought I'd ask for some opinions.

Back when I first started saying I wanted to sell my baked goods (and this was before I got into decorating, reall), my husband told me that he'd support me but that I had to use Sweet Cup 'N Cakes as a bakery name. It's something we once thought was really funny, a skit from a website called Homestar Runner. (Spelled differently there, not an actual store, etc etc). Anyway, I thought it was cute because it implied both cupcakes and cake, which is what I wanted. I've always talked about my potential business in terms of that name.

Now that I've gotten into the decorating side more, I'm wondering if it's too cutesy? If you saw that name on a list of potential places to make a cake for you, would you think it sounded like a quality place? Now, mind you, I do love fun cakes and don't want to only do super classy wedding cakes, so fun is fine, but I just don't want it to sound tacky or too childlike.

That name, fyi, is not the name of any bakeries in my area, as far as I can tell and a google search only turns up a Canadian company.

I just want something more fun than "Sabrina's Cakes" or "Cakes by Sabrina." And I want something I can grow with, so if I want to expand someday and offer desserts and other baked goods, I could.

Lastly, if that were my name, do you have any thoughts for a logo? A friend of ours is a graphic designer and will do one for me for free as a favor if I can tell him pretty much exactly what I want, but I have NO idea!

I guess it would depend on how high end you wanted to sound. I like your name & I don't think it will detract from your clients base. Its better then soemthing typical like "A Piece of Cake" or any other "of Cake" versions there are & its not a generic "Cakes by Sabrina". What would make me decide if I saw you name is how your logo looked and the impression your website made.

I Like it i think it is cute and fun and it jumps out.i would def call your place if i saw it listed with blah blah bakery.it unique.as far as a logo i would say try vistaprint.com..you can make your own logo there and you get free stuff i order all my business stuff from there.my business name is Made With Love Cakes and my logo is a stacked cartoon like wedding cake with a heart on top..i found it on vistaprint..best of luck to you

I like it and don't think its too cutesy. I think it will stand out.

As far a logo goes, why not a cupcake on top a piece of cake on top of a cake, on a cake plate stand, topsy turvy style. Does that make any sense?

I saw the name and IMMEDIATELY thought of Homestar Runner... Heh... I think you might get some niche crowd with that name! Too funny! It made my little bros laugh that someone is actually using it! I think it's good...

how's this for an idea?



the font is Aladdin.

clip art is stock art in MS Publisher and Word

I like it!!! It's just cute enough, without sounding childish. Shall we say youthful and fun - perfect for a cake artist!

And Doug --- You are too good! I love the graphics. Just like the name - cute, youthful and fun - Perfect!

That much black is very harsh on the eye. Why not try medium or dark grey instead?

One thing to consider as well is how the size of your logo will "shrink" down onto a business card or stationery. You may need to resize some of the fonts in Doug's example to make sure that when you put it on your printed materials, it's still as readable as you'd like it to be! Good luck from another Sabrina!

I like the name! And I think Doug's logo is cute as well. It's big right now, but once you get it on a piece of paper, in the right proportion, it will be super cute!

for those complaining about my design:

1) it's just a suggestion -- a rough, quick mock-up -- not a final product -- the equivalent of a cake sketch if you will.

2) re the black -- what looks harsh large will look very different small. and gray is NOT always the answer - she may wish to use a theme color instead. the important factors are high enough contrast for readability, cost of reproduction. A more common concern is the use of reverse type: white on black as with the > 'n.

3) note that she said she has a graphic designer friend who will create the actual logo but needed ideas to take to him. That's this, an idea. Ten to one he's got more fonts at his disposal, definitely more time (this thrown together in about 15 minutes) and the ability to custom draw the lettering, as well as churn out multiple sizes and variants designed for different forms of reproduction (example a web graphic is absolutely terrible to use for printed publications -- you two different custom tailored graphics).

---

and there's more than one way to put a logo on stationery or a business card --- it doesn't have to be a little image in the corner somewhere. Another method that can look quite nice is to do the logo as a large watermark (very faint image) that covers the page or card. Again, that's why we have graphic artists.

---

here it is reduced to avatar size. Yes, the font will have to be adjusted as well as the art. It's one of the conundrums of graphic design that what reads well large won't necessarily read well small and vice versa.

Note how neither the cuppy nor the cake read well small either. But then that's the idea of a sketch -- to create a starting point from which to work to achieve the final result.

----

Here's a challenge -- let's see the rest of you draw her up logo suggestions and post them here for her.

I like Doug's comp design! There's a fun creativity in it (and in his brain!). I like seeing images and words intertwined visually.

There was one CC'er on here last year (sorry, can't remember exactly whom) who designed her logo by using the letters of her bakery name as the cake design itself. Hard to explain, but it was really good.

I think it was very kind of Doug to take his time and energy to put together a sample idea to be brought to the graphic designer. He did this graciously, without being asked, and without anything to gain from it - A/K/A from the goodness of his heart.

I did not see anyone else do the same. I'm sure the OP would love to hear everyone's ideas an suggestions, but I find it rude that others would pick apart Doug's idea.

I think the idea is great. If it were for my business would there be some changes I would make? Sure. But offering suggestions is very different than chopping him off at the knees. Sometimes I think people need to proof their posts for how their words will be perceived.

As the saying goes - if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything.

Um..... I don't see anyone complaining. Folks just said what they thought, and no one was rude.

Sheesh, some people need to unclench and not take things so personally.

Doug, it was super nice of you and it is very cute! You are ALWAYS will to help all of us.

I think the name is cute, as well. I like that there is a meaning behind it between you and hubby, too.

Nice job, Doug! How wonderful of you to do that!

I think the name is great! I really like that it is different from the norm. It explains what you are doing well and has a fun touch of whimsy that causes one to remember it. I don't think it is too cutesy or childlike at all.

As for the logo... bingo! I really like what Doug has done.

Great job Doug, I don't think anyone else could come up with something so quickly and you are right, the graphic designer will probably 'tart' it up a bit but it's a great start.

As for the name of the business, it's great - once word gets around about how good you are, the name won't matter anymore, it's your reputation that will take you places!

Good luck with it

Here's a logo that I made. I love to play around with that sort of thing.

Jadeis, I love that logo!

I like the design, Doug, you have an eye and great design. I would suggest changing the black to blue to tone down the boldness, Noew i have a thought, you mentioned that the graphic are from MS publisher and Word....(Nice to find someone else who like to design using word) would it be legal for her to use those art clips, or should she find someone to draw up a cupcake and cake for her. that way she does not have any legal draw backs. I was just thinking as a friend used some art clips from online and now is facing legal charges. The Font is COOL.

monica

Doug - I hope you didn't think that I was complaining about your design! On the contrary, as I said, I thought that it was a great design. I knew that you made it that big to show everyone and that it would obviously be re-sized.

Anyway, you are really awesome! You are always going out of your way to design things for people.

I think you need the spotlight!

I'm sorry if you took my comment the wrong way. I was just asking a question. because of what my friend is currently go through. I didn't want to see anyone go through the same thing. I was also asking because I really like to create logos, poster and use MS, word and lots of clip arts i locate online. I'am really sorry, I really was just asking a simple question. Sorry to offend you.

Well you did a great job. I like for my logos to show my actual cakes. what do you think about having Sweet Cup & Cakes put up an actual photo of one of her cups and cakes, i even would go as far as having her bite into the cupcake and display the filling inside.

Just a thought. : )

Oh goodness, for some reason this didn't notify me of replies!!!

Thank you so much for all your help. Doug and Jadies, thank you for your logos, both very cute and great elements of design to get ideas from!! Also, the suggestion of the topsy turvy with a cupcakes is almost exactly what I came up with as one idea last night while out with my husband! Great ideas, everyone!

I'm so glad to hear that my name is well accepted. Yippeee! Now on to figure out how to come up with the money to get my license and move forward.

I wish Doug would make me a logo My name is Dena' pronounced like Renee with a D instead of an R
I am a newbie but so far everything you posted and I read I liked, my Dog (BABY) is named tatorchip his dad is tatortot.
Doug