A giant tooth. A large car with working headlights. A bowl of macaroni and cheese.
Those are only a few of the cakes East Brainerd resident Heather Kerley has made with great detail and care for people for their special day. Though it may mean making little noodles one by one, she wouldn't have it any other way.
"Every cake is different and it's whatever they want," she said. "I'm so blessed to be able to be a part of it."
Kerley has been baking cakes and cupcakes since 2009 with her homegrown business MaeBella Cakes.
"It started, oddly enough, when my son was turning 1 and I didn't want to shell out the money for a cake for him," she laughed. "So I took a few local classes, made his cake and it just started from there."
She started baking cakes for friends and family and then, by word of mouth, she received an order for a wedding cake.
From there, the years have flown by, marked by specialty cakes for birthdays and weddings and cupcakes for any occasion. Customers come to her with an idea, whether it's a cartoon-themed cupcake tray, a giant guitar or a rustic white wedding cake, and it's her job to create it.
"I am just so lucky to be able to do this job because I can stay home with my kids and still bake and do this for people," Kerley said, adding that she hopes to one day have a storefront for her business. "While my son is in kindergarten and my daughter will be in school soon, I can really get out there more."
Until then, she's happy being a sweet addition to people's celebrations.
"Being a part of someone's special occasion is just so awesome," she said. "I love seeing pictures of their party or wedding and getting the happy phone calls. It just makes my day."