Secunda’s Conny Richards shows of her talent
Today she talks of how she had overcome breast cancer seven years ago and had used her talents as a form of therapy.
SECUNDA – Anything from icing, frosting,- and edible decorative elements to delicate flowers, Ms Conny Richardson can do it and she loves sharing her knowledge and skills with others.
Tucked in on one side of the room, is a display cabinet with all edible cake decorations made by herself and some of her students and is a sign of the time, precision, love and effort put into making them.
Ms Richardson is proud to show off her displays and workshop and welcomes anyone to her home should they want to explore their creativity through baking.
Besides putting her creative skills at work, she also teaches cooking classes to little ones from the age of three years and older.
“I equip them with things such as aprons, all they have to do is just pitch up.”
The only thing students need to do, is sticking to the safety first rule, after that, they can have fun while exploring their creativity.”
With Covid-19, cooking classes had come to a complete halt, however, she is looking forward to seeing old and new faces soon filling up her kitchen again.
Every figurine and flower takes a long time to make because of the drying process, but the end product is all that matters.
The effort, patience and thought processes are what wows a person at the end.
“Decorating helps a lot with stress. It is a great form of therapy.
“Cake decorating is something that runs in my family, but it was at a Rand Show many years ago that I saw cake decorating and knew I really wanted to do this.”
Ms Richardson’s husband, Andy, brought her a book but she could not understand much of the terms used.
Many years later she took a course with a friend and has since been sharing her techniques and talents with others she had acquired over the years.
“If you really have a passion for something, do it,” said Ms Richardson.
Born in 1960 at Dennelton Missionary hospital outside Marble Hall, she weighed a mere pound and a half and had to stay for six months in hospital.
Today she talks of how she had overcome breast cancer seven years ago and had used her talents as a form of therapy.
Ms Richardson has recently been diagnosed with Lupus.
“I am not going to let this get me down.”
She enjoys water aerobics as part of keeping fit.
Ms Richardson’s baking talents have seen her making cakes for weddings, birthdays and any celebration occasion.
If you have an idea, she can make it. She also loves it when her clients give her free reign to design.
One would describe her as a child in a candy store when she enters into a shop that has anything to do with baking.
“If I need something and I can’t find it, my husband will try to find it on the internet for me. If he can’t, he will make it.
“I should have shares in Bakers Bin, they know me far too well,” said a laughing Ms Richardson.
If you want to attend one of her classes, you can contact her at 083 798 7856.
