Angie Lovelace of Thurmond is the owner and cake designer of Angie’s Cake Creations.
Angie Lovelace works with foods teacher Carol Patton at East Wilkes High School.
A sample of a cake by Angie’s Cake Creations.
A sample of a cake by Angie’s Cake Creations.
Angie Lovelace knows cakes.
Lovelace is owner and cake decorator of Angie’s Cake Creations. She’s a stay-at-home mother of four children, which she says in itself is a full-time job.
Lovelace lives in Thurmond and has been married to her high school sweetheart for more than 18 years.
Born in Manhattan, Kansas to Kenneth and Margaret Hitt, Lovelace traveled plenty during her youth because her father was in the Army.
“He was always being re-stationed,” said Lovelace.
In 1982, her father retired from the Army after 22-years of service and he moved the family to Homestead, Fla.
“I remember watching my mom decorate cakes while I was growing up, but never thought I would get into it. She stopped doing it while I was still in elementary school. My father eventually owned his own businesses. After dealing with being told what to do so much in the service, he couldn’t stand to work for anyone else, and he had to be his own boss,” said Lovelace.
While Lovelace was in high school, she learned office management and was even the office manager of her father’s lawn mower repair service, Mobile Mower Service.
In 1992, the family experienced the brunt of Hurricane Andrew. Andrew caused major damage to South Florida, where it made landfall at Category 5 intensity with wind speeds up to 175 mph. Passing directly through Homestead, Fla., the hurricane obliterated entire blocks of houses, in many cases leaving only the concrete foundations. More than 25,000 houses were destroyed, and nearly 100,000 others were severely damaged, records show.
“My family went six weeks with no water, no phones, and no electricity,” Lovelace said. “We learned how to live with nothing.”
Through the tribulations and aftermath from a hurricane, Lovelace graduated from South Dade Senior High School in 1994.
“I did not go on to any college classes. My father was fighting Agent Orange, and I just wanted to spend as much time as I could with him and helping him,” said Lovelace.
A year later, Angie married Scott Lovelace on January 15, 1995 and they moved in with Angie’s parents to help make ends meet.
The move didn’t keep the baby stalk from flying over the Lovelace family. In June of 1995, Angie found out that she was pregnant.
Two weeks later, Scott lost his job and went to work at Mobile Mower Service.
“My Dad taught Scott everything he could teach about lawn mower repair,” said Lovelace.
Kenneth lost his battle to cancer January 2, 1996.
“That was one of the worst days of my life,” stated Lovelace.
In March of 1996, she gave birth to their daughter, Ashley Lovelace.
“Throughout my pregnancy my Dad would always tell me that it was going to be a girl, and I never knew until the day I had her,” she said.
And though Kenneth never got to meet Ashley, Lovelace feels that he touched Ashley’s soul while Angie was pregnant with her.
As years passed, the Lovelaces were struggling to keep the shop running.
“It was a painful decision to shut the shop down,” she said.
In 1998, Scott moved to Greensboro, N.C. and found a job and a place to live.
“My daughter and I followed a few months later. I was also pregnant with our next child. As it got closer to his birth, I got home sick and moved back to Homestead until after I had him and could bring all of our belongings. I had our oldest son, Cody Lovelace in June of 1999, and three weeks later packed a Penske truck up and moved back to Greensboro,” said Lovelace.
In 2000, Lovelace decided that she was going back to work. She worked 2 years during the overnight shift as a stocker at Walmart, then two years as a day shift department manager. Right before her 3rd child was born, Lovelace went on maternity leave from Walmart. Her son, Andy Lovelace, was born on June of 2004.
“I did not go back to work. Once again, I was able to be a stay at home mom,” she said.
“In 2005, my husband got laid off from his job, and we came to visit family in Elkin,” said Lovelace. “Scott went by Price Power Equipment and applied for a job while we were here. They hired him. So, we had 2 weeks to find a home there and move.
“I worked for Walmart in Elkin as an overnight shift stocker for a couple years,” she said.
In 2008, medical reasons caused Lovelace to shift back home and take care of her family. While staying home, she tried direct sales with Avon and Thirty-One. Money was never consistent.
“Our last son, Riley Lovelace, was born in December of 2011. With staying home, I got into watching different TV programs. Our favorite was ‘Cake Boss,’” said Lovelace.
Lovelace kept telling her family how she thought that baking was something she could do and have fun doing it.
“I already loved to bake cakes. For my kids birthdays, I would only buy a store cake for their parties, but on their actual birthday I would bake their cake and we would decorate them together,” she said.
During daughter Ashley’s 15th Birthday, Ashley asked Lovelace to “Surprise Me” with a cake.
Reflecting on past episodes of “Cake Boss,” Lovelace taught herself how to use fondant, and she tried it on the birthday.
“I had so many compliments on that cake. A lot of my family and friends said that if I did that good on my first fondant cake, I should start a business,” revealed and inspired Lovelace.
Lovelace spent the next year experimenting with cake baking and decorating. She kept passing cakes to friends who kept passing cakes to other friends.
In 2012, Lovelace created a Facebook page, which today boasts a healthy and growing 552 Likes.
“Once people started liking the page and I would add photos of cakes, I started getting orders. The orders weren’t a lot, but enough to keep me busy on the weekends,” said Lovelace.
In 2013, Lovelace started getting so busy that she decided to officially launch Angie’s Cake Creations. After paperwork, inspections from health officials, Lovelace says she passed with flying colors.
“The most rewarding part are the smiles on my customer’s faces when I bring them their cake,” said Lovelace. ” I love each and every one of my customers, as I wouldn’t be where I am now without them. And I surely wouldn’t be where I am without my wonderful family who has supported and helped me 110 percent through the whole time.
“Right now, I run this business out of my kitchen, but my goal is that when my youngest child starts school, I would like to open my own bakery in Elkin,” said Lovelace.
With over 100 cakes created, Lovelace is preparing current orders for her to produce 5 or 6 cakes every weekend.
“I want my cakes to stay affordable,” said Lovelace. “I know how hard it is to live paycheck to paycheck. … I’m not doing this to become rich. I’m doing this because I love to decorate cakes.”
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