About

The Blog

Hi, my name is Ashley Hill. I started Cupcake Jane while I was taking a Web Design Class in April 2010. I had been going to bakeries on the weekends and taking photos of some of the goodies I got. I did this for two reasons: 1. just because I love eating dessert and 2. I thought I might as well take photos of these pretty things and beef up my portfolio. I was working on a website for my photography in the web class and hadn’t really focused on taking any photos since I had graduated. In doing this, it rekindled my love for photography and I decided to combine my two passions on a blog – food and photography. I will be sharing recipes and reviews of local restaurants, bakeries, and food in general. Some photos are well thought out and some are quick snapshots. If you would like to see more of my photography, please visit www.ashleyrowell.com. Please ask me first, if you would like to use a photo.

Feel free to contact me at ashleyhill353 [at] gmail [dot] com

About Me

I was born and raised in a small town in North Carolina. My family had a vegetable garden when I was growing up and we ate the traditional southern fare. My Mom said I always wanted biscuits for dinner. However, I thought my Gramma made the best buttermilk biscuits. They were warm, soft, stuffed with butter and would melt in your mouth! My Mom also said I could tell when something was done in the oven. She said I would come running from wherever I was in the house and say “Momma, it’s done. I can smell it!” My Mom said if she left what was in the oven cooking any longer after I said that, it would burn.

My First Post explains more on my love of food and growing up.

Soon, things became more about convenience and we didn’t have the garden anymore. My Mom had stayed home with me until I was five and in kindergarten. At this point she was working full-time. She still cooked most every night, but I also remember eating a lot of junk food growing up. Cookies, ice cream, candy, chips, you name it.

Fast forward to college – I did gain the dreaded freshman 15 or 20. I was drinking soda everyday and still eating like I was before, thinking it would never catch up with me. I remember, me and my friends would go to the gym on campus at 9 or 10pm and go directly to the Pizza Hut to eat bread sticks after our workout. HA! How crazy is that!! Eventually, I cut out the sodas and most of the crap I was eating and learned a little more about eating healthy.

In May 2010, I watched Food Inc. It was totally life changing and eye-opening to say the least. I have re-evaluated my food habits and I am currently working on the following goals:

Limit my intake of processed food.
Read ingredient label when buying packaged food for free of preservatives, artificial flavors, and other modified ingredients.
Eat hormone and antibiotic free chicken and pork.
Eat hormone and antibiotic free, grass-fed beef.
Eat cage free eggs.
Support local farmers by going to Farmers’ Markets and signing up for CSAs.
Eat more local and whole foods.

Having said all this, I”m not going to stress out about being perfect. I may have a Twix or order a steak from a restaurant on a rare occasion. My goal is to personally feel good about what I’m eating. I strive to be aware of what is in my food and where it comes from, especially when cooking at home. Oh, and did I mention that I LOVE dessert?

I earned a B.A in Art with a focus in Photography in 2008. I have been in Charlotte since 2003 and currently work in the Broadcast Media Industry.

Who is Vee?

Real men wear pink!

Show me what you got.

Vee is my husband. He is my hunky Filipino (do you see a resemblance to Manny Pacquiao?)

He is very passionate about music and animals. He is also an awesome creative writer and illustrator. He is currently working on a fantasy novel and plans to write children’s books. Friends and family request him to draw anything and everything. He actually asked me to marry him in a card, in which he illustrated us dancing in our wedding attire! He doesn’t necessarily have the same views as I do about food, but he will usually try anything I shove in his face and I love him for it!

Here are a few pics of us over the years.

Who is Charlie?

Charlie is the other love of my life. He is a Basset Hound/German Shepherd mix. He is extremely sweet and equally as stubborn! He is very vocal and if he could speak English, he would.

Nicknames: