Privet, everybody! Thank you so much for taking some time to visit my shop and to learn more about me. :) I was born in Tblisi, Georgia, and when I was 6 years old my family moved to Mykolayiv, Ukraine for my father's military obligations. At that time Mykolayiv was a "closed city" due to its status as an important naval center and shipbuilder to the USSR's Black Sea Fleet. Though no visitors were ever permitted to enter my city, there was much wealth from military activities. My mother supplemented our family income by baking and selling beautiful pies, cakes, pastries, breads and miscellaneous baked goods to other military families. I remember sitting with her and watching in amazement as she combined flour, honey, ginger, butter and other natural ingredients into tasty foods. I also recall the hugs and congratulatory words she received from her customers. Everyone seemed to love her results, and I was so proud to be her daughter. My mother was not blind to my interest in her work, and she would always share some extra dough, honey, crushed dates and figs, etc. with myself and my younger brother so we could work beside her. :) Our efforts were not always successful, and rarely very nice to look at, but she was always so patient and generous with praise and words of encouragement.

In Soviet times a student's professors could make recommendation to the state that a student be enrolled in special supplemental schooling if the student demonstrates an aptitude in sports, mathematics, art, science, etc. During what you would call my 'junior high' years, one of my professors referred me to supplemental art training. From then until I entered the university, I attended regular school with all other students, but at the end of each school day I rode a bus to the special art school. There I continued studying art until the early evening hours. I loved that school so much - art theories, perspective, color palettes, painting, drawing, etc.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, my city was opened to foreigners and visitors from other cities in the former USSR. In 2009 I met a wonderful American man. After more than two years and dozens of ocean crossings to meet each other, we finally married and I came to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania in July 2011 to join he and his two boys as one family - MY family. I love this town and the friendly people here, and though I miss my family back in Mykolayiv, I have never been happier in my life!

Within the first month of my arrival here, a teacher at school asked my youngest son if his mother would be "homeroom mom" for the class because no one else had volunteered to do it. I did not understand what this request meant, but I agreed to do it if my son needs it. I eventually learned this role entails many tasks, but one was to arrange class parties for Halloween, Valentine's Day, Christmas, Easter and other special celebrations. Halloween was the first class event, and my husband suggested I buy some cookies or cupcakes from the grocery store for the children. Since the first day I arrived in America I chat with my mother on Skype daily so I decided to tell her about our party plan. She was upset that I would consider feeding the children "all those chemicals Americans eat" (I cannot convince her Americans do not survive on chemicals that only resemble food! lol) After my scolding I decided to bake cake pops for the children's party. The cake pops were a great success, and for each school party after that I made something different. With each new party I pushed myself to outdo the treats served at the earlier parties. Soon parents and teachers asked me if I would agree to bake some cupcakes, cookies or cakes for events outside school. Of course I agreed and organized Marta's Cakes and Cookies. :)

If long ago someone would tell me in the future I will combine my love of art with the baking inspiration my mother gave me to become a cake and cookie decorator, I would say that person is crazy. Here I am though :) What began on my kitchen counter as a work of love to help my son has now grown into my own commercial bakery, and I cannot be happier. I've now shipped tens of thousands of cookies to every US state, and I'm so grateful to the customers who allow me to share in the happiness of their celebrations!

I love what I do, I am meticulous as to details, and I will never sell a customer something that I am not 100% proud of. Therefore I spend a lot of time on each order, and my production numbers are not as high as those of some other shops. I also accept a lot of orders from my shop's Facebook page and direct from my bakery. These can affect the number of orders I can accept for shipping on a given date. It is very important that customers either message me directly for availability or that they check my posted bake calendar. My Shop Announcement message contains a 4 month, moving calendar that shows available dates.