FANTASISING about stiletto heels, chic handbags and mouth- watering chocolate is an indulgence for many women.
However, for Frances Cooley it is a serious, and successful, business.
She makes high heels and handbags out of chocolate at her home in Clifton Wood, Bristol, and her unusual creations are attracting an increasing number of customers, including the leading London-based department store Liberty.
Shoes, handbags and chocolate are a combination that you can't go wrong with as far as many women are concerned. "It certainly applies in my case," says Frances.
"So I'm really pleased to have brought them together quite literally. The reaction I get from people is fantastic."
Juicy Couture JewelleryFrances originally worked as a graphic designer, after taking a degree in graphic design and illustration. However, she decided to set up her own cake-making business about 10 years ago after having her two sons, James, 15, and Patrick, 12.
"I realised it would be difficult to combine my work as a graphic designer with being a mum because of the deadlines," says Frances, who is married to Dave.
"I wanted my own business doing something creative, and cake making seemed ideal. I've always loved cooking. I'm the youngest of five, and my mother always encouraged us to join in with preparing meals."
Her company, Clifton Cakes, was always busy in the summer because of weddings. But as her sons grew older, Frances started thinking of ways rolex fake to increase business during the quieter times of the year. "I decided to start doing more with chocolate, as I'd been specialising in chocolate cakes, and I'd attended a lot of chocolate workshops and had worked with various chocolatiers around the world," she says.
Business began booming after Frances, 47, found a shoe-shaped chocolate mould in a warehouse in Belgium while on a business trip.
"I saw the potential and bought it, and when I returned to Bristol I started playing around with different designs," she explains.
"A friend, who is a French chef, had a meeting at Liberty in London, and he suggested that I accompany him in case they might be interested in selling my cakes.
"At the last minute I thought I'd take along some of the chocolate shoes I'd been making. They weren't interested in my cakes, but they were immediately interested in the shoes and started talking about packaging and designs.
"Six months later I got my first order from them, and as well as selling my products, Liberty has also used my chocolate shoes for promoting events and I've also taken part in a special event they were holding with Grazia magazine."
The success of her chocolate shoes inspired Frances to create a range of matching handbags and have moulds made for them.
She now has eight designs of shoes and matching handbags. All come in large and small sizes, with recommended retail prices starting from Pounds 10 for a small pair of shoes.
During busy times such as before Christmas, when more than 3,000 pieces had to be made to meet orders - Frances employs four people to help her create the shoes and handbags.
"The work has to be done by hand, because of the technical skills needed to pipe patterns into the moulds, which then have to be set before being filled with background chocolate.
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