Hey there and thanks for stopping in :)

My name is Carmen and I live on the outskirts of Tokomaru, NZ with my three kids.

I am an Education Transport Captain, more familiarly known as the school bus driver. I am also in the local volunteer Fire Brigade and have been since 2002. In fact I was introduced to Caramel Apples through a couple of trips to Seattle competing in Fire Service Stair Climbs, where myself and a great mate Jaimee, a US Firefighter/Medic, would buy a couple of ginormous Gourmet Caramel Apples from an amazing shop in downtown Seattle called the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. We would stash the apples in our hotel room and use them as the final incentive to get to the top of the tower, knowing that once the hard training and sweat and tears was finally over, we could celebrate the relaxing of diets by indulging in one of these beauties!

I began making Caramel Apples in 2010 for my eldest son's 10th birthday party favours. Yes, they took a bit of getting the hang of and lots of disasters followed, but now, 4 years down the track Ive got the knack and have regular sellouts at markets and expos around the lower North Island.

I am somewhat of a collector - my house is furnished and decorated, eclectically some would say, by finds from op shops and markets. I love the retro 70s look, and my prized possession is Gloria, an early 70s Golden Knight stereogram which gets daily use. I also have a mean vinyl collection and can often be found curled up in my favourite round cane chair listening to the scratchy yet comforting sounds of Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, the Stones and more, sounding as they should do - on vinyl. My latest toy is a portable Sanyo record player, again from the mid 70s, which will be a feature at selected markets - music in style!

When Im not behind a crockpot making apples, I like to be behind my old Elna sewing machine whizzing up a cushion, curtain, skirt, bunting or other whimsy from a probably overstocked vintage and retro fabric stash.

My aim and dream is to make and sell my Apples from a retro caravan, along with coffees and soda streams, and a collection of lollies we used to have as kids. Of course the portable record player will feature somewhere in it, and one day you may see me at Womad, or some other music or food festival, or some lucky bride and grooms big day. That would be perfect!

Thanks again for your interest in the Caramel Apples - I can also be contacted on the Facebook page Jean Jeanie Caramel Apples, by email jeanjeanie2012@gmail.com, or by phone 027 7773998